OAKLAND - Tim Hudson 28 R and Mark Mulder 26 L and Barry Zito 25 L and Ted Lilly 27 L

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA HUDSON 2000 OAK 20 6 32 32 2 2 0 202 169 82 169 414 2001 OAK 18 9 35 35 3 0 0 235 216 71 181 337 2002 OAK 15 9 34 34 4 2 0 238 237 62 152 298 MULDER 2000 OAK 9 10 27 27 0 0 0 154 191 69 88 544 2001 OAK 21 8 34 34 6 4 0 229 214 51 153 345 2002 OAK 19 7 30 30 2 1 0 207 182 55 159 347 ZITO 2000 OAK 7 4 14 14 1 1 0 93 64 45 78 272 2001 OAK 17 8 35 35 3 2 0 214 184 80 205 349 2002 OAK 23 5 35 35 1 0 0 229 182 78 182 275 LILLY 2000 AAA 8 11 22 22 3 1 0 137 157 48 127 419 2001 NYY 5 6 26 21 0 0 0 121 126 51 112 537 2002 NYY-OAK 5 7 22 16 2 1 0 100 80 31 77 368       Is Planet Zito the best nickname in baseball since The Big Unit?       These guys, of course, are all pretty fantazmo. Hudson, Mulder and Zito have combined to make 307 starts in their careers, and are 160-68 (Sandy Koufax was 165-87 in his career). If you compare Zito to Steve Avery, Mulder to Tom Glavine, Hudson to John Smoltz, then the Atlanta trio had a combined record of 153-132 at the same point in their careers (Burt Hooton had a career record of 151-136). Granted, those three broke in with a horrible Braves team... but the accomplishments of the Big Three in Oakland is still remarkable.       The other guys (Lilly, Harang) are also pretty good and should make real contributions. For more on the Athletics' pitchers, click here.

NEW YORK YANKEES - Mike Mussina 34 R and Roger Clemens 41 R and Jeff Weaver 27 R and David Wells 40 L

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA MUSSINA 2000 BAL 11 15 34 34 6 1 0 238 236 46 210 379 2001 NYY 17 11 34 34 4 3 0 229 202 42 214 315 2002 NYY 18 10 33 33 2 2 0 216 208 48 182 405 CLEMENS 2000 NYY 13 8 32 32 1 0 0 204 184 84 188 370 2001 NYY 20 3 33 33 0 0 0 220 205 72 213 351 2002 NYY 13 6 29 29 0 0 0 180 172 63 192 435 WEAVER 2000 DET 11 15 31 30 2 0 0 200 205 52 136 432 2001 DET 13 16 33 33 5 0 0 229 235 68 152 408 2002 DET-NYY 11 11 32 25 3 3 2 200 193 48 13 352 WELLS 2000 TOR 20 8 35 35 9 1 0 230 266 31 166 411 2001 CHW 5 7 16 16 1 0 0 101 120 21 59 447 2002 NYY 19 7 31 31 2 1 0 206 210 45 137 375       Boomer Wells fooled everybody after a lost 2001 season, picking up right where he left off in 2000 and winning 19 games. He is 40 years old, slimmer than usual but still fat; he also got beaten up in a donut shop, which sort of spoiled his tough biker image. But if he can stay healthy, he will probably continue to pitch well, though his innings will decline.       Jeff Weaver pitched very well the first half of the season with Detroit, and should have been selected to the All-Star Game; Joe Torre didn't take him, probably because he knew Weaver would be wearing pinstripes in a couple of weeks. Weaver made seven starts for the Yankees, then was exiled to the bullpen. He also pitched out of the bullpen in the playoffs against Anaheim.       I think we all agree that it is better to have too many pitchers than too few. Even still, the Yankees are a bit of a mystery entering the 2003 season. They still have Mussina, Clemens, Pettitte and Wells, and they also have Weaver and Jose Contreras. Someone is either going to have to be traded or sent to the bullpen, and at the moment it appears it is going to be Contreras. I don't know if he will like it, but then, if he wanted to start he should have joined the Tigers.       Here's some 20/20 hindsight, but did Joe Torre blunder by not starting Weaver in the playoffs? With Mussina, Clemens, Pettitte and Wells all making starts, you knew that Weaver was going to pitch in the pen. But given that the Yankees' veterans were getting the snot beat out of them by the Angels, I think that Torre should have acted boldly and given Weaver a chance, and saved Boomer for Game Five.       Besides, if the Yankees return to the playoffs this year, Weaver is going to have to start for them; he may as well have gotten some experience last year.

