Forget the Philadelphia Phillies’ starting rotation, as the Giants are just as stacked in the starting rotation heading into the 2012 season. Here is a look at how the rotation stands right now:

#1: Tim Lincecum: 27-year old righty Tim Lincecum is one of the best pitchers on the planet Earth. He finished 6th in the Cy Young Award voting last season as he pitched in 33 games (all starts) for the Giants last year in which he was 13-14 with a 2.74 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Lincecum has now pitched in 156 games (155 starts) in his first five years with the Giants and he was 69-41 with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Lincecum has already won 2 Cy Young Awards in his career, and there is no reason to think he can’t win another one if he gets improved run support.

#2: Matt Cain: 27-year old righty Matt Cain is really close to being a legit ace for the Giants. He finished #8 in the voting for the Cy Young Award last year. Cain pitched in 33 games (all starts) for the Giants last year and he was 12-11 with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. Cain has now pitched in 204 games (203 starts) in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 69-73 with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Cain, like Lincecum, is going to be a finalist…if not the winner of the Cy Young Award in the N.L. in 2012. Remember, it was Matt Cain that led the Giants to winning the World Series with flawless pitching in the post-season a couple of years ago.

#3: Madison Bumgarner: 22-year old lefty Madison Bumgarner really pitched his butt off last year for the Giants. Bumgarner pitched in 33 games (all starts) for the Giants last year and he was 13-13 with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He has now pitched in 55 games (52 starts) in his first three years with the Giants and he was 20-19 with a 3.10 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. The sky is the limit for Bumgarner as he has outstanding stuff combined with pitching know how.

#4: Ryan Vogelsong: 34-year old righty Ryan Vogelsong came out of nowhere to pitch excellent for the Giants in 2011. He pitched in 30 games (28 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 13-7 with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Vogelsong has now pitched in 47 games (28 starts) in his first three years with the Giants and he is 13-10 with a 3.02 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He has now pitched in 150 games (61 starts) in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 23-29 with a 4.71 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. The Giants hope that 2011 wasn’t a mirage, but a sign of things to come for Vogelsong.

#5: Barry Zito: 33-year old lefty Barry Zito will have to win the #5 job in the starting rotation this spring. Zito pitched in 13 games (9 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 3-4 with a 5.87 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He has now pitched in 146 games (140 starts) in his first five years with the Giants and he is 43-61 with a 4.55 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Zito has now pitched in 368 games (362 starts) in his first 12 years in the majors and he is 145-124 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Zito will need to step up if he wants to be in the starting rotation in 2012.

Eric Surkamp: 24-year old lefty Eric Surkamp is a very serious threat to Barry Zito’s spot in the starting rotation this spring. Surkamp pitched in 6 games (all starts) for the Giants last year and he was 2-2 with a 5.74 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP. He also pitched in 24 games (23 starts) in A+AA-ball last year and he was 11-4 with a 1.94 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. Surkamp has a very nice upside.

Clay Hensley: 32-year old righty Clay Hensley will also get a shot to win the #5 job in the Giants’ rotation this spring. Hensley pitched in 37 games (9 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 6-7 with a 5.19 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. He has now pitched in 211 games (49 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 24-29 with 7 saves, a 3.94 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. If Hensley doesn’t win a job in the starting rotation this spring, he might pitch out of the pen for the Giants.

Brian Burres: 30-year old lefty Brian Burres is a huge longshot in the competition for the #5 job in the rotation. He pitched in 5 games (2 starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Burres has now pitched in 106 games (56 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 18-25 with a 5.75 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE STARTING ROTATION IN 2012: A

55-year old manager Bruce Bochy led the San Francisco Giants to their first World Series’ Championship since the team moved from New York to California. The Giants have as good a roster as anyone else in baseball, so I wouldn’t be shocked if they won it all again in 2011. The Giants were 92-70 (56.8%) during the regular season last year and they were 11-4 (73.3%) during the post-season. Bochy now has a 323-325 (49.8%) record during the regular season for the Giants in his four years on the job. He has now been a major league manager for 16 years now and he has compiled a 1,274-1,300 (49.5%) record during the regular season. He is also 19-20 (48.7%) during the post-season in his major league career. I look for Bochy to get the Giants back to the playoffs for sure in 2011, how far they go is up to them.

