Who will have the better year?

[Blue56]

Which of the 5 pitchers will have the best year?

I say Schiiling then Clement.

[Fragmentsofme]

Curt Schilling
Wade Miller
Matt Clement
David Wells
Bronson Arroyo
Tim Wakefield

In that order with 4 15 game winners

[Thedatch]

I voted bronson arroyo because comparatively, i believe he will have a much better year than he did last year...least record wise

[Liter22]

That whole staff is a damn nice one. Only hole I really see is Clement and Arroyo, to me atleast, still being greatly overrated pitchers. If I remember correctly Wade Miller under the right leadership can be a damn fine pitcher. Much luck to the Sox!

[Blue56]

I hope Miller starts healthy and gets back what he used to have.

[Fragmentsofme]

Didn't Clement have trouble finishing off the second half of the season? And if that's the case, I don't see it as a problem because we have 6 starting pitchers.

[Blue56]

Clement will be good this year.

[ORANGEnation]

:wave1: Can I vote for Ben Sheets when the Sox send Hanley Ramirez, Kelly Schoppach, and Jon Papelbon for him and Overbay.

[Liter22]

Where did you hear that at?

[redsoxman]

I want to know where you heard that as well.

[Cyberlibrarian]

I am worried about Miller though. Resting instead of getting the surgery unnerves me. Pedro Astacio rested his torn labrum instead of having it repaired, and he had a few good starts before falling off a cliff. He ended up getting the surgery anyway.

[ORANGEnation]

Sorry guys... I meant for it to be taken lightly, don't want to start rumors. It makes perfect sense though. The Sox weren't able to get Johnson, their need for Ramirez has become greatly reduced, and Schilling won't be around forever. I would be shocked if they DIDN'T put everything they could into grabbing Ben once he puts questions of his back surgery to rest.

[Liter22]

Thing about Sheets is that he's been around a while and hasent ever really proven to be a great pitcher. I'd say he is average but he will never be great.

[Panzram]

I'm going with Schilling
Wakefield
Clement
Miller
Wells
Arroyo

[ksushi]

why does no one have faith in clement? he had the best stuff on that chicago staff, he just hasnt put it all together yet. hes a damn fine pitcher, and while everyone was on the pavano band wagon i wanted matt morris to come here and clement too. Clement had some of the least run support in the majors but he had a 3 something ERA. When was the last time a pitcher with a 3 something ERA is considered a hole in the staff? People are crying about losing derek lowe and his 5 era and being skeptical about clement, its boring.

[Blue56]

I've been asking myself the same thing. Ok so he didn't have a good second half, but look at the offence in Chicago, they sucked when he pitched. He lost many games by 1 run. Not a game like 6-5, 9-8, but games like 2-1, 3-2

[ORANGEnation]

I disagree that Clement had the best staff in Chicago... but then again that is a pretty hard feat for ANY pitcher. I am on your side on this argument though. The AL might be tougher to pitch in, but I am a believer that good things usually happen when longtime pitchers of one league bounce to another, where their stuff is new. Clement can be pretty darn nasty, and now he faces off against hitters unfamiliar with him, with a powerful lineup backing him up to boot.

As for Liter22 comments on Sheets... WHAT?!?!?!

I am not saying that this kid is the next CY Young... but I think he compares very favorably to a Curt Schilling-esque career. Years spent with a horrible team, prior to showing his true self once on a solid squad.

Sheets has had steady development and has a TON of ace experience with the Brewers. And while he DID make huge strides last year, I can see nothing that would make me think he couldn't repeat such a season. In fact his injured back sapped his strength down the stretch, and the Brewers provided a whopping 19 runs in his 14 losses. All making his 12-14/264k/2.69era all that more impressive... Average????

[ksushi]

Zambrano might, but he absolutley was either 1 or 2 stuff wise. Zambrano is electric though.

Yeah leiter, your droppin the ball on sheets man, been around awhile and never put it together? Dude hes 26, and the past to seasons his ERC has been 3.83 and then 2.37. Last season he pitched 237 innings and recorded 201 hits against him. He pitched 5 complete games the only guy with more was livan hernandez who had an absurd 9 CG's, and had the third most quality starts of all national league pitchers behind weaver and johnson.

And as whether or not hes a cy young-like kinda guy, he had one less strike out then santana, only .10 higher on his ERA and an identical amount of quality starts. He also had more K's then clemens who had 218 compared to sheets' 264, a lower ERA then clemens who had a 2.98. He isnt there yet, but hes GOOD. He did all this with a hurt back and other various injuries. He also K'ed something like 21 braves in one game. I think it was 21, im not sure.

[PissedPrincess]

Clement has a scary walk-to K ratio. I hope that V-Tek can work with him, otherwise, I don't see much from him either.

[rockin500]

clement will be killed in the AL if he cant fix his location problems. In 2003, he had a 1.50 (nearabouts) when he only walked two or less. When he walked three or more? he had nearly an 11 ERA.

he faded badly down the stretch last year and would not have made the postseason roster if the cubs had made it there as they skipped a few of his starts. in terms of best stuff on the cubs staff last year: Zambrano, Prior, Wood, Clement, Maddux, Rusch.

Schilling will be the best, then it will be wells, miller, clement, wakefield, arroyo.

[imgreat95]

i once hit a double off of Matt Clement... :D

[Kiwideus]

My vote go to Matt Clement, he's a workhorse and he will have better year in 2005

[cxlx]

I think that Clement will have his best year. Why you ask? Cuz he will be mentored by Schilling.

[rowdyBostonfan]

Wade Miller will be lucky to make any kind of impact at all