MINNESOTA - Joe Mays 27 R and Brad Radke 30 R and Eric Milton 28 L and Rick Reed 38 R

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA MAYS 2000 MIN 7 15 31 28 2 1 0 160 193 67 102 556 2001 MIN 17 13 34 34 4 2 0 234 205 64 123 316 2002 MIN 4 8 17 17 1 1 0 95 113 25 38 538 RADKE 2000 MIN 12 16 34 34 4 1 0 227 261 51 141 445 2001 MIN 15 11 33 33 6 2 0 226 235 26 137 394 2002 MIN 9 5 21 21 2 1 0 118 124 20 62 472 MILTON 2000 MIN 13 10 33 33 0 0 0 200 205 44 160 486 2001 MIN 15 7 35 34 2 1 0 221 222 61 157 432 2002 MIN 13 9 29 29 2 1 0 171 173 30 121 484 REED 2000 NYM 11 5 30 30 0 0 0 184 192 34 121 411 2001 NYM-TAM 12 12 32 32 3 1 0 202 211 31 142 405 2002 MIN 15 7 33 32 2 1 0 188 192 26 121 378       The Twins' trio of Mays, Milton and Radke had a combined record of 47-31 in 2001. Entering last season, they were considered by many (myself included) to be the team's biggest strength. Instead, their combined record dropped to 26-22. But the team improved by nine games and won the division. It was that kind of year in Minnesota.       They got a big boost from Rick Reed, who had a very fine season at age 37, and from two kids, Kyle Lohse and Johan Santana. Lohse is a modestly exciting young pitcher; Santana looks spectacular. Both will likely make a significant contribution in 2003.       As for the four regulars, Mays is the one to be worried about the most. His injury problems and poor strikeout rates make him a prime candidate to drop out of the league on short notice.       ADDENDUM: Milton had knee surgery in the spring and will be out at least four months. Obviously, the Twins will need Santana to step up, and hopefully pitch as brilliantly as he did last year.

BOSTON - Pedro Martinez 31 R and Derek Lowe 30 R and John Burkett 38 R and Casey Fossum 25 L

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA MARTINEZ 2000 BOS 18 6 29 29 7 4 0 217 128 32 284 174 2001 BOS 7 3 18 18 1 0 0 117 84 25 163 239 2002 BOS 20 4 30 30 2 0 0 199 144 40 239 226 LOWE 2000 BOS 4 4 74 0 0 0 42 91 90 22 79 256 2001 BOS 5 10 67 3 0 0 24 92 103 29 82 353 2002 BOS 21 8 32 32 1 1 0 220 166 48 127 258 BURKETT 2000 ATL 10 6 31 22 0 0 0 134 162 51 110 489 2001 ATL 12 12 34 34 1 1 0 219 187 70 187 304 2002 BOS 13 8 29 29 1 1 0 173 199 50 124 453 FOSSUM 2000 A 9 10 27 27 3 3 0 149 147 36 143 344 2001 AA 3 7 20 20 0 0 0 118 102 28 130 283 2001 BOS 3 2 13 7 0 0 0 44 44 20 26 487 2002 BOS 5 4 43 12 0 0 1 107 113 30 101 346       Last year got off to an ominous beginning for the Red Sox. Pedro Martinez was hammered in his first start, Dustin Hermanson was injured and the rest of the starting rotation was in disarray. But Derek Lowe stepped up and had a fantastic year; Pedro was vintage Pedro the rest of the way, and the Sox had the third-best ERA in the league.       Entering 2003, the Red Sox have a nice little pitching staff. Pedro rules. Derek Lowe probably won't be as good as he was last year, but he's still a heck of a pitcher and a better option than Tanyon Sturtze. Burkett is getting long in the tooth, but he should have a little left to give, while Casey Fossum looks like a pretty good young pitcher.       The Sox' wild card is Tim Wakefield, who might be starting again now that Boston has loaded up on relievers. Wakefield is a good pitcher, though he hasn't started on a regular basis since 1998. He is also turning 37 this year, which means that he is probably nearing the midpoint of his career.

