The old adage that good pitching will always beat good hitting hasn't changed much over the years.
You still can't win a championship without it.
However, where your pitching strength lies in helping deliver those championships,
now that's a different story.

There are several teams that have the starting pitching to contend.
Obviously with a front end that includes Josh Becket and Daisuke Matsuzaka along with up and comers Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz the defending champ Red Sox are one of those.
Not to mention the possibility of former Cy Young award winner Bartolo Colon in training camp as well.

It's not the starters that well spell the difference.
Not even the closers.
They vary in degree of success from Jonathon Papelbon to lesser lights but most teams will have an adequate arm at the end of the day.
It's the in between that now plays a major part in who wins and who wins it all.

The bridge that takes you from starter to closer.
The opportunity to play five or six inning ball games.
Starter, middle reliever, lefty specialist, set up guy.
The bullpen is no longer the place where ineffective pitchers are banished to rediscover their pitches.
Flamethrowers are now groomed for the middle ground.
It's essential.

Part of the New York Mets monumental collapse of last season could be traced to lack in this department.
Eric Hillman did a great job but he was lost and lonely.
The Mets desperately missed Duaner Sanchez.
Still out after a 2006 car accident that damaged his shoulder, he's back now.

The domino effect is most pronounced in the bullpen.
Lose a set up guy and a middle reliever is now doing that job.
A long reliever is now the short reliever and a minor leaguer is sadly on the roster.
All are helping games get away before an offense can make up lost ground.

The Blue Jays present the possibility if healthy to being fully stocked in the pen where it matters most.
With B.J. Ryan back to health, closer Jeremy Accardo moves to set up, Casy Janssen to middle man and so on.
With arms like Brandon League, Jason Frasor, Scott Downs and more, the Jays pen looks deep.

Certainly they have a big edge there over the Yankees.
Latroy Hawkins and the inconsistent Jeff Farnsworth won't be enough,
that's why Joba Chamberlain is being held back from the rotation.

Last year's AL Central is a perfect example of how this works.
The Tigers looked to have a big edge in the group set up department last season.
When their guys started getting hurt, Cleveland took over and won the division.

Sure C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona both won 19 games,
but here was the quietest reason the Indians went to the post season:

These E.R.A.'s in their pen:
Rafael Betancourt 1.47
Rafael Perez 1.78
Aaron Fultz 2.92
and Jensen Lewis 2.15.

When you start making up your mind on the possible division and wild card finishes for 2008,
don't forget to look past the Big Hitters, Starters and closers to these key guys that help deliver titles.