Matt Welch posted this as a comment to the post below on Paul Byrd, but I thought it was something to really pause and consider...
ERVIN Santana was our best 5th starter in 20 years. Some memory-lane carnage:
2004: 9-4, 5.05, Aaron Sele, $8.67 million
2003: 7-7, 5.63, Kevin Appier, $11.5 million
2002: 8-9, 4.89, Sele, $7.17 million
2001: 5-12, 4.76, Pat Rapp, $2 million
2000: 5-7, 6.52, Ken Hill, $5.6 million
1999: 6-8, 6.73, Tim Belcher, $4.65 million
1998: 6-7, 6.04, Alan Watson, $2.9 million
1997: 12-12, 4.93, Alan Watson, $1.3 million
1996: 2-18, 7.48, Jim Abbott, $2.2 million
1995: 7-7, 5.64, Shawn Boskie, $350,000
1994: 2-6, 7.30, Joe Magrane, $1.5 million
1993: 3-12, 7.35, Farrell, $200,000
1992: 8-12, 4.74, Blyleven, $900,000
1991: 10-19, 4.26, McCaskill, $2.1 million
1990: 8-7, 5.24, Blyleven, $1.125 million
1989: 9-15, 4.54, Witt, $1.4 million
1988: 3-9, 4.38, Petry, $785,000
1987: 11-11, 4.70, Sutton, $890,000
1986: 5-8, 5.50, Romanick, $425,000
1985: 2-4, 4.70, Tommy John, $600,000
100 Greatest Angel Countdown continues tomorrow with our First honoree who never played a single game for the Angels...