SEATTLE - Freddy Garcia 26 R and Jamie Moyer 40 L and Joel Pineiro 25 R and Ryan Franklin 30 R

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA GARCIA 2000 SEA 9 5 21 20 0 0 0 124 112 64 79 391 2001 SEA 18 6 34 34 4 3 0 239 199 69 163 305 2002 SEA 16 10 34 34 1 0 0 224 227 63 181 439 MOYER 2000 SEA 13 10 26 26 0 0 0 154 173 53 98 549 2001 SEA 20 6 33 33 1 0 0 210 187 44 119 343 2002 SEA 13 8 34 34 4 2 0 231 198 50 147 332 PINEIRO 2000 SEA 1 0 8 1 0 0 0 19 25 13 10 559 2001 SEA 6 2 17 11 0 0 0 75 50 21 56 203 2002 SEA 14 7 37 28 2 1 0 194 189 54 136 324 FRANKLIN 2000 AAA 11 5 31 22 4 0 0 164 147 35 142 390 2001 SEA 5 1 38 0 0 0 0 78 76 24 60 356 2002 SEA 7 5 41 12 0 0 0 119 117 22 65 402       Mariners fans can at least be thankful that the team doesn't enter the season depending on James Baldwin or Paul Gibson. I'm a fan of Freddy Garcia, and I think he'll be back among the best pitchers in the league. The Mariners' starting pitching cannot compare with Oakland's, but it should be better than Anaheim's (and, obviously, Texas).

CHICAGO WHITE SOX - Mark Buehrle 24 L and Bartolo Colon 28 R and Jon Garland 24 R and Dan Wright 25 R

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA BUEHRLE 2000 CHW 4 1 28 3 0 0 0 51 55 19 37 421 2001 CHW 16 8 32 32 4 2 0 221 188 48 126 329 2002 CHW 19 12 34 34 5 2 0 239 236 61 134 358 COLON 2000 CLE 15 8 30 30 2 1 0 188 163 98 212 388 2001 CLE 14 12 34 34 1 0 0 222 220 90 201 409 2002 CLE-MON 20 8 33 33 8 3 0 233 219 70 149 293 GARLAND 2000 AAA 9 2 16 16 2 1 0 104 99 32 63 226 2000 CHW 4 8 15 13 0 0 0 70 82 40 42 646 2001 CHW 6 7 35 16 0 0 1 117 123 55 61 369 2002 CHW 12 12 33 33 1 1 0 193 188 83 112 458 WRIGHT 2000 A 9 8 21 21 1 0 0 132 135 50 106 374 2000 AA 2 4 7 7 0 0 0 43 28 24 31 249 2001 AA 7 7 20 20 0 0 0 134 112 41 128 282 2001 CHW 5 3 13 12 0 0 0 66 78 39 36 570 2002 CHW 14 12 33 33 1 1 0 196 200 71 136 518       Three years ago, the White Sox led the league with 99 wins, and had more great young pitching prospects than any other team in the league. Of course, very few of those prospects have worked out, though it's hard to know whom to blame. Mark Buehrle is a wonderful pitcher, and Kip Wells is also good (though he's with the Pirates now). Jon Rauch, Lorenzo Barcelo, Rocky Biddle and Matt Ginter have all yet to arrive; Jon Garland and Dan Wright have gotten some experience, but were never to prospects and need to show more than they did last year.       The Sox, then, seem to have written off many those young pitchers, and have taken their medicine after the disastrous Todd Ritchie deal. They have put their faith in Bartolo Colon, who is overweight and could be any age but has a golden arm. The Sox are hoping for big things from their star duo, but the future is now; Buehrle is good but reminds me of Steve Avery, and will probably be done by the time he is 30. Colon has a great arm but is a sprained ankle waiting to happen.

