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2010 Fantasy Preview: Starters
02/08/2010 8:00 AM ET
By The Fantasy Staff / MLB.com

Below is a chart of every starter ranked and covered in MLB.com's 2010 Fantasy Preview, a rundown that includes established big leaguers and up-and-coming prospects.

The list features dollar values compiled by our MLB.com staff based on standard 23-man, $260, 5x5 mixed-league play. We included projected stats for the 2010 season as well as a one-liner prediction that encapsulates every player's value in 10 words or fewer. This page will be updated throughout the spring to reflect the impact of inevitable transactions, injuries and changing job situations.

An indispensable part of the draft-day kit, the cheatsheet can make the difference between winning and losing your fantasy league. With quick-hitting rankings and forecasts, it'll help you keep the remaining players on the board in order as the draft wears on. The last thing you want to be doing is flipping through some magazine when it's your turn to pick.

So play fair, but don't forget your cheatsheet when you head to your draft.

Stats listed are 2010 projections.
Dollar values based on standard 5x5 play, $260 budget per 23-man team.
Rankings: C | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | RP | Top 100        Go to: AL SP | NL SP
 Starters TM $$ W SO ERA WHIP Notes
Tim Lincecum SF 35 19 258 2.36 1.09 Back-to-back Cy winner in class by himself.
Roy Halladay PHI 32 20 211 2.94 1.09 Perennial ace set to take over in PHI.
Zack Greinke KC 30 15 256 2.42 1.04 Lack of run support no problem for ace.
Felix Hernandez SEA 29 18 226 2.95 1.11 Offers unique combo of upside, quality track record.
CC Sabathia NYY 28 21 216 3.22 1.14 Bank on repeat of terrific numbers.
Justin Verlander DET 27 17 231 3.61 1.15 Gold standard among pure smoke-throwers.
Dan Haren ARI 27 17 205 3.17 1.12 WHIP-master well worth early consideration.
Johan Santana NYM 26 17 187 3.29 1.13 Good bet to make successful bounceback from surgery.
Adam Wainwright STL 26 16 184 2.94 1.14 Ace status legit following Cy Young-caliber '09.
Yovani Gallardo MIL 24 16 213 3.37 1.22 Budding ace capable of impressive numbers.
Cole Hamels PHI 21 16 199 3.44 1.14 Throw last season's numbers out window.
Josh Johnson FLA 21 17 194 3.37 1.24 Time to invest is now.
Jon Lester BOS 20 18 218 3.07 1.17 Stud lefty closing in on elite level.
Cliff Lee SEA 20 17 179 3.04 1.18 Should remain on top of game in SEA.
Chris Carpenter STL 18 15 147 3.03 1.10 Most prominent high-risk/high-reward option out there.
Matt Cain SF 17 14 174 3.40 1.22 Fireballer made big strides in '09.
Clayton Kershaw LAD 17 14 201 3.22 1.23 Needs only to improve control to reach sky-high ceiling.
Ubaldo Jimenez COL 16 17 186 3.51 1.28 Flamethrower close to ace status.
Tommy Hanson ATL 16 15 201 3.39 1.24 Quickly making good on impressive potential.
Wandy Rodriguez HOU 15 14 193 3.31 1.29 Struggles on road, but among quality starters.
Ricky Nolasco FLA 15 15 212 3.41 1.18 Ignore last year's first-half struggles.
Josh Beckett BOS 15 19 192 3.49 1.14 Contract year will bring out best in fireballer.
Jake Peavy CWS 14 16 211 3.66 1.27 ERA figures to rise in first AL season.
Chad Billingsley LAD 14 15 198 3.47 1.29 Can provide ace numbers if hamstring holds up.
John Lackey BOS 14 16 149 3.91 1.21 Will match up favorably with other No. 3 starters.
A.J. Burnett NYY 13 16 209 3.88 1.32 Wildness a hindrance to total dominance.
Brandon Webb ARI 13 15 153 3.47 1.27 Should return to form after injury-marred '09.
Matt Garza TB 13 13 184 3.77 1.23 Uneven '09 record didn't reflect true value.
Jered Weaver LAA 13 14 178 3.84 1.22 Capable of taking over top rotation spot for LAA.
Javier Vazquez NYY 13 15 196 4.02 1.24 Won't repeat last year, but still among quality options.
Rich Harden TEX 12 12 166 3.41 1.26 Has proven to be more durable in recent years.
