The Best Veteran Pitchers in the American League

These are the best veteran pitchers in the American League who play in pitchers parks, which will help them compile stats this year. Not nearly the depth here as in the National League.

Andy Pettite (Yankees) - average season is: 17-9/ 3.81 ERA/ 6.6 K's and 2.8 BB's. Yankee Stadium is not really considered a pitchers park, but I think it is for a lefty. Doesn't have to be great to win games this year because the Yankees will score runs for him, many more than the Astros ever did. And he could be great, which makes him valuable.

Rich Harden (A's) - can he stay healthy for a full season? If you think he can you want him on your staff. His record so far is: 30-16/ 3.67 ERA (81% of League ERA)/ 8.3 K's and 3.9 BB's. His K rate was almost 11.0 in minors, so it shouldn't be going down, and might just go up.

John Lackey (Angels) - average season is 13-10, 4.01 ERA (93% of LERA), 7.2 K's and 2.9 BB's. K rate has averaged over 8.2 last two years. Put him in a hitters park and I wouldn't want him, but I'll take him as long as he's in Anaheim.

Kenny Rogers (Tigers) - average season is: 12-8/ 4.19 ERA (91% of LERA), 5.4 K's and 3.2 BB's. Has had two fine years as a 40 year old. Can he do it again at 42? He did raise his K rate from 4.0 to 4.4. For gamblers only.

Jeremy Bonderman (Tigers) - pitched to below the LERA for the first time in his four year old career last season (90%). Had never pitched above A ball when the Tigers threw him into their rotation in 2003. He was good in A ball, but not great: 9-9/ 3.80 ERA/ 9.8 K's and 3.4 BB's in 27 starts. That was a nice K rate in the minors, and he K'd 8.5 major leaguers per 9 innings last year, so he's got a lot of value. Even if he regresses a little, he still should be a high K pitcher, and he could get even better.

Nate Robertson (Tigers) - like his teammate Bonderman, he too pitched to below the LERA for the first time in his career last year (85%). Unlike Bonderman, he had a lot of seasoning in the minors: 38-23/ 3.14 ERA/ 6.0 K's and 2.9 BB's in 88 starts, including 27 starts at AA, and 23 starts at AAA. More risky than Bonderman because of his lower strikeout rate and higher age.

Kelvim Escobar (Angels) - average season is: 10-10/ 4.26 ERA (91% of LERA)/ 7.7 K's and 3.7 BB's. Wouldn't take him early or even middle rounds, but if he's there late, he'll fill out my roster.

Joe Blanton (A's) - average season is: 14-12/ 4.19 ERA (94% of LERA)/ 5.1 K's and 2.8 BB's. Was awful for awhile last year, but got it going eventually, for a time. His K rate was just 5.0 last year, but he averaged 8.3 in the minors. I'm thinking it is going to go up this year, but I thought the same thing at this time last year. Went relatively high in some drafts last year, be interesting to see where he goes this year.

Jarrod Washburn (Mariners) - his first year in Seattle was not very good. He does own a lifetime winning record though at 83-71 (.539), and he has pitched to just 92% of the LERA in his career. He's 32, so he should have something left in the tank, but he's strictly fill out the roster material now. K rate is just 5.4 for career, and only 5.0 last year.

Joe Kennedy (A's) - if he gets a rotation spot, he's a nice sleeper candidate this year. Has pitched to 104% of the LERA so far in his career, but last year in 35 innings he pitched to just 52% of the LERA. His minor league record is great: 31-16/ 2.89 ERA/ 8.7 K's/ 2.2 BB's in 67 starts. Will be 28 this year, and he's a lefty. Sometimes they take longer to develop in the Majors.