Speaking of the rotation:  a lot of people around here were talking about how great our pitching was before the season started.  As others pointed out, we really had Lincecum, Cain, a maybe in unproven Sanchez, and a shaky pen.  Now, we're finally getting guys who are moving up from the low minors.

Next year, we are looking at Lincecum, Cain, and Sanchez as being safe bets for the rotation.  We are likely to have Zito as well, unless he becomes history's highest paid mop-up man.  That leaves the following guys as possibilities for the rotation within a year or two:

Correia (RHP, 27) - decent 5th starter, but quality in the pen.  Going back to the pen would immediately improve it.
Misch (LHP, 26) - better than he has looked this year.  His WHIP is better than last year, but the HR have killed him - even a normal high HR rate would make him fine.
Lowry (LHP, 27) - can he make it back from injury?  I doubt it, but I had to list him.

Bumgarner (LHP, 18!) - see above.  The real deal, it looks like.
Sosa (RHP, 22) - quality.  Needs to be in AA at this point.
English (LHP, 23) - only Bumgarner has a better K rate.  Needs to be in AA as well.
Alderson (RHP, 19!) - pretty good K rate, ok K/BB for such a youngster.  At 19, already pushed a bit in high A.
Snyder (LHP, 22) - decent to good K rate, excellent K/BB.
Pucetas (RHP, 23) - ok K rate, good K/BB.
Martinez (RHP, 25) - a bit old, but at least in AA.  Excellent ERA but weak K rate.

Correia and Misch could be 5th starters anywhere, and Correia has already proven himself a fine reliever.  Lowry looks done, but maybe he comes back from injury and can strike guys out.  Maybe.  Probably not.  Why didn't we trade him earlier?

The remaining 7 are guys that seem to have a legitimate chance to make the majors.  Bumgarner has more than a chance - as the top 2007 draft pick, he will get a shot as a major league starter if he isn't injured.  I'm not saying that all 7 will make it.  I would be happy to see Bumgarner as a #3 or better starter and one other guy from the list being a legitimate #3 or #4 starter.  After that, maybe a swingman/#5 starter or two and those guys with the rest going into the bullpen pool, with maybe a couple making it.

To get three legitimate starters out of that group would be a haul; to get four or five that look like they could be legitimate starters out of that group into AA or AAA would be sweet trade bait.  For the guys that don't make it as starters, you have a nice pool of potential relievers that 1) keep you from having to create a waiver wire/FA bullpen, 2) provides more trade bait, and 3) possibly improves our shaky pen - not to mention having depth at AAA that beats Messenger and Munter.

If that group turns out better, then you have REAL options.  What would Cain bring in trade?  What would Sanchez bring?  What would Bumgarner or Alderson - even cheaper and under the team's control for more years - bring in a year or two?  These are guys who will bring you bats.

I think that Sosa, English, Pucetas, and Snyder all need to be pushed, though.  At 22 or 23 years of age, they aren't going to look like real prospects for long in A ball.  You can't just put any 20 year old in AA and pretend that he's a star prospect when he's overmatched (I'm looking at you, Mets and Yankees), but these guys need to be promoted a level to make them look better as trade bait.

Your thoughts?  And also, a poll!