Roy Oswalt HOU 12 14 153 3.43 1.23 Peripherals still strong, ERA should bounce back.
James Shields TB 12 14 171 3.82 1.26 Strong control helps bounceback chances.
Jair Jurrjens ATL 12 16 150 3.61 1.33 Pay for solid '08 numbers, not standout '09 set.
Scott Baker MIN 12 14 166 3.92 1.13 Showed borderline-ace form in second half of '09.
Chris Young SD 11 12 155 3.44 1.26 Great value pick if healthy.
Max Scherzer DET 11 13 188 4.02 1.34 High-octane stuff should ease transition to AL.
Brett Anderson OAK 11 12 174 3.86 1.22 22-year-old coming off excellent rookie campaign.
Daisuke Matsuzaka BOS 11 12 181 3.79 1.31 Return to health will aid bounceback quest.
David Price TB 11 11 153 4.18 1.33 Should make strides in second full season.
Jorge De La Rosa COL 10 13 200 4.19 1.40 Offers big-time Ks at bargain price.
Jonathan Sanchez SF 10 11 195 4.04 1.36 Offers plenty of Ks, anything else is gravy.
Ben Sheets OAK 10 10 121 3.52 1.26 Oft-injured starter has ace potential in Oakland.
Scott Kazmir LAA 10 11 170 3.94 1.36 Needs to build on late-season strides with LAA.
John Maine NYM 9 12 153 3.72 1.27 Bounceback candidate if shoulder is sound.
Clay Buchholz BOS 9 10 156 3.96 1.29 Power stuff, big-game mentality could lead to breakout.
John Danks CWS 9 12 152 3.96 1.25 Steady, durable mid-rotation starter.
Gavin Floyd CWS 9 13 160 4.09 1.29 Showed '08 breakout was no fluke last year.
Andy Pettitte NYY 9 14 146 4.19 1.42 Elder statesman knows how to win games.
Ryan Dempster CHC 8 12 169 4.01 1.36 Solid veteran capable of matching last year's numbers.
Hiroki Kuroda LAD 8 12 119 3.64 1.21 Rate stats compensate for lack of Ks.
Mark Buehrle CWS 8 12 117 3.94 1.31 Reliable source of solid, albeit unflashy numbers.
Joba Chamberlain NYY 8 10 163 4.11 1.43 Plus stuff mitigated by uncertainty over role.
Ervin Santana LAA 8 10 161 4.27 1.38 Tempered rocky '09 campaign with strong finish.
Ted Lilly CHC 7 11 151 4.11 1.21 Age catching up to fly-ball-prone southpaw.
Joel Pineiro LAA 7 13 110 4.05 1.26 Solid, but major regression coming in AL.
Rick Porcello DET 7 11 118 4.14 1.33 Needs to develop secondary pitches.
Joe Saunders LAA 7 11 102 4.34 1.35 Crafty lefty compiles plenty of wins.
Stephen Strasburg WSH 7 8 152 3.97 1.17 Mega-prospect likely to surface quickly.
Aaron Harang CIN 6 11 179 4.20 1.37 Don't expect return to '07 form.
Randy Wolf MIL 6 12 157 4.19 1.34 Don't overpay for fluky '09 numbers.
Gio Gonzalez OAK 6 7 166 4.68 1.54 Developing youngster offers strikeout potential.
Jeff Niemann TB 6 10 148 4.22 1.28 Cost-effective No. 3 or 4 starter in deeper mixed leagues.
Scott Feldman TEX 6 12 119 4.20 1.28 Drastically better on road in '09.
Carlos Zambrano CHC 5 13 155 4.17 1.34 Capable of returning to double-digit wins.
Aroldis Chapman CIN 5 10 134 4.12 1.38 Flamethrowing import may not be ready yet.
Edwin Jackson ARI 5 12 144 3.95 1.33 Don't back on another All-Star first half.
Barry Zito SF 5 13 140 4.14 1.32 Very durable, could build on last year's turnaround.
Jeremy Bonderman DET 5 12 153 4.51 1.36 Question mark following return from shoulder problems.
Kevin Slowey MIN 5 11 139 4.06 1.20 Pinpoint control will aid comeback quest.
Tim Hudson ATL 4 12 105 3.93 1.31 Back to full strength after '08 elbow surgery.
Erik Bedard SEA 4 6 89 3.40 1.20 No questions about talent, but can he stay healthy?