The San Francisco Giants have brought back most of the same cast in the bullpen for 2011. 29-year old righty closer Brian Wilson will start the year on the D.L. but he should be able to return to action in 2-3 weeks. He pitched in 70 games (0 starts) last season for the Giants and he was 3-3 with 48 saves, a 1.81 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. He only gave up 63 hits in 74 2/3 innings last year while whiffing 93 batters as he was plain nasty. Wilson has now pitched in 256 games (0 starts) in his first five years with the Giants and he is 14-16 with 134 saves, a 3.18 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. I look for him to have another great year when he’s ready to return to action.

28-year old righty Sergio Romo will likely close at the start of the 2011 season until Wilson is ready to return to action. Romo pitched in 68 games (0 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 5-3 with a 2.18 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. He only gave up 46 hits while whiffing 70 batters in 62 innings last year as he was outstanding for the Giants. Romo has now pitched in 142 games (0 starts) in his first three years with the Giants and he is 13-6 with 2 saves, a 2.63 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. I look for Romo to have another solid year in 2011 for the Giants.

31-year old lefty Jeremy Affeldt is the best the Giants have to offer from the left side in 2011. He pitched in 53 games (0 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 4-3 with 4 saves, a 4.14 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. Affeldt has now pitched in 127 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Giants and he is 6-5 with 4 saves, a 2.80 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.

29-year old righty Ramon Ramirez pitched in 25 games (0 starts) for the Giants last year after they acquired him from the Red Sox and he was 1-0 with 1 save, a 0.67 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP as he only gave up 13 hits in 27 innings. Ramirez pitched in 69 games (0 starts) overall last year for the Giants & Red Sox and he was 1-3 with 3 saves, a 2.99 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He has now pitched in 293 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 17-14 with 4 saves, a 3.29 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.

30-year old righty Santiago Casilla had a huge breakout season for the Giants in 2010. Casilla pitched in 52 games (0 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 7-2 with 2 saves, a 1.95 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He only gave up 40 hits in 55 1/3 innings while whiffing 56 batters, showing just how nasty he can be. Casilla has now pitched in 204 games (0 starts) in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 13-6 with 6 saves, a 4.30 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP.

33-year old lefty Javier Lopez pitched in 27 games (0 starts) for the Giants after coming over in a deal with the Pirates last year and he was 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA and a 0.68 WHIP. He pitched in 77 games (0 starts) overall for the Pirates & Giants last year and he was 4-2 with a 2.34 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Lopez has now pitched in 420 games (0 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 15-9 with 4 saves, a 4.18 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. I think he has another good year in him as long as the Giants only let him pitch to lefty hitters in 2011.

37-year old righty Guillermo Mota will likely be the mop up man for the Giants in 2011. Mota pitched in 56 games (0 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 1-3 with 1 save, a 4.33 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. He has now pitched in 665 games (0 starts) in his first 12 years in the majors and he is 37-42 with 9 saves, a 3.92 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP.

26-year old lefty Dan Runzler has a nice upside. He pitched in 41 games (0 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 3-0 with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. He has now pitched in 52 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Giants and he is 3-0 with a 2.61 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Runzler already had 48 whiffs in his first 41 1/3 innings in the majors, which shows that he can handle his job in the pen.

28-year old lefty Alex Hinshaw pitched in 9 games (0 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 0-0 with a 12.00 ERA and a 2.83 WHIP. He has now pitched in 57 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Giants and he is 2-1 with a 4.53 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. Hinshaw is behind too many lefties to help the Giants in 2011 unless they suffer some injuries.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS BULLPEN IN 2011: A+

Everyone talks about the Phillies’ starting rotation but the Giants’ will have one that is at least equal and maybe better than it in 2011. 26-year old righty Tim Lincecum tops the Giants’ starting rotation once again in 2011. He started 33 games for the Giants last year and he was 16-10 with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP, in a down year for him! Most pitchers would love the numbers that Lincecum put up in 2010, but he had to be disappointed after having won back to back N.L. Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009 for the Giants. He has now pitched in 123 games (122 starts) in his first four years with the Giants and he is 56-27 with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Lincecum only has given up 666 hits in his first 811 innings in the majors while whiffing 907 batters, showing just how plain nasty he is. Expect him to make another run at the Cy Young Award in 2011.

