Ok the Cubs have NO chance at a WS because they have no legitimate#2 unless Prior miraculously returns to form. This got me to wondering Just who are all those #1s & 2s pitchers ? Now I am not a good stat hound
So here is my very unscientific rundown of teams presumed #1 and #2 starters. I used ERA as the standard judge of pitcher quality and assumed pitchers should have pitched at least 150 innings last year with some exceptions an EXPECT to be healthy this year.
Sorry too lazy to put up the ERAs but trust me very few of these
"# 2" pitchers are anywhere near dominating. The vast majority had An ERA at or over 4 or health issues. I don't think Lilly or Hill
looks that horrible in comparison. Overall I would say the best 1-5 right now is a tie between Dodgers and Padres though the Angels are pretty damn impressive. In any event unless you are willing to write off the Cards, Astros, Mets, Braves, Brewers, WS, A's, D'backs, D'backs and half a dozen other teams who #2 pitchers are statistically well behind Lilly then the Cubs are in this. Would you be satisfied if Haraang was the Cubs #2 because he is better than most if you go by ERA ? ( FYI he isn't a bad # 2 but if somehow the Cubs had traded for him and not signed Lilly I doubt the doom crowd would consider him a legit # 2)
Anyway food for thought
Braves #1 Smoltz, #2 Hudson (who was pretty bad) or James
D'Backs # 1 Webb, #2 Vargas or Davis
Reds # 1 Arroyo, # 2 Harang
Astros # Oswalt, #2 Jennings
Marlins # 1 Sanchez,# 2 Johnson (or reverse)
Rockies # 1 Frances, # 2 Cook
Mets # 1 Smoltz, # 2 Hernandez or Maine
Dodgers # 1 Schmidt, # 2 Lowe
Padres # 1 Peavy, # 2 Young
Phillies # 1 Myers, # 2 Hammells
Cardinals # 1 Carpenter #2 Reyes
Nats NO IDEA OF EITHER ONE
Pirates # 1 Zuke # 2 Snell
Giants # 1 Cain, #2 Lowry
Brewers # 1 Capuano, # 2 Sheets/Davis
AL
White Sox # 1 Contreras #2 Garland
Tigers # 1 Verlander # 2 Rogers
Angels # 1 Weaver, # 2 Lackey
Twins #1 Santana # 2 Silva or Boonser
Red Sox #1 Matsuzaka, # 2 Schilling
Yankees 3 way tie for # 1 & 2, Mussina, Pettite Wang
Blue Jays #1 Halliday, #2 Burnett
A's # 1 Haren , # 2 Blanton
TX # 1 Padilla , # 2 Millwood
Tampa # 1 Kazmir # 2 No idea
O's # 1 Bedard, # 2 Bensen
Indians # 1 Sabathia, #2 Westbrook
KC #1 Meche , # 2 no idea