1. Johan Santana, Mets
He's healthy, and he's set to dominate. Santana is still the best pitcher in the world, and he'll get plenty of run support from the Mets lineup.
2. Tim Lincecum, Giants
Lincecum isn't far behind Johan. But his value is hurt by the fact that the Giants won't score a lot of runs for him
3. CC Sabathia, Yankees
Sabathia dominated the weaker lineups of the National League, and the Yankees will get him the run support he needs to win 20 games. But how will Sabathia fare against the stacked lineups of the AL?
4. Roy Halladay, Blue Jays
Halladay is simply a rock. He has won 16-plus games in each of the past three seasons, including 20 last year. He also led the bigs with nine complete games.
5. Dan Haren, Diamondbacks
Haren has excellent control and nasty stuff. With a little bit of luck, he'll win 20 and be among baseball's leaders in ERA and strikeouts.
6. Cole Hamels, Phillies
After watching him dominate last October, it's clear that Hamels is poised to become a superstar. But his elbow problems are a red flag for a guy who was always injured in the minors.
7. Francisco Liriano, Twins
After missing all of 2007 after elbow surgery, it took Liriano a while to round into form last year. But after a demotion to the minors, he came back and pitched lights out late in the year, going 6-1 with a 2.74 ERA over his final 11 starts. The young lefty is poised to make a run at the Cy Young Award.
8. Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
Ol' reliable. Webb doesn't match the strikeout totals of some of the other top pitchers, but he always throws a ton of innings and puts himself in position to pick up wins (22 last year). Webb has never had an ERA higher than 3.59.
9. Cliff Lee, Indians
Last year, Lee came out of nowhere to win the AL Cy Young Award, going 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA. It will be tough to repeat that performance as he faces a tougher schedule in 2009. But Lee's outstanding control will make him one of baseball's best pitchers again.
10. Jake Peavy, Padres
Peavy is a superstar, but this Padres lineup is one of the worst in baseball. It will be tough for Peavy to pick up a lot of wins.
11. Roy Oswalt, Astros
Oswalt ran into some bad luck early last season, but bounced back for a big finish. He should be back in top form in 2009,
12. Felix Hernandez, Mariners
It's amazing to think that King Felix turns just 23 on Wednesday! He has the nastiest stuff in the bigs, but is still learning how to pitch and sometimes gets too wild. And the fact that the Mariners are likely to stink could keep his win total low again (just 9-11 last year).
13. James Shields, Rays
He has emerged as the most reliable of Tampa's young pitchers. Shields has excellent control and works late into games, which could put him in line for 18-20 wins this season.
14. Chad Billingsley, Dodgers
He sometimes gets a little wild, but Billingsley has the stuff to be among the league leaders in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. He's a true power pitcher who has emerged as an ace.
15. Josh Beckett, Red Sox
Beckett still has the stuff to dominate, as hit strikeout-to-walk rate was oustanding last season. Injuries have been a big problem in the past, but if he stays healthy, Beckett could have 20 wins and 200 strikeouts.
16. Rich Harden, Cubs
Harden was nearly unhittable last season, posting a 1.77 ERA in 12 starts after being traded to the Cubs. But he's incredibly injury-prone and didn't look sharp during spring training.
17. Jon Lester, Red Sox
He's only 25, but Lester could be poised for a Cy Young-caliber season. He has very good control, and does a nice job keeping the ball in the park.
18. Zack Greinke, Royals
He had a very rough spring, but hoefully Greinke will be ready to go in the regular season. If the Royals get him run support, he has the talent to win 18-20 games with a ton of strikeouts.
19. Scott Kazmir, Rays
Kazmir has ridiculously nasty stuff. But his flaws remain the same: He has a longg injury history and walks too many batters.
20. Ricky Nolasco, Marlins
Nolasco was simply lights out last season, especially after the All-Star break. The Marlins ace had a 3.29 ERA and an amazing 98-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his final 14 starts. That's the sign of an elite pitcher.
21. Yovani Gallardo, Brewers
Gallardo is finally healthy again, and he has a chance to step up as the Brewers' new ace.
22. John Danks, White Sox
Danks quietly emerged as a true ace last season, posting a 3.32 ERA while striking out 159 in 195 innings. If he can get a little more run support than last season, the young lefty is capable of 15-18 wins.
23. Javier Vazquez, Braves
He ran into a lot of tough luck last season, but Vazquez might dominate this year. He struck out 200 while facing the stacked lineups of the American League, and now gets to face the weaker lineups of the NL.
24. Carlos Zambrano, Cubs
Zambrano looked like he lost a little bit of his stuff last season. Still, he was able to win 14 games with a 3.91 ERA. If Big Z gets his mojo back, he'll be a star again.
25. John Lackey, Angels
Lackey will miss the first month of the season with an elbow injury. When he's healthy, he's a dominant pitcher who racks up the wins and strikeouts.
26. Scott Baker, Twins
Baker is going to miss his first start with shoulder stiffness. When healthy, he's one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball. He rarely walks hitters but has the stuff to strike out hitters.