Francisco Liriano MIN 4 8 110 3.80 1.33 Young enough to regain some of former promise.
Wade Davis TB 4 8 136 4.29 1.41 Prime breakout candidate in '10.
Homer Bailey CIN 3 13 155 4.18 1.35 Post-hype sleeper primed for breakout.
Jeremy Guthrie BAL 3 10 128 4.29 1.32 Capable of regaining 2007-08 form.
Kevin Millwood BAL 3 11 125 4.71 1.49 Move to AL East hurts value.
Gil Meche KC 3 7 144 4.43 1.39 Bothered by recurring shoulder issues in '09.
Justin Duchscherer OAK 3 9 111 3.37 1.13 Major sleeper candidate if able to regain '08 form.
Ryan Rowland-Smith SEA 3 9 122 3.85 1.29 Strong stint in '09 solidified spot in rotation.
Brandon Morrow TOR 3 9 154 3.83 1.44 Throws smoke but has yet to develop control.
Ricky Romero TOR 3 12 159 4.25 1.45 Looking to build on strong rookie campaign.
Kevin Correia SD 2 11 151 4.27 1.35 Fine rotation filler thanks to favorable home park.
Johnny Cueto CIN 2 12 156 4.35 1.32 Must find more consistency.
Mat Latos SD 2 9 135 3.83 1.31 Phenom worth watching in shallower formats.
Randy Wells CHC 2 11 150 4.21 1.39 Won't match rookie ERA, but Ks should rise.
Joe Blanton PHI 2 13 128 4.21 1.33 Innings-eater delivers solid numbers.
J.A. Happ PHI 2 9 166 4.29 1.41 Step back coming after standout rookie campaign.
Kenshin Kawakami ATL 2 12 137 4.26 1.36 Should get opportunity to make 30-plus starts.
Derek Lowe ATL 2 13 117 4.29 1.33 Expect something between '08, '09 output.
Brett Myers HOU 2 8 135 4.36 1.35 Ks could be of interest to owners.
Brad Bergesen BAL 2 9 89 4.24 1.27 Ground-ball ability helps chances of surviving in AL East
Justin Masterson CLE 2 11 165 4.07 1.41 Set for first full season of rotation duty.
Jarrod Washburn FA 2 8 91 4.17 1.31 Serviceable No. 5 starter in most mixed leagues.
Nick Blackburn MIN 2 11 100 4.12 1.34 Not flashy, but eats innings.
Marc Rzepczynski TOR 2 8 139 4.10 1.48 Intriguing lefty made quick ascent through Minors.
Carl Pavano MIN 2 10 140 4.50 1.32 Worked way back onto fantasy radar with healthy '09.
Shaun Marcum TOR 2 7 102 3.95 1.22 Ready to bounce back from T.J. surgery.
Charlie Morton PIT 1 9 134 4.23 1.37 Triple-A numbers point to breakout potential.
Brad Penny STL 1 11 114 4.17 1.37 Veteran righty in prime place to succeed.
Bud Norris HOU 1 9 176 4.41 1.51 Big K total will provide value.
Clayton Richard SD 1 9 127 4.24 1.35 PETCO Park will help development.
Paul Maholm PIT 1 10 137 4.33 1.42 Odds against drastic improvement.
Brian Matusz BAL 1 8 138 4.48 1.45 Showed promising stuff in '09 debut.
Chris Volstad FLA 1 11 106 4.27 1.33 Should rebound after poor second campaign.
Trevor Cahill OAK 1 10 112 4.49 1.43 Has legitimate upside if secondary pitches develop.
Tim Stauffer SD 1 6 84 4.29 1.34 Must up Ks to retain value.
Bronson Arroyo CIN 1 12 147 4.53 1.36 Eats innings, but K rate plunged in '09.
Luke Hochevar KC 1 8 118 5.04 1.36 Former top pick needs to develop consistency.
Manny Parra MIL 1 8 143 4.64 1.49 Don't count on him realizing potential this year.
Derek Holland TEX 1 4 84 5.24 1.43 Tough home park won't help development.
Vin Mazzaro OAK 1 5 68 4.55 1.52 Starting slot not guaranteed in OAK rotation.
Junichi Tazawa BOS 1 2 23 4.95 1.63 No room in deep BOS rotation.
Fausto Carmona CLE 1 7 100 4.68 1.43 Seemingly light-years away from stellar '07 form.