ANAHEIM - Jarrod Washburn 29 L and Kevin Appier 35 R and Ramon Ortiz 30 R and John Lackey 24

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA WASHBURN 2000 ANA 7 2 14 14 0 0 0 84 64 37 49 374 2001 ANA 11 10 30 30 1 0 0 193 196 54 126 377 2002 ANA 18 6 32 32 1 0 0 206 183 59 139 315 APPIER 2000 OAK 15 11 31 31 1 1 0 195 200 102 129 452 2001 NYM 11 10 33 33 1 1 0 207 181 64 172 357 2002 ANA 14 12 32 32 0 0 0 188 191 64 132 392 ORTIZ 2000 ANA 8 6 18 18 2 0 0 111 96 55 73 509 2001 ANA 13 11 32 32 2 0 0 209 223 76 135 436 2002 ANA 15 9 32 32 4 1 0 217 188 68 162 377 LACKEY 2000 A 9 8 20 20 2 1 0 131 114 47 95 309 2000 AA 6 1 8 8 2 0 0 57 58 9 43 330 2001 AA-AAA 12 11 28 28 4 2 0 185 181 45 136 448 2002 AAA 8 2 16 16 2 1 0 102 89 28 82 257 2002 ANA 9 4 18 18 1 0 0 108 113 33 69 366       Kevin Appier gave the Angels all they could have hoped for, winning 14 games during the season. He was an invaluable member of the pitching staff; too bad he pitched poorly in the playoffs. He probably only has one more season left in him.       The Angels probably had the best pitching staff in the league last season; their team ERA was only a fraction behind the Athletics', and their park isn't as pitcher-friendly as Oakland's is. Of course, good defense improves the pitching staff, and the Angels had that in spades as well.       Even still, I would be a little worried about this staff. Appier is old and Ortiz is frail, and I doubt that either one has a lot of wins in his future. Lackey will win some games, but he's never been a dominant pitcher anywhere and probably won't be a staff leader.

BALTIMORE - Rodrigo Lopez 27 R and and Omar Daal 31 L and and Sidney Ponson 26 R and Rick Helling

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA LOPEZ 2000 AAA 8 7 20 20 1 0 0 109 123 45 100 469 2000 SD 0 3 6 6 0 0 0 25 40 13 17 876 2001 AAA 2 2 11 8 0 0 0 52 45 15 37 069 2002 BAL 15 9 33 28 1 0 0 197 172 62 136 357 DAAL 2000 ARI-PHI 4 19 32 28 0 0 0 167 208 72 96 614 2001 PHI 13 7 32 32 0 0 0 186 199 56 107 446 2002 LA 11 9 39 23 0 0 0 161 142 54 105 390 PONSON 2000 BAL 9 13 32 32 6 1 0 222 223 83 152 482 2001 BAL 5 10 23 23 3 1 0 138 161 37 84 494 2002 BAL 7 9 28 28 3 0 0 176 172 63 120 409 HELLING 2000 TEX 16 13 35 35 0 0 0 217 212 99 146 448 2001 TEX 12 11 34 34 2 1 0 216 256 63 154 517 2002 ARI 10 12 30 30 0 0 0 176 180 48 120 451       Sidney Ponson is a guy who doesn't get much attention; I had to check twice to make sure that he is still on their roster. He's had some health problems the past couple of years, and perhaps hasn't developed into as good a pitcher as was hoped, but I would still like to have him. He's made at least 20 starts in five straight seasons, he's still only 26, and he pitched pretty damn well last season. .       Rick Helling was still unsigned in February before he accepted a minor-league deal with the Orioles. This boggles my mind. My local team, the Blue Jays, gave a $1 million contract to Tanyan Sturtze (4-18 with Tampa last season), but Helling couldn't get anything more than a minor league deal?       He's not an All-Star, and the Diamondbacks were probably correct when they decided he wasn't worth $6.5 million. But he's averaged 14 wins a season the past five years; his ERA is always around league average (and was again, last year). He's not old, and his strikeout/walk data is still good. It seems to me that there are about 25 teams that could desperately use him in their rotation.       The shining star of the Orioles' rotation was rookie Rodrigo Lopez. Lopez had failed a brief trial with the Padres in 2000, gone back to pitch in Mexico, then made a triumphant return last season. He faded late in the year, which was attributed to fatigue; I'm in an optimistic mood today so I'll believe it. With Lopez and Ponson, and also veterans Helling and Daal, the Orioles appear to have strong enough pitching that they won't have to rely on Scott Erickson or Pat Hentgen next year.

