Fantasy Baseball: 2010 All-Stars (Pitchers)
On July 8, Ubaldo Jimenez improved to 15-1 with a 2.20 ERA.
He was the best player in fantasy baseball, and a threat to win 25 games.
Fast-forward to Week 27 -- the last of the MLB regular season -- and Jimenez has 19 wins.
He's won four games in more than 11 weeks, and his ERA since he earned win No. 15 is well above 4.00.
He was so mediocre the last three months that he doesn't earn a place on our 2010 fantasy baseball all-star team.
Six starting pitchers made the cut, receiving unprecedented notoriety and contract bonuses, and sadly, Jimenez wasn't one.
On to our choices for the six starters and two closers. All statistics are through Sept. 26 -- the end of Week 26, which also marks the conclusion of the fantasy season in most leagues.
Click here for our breakdown of the all-star batters.
STARTING PITCHERS
Roy Halladay, Phillies (20-10, 2.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 241 2/3 innings, 213 Ks)
The above numbers don't include Halladay's complete-game shutout on Sept. 27, which improved his season totals to 21-10 with a 2.44 ERA.
If you count his last start, Halladay is 11-2 with a 2.51 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 13 appearances since July 23. In that span, he has 88 Ks in 96 2/3 innings.
Halladay has won at least 16 games in five consecutive seasons and has shown no signs of slowing at age 33.
Adam Wainwright, Cardinals (20-11, 2.42 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 230 1/3 innings, 213 Ks)
How's this for effectiveness? Wainwright's worst month record-wise was August, when he was 3-3 with a 2.57 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 42 innings.
He is 39-19 with 425 Ks the last two seasons.
Jon Lester, Red Sox (19-8, 2.96 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 204 innings, 220 Ks)
We like players who are at their best at fantasy crunch time, and the following are Lester's numbers from Aug. 27 on: six starts, 6-0, 1.76 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 54 Ks, 41 innings. Included in that span was a run of four consecutive starts with 10 or more strikeouts.
Justin Verlander, Tigers (18-8, 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 217 1/3 innings, 209 Ks)
He's 37-17 with 478 Ks in 457 1/3 innings since 2009, and he was clutch in September (it didn't matter for the Tigers, but it might have mattered to you): 4-0, 2.08 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 41 Ks, 39 innings.
CC Sabathia, Yankees (20-7, 3.26 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 229 1/3 innings, 189 Ks)
His win Sept. 28 (which isn't counted in the stats above) improved the hefty lefty to 40-15 in two seasons with the Yankees. In June, July and August, Sabathia was a combined 14-2 with a 2.55 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 123 1/3 innings.
That's 14 wins in a span of 17 starts. The Steinbrenners' money was well-earned -- they only wish they could say the same about A.J. Burnett.
Felix Hernandez, Mariners (12-12, 2.31 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 241 2/3 innings, 227 Ks)
It was difficult to give a .500 pitcher (prior to his win Sept. 28) the final starting spot over Jimenez, but Hernandez did everything but win 18 to 20 games.
All of his key statistics improved from 2009 to 2010, except his record, which dropped from 19-5 the year before to 13-12 after his last victory.
Hernandez's ERAs by month: 2.23 in April, 4.79 in May, 2.36 in June, 2.15 in July, 0.82 in August and 1.64 in September (which includes his 13th win).
Honorable mention: Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies; David Price, Rays and Jered Weaver, Angels. Jimenez's lone bright spot since he picked up his 15th win on July 8: He has still been a strikeout asset (85 Ks in 79 2/3 innings, a span in which he compiled a 4-6 record).
Price, prior to his Sept. 28 win, was 18-6 with a 2.84 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 179 Ks in 199 2/3 innings through 26 weeks. He had at least three wins in every month but one. Weaver, meanwhile, led all pitchers through 26 weeks with 229 Ks -- 55 better than his previous career high. Overall, he was 13-12 with a 3.02 ERA and 1.08 WHIP -- suffering from Hernandez's My Team Is Killing My Win Total Syndrome.
RELIEF PITCHERS
Heath Bell, Padres (6-0, 1.78 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 44 saves in 47 chances, 65 2/3 innings, 84 Ks)
He had at least seven saves every month and was great in September (7-for-7 in saves, one win, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 11 Ks in 10 innings).
Bell has 86 saves and 163 Ks in 135 1/3 innings the last two seasons.
Brian Wilson, Giants (3-3, 1.90 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 45 saves in 50 chances, 71 innings, 89 Ks)
He had seven or more saves in each month but April, and like Bell, he has lights-out numbers the last two seasons (83 saves, 172 Ks in 143 1/3 innings).
Honorable mention: Joakim Soria, Royals and Rafael Soriano, Rays. Not counting his Sept. 27 save to begin Week 27, Soria was 41-for-43 in save opportunities, with a 1.58 ERA and 69 Ks in 62 2/3 innings. He had six or more saves in each month.
Soriano paid big dividends for the Rays in his first season after being traded by the Braves. He was 44-for-47 in saves through Week 26, with a 1.79 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 54 Ks in 60 1/3 innings.