27. Adam Wainwright, Cardinals
He's still developing as a starter, and Wainwright needs to stay healthy. But he has the solid stuff to be a 15-game winner with a very good ERA.
28. Derek Lowe, Braves
With his great control and nasty sinker, Lowe should continue to post very good numbers in his first year in Atlanta.
29. Justin Verlander, Tigers
Verlander has the talent to dominate, but he didn't have his best stuff last year. He went just 11-17 with a 4.84 ERA last year. But he could return to his 2007 form, when Verlander went 18-6 with a 3.66 ERA.
30. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox
Matsuzaka benefited from a lot of luck last season, as he put a ton of base runners on but seemed to always squirm out of trouble. If he continues to walk so many hitters (94 in 167.2 innings last year), Dice-K won't match his 18 wins and 2.90 ERA of a year ago.
31. Josh Johnson, Marlins
Elbow surgery limited Johnson to just 18 starts over the past two seasons. But he was very strong after returning to the mound. In 14 starts last year, he went 7-1 with a 3.61 ERA. If he can stay healthy, Johnson could emerge as a star.
32. Erik Bedard, Mariners
Injuries wiped out Bedard's first season in Seattle. But the lefty is capable of winning 15 games with a ton of strikeouts if he can stay healthy.
33. Ted Lilly, Cubs
Lilly is coming off back-to-back solid seasons with the Cubs. His control has gotten much better, which is why his ERA has been about 4.00 the past two seasons. He should be in line for another 15-18 wins.
34. Edinson Volquez, Reds
Volquez faded late last season. But with his outstanding changeup, Volquez is capable of posting outstanding numbers if he's on.
35. Chris Carpenter, Cardinals
Because of Tommy John surgery, Carpenter has made just five appearances since 2006. Still, he's close to 100 percent entering this season, and could return to ace form.
36. Matt Garza, Rays
Garza isn't quite overpowering, but his control is improving and he could win 15 games with good run support.
37. Kevin Slowey, Twins
Slowey is a fine young control artist. He can be prone to giving up the longball, but an oustanding strikeout-to-walk ratio (123-to-24 last year) makes up for that.
38. Matt Cain, Giants
Cain has won just 15 games over the past two seasons, but that hasn't been his fault. While his ERA has been under 4.00 each of the past two seasons, the Giants' feeble offense rarely gives him enough run support to get wins.
39. Aaron Harang, Reds
Harang got next to no run support last season, and didn't have his sharpest stuff. It's yet to be seen who will show up this year, 2008 Aaron Harang (4.78 ERA, 153 strikeouts) or 2007 Aaron Harang (3.73 ERA, 218 strikeouts).
40. Gil Meche, Royals
After a slow start last season, Meche stepped up as one of baseball's best in the second half of the year. He went 8-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 95 strikeouts over his final 14 starts.
41. Brett Myers, Phillies
After serving as a closer in 2007, Myers did not transition well in his return to the rotation. But after a slow start, he came on strong in the second half, going 7-4 with a 3.06 ERA after the All-Star break. This season, Myers should be able to pitch like that over the course of the entire season.
42. Chris Young, Padres
Young couldn't stay healthy last season. But the big power pitcher should be able to post a solid ERA with a good amount of strikeouts as long as he can stay healthy.
43. Hiroki Kuroda, Dodgers
Kuroda was strong in his first season in the U.S., showing the ability to get groundball outs with his heavy sinker. With a little bit of luck, he could win 12-to-15 games this season.
44. Jered Weaver, Angels
Weaver became a strikeout artist last season, punching out 152 batters in 176.2 innings. If he can avoid giving up too many home runs, he could take another step towards being an ace.
45. Mark Buehrle, White Sox
Buehrle is a model of consistency. He's had an ERA under 4.00 in four of the past five seasons, and has earned double-digit wins in each of the past eight years.
46. Joba Chamberlain, Yankees
Joba is capable of dominating when he's healthy. But the question is, how long can he stay healthy? Chamberlain threw just 65.1 innings in his 12 starts last season. Because he didn't work late into games, he only got the win in three of those 12 starts.
47. Ervin Santana, Angels
Santana pitched like an ace last season, but elbow problems are a major concern. Santana is likely to miss at least the first two months of the 2009 season.
48. Randy Johnson, Giants
The Big Unit is still getting it done, going 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA and 173 strikeouts last season. Still, you have to wonder how much the 45 year old has left in the tank.
49. Max Scherzer, Diamondbacks
Scherzer is a lot like Joba Chamberlain, a young power pitcher who still hasn't made the full transition to the rotation. He posted a 3.41 ERA and 48 strikeouts in seven starts last year. But he threw just 37 innings in those starts and didn't get any wins. We'll see if he can work deeper into games, allowing him to pick up at least a couple wins this year.
50. John Lannan, Nationals
It isn't saying much, but Lannan is stepping up as the ace in Washington. He posted a solid 3.91 ERA last season, but he won only nine games thanks to a lack of run support.
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