A lot has been said about the Yankees' treasure trove of talented young pitching. This led me to wonder to myself where the Yankeed young guns ranked among those elsewhere in baseball. Before you, you will see a list of, in my opinion, the top 10 starting pitching duos in MLB. In order to make the list, a pitcher needs to be no more than 25 years of age, and he must have the potential to contribute as a starter next year, meaning he has to have, at the very least, started successfully in AA as of the end of 2007.

1) Matt Cain/Tim Lincecum, Giants - Both have succeeded at the MLB level and both have terrific #1-esque upside. I worry about Lincecum's size and mechanics, but that's really just nitpicking. His body type and stuff have led to many comparisons to Houston's Roy Oswalt. There are few, if any, questions about Cain, who certainly seems to be the real deal.

2) Scott Kazmir/Matt Garza, Rays - Both of these guys have shown legit MLB success, and both look like top of the rotation guys. Garza's a bordlerline #1, but Kazmir has been excellent for three years, especially considering his age and the division in which he pitches. Given their wealth of young outfielders, the Rays made a smart move in acquiring Garza for Delmon Young.

3) Chad Billingsley/Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers - Billinglsey is one of the best guys on this list, and Kershaw is one of the very best pitching prospects in the minors. In terms of upside, this is probably the best group. Kershaw likely being at least a year away knocks them down a peg.

4) Joba Chamberlain/Phil Hughes, Yankees - After the Dodgers, this pair probably has the most upside of the group. Both guys have great stuff and control, as well as great frames. Both pitchers profile as #1 starters, despite Hughes' post-injury struggles in 2007. The fact that neither has shown any extensive MLB success as a starter is the only reason that they don't rank higher.

5) Justin Verlander/Jeremy Bonderman, Tigers - Verlander was the 2006 AL Rookie of the Year, and for good reason. Furthermore, his excellent stuff began to translate into strikeouts last year. He has proven himself as a legitimate #1 going forward. Bonderman was looking like one of the best young pitchers in baseball until the all-star break last year, but he continued his habit of fading in the second half of the year. If he can stay strong through the end of the season, this duo will be as strong as any in baseball.

6) Homer Bailey/Johnny Cueto, Reds - A lot of projection here, but I love the talent. Bailey was rushed last year, but he's a classic Texas fireball who I think will show a lot more in 2008. Cueto put up awesome numbers last year, though his size is a question mark. His build, plus his fastball/change combination and excellent control are reminiscent of a young Pedro Martinez.

7) Fausto Carmona/Adam Miller, Indians - Carmona, a groundball specialist, really came into his own in 2007. He was one of the very best pitchers in the American League, with the only knock on him being sub-par strikeout rates. If he manages to maintain his current production, he could be very comparable to someone like Brandon Webb or Roy Halladay. Miller disappointed last year by failing to stay healthy after a very promising 2006. If he can bounce back, and Carmona can prove that he's not a one-year-wonder, this ranking could look very low in a year.

8) Cole Hamels/Kyle Kendrick, Phillies - Hamels is the prize in this pair. He is the total package: A young, lefthanded #1 who has an extensive enough track record to rely on and the stuff to project him as a success for years to come. There is little to not like about Hamels. There is a lot to not like, however, about Kyle Kendrick. He is young, of course, but he completely lacks any ability to miss bats. He has managed to be very durable and to demonstrate exceptional control, but without a Wangian G/F rate, I have serious questions about his ability to succeed, long-term. That being said, he showed success at the MLB level last year in a very good hitting park, and his slider may yet develop into an out pitch.

9) Clay Buchholz/Jon Lester, Red Sox - Buchholz' no-hitter aside, this pair has done little at the major league level. While Buchholz' stuff is among the best in all of baseball (his curveball and, particularly, his changeup are both considered well-above average MLB pitchers), Lester has questions about both stuff and control; his flyball tendencies and hefty walk rates make him a scary long-term proposition.

10) Francisco Liriano/Kevin Slowey, Twins - There is a lot of hope and prayer going into this one. Liriano is coming off of major surgery, but if he comes back looking anything like the pitcher he was in 2006, he could be one of the best pitchers in the AL. Slowey is not a high-ceiling guy, but his fastball command reminds many Twins' scouts of Brad Radke. Slowey had a promising debut in 2007, and the Twins will look to him to take another step forward next year.

Have a pair I missed? Think Kyle Kendrick sucks? Email me at peter.bard@gmail.com