Done with the lineup, we move on to the starting rotation and the ostensible "ace" of the staff, Jon Lieber.
I actually like Lieber and I think he's a valuable pitcher, but that does not mean he isn't collosally overpaid (thank you Omar Minaya and Kris Benson).
GS - 34
IP - 211.2
W-L - 16-9
ERA - 3.88
WHIP - 1.22
BB - 37
K - 140
HR - 29
Guys like Lieber are gonna give up a lot of hits, but I think he's going to avoid another stretch like he had last summer where he walked pretty much everybody. A terrific September in 2005 helped disspell the notion that he was injured. I think we'll see a slight improvement this year, and if any pitcher is going to see some benefit from moving the left field wall back, it will be him. Twenty-nine home runs is still a lot, but the low number of BBs will reduce the damage.