Dan Hudson CWS 1 5 71 4.15 1.53 Only a matter of time for hard-throwing 23-year-old.
Brett Cecil TOR 1 5 86 4.92 1.46 Will get chance to develop promising stuff in rotation.
Fernando Nieve NYM 1 4 74 4.55 1.59 Needs to find strike zone with more consistency.
Chris Tillman BAL 1 6 119 4.95 1.46 Will make strides by cutting back on HR allowed.
Ross Detwiler WSH 1 1 47 4.66 1.52 Has little experience above Class A.
Dallas Braden OAK 1 8 128 4.15 1.38 Looking to build on promise shown in '09.
Jon Garland SD 1 11 104 4.41 1.41 Durable starter's move to PETCO should help.
Brian Bannister KC 1 7 106 4.22 1.36 Low-ceiling righty serviceable for stretches.
Aaron Heilman ARI 1 5 74 4.36 1.34 Not rosterable unless injuries force him into closing gig.
Brandon McCarthy TEX 1 9 129 4.28 1.37 Isn't fazed by pitching in Arlington.
Ian Snell SEA 1 8 138 4.52 1.52 Showed signs of life following '09 trade to SEA.
Robinson Tejeda KC 1 6 122 4.14 1.38 Worth watching after impressive finish to '09.
Andrew Miller FLA 1 4 89 4.55 1.58 Don't bet on him finally harnessing all that talent.
Armando Galarraga DET 1 8 110 4.68 1.49 Needs to bounce back from sophomore slump.
Edinson Volquez CIN 1 1 22 4.15 1.29 Out until at least midseason after T.J. surgery.
Jeremy Sowers CLE 1 9 84 4.48 1.43 Soft-tosser won't survive without improved control.
Dontrelle Willis DET 1 2 19 6.40 1.96 Fallen star still working way back to bigs.
David Huff CLE 1 8 110 4.77 1.38 Showed promising form at end of '09.
Freddy Garcia CWS 1 5 74 4.28 1.30 Savvy veteran may have enough left for solid year.
Jake Westbrook CLE 1 6 68 4.45 1.43 May regain winning form once rust wears off.
Scott Richmond TOR 1 6 132 5.05 1.41 Has shot at claiming rotation spot.
Tommy Hunter TEX 1 9 107 4.62 1.35 Stamina shouldn't be as big an issue this time around.
Tim Wakefield BOS 1 7 65 4.08 1.38 Can still make knuckler dance when healthy.
Mike Pelfrey NYM 1 11 136 4.50 1.49 Needs to prove '08 numbers were no fluke.
Aaron Laffey CLE 1 7 86 4.75 1.53 Has shown capable of surviving with soft stuff.
Jon Niese NYM 1 8 86 4.33 1.34 Young lefty will get chance to claim rotation spot.
Kyle Davies KC 1 6 102 4.86 1.53 Best work of '09 came down the stretch.
David Hernandez BAL 1 5 125 5.15 1.49 Needs to work on keeping ball in yard.
Matt Harrison TEX 1 6 73 4.95 1.48 Returning from shoulder problems.
Felipe Paulino HOU 1 5 109 4.74 1.54 Value hampered by control issues.
Glen Perkins MIN 1 5 43 4.70 1.50 Needs strong Spring Training to crack rotation.
Oliver Perez NYM 1 8 141 4.73 1.40 Mets obligated to start him, owners can pass.
Chad Gaudin NYY 1 6 102 4.55 1.56 May see spot-start duty throughout '10.
Pedro Martinez FA 1 4 62 4.20 1.32 Could be useful midseason pickup.
Andy Sonnanstine TB 1 4 54 4.74 1.42 Could be odd man out of Rays rotation.
Chien-Ming Wang WSH 1 3 22 4.45 1.45 Must prove capable of getting outs again.
Jeff Manship MIN 1 3 35 5.15 1.65 Likely to begin 2010 in Minors.
Rich Hill STL 1 3 40 5.25 1.75 Looking to regain some semblance of former promise.
John Smoltz FA 1 6 91 3.53 1.26 Will be more helpful with return to NL.
Aaron Cook COL 1 12 86 4.31 1.37 Not many Ks from sinkerballer.
Jason Hammel COL 1 9 147 4.39 1.44 Don't expect much improvement from '09 stats.
