By Paul Greco. If you've been checking out this site for a while you know that I hate picking starting pitchers before the 8th or 9th round.  I have to step back and be realistic here when generating these rankings because some see starting pitching as very important.  I still don't believe that any starting pitchers should be chosen in the first round and my rankings reflect that.

Johan Santana is still the #1 pitcher out there, although I'll have to say that Jake Peavy is not to far behind him.  Now, if Santana happens to get traded to the New York Mets, which as a Mets fan I would love, make the deal already Omar, his numbers could be better then in years past, which is scary.  The Mets ballpark is a pitchers ballpark, and pitching in the National League should lower his era.  Here's to seeing that deal go down!!!

My sleeper starting pitcher for 2008 is newly acquired Tampa Bay Ray Matt Garza. In now his third years a starting pitcher, Garza to me is primed for a break out year.  Last year after goin 5-7 with a 3.69 era Garza showed the poise and make-up of a top of the rotation type starter. Some will probably disagree, but after watching him pitch several times, if he can get over his Tom Glavine first innings issues, and not tire once he gets to the sixth he'll be good.  Garza is one of those pitchers you can take a chance on late in the draft, and is a pitcher I see winning 10 games.

Pedro Martinez is coming back to the Mets this year and is looking to regain his stuff from two years ago.  Martinez is my bounce back player for 2008, and this year really needs to show people that his back.  We all know what Martinez can do, it's just a matter of can he do it for a full season.  If you have a 14th or 15 round pick and need a pitcher, Martinez is a great choice, and is going 168 overall according to MockDraftCentral's Average Draft Report.  If you can get him late, do it, you won't be disappointed this year. 

For a look at the 2008 OF Rankings Cheat Sheet CLICK HERE. 

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