In light of Craig’s response to Buster Olney’s blog, I’ve thrown this together. It’s a ranking 1-30 of how the top six pitchers in each team’s rotation fare in my fantasy projections.
This isn’t meant to be taken very seriously. For one thing, I’ve simply added up the totals, so the No. 6 starter is treated equally with the top five options. That’s a problem for the Mariners, Angels and some other teams that I see as just five deep. Also, I’m not attempting to neutralize for park and league effects. That really hurts the Rockies and Rangers, both of whom would be several spots higher if I were doing this by hand.
1. Red Sox 10.07
2. Yankees 4.77
3. Giants 3.79
4. Mariners 3.65
5. Phillies 3.40
6. Dodgers 1.39
7. Cardinals 0.20
8. Rays -0.38
9. Marlins -0.74
10. Cubs -0.95
11. Braves -3.02
12. Twins -3.08
13. Diamondbacks -3.13
14. White Sox -3.18
15. Mets -3.89
16. Padres -5.14
17. Tigers -5.98
18. Athletics -6.71
19. Rockies -7.35
20. Astros -7.64
21. Angels -7.84
22. Royals -8.19
23. Brewers -10.22
24. Rangers -10.43
25. Reds -11.03
26. Blue Jays -12.62
27. Orioles -12.73
28. Indians -14.21
29. Pirates -18.72
30. Nationals -21.63
– I have the Red Sox starters ranked 9th (Jon Lester), 11th (Josh Beckett), 27th (John Lackey), 40th (Clay Buchholz) and 60th (Daisuke Matsuzaka), making it pretty obvious why they fare well here. Even Tim Wakefield has a substantial edge on most of the No. 6 starters. Boston and Seattle are the two teams that I have receiving significant boosts because of their defenses.
– The Yankees would have narrowed the gap a little had I made Phil Hughes the sixth starter, but I’m projecting him as a reliever. Chad Gaudin took that spot. Likewise, the Cardinals would have been helped had I used Kyle McClellan in place of either Mitchell Boggs or Jaime Garcia.
– Besides the Red Sox, the only other team to place four starters in my top 50 was the Braves. I was pretty surprised just how low they graded out here. However, the fact that Tommy Hanson is the only real strikeout pitcher of the bunch hurt. Also, sixth starter Jo-Jo Reyes weighs them down. They could have moved up had I used Kris Medlen instead.
– The Nationals would have overtaken the Pirates had I used Stephen Strasburg over Scott Olsen or sixth starter Shairon Martis.
Nevada Senate vote on proposed A’s stadium in Las Vegas extended until next week
Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports
CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Senate adjourned Thursday without voting on a financing bill for a proposed $1.5 billion Las Vegas Strip stadium for the Oakland Athletics, extending the special legislative session into the next week amid negotiations over whether to contribute $380 million in public funding to the project.
The measure can still be amended by lawmakers, and if it passes the Senate it would still need approval from the Assembly before going to the desk of Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who has expressed support for it. Both the state Senate and Assembly are adjourned until Monday.
In a hearing that began Wednesday and stretched into the early morning hours Thursday, lawmakers peppered tourism officials and a representative from a firm partnering with the ball club with questions about the feasibility and benefits of financing such a deal.
Public funds for the stadium would mainly come from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the proposed stadium would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes.
The A’s would not owe property taxes for the publicly owned stadium. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, would also contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.
A’s representatives and some tourism officials say a deal would further grow Las Vegas’ developing sports scene and act as an economic engine, but a growing chorus of economists and some lawmakers warn that the project would bring minimal benefits for the hefty public price tag.