Major League Basesball's Top 40 Pitchers and Eight Best Rotations Possible

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Last season was tabbed the "Year of the Pitcher" due to the high volume of no-no's and perfecto's.

This year hasn't changed that trend with Twins' Francisco Liriano throwing the year's first no-hitter against the White Sox.

So with teams focusing more on young, power pitching staffs, let's take a look at how the top eight rotations would look like if you took the best 40 pitchers the Majors has to offer.

Also, for a look at the best possible lineup, check out my previous baseball post.

8. The Worst of the Best

The electric but inconsistent Edison Volquez
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1.RHP Jair Jurrjens
ATL, 1.52 ERA

2.RHP Edison Volquez
CIN, 5.67 ERA

3.RHP Ryan Dempster
CHI(C), 8.05 ERA

4.LHP Jaime Garcia
STL, 2.48 ERA

5. RHP Kyle Lohse
STL, 2.44 ERA

The Breakdown:

Jair Jurrjens has been a very good top-of-the-rotation starter for the entirety of his young career, but lacks power stuff... Edison Volquez is the exact opposite. He can be one of the most feared pitchers in baseball if he just knew where the strike zone was. He needs to talk to Charlie Sheen... Ryan Dempster has been horrific this year, but he should bounce back with the weather turning and his splitter coming back... Jaime Garcia is a terrific, underrated talent that was buried in the Cardinal rotation by Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, but not anymore... Kyle Lohse is solid and having a very good year, just wonder how long it will last.

7th Best Rotation

Mr. Perfect had been far from it before his May 3rd start
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1. RHP Brandon Morrow

TOR,  3.97 ERA

2. LHP Francisco Liriano

MIN,  6.61 ERA

3. RHP Chad Billingsley

LAD,  3.92 ERA

4. LHP Ted Lilly

LAD,  4.45 ERA

5. RHP Dan Hudson

ARI,  5.30 ERA

 

The Breakdown:

 

Brandon Morrow has incredible stuff that translate to a very high number of strikeouts. The only problem for him is staying on the mound for a full 32 starts... Francisco Liriano has the ability to dominate, he just overthrows from time to time, even during his no-hit game... Chad Billingsley is consistently average, but that is what makes him good... Ted Lilly is just a savvy veteran who knows how to change speeds and hit spots... Dan Hudson has only two NON-quality starts with the D-backs dating back to the trade that sent him to Arizona last year.

6th Best Rotation

Matt Garza is compiling strikeouts at a rate that impresses even Kerry Wood
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1. RHP Brett Myers
HOU, 3.72 ERA

2. LHP Jonathan Sanchez
SF, 2.73 ERA

3. RHP Hiroki Kuroda
LAD, 3.10 ERA

4. RHP Matt Garza
CHI(C), 3.96 ERA

5. RHP Matt Latos
SD, 4.55

The Breakdown:

Brett Myers has dominated for a couple years while remaining under the radar.... Jonathan Sanchez can strike out just about anyone, but it takes him five or six pitches to do it, leading to short outings.... Hiroki Kuroda has a funky wind-up, but the surprising thing is how Major League hitters have yet to figure him out... Matt Garza has a 11.8 k/9 so far this year and isn't slowing down now that he is in the NL... Matt Latos started the year with an injury but what he did last year was impressive.

5th Best Rotation

At his best, he is one of the elite, but he is wildly inconsistent
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1. RHP Justin Verlander
DET, 3.75 ERA

2. RHP Tim Hudson
ATL, 3.48 ERA

3.RHP Roy Oswalt
PHI, 3.33 ERA

4. RHP Yovani Gallardo
MIL, 6.10 ERA

5. RHP Josh Beckett
BOS, 2.65 ERA

The Breakdown:

Justin Verlander is a rare pitcher in the way that he hits 100 mph on the gun, and stays relatively healthy. He has some of the nastiest stuff I have ever seen... Tim Hudson has just mastered the mental aspect of the game and continue to dominate... Roy Oswalt was considered done after a down seaosn two years ago in Houston, but he's back and still intimidating... Yovani Gallardo needs to stop walking people, he is too good... Josh Beckett is back and his curveball is ridiculous, better than it ever has been. This is vintage Beckett.