TORONTO - Roy Halladay 26 R and Cory Lidle 31 R and Tanyon Sturtze 32 R and Justin Miller 26 R

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA HALLADAY 2000 TOR 4 7 19 13 0 0 0 68 107 42 44 1064 2001 TOR 5 3 17 16 1 1 0 105 97 25 96 316 2002 TOR 19 7 34 34 2 1 0 239 223 62 168 293 LIDLE 2000 TAM 4 6 31 11 0 0 0 97 114 29 62 503 2001 OAK 13 6 29 29 1 0 0 188 170 47 118 359 2002 OAK 8 10 31 30 2 2 0 192 191 39 111 389 STURTZE 2000 CHW-TAM 5 2 29 6 0 0 0 68 72 29 44 474 2001 TAM 11 12 39 27 0 0 1 195 200 79 110 442 2002 TAM 4 18 33 33 4 0 0 224 271 89 137 518 MILLER 2000 AA-AAA 9 5 27 27 0 0 0 142 116 54 116 375 2001 AAA 7 10 29 28 1 0 0 165 174 64 134 475 2002 AAA 3 2 8 8 0 0 0 45 34 16 29 161 2002 TOR 9 5 25 18 0 0 0 102 103 66 68 554       Last year, the Blue Jays began the season with a group of pitchers who, with one exception, were incapable of throwing strikes. Roy Halladay was outstanding all year, and the rest of the rotation gradually improved after some new faces were brought in. This year, the Jays will again be looking for help from unlikely sources.       Halladay will be back, and at age 26 there is nothing not to like about him. He was consistent all season long, he was durable and he was very good. The new #2 pitcher, Lidle, had a different sort of season; he struggled the first half of the year, and was 2-7 with a 5.30 ERA at the break. In the second half he was a different pitcher, giving up only two runs in August.       Despite the inconsistency, I think you have to like Lidle. He's pitched well two years in a row, and has proven himself to be durable. He should be good for 10-15 wins.       But the rest of the staff... the Jays have brought in Sturtze, who was 4-18 with Tampa Bay. He had bad luck in Tampa, but he's also a terrible pitcher. He gives up too many hits, too many home runs, too many walks and doesn't strike many batters out. But the Jays see something in him that they like. Yes, he has proven that he can pitch 200 innings, but he does it really badly.       Justin Miller can't throw strikes yet, but has a good arm and could be a sleeper. The Jays will also give a fair opportunity to Mark Hendrickson, a former NBA player who is 6'9" and performed very well in four starts with Toronto last year. God only knows whether he can pitch or not.

