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MLB: Power Ranking All 30 Major League Starting Rotations

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Feb 19, 2014; Port St Lucie, FL, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) chats with the pitchers including Doug Fister (58) (in blue) in spring training action at Space Coast Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2014; Port St Lucie, FL, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) chats with the pitchers including Doug Fister (58) (in blue) in spring training action at Space Coast Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 21, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Phil Hughes (45) pitches in the first against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 21, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Phil Hughes (45) pitches in the first against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

30. player. 2. <p><strong>Projected Starting Rotation:</strong></p> <ul> <li>RHP Phil Hughes (16-10, 3.52 ERA, 32 GS in 2014)</li> <li><del>RHP Ervin Santana (14-10, 3.95 ERA, 31 GS with Atlanta in 2014)</del></li> <li>RHP Ricky Nolasco (6-12, 5.38 ERA, 27 GS in 2014)</li> <li>RHP Kyle Gibson (13-12, 4.47 ERA, 31 GS in 2014)</li> <li>LHP Tommy Milone (6-4, 4.19 ERA, 22 GS combined with Oakland and Minnesota in 2014)</li> <li>RHP Mike Pelfrey (0-3, 7.99 ERA, 5 GS in 2014)</li> </ul> <p><span style=. 5th. AL Central. Minnesota Twins

Prior to the 2014 season, the Minnesota Twins invested good money in free agents Phil Hughes and Ricky Nolasco, and many baseball analysts rolled their eyes in what seemed to be wasteful spending for a perennial loser with a bad pitching staff.

Hughes signed a reasonable three-year, $24 million deal and responded with the best season of his career. He won 16 games, had a staller 3.52 ERA and set a Major League record with an 11.63 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio (186 K’s to 18 walks). The performance earned him a three-year, $42 million contract extension through 2019.

Nolasco, on the other hand, signed a $49 million deal and repaid the front office with a 5.38 ERA and the Twins as a whole allowed more runs than any team in Major League baseball and finished dead last with an ERA of 5.06 among starters.

The usually very dependable Ervin Santana (who has seven seasons of 30 starts or more in nine years in the big leagues) is the new free agent on staff. He signed a $55 million deal in the offseason, but was slapped with an 80-game suspension Friday.

Kyle Gibson and Tommy Milone are back and were expected to take the fourth and fifth spots, respectively before Santana’s suspension. Mike Pelfrey had a great spring (1.15 ERA in 15.2 innings) and should now begin the season in the rotation. Prospects Trevor May and Jose Berrios could factor in as well.

Next: 29. Arizona Diamondbacks

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