4th Best Rotation

He has yet to pitch, but he will soon, and he will.. he will.. rock you.
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1. RHP Chris Carpenter
STL, 3.89

2. LHP Cole Hamels
PHI, 2.66

3. RHP Zack Greinke
MIL, ---------

4. LHP C.J. Wilson
TEX, 3.35

5. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez
COL, 7.20

The Breakdown:

Chris Carpenter has gone from being a nice surprise for the Cards to their best pitcher over the last few years... Cole Hamels is now hidden behind Lee and Halladay but he has one of the filthiest changeups... Zack Greinke struggled last year, but he is moving to the NL and looks to return to his Cy Young form... C.J. Wilson was a no-namer last year, but is now the Rangers' ace and has good stuff... Ubaldo Jimenez has a lightening quick arm, but his control is spotty.

3rd Best Rotation... Almost There...

He is basically a better version of Freddy Garcia in his prime with that wind up
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1. RHP Trevor Cahill
OAK, 1.88 ERA

2. LHP David Price
TB, 3.95 ERA

3. RHP Matt Cain
SF, 3.28 ERA

4. LHP Brett Anderson
OAK, 2.95 ERA

5. RHP Tommy Hanson
ATL, 2.57 ERA

The Breakdown:

Trevor Cahill is relatively unknown among general baseball fans, but that shouldn't be the case- this guy is special... David Price has accomplished the unlikely feat of living up to his hyped prospect status, he is sensational... Matt Cain has also lived in the shadows of Tim Lincecum, but he is rock solid and very rarely goes on a cold streak... Brett Anderson is the yang to Cahill's yin. He just needs to stay on the mound and they could become the new Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder/ Barry Zito... Tommy Hanson has such an interesting wind-up in which he shows the ball very early, but his stuff is so good it doesn't matter.

Next to Best Rotation

He is a freak. Period.
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1. RHP Tim Lincecum
SF, 2.90 ERA

2. LHP Jon Lester
BOS, 2.33 ERA

3. RHP Felix Hernandez
SEA, 3.21 ERA

4. RHP Dan Haren
LAA, 1.76 ERA

5. LHP Clayton Kershaw
LAD, 3.37 ERA

The Breakdown:

Tim Lincecum has truly lived up to his nickname as "the freak". His consistent motion, velocity and movement are all exceptional... Jon Lester belongs among the elite pitchers now that he has become the Red Sox ace.... King Felix Hernandez has the nastiest stuff around and he is only 25, but has been in the league for 6 years now... Dan Haren had an off year in 2010, but this year is a different story in Anaheim... Clayton Kershaw has a good old fashion uncle Charlie, and a very live fastball that he can throw for a strike in any count.

The Best of the Best

He is the best pitcher of his time and is final in position to consistently win
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1. RHP Roy Halladay
PHI, 2.14 ERA

2. LHP C.C. Sabathia
NYY, 2.68 ERA

3. RHP Jered Weaver
LAA, 1.39 ERA

4. LHP Cliff Lee
PHI, 3.66 ERA

5. RHP Josh Johnson
FLA, 0.88 ERA

The Breakdown:

Roy Halladay is the best pitcher of his generation. He has unfathomable stamina defies the modern day pitch counter... C.C. Sabathia is almost the same way, and he's a lefty which is even better. He just knows how to win games... Jered Weaver is the front runner for the American League Cy Young award so far. His curveball and changeup are virtually untouchable.... Cliff Lee just doesn't walk people, that is honestly why he is so good... Josh Johnson is just a monster, if he can maintain this level of performance for a whole year, he'll join Weaver on the Cy Young stand.