TEXAS - Chan Ho Park 30 R and John Thomson 29 R and Ismael Valdes 30 R and Colby Lewis 24 R

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA PARK 2000 LA 18 10 34 34 3 1 0 226 173 124 217 327 2001 LA 15 11 36 35 2 1 0 234 183 91 218 350 2002 TEX 9 8 25 25 0 0 0 146 154 78 121 575 THOMSON 2001 AAA 5 3 12 12 0 0 0 68 74 13 52 331 2001 COL 4 5 14 14 1 1 0 94 84 25 68 404 2002 COL-NYM 9 14 30 30 0 0 0 182 201 44 107 471 VALDES 2000 CHC-LA 2 7 21 20 0 0 0 107 124 40 74 564 2001 ANA 9 13 27 27 1 0 0 164 177 50 100 445 2002 TEX-SEA 8 12 31 31 1 0 0 196 194 47 102 418 LEWIS 2000 A 11 10 28 27 3 1 0 164 169 45 153 407 2001 AA 10 10 25 25 1 0 0 156 150 62 162 450 2002 AAA 5 6 20 20 0 0 0 107 100 28 99 363 2002 TEX 1 3 15 4 0 0 0 34 42 26 28 629       Runs bad, outs good; runs bad, outs good; runs bad, outs good; runs bad, outs good...       All of the Rangers' pitchers know how to get people out, but I guess knowing and doing are two separate entities.

CLEVELAND - CC Sabathia 23 L and Brian Anderson 31 L and Jason Bere 32 R and Ricardo Rodriguez 25 R

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA SABATHIA 2000 AA 3 7 17 17 0 0 0 90 75 48 90 359 2001 CLE 17 5 33 33 0 0 0 180 149 95 171 439 2002 CLE 13 11 33 33 2 0 0 210 198 88 149 437 ANDERSON 2000 ARI 11 7 33 32 2 0 0 213 226 39 104 405 2001 ARI 4 9 29 22 1 0 0 133 156 30 55 520 2002 ARI 6 11 35 24 0 0 0 156 174 32 81 479 BERE 2000 MIL-CLE 12 10 31 31 0 0 0 169 180 89 142 547 2001 CHC 11 11 32 32 2 0 0 188 171 77 175 431 2002 CHC 1 10 16 16 0 0 0 86 98 28 65 567 RODRIGUEZ 2000 A 10 3 15 15 2 0 0 96 66 23 129 188 2001 A 14 6 26 26 2 0 0 154 133 60 154 321 2002 AA-AAA 9 5 17 17 2 0 0 105 95 25 65 258 2002 CLE 2 2 7 7 0 0 0 41 40 18 24 566       The Indians chose a bad time to start rebuilding. The Twins have decided to stand pat, and not invest any money into their fine team. The White Sox are making moves and spending money, but are taking more steps backward than forward. It would seem that the Central Division is up for the taking... but the Indians aren't going to be takers. Not with both Brian Anderson and Jason Bere in their starting rotation.       C.C. Sabathia took some criticism last season when he showed up at camp looking like a humpback whale. But things didn't turn out so bad; he increased his innings pitched, lowered his ERA, improved his control and gave up fewer home runs. His won-loss record wasn't as good, but then, the world is a messed up place. His strikeouts were down but they will come back as he matures. I am much more sold on him as a possible future star.

DETROIT - Steve Sparks 37 R and Mike Maroth 26 L and Nate Cornejo 24 R and Andy Van Hekken 24 L

