Kenny Powers!

Would you really want Carpenter over Z or Saunders? Not me. But that’s just me.

After the 2009 season, I think we’ll be shocked at how low we ranked Grienke, Slowey, Baker, Parra, Weaver & Zambrano. And on the high end: Joba, Felix, Nolasco and maybe Peavy if he stays w/ SD.

Just my opinion and gut feelings.

I have no problem with your E. Santana love. I assume I have him higher than most. Although he did throw a bunch of sliders last year, so he’s a health risk.

Again, my Price ranking may be too optimistic, but he has more upside than a Derek Lowe type.

Penny hasn’t been very good for a while now, and he moves from the game’s easiest division to the toughest (ballpark switch equally as bad). Maybe he’ll bounce back now healthy, but it’s not like surgery corrected the problem. Plus, with Wakefield, Buchholz and Smoltz in the mix, there’s a lot of competition for a rotation spot.

Beckett’s peripherals remain strong at Fenway, so while it’s definitely a hard place to pitch, I expect his ERA to drop there this season.

I won’t defend my RJ over Dice K ranking too hard. There’s definite risk with a 45-year-old. And Dice-K’s strikeout rate is strong. Big upside if he improves his command. However, his command has been so bad, if he doesn’t improve it, a big jump in ERA is likely. RJ’s WHIP could be massively better.

I don’t hate Jimenez! Big K totals over the final two months last season. I could see bumping him to the top of that tier.

I might have had D. Price a bit too high in hindsight. He seems readier than most at his age, but his stuff is very good, not exceptional. And he pitches in the toughest division in baseball. Then again, he might have the best defense in baseball playing behind him. I’d expect 175 innings, a strong K rate but his WHIP might be 1.30-plus.

Nice. There’s Lincecum, and then there’s everybody else. It’s not too soon to give the freak his due. Especially when Santana seems changed. After the abuse last year, if he makes 30 starts this year, he’ll live up to his nickname.

Haren is my number 1 target this year. Great, great value.

E. Santana is too low. I’d take him over Hamels.

I second the Daisuke support. He was absurdly lucky last year, but the guy is still so hard to hit. Watching him pitch out of jams is as impressive as watching him pitch into them is frustrating. I expect a decrease in luck, but an improvement in performance. That’s entirely on gut though.

Price seems too high for this year. What are you expecting from this guy? I’m not expecting a breakout or heavy innings yet.

No Brad Penny? Surely he’ll provide more value than Sean Marshall, if healthy…

If Clay Buchholz can regain form, he’ll be in your third tier next year. How did a Sox prospect with a mid 8 k/9 and a no hitter under his belt become so under-appreciated?

I love me some beckett as much as anyone, but his trouble at fenway is disconcerting. Even in 2007, he had an era above 4 at home.

I refuse, refuse, to accept your ranking of randy johnson above dice. Dice has health and will surely get closer to 200k than rj. Yeah, I know he should have had like a 4.5 era last year, and yeah, i recognize how rj finished last year, but cmon, he is dice.

Why do you absolutely hate ubaldo jimenez? OK, so clay over him is a mistake, but still, no love at all?

Oliver perez. I dont know, I might be a glutton for punishment, and since I have never had him on my team before I am not scarred, but I kinda like him this year. It did take rj about 6 years to get any sort of control.

Can you expand on your thoughts about d price?