Top 5 Starting Pitchers - Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide 2009

Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide 2009. Its almost time for the 2009 Fantasy Baseball draft with spring training just around the corner. Lots of competition for the starting pitcher position this season with some big decisions to make for who will continue to perform next season, who will get hurt, and who will just be mediocre? Sometimes it can be hard to tell, but I went with Johan Santana, Tim Lincecum, C.C. Sabathia, Roy Halladay, and Josh Beckett for the top five starting pitchers in the 2009 fantasy baseball pitcher's battle.

#1 Starting Pitchers - Fantasy Baseball 2009: Johan Santana, New York Mets

Johan Santana finished the 2008 regular season with a 16-7 record, 2.53 ERA and 206 strikeouts. Santana's 2.53 ERA was the best in the majors and the lowest of his career. He also set a career high in IP with 234.1. He finished third in the 2008 NL Cy Young voting behind Tim Lincecum and Brandon Webb, but gets my nod as the safeist number one starting pitcher draft pick in the 2009 Fantasy Baseball draft from his consistent success since 2004. From 2004 through the 2008 MLB season, Johan Santana has not won less than 15 games, averaged over 220 IP's per season and over 210 strikeouts per season (low was 201 last year). Expect more of the same from Johan Santana in 2009 when he will contend for the Cy Young award again. Expect him to exceed 200 strikeouts, while going for his first 20 win season since 2004.

#2 Starting Pitchers - Fantasy Baseball 2009: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants

Tim Lincecum set the NL on fire in the 2008 season winning the NL Cy Young award. In just his second Major League Baseball season, Tim Lincecum went 18-5, 265 Strikeouts, and a 2.62 ERA over 227 IPs. He is a little risky to place this high with being so young, but couldn't resist with such a great season under his belt last year and with the 'Big Unit' coming in to mentor him in 2009! Look for Lincecum to start to learn more finesse in 2009, possibly exceed 20 wins, but at the expense of his strikeout totals.

#3 Starting Pitchers - Fantasy Baseball 2009: C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees

C.C. Sabathia is coming off a 2008 season where he pitched in both the AL and NL leagues, amassing a 17-10 combined record for the season with a 2.70 ERA and 251 strikeouts.

He just signed a 7 year, $161 million contract with the New York Yankees, so it will be interesting to see if C.C. Sabathia can put together his first string of three good years in a row. Forecast for 2009 is that he slumps to a 13-12 record but maintains an ERA around 3.00 and exceeds 200 strikeouts.

#4 Starting Pitchers - Fantasy Baseball 2009: Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays

Similar to Johan Santana, Roy Halladay is a proven performer in the starting pitcher role. He won his first Cy Young award in 2003. In 2008, Roy Halladay was 20-11, a career high 206 strikeouts, 2.78 ERA, and 226 IPs. Look for more of the same out of Halladay in 2009. He should have at least 18 wins and a sub 3.00 ERA, though his strikeout total will likely fall below 200. He could easily go higher in the 2009 Fantasy Baseball draft for starting pitchers.

#5 Starting Pitchers - Fantasy Baseball 2009: Josh Beckett,Boston Red Sox

Josh Beckett had a bit of an off-year for him last season with the Red Sox. He was 12-10, 4.03 ERA, 171 strikeouts, and 174.1 IPs. Many have dropped him significantly in their 2009 Fantasy baseball draft rankings, but I believe he's due to come back in a big way in 2009! Look for Josh Beckett to return to his 2007 form when he last won 20 games and come close to doing the same in 2009. He may fall short of 200K's but his ERA should calm down some and drop back into the low 3.00's.