Wednesday, May 16, 2007

May 16 -- COOL HAND COLE

It appeared on page 68 of last week's Sports Illustrated, so you might've missed it. SI asked 11 "high-ranking major-league talent evaluators" (read: GMs, scouts) to pick their dream rotation from a group of pitchers with one year or less of big-league service time. Daisuke Matsuzaka (Red Sox) finished first with eight first-place votes. Cole Hamels, 14-9 with a 3.90 ERA and 204 strikeouts in 187 innings since being called up May 12, 2006, was second with two.

Here at the Blog, we want to expand the pool to include all young pitchers. If you have to pick five starters from this group, who would they be?

1. Hamels; 2. Matt Cain (Giants); 3. Justin Verlander (Tigers); 4. Felix Hernandez (Mariners); 5. Scott Kazmir (Devil Rays); 6. Matsuzaka; 7. Phil Hughes (Yankees); 8. Erik Bedard (Orioles); 9. Matt Garza (Twins); 10. Brandon McCarthy (Rangers); 11. Mike Pelfrey (Mets); 12. Jered Weaver (Angels); 13. Tim Lincecum (Giants); 14. Shawn Hill (Nats); 15. Other.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

In no particular order, Hamels, Verlander, Hernandez, Weaver, Kazmir.

Anonymous said...

1. Hamels; 3. Justin Verlander (Tigers); 4. Felix Hernandez (Mariners); 5. Scott Kazmir (Devil Rays); 14. Shawn Hill (Nats)

Everyone of those guys can (will) win 20 games. I like their arms and their heads.

Cheese out.

Anonymous said...

good question...

Hamels, Felix, Cain, Dice-K, and Rich Hill (cubs)...

Jury is still out on Hughes, although I expect big things and would consider him after a few more starts. Don't forget Shields on TB.

Andy said...

Hernandez, Hamels, Matsuzaka, Verlander and Cain in that order I think.