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Topnotchsy
Featured Contributor, The best players in history?
- Aug 7, 2008
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Over the last few seasons there has been somewhat of a "changing of the guard" amongst starting pitchers, and I recently I've been thinking about the best pitchers in baseball. In my mind (and obviously others will have different criteria) to be included a pitcher must have had significant success at the MLB level, has to currently be pitching at a high level, and there is expectation that he will continue to pitch at a high level. There is a little give and take between those, but that's kind of how I looked at it. (So for me a guy like Lincecum, despite his 2 Cy Youngs is not included, nor is someone like Kuroda who has been great the last couple of seasons, but is clearly near the end of his career).
Please feel free to point out who I forgot, explain why my arguments are ridiculous or throw out stats to back my ideas if you are so inclined...
My top 4:
Clayton Kershaw - Hard to argue he is not the best pitcher in baseball this season with a 1.72 ERA, but that simply follows a couple of seasons where he won the pitching triple crown winning the Cy Young in 2011, and finished 2nd in the Cy Young in 2012 while sporting the lowest ERA in baseball.
Felix Hernandez - With 2nd, 1st and 4th place finishes in the AL Cy Young voting in 2010, 2011 and 2013 Felix has consistently been one of the best in baseball. This season he sports the highest K/9 of his career and lowest BB/9 and should be near the top of the voting once again.
Justin Verlander - His 2011 season was memorable and won him both Cy Young and MVP, and he finished 2nd in Cy Young last season. He's made 5 straight AS teams and while he has not been quite as dominant this season, (he's been far more hittable and has had less control) he still has to be considered one of the best.
David Price - Price won the Cy Young award last season, and finished 2nd in 2010. While he has dealt with injuries and a rough stretch on the field this season, he actually has the lowest WHIP of his career helped by a miniscule 1.2 BB's per 9 innings and has been dominant recently.
Best of the rest:
Jered Weaver - Injuries have slowed him this season, but he's finished 5th, 2nd and 3rd in AL Cy Young voting over the last 3 seasons.
Yu Darvish - Might move up on the list in the next couple of seasons as he is only in his second year in the majors, but he got Cy Young votes in his rookie season and has dominated this year.
Adam Wainwight - lost all of 2011 to injury and took some time to return to dominance, but finished 2nd and 3rd in Cy Young voting in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, and he's a top 3 candidate in the NL this season.
Please feel free to point out who I forgot, explain why my arguments are ridiculous or throw out stats to back my ideas if you are so inclined...
My top 4:
Clayton Kershaw - Hard to argue he is not the best pitcher in baseball this season with a 1.72 ERA, but that simply follows a couple of seasons where he won the pitching triple crown winning the Cy Young in 2011, and finished 2nd in the Cy Young in 2012 while sporting the lowest ERA in baseball.
Felix Hernandez - With 2nd, 1st and 4th place finishes in the AL Cy Young voting in 2010, 2011 and 2013 Felix has consistently been one of the best in baseball. This season he sports the highest K/9 of his career and lowest BB/9 and should be near the top of the voting once again.
Justin Verlander - His 2011 season was memorable and won him both Cy Young and MVP, and he finished 2nd in Cy Young last season. He's made 5 straight AS teams and while he has not been quite as dominant this season, (he's been far more hittable and has had less control) he still has to be considered one of the best.
David Price - Price won the Cy Young award last season, and finished 2nd in 2010. While he has dealt with injuries and a rough stretch on the field this season, he actually has the lowest WHIP of his career helped by a miniscule 1.2 BB's per 9 innings and has been dominant recently.
Best of the rest:
Jered Weaver - Injuries have slowed him this season, but he's finished 5th, 2nd and 3rd in AL Cy Young voting over the last 3 seasons.
Yu Darvish - Might move up on the list in the next couple of seasons as he is only in his second year in the majors, but he got Cy Young votes in his rookie season and has dominated this year.
Adam Wainwight - lost all of 2011 to injury and took some time to return to dominance, but finished 2nd and 3rd in Cy Young voting in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, and he's a top 3 candidate in the NL this season.
