Fourteen pitchers won at least 17 games last season. Thirty-three players had 14 wins or more, and 48 had at least 13 victories.
We enter the 2011 fantasy baseball season with the Phillies possibly owning four of the top 14 starting pitchers and an injured Zack Greinke in -- of all places -- Milwaukee (where he has joined fellow trade acquisition Shaun Marcum).
Our list of the top 80 starters doesn't include a two-time American League Cy Young Award winner, a former 18-game winner with the Red Sox or a Yankees flop who has reached double figures in victories in 11 straight seasons. But more on those guys later.
It also no longer includes Cardinals stud Adam Wainwright, who will miss the season with an elbow injury.
That brings us to our latest look at the top starting pitchers in fantasy baseball in 2011. These rankings will be updated as spring training provides more answers to certain position battles.
Note: Players are listed only at the position at which they are expected to spend the most time in 2011, not every position at which they are eligible. For the top players in keeper leagues for 2011, click here.
Best of the best
- Roy Halladay, Phillies: Cliff Lee got the $120 million contract, but Halladay is the unanimous Cy Young winner who is the best in the game -- and in fantasy after a 21-win, 219-strikeout season.
- Felix Hernandez, Mariners: The reigning AL Cy Young winner won only 13 games, but he dominated in every other category (2.27 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 232 Ks).
- Tim Lincecum, Giants: The Freak had a down year by his standards (10 losses, 3.43 ERA, 1.27 WHIP), but still won 16 games and struck out 231.
- Jon Lester, Red Sox: He has 450 Ks the last two years, and he had a prolific 2010 (19-9, 3.25 ERA, 225 Ks).
- Justin Verlander, Tigers: He's not a huge ERA asset (a combined 3.41 the last two seasons), but Verlander has averaged 18.5 wins and has 488 strikeouts in 464 1/3 innings since 2009.
- Cliff Lee, Phillies: There's no question he's a stud, but you probably wouldn't guess that he's only 26-22 the last two seasons and his career high in strikeouts is 185.
- CC Sabathia, Yankees: He's a combined 40-15 with 394 Ks since he signed a huge deal with the Yanks, and he won 21 games in 2010.
- Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies: He was just 3-6 from August on last season, but overall was 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA and 214 Ks.
- David Price, Rays: There's a lot to like (19-6, 2.72 ERA, 188 Ks in 2010), but you have to wonder how the Rays' weakened lineup will affect their rotation.
- Josh Johnson, Marlins: He needs to improve upon his 26 wins since 2009, but he had more Ks than innings and a 2.30 ERA last season.
- Jered Weaver, Angels: His 233 Ks were 59 more than his previous career high, and Weaver more than made up for a 13-12 record with a 3.01 ERA and 1.07 WHIP.
- Roy Oswalt, Phillies: Another 13-win pitcher whose record is overshadowed by his ERA (2.76) and strikeout total (193).
- Mat Latos, Padres: He was very good in his first full big-league season (14-10, 2.92 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 189 Ks in 184 2/3 innings), and he had 216 Ks and a 2.49 ERA in 184 2/3 innings in the minors.
- Cole Hamels, Phillies: Philadelphia's fourth starter is only four games over .500 since 2008 (36-32), but had a 3.06 ERA and 211 Ks in 208 2/3 innings in 2010.
- Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers: He has 14 more Ks than innings pitched in his career (497 to 483), and he had a 2.91 ERA in 2010.
A quick look at the rest
- 16. Chris Carpenter, Cardinals
- 17. Clay Buchholz, Red Sox
- 18. Francisco Liriano, Twins
- 19. Matt Cain, Giants
- 20. Yovani Gallardo, Brewers
- 21. Tommy Hanson, Braves
- 22. Dan Haren, Angels
- 23. Trevor Cahill, Athletics
- 24. Phil Hughes, Yankees
- 25. Max Scherzer, Tigers
- 26. Chad Billingsley, Dodgers
- 27. Josh Beckett, Red Sox
- 28. Tim Hudson, Braves
- 29. Zack Greinke, Brewers
- 30. C.J. Wilson, Rangers
- 31. Colby Lewis, Rangers
- 32. Gio Gonzalez, Athletics
- 33. Madison Bumgarner, Giants
- 34. Brett Anderson, Athletics
- 35. Jonathan Sanchez, Giants
- 36. Matt Garza, Cubs
- 37. Ricky Nolasco, Marlins
- 38. Ryan Dempster, Cubs
- 39. John Danks, White Sox
- 40. Brett Myers, Astros
- 41. Jaime Garcia, Cardinals
- 42. Daniel Hudson, Diamondbacks
- 43. Ricky Romero, Blue Jays
- 44. Ervin Santana, Angels
- 45. Wandy Rodriguez, Astros
- 46. Shaun Marcum, Brewers
- 47. John Lackey, Red Sox
- 48. Ian Kennedy, Diamondbacks
- 49. James Shields, Rays
- 50. Ted Lilly, Dodgers
- 51. Edwin Jackson, White Sox
- 52. Travis Wood, Reds
- 53. Hiroki Kuroda, Dodgers
- 54. Edinson Volzquez, Reds
- 55. Jeff Niemann, Rays
- 56. Bronson Arroyo, Reds
- 57. Carlos Zambrano, Cubs
- 58. Jair Jurrjens, Braves
- 59. Brett Cecil, Blue Jays
- 60. Jorge De La Rosa, Rockies
- 61. Gavin Floyd, White Sox
- 62. Brandon Morrow, Blue Jays
- 63. Jhoulys Chacin, Rockies
- 64. Fausto Carmona, Indians
- 65. Carl Pavano, Twins
- 66. Jeremy Hellickson, Rays
- 67. Jake Peavy, White Sox
- 68. Johnny Cueto, Reds
- 69. Derek Lowe, Braves
- 70. Clayton Richard, Padres
- 71. Mike Pelfrey, Mets
- 72. Wade Davis, Rays
- 73. J.A. Happ, Astros
- 74. Anibal Sanchez, Marlins
- 75. Brian Matusz, Orioles
- 76. Scott Baker, Twins
- 77. Dallas Braden, Athletics
- 78. Mark Buehrle, White Sox
- 79. Brandon Webb, Rangers
- 80. Jonathan Niese, Mets
Others to watch
- Johan Santana, Mets: A two-time Cy Young recipient with the Twins, Santana could miss at least the first half of his fourth season with the Mets because of a torn capsule in his left shoulder.
- Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox: He has just 13 wins since 2009, yet is still difficult to bypass in the final rounds for anyone who owned him in 2008 (18-3, 2.90 ERA).
- Javier Vazquez, Marlins: He was terrible in New York last season (10-10, 5.32 ERA, 1.40 WHIP), but he has the 11-year streak of 10 wins or more and was very good in the NL with Atlanta in 2009 (15-10, 2.87 ERA).
- Homer Bailey, Reds: He has yet to live up to the hype, but he's only 24 and had 100 Ks in 109 innings last season.
- Joel Pineiro, Angels: He was 10-7 with a 3.84 ERA in 2010, and he's of little help in the strikeout department (92 in 152 1/3 innings).
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MORE RANKINGS: Your guide to all of our 2011 fantasy baseball rankings