John Lannan WSH 1 10 100 4.32 1.41 Soft-tossing southpaw an ERA asset at best.
Kyle Lohse STL 1 9 109 4.48 1.37 Track record suggests '08 may have been fluke.
Braden Looper FA 1 11 98 4.37 1.36 Lower home run rate should aid ERA.
J.D. Martin WSH 1 7 92 4.34 1.35 Sleeper candidate in deep leagues.
Doug Davis MIL 1 9 144 4.46 1.57 Change of scenery, same numbers.
Jason Marquis WSH 1 11 107 4.53 1.42 Don't be fooled by career year in '09.
Micah Owings CIN 1 4 77 5.02 1.43 Little value as a middle reliever
Jeff Samardzija CHC 1 5 73 5.33 1.48 Needs starting gig to make most of K potential.
Sean Marshall CHC 1 4 58 4.25 1.38 Will work mostly from bullpen in '10.
Dave Bush MIL 1 9 105 4.51 1.22 Offers some bounceback potential.
Jhoulys Chacin COL 1 6 62 3.80 1.38 Could be factor in second half.
Ross Ohlendorf PIT 1 7 125 4.51 1.44 Unlikely to duplicate '09 ERA.
Anibal Sanchez FLA 1 6 99 4.24 1.46 Strong finish to '09, but health is concern.
Jeff Francis COL 1 7 117 4.44 1.45 Should return to rotation after missing all of '09.
Zach Duke PIT 1 8 104 4.46 1.44 Unlikely to accumulate many wins, Ks.
Wade LeBlanc SD 1 6 82 4.44 1.35 Even in PETCO, tough to succeed with 85-mph heat.
Garrett Mock WSH 1 7 111 4.51 1.42 Look past last season's surface stats.
Rick VandenHurk FLA 1 6 95 4.45 1.37 Strikeout upside will come with rotation slot.
Madison Bumgarner SF 1 5 64 4.02 1.44 Promising youngster could stick with big club.
Tom Gorzelanny CHC 1 6 79 4.42 1.42 Worth monitoring if rotation spot is there.
Sean West FLA 1 7 102 4.62 1.48 Plus stuff but command needs work.
Vicente Padilla LAD 1 6 101 4.64 1.43 Look at overall picture, not small sample size.
Jeremy Hellickson TB 1 5 87 4.37 1.28 Next in TB's assembly line of pitching talent.
Scott Olsen WSH 1 6 88 4.60 1.48 NL-only material at best.
Jamie Moyer PHI 1 7 84 4.68 1.37 Mixed league owners should seek alternatives.
Kyle Drabek TOR 1 4 100 4.89 1.28 Prized prospect could get chance this year.
Jose Contreras PHI 1 7 85 4.79 1.46 Likely bullpen role hinders value.
Carlos Carrasco CLE 1 5 72 5.38 1.65 Young talent to get longer look this year.
Craig Stammen WSH 1 6 57 4.68 1.40 Induces grounders, not enough Ks.
Daniel McCutchen PIT 1 4 43 4.63 1.32 Could work from bullpen or begin season in Triple-A.
Jeff Karstens PIT 1 4 47 4.69 1.45 Unlikely to earn rotation slot.
Noah Lowry FA 1 4 48 4.60 1.42 Will attempt comeback after myriad injuries.
Kevin Hart PIT 1 4 102 5.04 1.52 Not worth roster spot in most leagues.
Jeff Suppan MIL 1 8 94 5.12 1.55 Keep moving, folks. Nothing to see here.
Brian Moehler HOU 1 6 78 5.16 1.50 Little help in any category, even in NL-only formats.
Livan Hernandez WSH 1 8 88 5.26 1.58 Valuable in innings leagues.
Tim Redding COL 1 3 59 4.86 1.46 Has never gotten much out of live arm.
Jeff Weaver LAD 1 5 51 5.35 1.49 Won't match '09 output.
Billy Buckner ARI 1 4 56 5.12 1.56 Could have NL-only value with rotation spot.
Mike Hampton FA 1 3 32 5.03 1.51 Not draftable even if he doesn't retire.
Russ Ortiz LAD 1 1 29 5.33 1.64 Journeyman starter no longer relevant.
Jordan Zimmermann WSH 1 1 25 4.40 1.48 Out until at least midseason after T.J. surgery.
Jason Schmidt FA 1 1 13 5.21 1.47 Former ace likely to retire.

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