He was the best player in fantasy baseball, and a threat to win 25 games.
Fast-forward to Week 27 -- the last of the MLB regular season -- and Jimenez has 19 wins.
He's won four games in more than 11 weeks, and his ERA since he earned win No. 15 is well above 4.00.
He was so mediocre the last three months that he doesn't earn a place on our 2010 fantasy baseball all-star team.
Six starting pitchers made the cut, receiving unprecedented notoriety and contract bonuses, and sadly, Jimenez wasn't one.
On to our choices for the six starters and two closers. All statistics are through Sept. 26 -- the end of Week 26, which also marks the conclusion of the fantasy season in most leagues.
Click here for our breakdown of the all-star batters.
STARTING PITCHERS
Roy Halladay, Phillies (20-10, 2.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 241 2/3 innings, 213 Ks)
The above numbers don't include Halladay's complete-game shutout on Sept. 27, which improved his season totals to 21-10 with a 2.44 ERA.
If you count his last start, Halladay is 11-2 with a 2.51 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 13 appearances since July 23. In that span, he has 88 Ks in 96 2/3 innings.
Halladay has won at least 16 games in five consecutive seasons and has shown no signs of slowing at age 33.
Adam Wainwright, Cardinals (20-11, 2.42 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 230 1/3 innings, 213 Ks)
How's this for effectiveness? Wainwright's worst month record-wise was August, when he was 3-3 with a 2.57 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 42 innings.
He is 39-19 with 425 Ks the last two seasons.
Jon Lester, Red Sox (19-8, 2.96 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 204 innings, 220 Ks)
We like players who are at their best at fantasy crunch time, and the following are Lester's numbers from Aug. 27 on: six starts, 6-0, 1.76 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 54 Ks, 41 innings. Included in that span was a run of four consecutive starts with 10 or more strikeouts.
Justin Verlander, Tigers (18-8, 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 217 1/3 innings, 209 Ks)
He's 37-17 with 478 Ks in 457 1/3 innings since 2009, and he was clutch in September (it didn't matter for the Tigers, but it might have mattered to you): 4-0, 2.08 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 41 Ks, 39 innings.
CC Sabathia, Yankees (20-7, 3.26 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 229 1/3 innings, 189 Ks)
His win Sept. 28 (which isn't counted in the stats above) improved the hefty lefty to 40-15 in two seasons with the Yankees. In June, July and August, Sabathia was a combined 14-2 with a 2.55 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 123 1/3 innings.
That's 14 wins in a span of 17 starts. The Steinbrenners' money was well-earned -- they only wish they could say the same about A.J. Burnett.
Felix Hernandez, Mariners (12-12, 2.31 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 241 2/3 innings, 227 Ks)
It was difficult to give a .500 pitcher (prior to his win Sept. 28) the final starting spot over Jimenez, but Hernandez did everything but win 18 to 20 games.
All of his key statistics improved from 2009 to 2010, except his record, which dropped from 19-5 the year before to 13-12 after his last victory.
Hernandez's ERAs by month: 2.23 in April, 4.79 in May, 2.36 in June, 2.15 in July, 0.82 in August and 1.64 in September (which includes his 13th win).
Honorable mention: Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies; David Price, Rays and Jered Weaver, Angels. Jimenez's lone bright spot since he picked up his 15th win on July 8: He has still been a strikeout asset (85 Ks in 79 2/3 innings, a span in which he compiled a 4-6 record).
Price, prior to his Sept. 28 win, was 18-6 with a 2.84 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 179 Ks in 199 2/3 innings through 26 weeks. He had at least three wins in every month but one. Weaver, meanwhile, led all pitchers through 26 weeks with 229 Ks -- 55 better than his previous career high. Overall, he was 13-12 with a 3.02 ERA and 1.08 WHIP -- suffering from Hernandez's My Team Is Killing My Win Total Syndrome.
RELIEF PITCHERS
Heath Bell, Padres (6-0, 1.78 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 44 saves in 47 chances, 65 2/3 innings, 84 Ks)
He had at least seven saves every month and was great in September (7-for-7 in saves, one win, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 11 Ks in 10 innings).
Bell has 86 saves and 163 Ks in 135 1/3 innings the last two seasons.
Brian Wilson, Giants (3-3, 1.90 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 45 saves in 50 chances, 71 innings, 89 Ks)
He had seven or more saves in each month but April, and like Bell, he has lights-out numbers the last two seasons (83 saves, 172 Ks in 143 1/3 innings).
Honorable mention: Joakim Soria, Royals and Rafael Soriano, Rays. Not counting his Sept. 27 save to begin Week 27, Soria was 41-for-43 in save opportunities, with a 1.58 ERA and 69 Ks in 62 2/3 innings. He had six or more saves in each month.
Soriano paid big dividends for the Rays in his first season after being traded by the Braves. He was 44-for-47 in saves through Week 26, with a 1.79 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 54 Ks in 60 1/3 innings.
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