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA SPARKS 2000 DET 7 5 20 15 1 1 1 104 108 29 53 407 2001 DET 14 9 35 33 8 1 0 232 244 64 116 365 2002 DET 8 16 32 30 3 0 0 189 238 67 98 552 MAROTH 2000 AA 9 14 27 26 2 1 0 164 176 58 85 394 2001 AAA 7 10 24 23 0 0 0 132 158 50 63 465 2002 AAA 8 1 11 11 1 0 0 73 53 22 51 282 2002 DET 6 10 21 21 0 0 0 129 136 36 58 448 CORNEJO 2000 AA 5 7 16 16 0 0 0 92 91 43 60 461 2001 AA-AAA 16 3 23 23 3 1 0 154 131 48 127 257 2001 DET 4 4 10 10 0 0 0 43 63 28 22 738 2002 DET 1 5 9 9 1 0 0 50 63 18 23 504 VAN HEKKEN 2000 A 16 6 26 25 3 1 1 158 139 37 126 245 2001 A 10 4 19 19 2 0 0 111 105 33 82 317 2001 AA 5 0 8 8 0 0 0 48 63 8 29 469 2002 AA-AAA 9 7 28 28 2 1 0 183 179 45 116 363 2002 DET 1 3 5 5 1 1 0 30 38 6 5 300       What the van Hekken is Alan Trammell going to do with this pitching staff? They traded their best pitcher, Jeff Weaver, during the season, and then their second-best pitcher, Mark Redman, after the season. Their young pitchers are unimpressive, and Steve Sparks' knuckler was as flat as Saskatchewan last season. They are bringing the fences in at Comerica. A third of the defenders can't field or throw. I really want to see the Tigers do better but I don't know how that is going to happen.

KANSAS CITY - Miguel Asencio 23 R and Darrell May 31 L and Shawn Sedlacek 26 R and Runelvys Hernandez 25 R

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA ASENCIO 2000 A 4 3 12 12 1 0 0 73 54 34 52 396 2001 A 12 5 28 21 2 1 0 155 124 70 123 284 2002 KC 4 7 31 21 0 0 0 123 136 64 58 511 MAY 2002 KC 4 10 30 21 2 1 0 131 144 50 95 535 SEDLACEK 2000 AA 15 6 35 16 1 0 3 140 153 43 81 366 2001 AA-AAA 13 11 28 27 1 1 0 168 183 36 110 429 2002 AA-AAA 8 6 14 14 2 1 0 98 81 19 82 332 2002 KC 3 5 16 14 0 0 0 84 99 36 52 672 HERNANDEZ 2001 A 7 5 17 17 0 0 0 101 94 29 100 340 2002 AA 8 3 16 14 2 0 0 106 96 24 86 271 2002 KC 4 4 12 12 0 0 0 74 79 22 45 436       The Royals got a big break last season when Paul Byrd took flight and had a terrific season. Unfortunately, Byrd flew the coop after the season ended and joined the Braves, leaving the Royals with, well, next to nothing. For the first time in years, they don't even have Jeff Suppan. They have some guys who might be able to pitch, but Runelvys Hernandez skipped a level, and Miguel Asencio skipped two levels and Shawn Sedlacek hasn't been impressive at any level of ball and Darrell May has been around forever and hasn't gotten people out. Hernandez probably has the best chance of pitching well this season, but there is a real chance that none of these guys will reach double-digits in wins.

TAMPA BAY - Joe Kennedy 24 L and Jorge Sosa 23 R and Victor Zambrano 28 R and Dewon Brazelton 23 R

YEAR TEAM WN LS GP GS CG SH SV IP HIT BB SO ERA KENNEDY 2000 A 11 6 22 22 3 2 0 136 122 29 142 330 2001 AA-AAA 6 0 11 11 0 0 0 73 51 12 75 099 2001 TAM 7 8 20 20 0 0 0 118 122 34 78 444 2002 TAM 8 11 30 30 5 1 0 197 204 55 109 453 SOSA 2002 TAM 2 7 31 14 0 0 0 99 88 54 48 553 ZAMBRANO 2000 AAA 0 6 53 0 0 0 8 63 72 29 55 503 2000 AAA 1 2 29 0 0 0 12 30 26 12 29 208 2001 TAM 6 2 36 0 0 0 2 51 38 18 58 316 2002 TAM 8 8 42 11 0 0 1 114 120 68 73 553 BRAZELTON 2002 AA 5 9 26 26 1 0 0 146 129 67 109 333       I'm not really sure who Dewon Brazelton is. And the funny thing is, neither do the Devil Rays.