Your 2009 Verducci Effect Watch List

Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci released his annual list of pitchers susceptible to the Verducci Effect (he still humbly calls it the Year After Effect, but I'm not afraid to give the man his due). As expected, no Marlins made the list this year, but four other NL East pitchers made the list, including the previously mentioned Cole Hamels, along with the Mets' Mike Pelfrey and Jon Niese, as well as the Braves' Jair Jurrjens. Also making the list were two of the game's premier young arms, Tim Lincecum and Jon Lester.

Should any of these guys, their teams, or their fans be worried? I'll let Verducci take this one:

Over the previous three years I red-flagged a total of 24 young pitchers at the start of those seasons. Of those 24 at-risk pitchers, 16 were hurt in that same season. Only one of the 24 pitchers managed to stay healthy and lower his ERA: Ubaldo Jimenez of Colorado, a guy I said would be less at risk because of his powerful body type.

Yikes.

You've been warned.

Though I do not root for opposing players to get injured (we're trying to have a civilization, here, people), my inner reptilian brain cannot help but be pleased with Verducci's findings. With that in mind, I'm already worried about Chris Volstad, Andrew Miller, and Josh Johnson's inclusion on the 2010 Verducci Effect List.