Sporting News- Wood better than Buehrle!?

[Fake Chet Lemon]

The March 11 Sporting News ranks the top 20 starting pitchers in order. Mark Buehrle makes the list, at #20. I wasn't buying that to begin with (too low), then I see Kerry Wood at #17! I DO NOT want to turn this into a Cubs vs Sox thing. But I really need to figure out- what is going on in their heads? How could that possibly be justified? The list:
1 R. JOHNSON
2 J. SANTANA
3 C. SCHILLING
4 J. SCHMIDT
5 B. SHEETS
6 J. PEAVY
7 O. PEREZ
8 R. CLEMENS
9 P. MARTINEZ
10 R. OSWALT
11 M. PRIOR
12 C. ZAMBRANO
13 R. HALLADAY
14 B. RADKE
15 J. SMOLTZ
16 T. HUDSON
17 K. WOOD
18 L. HERNANDEZ
19 M. MULDER
20 M. BUEHRLE

[gobears1987]

The idiots also put Radke high.

[Fake Chet Lemon]

I meant to put this in "Talking Baseball", sorry!

[Chisox003]

Originally Posted by Fake Chet Lemon

The March 11 Sporting News ranks the top 20 starting pitchers in order. Mark Buehrle makes the list, at #20. I wasn't buying that to begin with (too low), then I see Kerry Wood at #17! I DO NOT want to turn this into a Cubs vs Sox thing. But I really need to figure out- what is going on in their heads? How could that possibly be justified? The list:
1 R. JOHNSON
2 J. SANTANA
3 C. SCHILLING
4 J. SCHMIDT
5 B. SHEETS
6 J. PEAVY
7 O. PEREZ
8 R. CLEMENS
9 P. MARTINEZ
10 R. OSWALT
11 M. PRIOR
12 C. ZAMBRANO
13 R. HALLADAY
14 B. RADKE
15 J. SMOLTZ
16 T. HUDSON
17 K. WOOD
18 L. HERNANDEZ
19 M. MULDER
20 M. BUEHRLE

I wonder if this is based on the years these guys have the POTENTIAL for or if these are based on predictions they WILL have...

In any case, I still dont know what the big deal is with Wood...Hes never reached higher 14 wins and is an injury waiting to happen...Buehrle should be higher

And Smoltz at 15??? If he makes it through May injury free I will be
And Pedro...AHH Pedro...Dont get me goin....The guys good, but 9th?? Maybe a few years ago but not anymore...

Oh Well, under the radar

[Lip Man 1]

Chet:

Those rankings are based on FANTASY BASEBALL. Fantasy folks have their own criteria for evaluating who is good and who is bad. That is a regular weekly column in the print edition of the magazine. This week it is on page 58 at the very top it says 'FANTASY SOURCE.'

You can relax now.
Lip

[Fake Chet Lemon]

Thanks. Every week the ranking have been annoying the Hell out of me, now I know. I imagine strikeouts rank high in fantasy league. I can't do fantasy baseball, I don't want to jeopordize any loyalties.

[baseball_fanatic]

If the rankings are based on fanatsy, it is easy to see why Wood is ranked higher. Since ERA and K's are often categories in most 5X5 leagues, Wood would rate a little higher. He will, if healthy have more K's than Buehrle and likely a lower ERA if due to nothing but the league in which he pitches. It doesn't say who will actually be the better pitcher, it's simply a statement as to who would be more valuable to a fantasy team.

[zach074]

Wood is the most overrated player in baseball. The only reason he is thought of so highly is because of the big strike out game.

[StillMissOzzie]

Originally Posted by zach074

Wood is the most overrated player in baseball. The only reason he is thought of so highly is because of the big strike out game.

He has gotten more mileage out of that 19 (?) K game against the Astros, and that was what-5 or 6 years ago now? Yet his BEST season was 14 W's. *****.

SMO

[SOXSINCE'70]

Originally Posted by zach074

Wood is the most overrated player in baseball.

And so called "messiahs" Prior and Zambrano aren't far behind him.

[WhiteSoxFan84]

How is Santana behind Randy Johnson???

[JKryl]

As a pitcher, I don't think Wood is all that much better than Buhrle, but Wood is more dominating. By that I mean he looks meaner when he's on the mound, as opposed to a guy who looks like he's just out there to pitch. Wood has a lot of the old, "the plate belongs to me, approach at your own risk" attitude that the old time pitchers used to have. It's an attitude I'd llike the Sox pitchers to embrace once in a while.

[SoxFan76]

Originally Posted by SOXSINCE'70

And so called "messiahs" Prior and Zambrano aren't far behind him.

Zambrano is the best pitcher on that staff.

[MUsoxfan]

Of those 20, here's my list:

1 C. Schilling
2 R. Johnson
3 B. Sheets
4 J. Santana
5 J. Peavy
6 J. Schmidt
7 R. Clemens
8 O. PEREZ
9 T. Hudson
10 R. OSWALT
11 M. Mulder
12 C. ZAMBRANO
13 R. HALLADAY
14 M. Buerhle
15 K. Wood
16 M. Prior
17 B. Radke
18 L. HERNANDEZ
19 P. Martinez
20 J. Smoltz

I would certainly take a couple off this list, but this is the list I have

[faneidde]

Originally Posted by WhiteSoxFan84

How is Santana behind Randy Johnson???

I'm not really sure why you put that in teal. Santana's second half last year has been argued by some as the greatest half of a season a pitcher has had in the last 30 years. His season last year certainly ranks up there with Pedro's best year (can't remember which) and one can make an argument he is the best pitcher in the game right now.