26-year old right Matt Cain really stepped up in the post season last year for the Giants as he didn’t give up any runs in his three starts. The Giants hope that he keeps rolling this year. He started 33 games for the Giants last year and he was 13-11 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He has now pitched in 171 games (170 starts) in his first six years with the Giants and he is 57-62 with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Cain is one of the most underrated pitchers in the N.L. and this could be the year that he challenges Tim Lincecum for the Cy Young Award. For that to happen though, the offense and bullpen are going to have to back him up way more than usual.

28-year old lefty Jonathan Sanchez finally rewarded the Giants for their confidence in him. He pitched in 34 games (33 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 13-9 with a 3.07 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Sanchez only gave up 142 hits while whiffing 205 batters in 193 1/3 innings which shows just how nasty he was last year. He still walked 96 batters which is way too many. Sanchez has now pitched in 155 games (99 starts) in his first 5 years with the Giants and he is 34-39 with a 4.26 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. If Sanchez can tighten up his control a bit he could become an elite pitcher, if not though, the Giants would be happy with another year like 2010 out of him in 2011.

21-year old lefty Madison Bumgarner really stepped up for the Giants in the playoffs and the second half of the year. He started 18 games for the Giants last year and he was 7-6 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Bumgarner has now pitched in 22 games (19 starts) for the Giants in his first two years with them and he is 7-6 with a 2.90 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Bumgarner really looked good last year and the Giants think that he is going to get even better starting in 2011.

32-year old lefty Barry Zito is going to be the #5 starter for the Giants in 2011. He pitched in 34 games (33 starts) for the Giants last year and he was 9-14 with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Zito has now pitched in 133 games (131 starts) in his first four years with the Giants and he is 40-57 with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. This is a big year for Zito as the Giants left him off the playoff and World Series rosters last year. He needs to earn the faith of the coaching staff in April or the Giants might bump him out of the starting rotation.

36-year old righty Jeff Suppan will likely start the 2011 season as the long man in the pen for the Giants. He pitched in 30 games (15 starts) for the Cardinals & Brewers last year and he was 3-8 with a 5.06 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. Suppan has now pitched in 442 games (411 starts) in his first 16 years in the majors and he is 138-143 with a 4.69 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. I’m not a big fan of Suppan.

28-year old righty Josh Banks started 1 game for the Astros last year and he was 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA and a 3.00 WHIP. He has now pitched in 27 games (19 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 4-8 with a 5.66 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. Banks has failed a few times in the show, so I’m not so sure that he has too much to offer the Giants in 2011.

34-year old righty Brian Lawrence is still trying to work his way back to the majors after serious shoulder surgery. He pitched in 26 games (25 starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 11-8 with a 4.42 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. He last pitched in the majors back in 2007 with the Mets. He has now pitched in 168 games (152 starts) in his first six years in the majors and he is 50-63 with a 4.19 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS STARTING ROTATION IN 2011: A+

30-year old righty swinging Cody Ross will be the starting RF for the Giants in 2011. Ross played in 153 games for the Giants & Marlins last season and he was 141 of 525 (.269 avg, .735 OPS) with 71 runs scored, 14 homers, 65 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. Ross locked up the starting job with an outstanding post-season for the Giants in 2011. Ross had 2 errors and 2 assist in 51 games in RF last season while showing excellent range. Ross is a gamer who will give it all every night for the Giants.

27-year old lefty swinging Nate Schierholtz will backup Ross in RF for the Giants in 2011. He played in 137 games for the Giants last season and he was 55 of 227 (.242 avg, .676 OPS) with 34 runs scored, 3 homers, 17 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Schierholtz is a career .270 hitter with a .714 OPS in his first 4 years in the majors, so look for his bat to rebound in 2011. He only had 1 error in 109 games in RF last season while showing slightly above average range. He also had 7 assists in RF as he showed a really strong throwing arm. Look for his P.T. to be cut some in 2011.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS RF IN 2011: B-