Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

[snepp]

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/story?page=thepulse

(note: I realize the poll was in relation to the Jays' signing of Burnett, which leads to skewed results)

Which team has the best starting pitching duo in the American League? (7,320 votes)
31.7% Blue Jays (Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett)
24.8% Red Sox (Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett)
22.8% White Sox (Mark Buehrle and Jon Garland)
14.2% Athletics (Rich Harden and Barry Zito)
6.5% Yankees (Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina)

Halladay/Burnett #1? What has Burnett done besides compile an oh-so-impressive 3.73 career era, in the NL, and in a pretty pitcher friendly park? I'd consider Burnett a good signing....if they didn't overpay him by 40 million.

Johnson/Mussina? It was a joke to include them, right? Guess I didn't realize it was still 2003. Which leads to my last comment...

Where's Santana/Radke? I guess the poll creator isn't any brighter than the average fan. Yes I'm biased, but I'd take them over any pair on that list (incoming exceptions). If Garland has another year like this one or Zito returns to form (looked like he did, until Sept rolled around), then I'd have to reconsider.

/mini-rant

[SPTO]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

It is skewed indeed. I'll say this Doc/AJ would be #1 if AJ lives up to his potential. If he posts a season like he did when Arnsberg was his pitching coach in Florida then YES they are the best duo.

[BGarrett7]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

Smoltz and Hudson are as good as any combo on that list.

My vote would definitely have to go to Schilling/Beckett though.

[ehh]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

It's just because of AJ's new signing and the Jay's are in the headlines and all.

I'm not overly concerned with the Jay's still, AJ will have a nice welcoming to the AL East courtesy of the Red Sox and Yankees in '06.

[snepp]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

I'll say this Doc/AJ would be #1 if AJ lives up to his potential.

Potentially? I'll concede that. It's also dependent on Roy's health, he doesn't exactly have the greatest track record. But when he's healthy, man is he a horse.

For the record, I voted for Buehrle/Garland.

[snepp]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

Smoltz and Hudson are as good as any combo on that list.

Of course they are, but they aren't in the AL.

[SPTO]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

Potentially? I'll concede that. It's also dependent on Roy's health, he doesn't exactly have the greatest track record. But when he's healthy, man is he a horse.

I discount last season's injury because it was such a freak ocurrance. His arm was doing ok for the most part when he was pitching. He did have arm fatigue early in the year tho.

[BGarrett7]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

Of course they are, but they aren't in the AL.

Oops, my bad. Completely missed that part.

[Beantown]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

If Schilling is back to 100%, and Beckett can adjust to the AL and stay healthy, that would be a very good 1-2 combo, not the best, but a very good one.

[snepp]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

I discount last season's injury because it was such a freak ocurrance.

I tried to think of a better word to use than freak, but that pretty much sums it up. Not to jack my own thread, but is he at 100% for offseason workouts?

[BGarrett7]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

I tried to think of a better word to use than freak, but that pretty much sums it up. Not to jack my own thread, but is he at 100% for offseason workouts?

Should be, afterall, he did have a shorter season than everyone else.

[GBrushTWood]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

Why not Radke/Santana? Well, for starters, Radke isn't that great. He's an inning eater, he throws strikes, and doesn't walk many. That has value, but that certainly doesn't make him great. The guy was on my roto-league team last year and he was honestly nothing special. 4.04 ERA and .272 BAA in 2005 doesn't seem so great to me.

Santana is great, but I wouldn't say great enough to make the Santana-Radke combination definitively better than any of the 1-2 combos on this list.

[theaub]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

I voted for Harden and Zito.

[snepp]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

Well, for starters, Radke isn't that great. He's an inning eater, he throws strikes, and doesn't walk many. That has value, but that certainly doesn't make him great.

Never claimed he was great. But before pissing his ERA down his leg in Sept when he was hurt, he was in the AL's top-15 in ERA. His final WHIP of 1.18 was good for 6th (tied with Buehrle). Did give up too many HR's though.

Santana is great, but I wouldn't say great enough to make the Santana-Radke combination definitively better than any of the 1-2 combos on this list.

Santana/Radke is definitively better than Johnson/Mussina. Santana blows both of them away, and Radke outclasses Mussina at this point in their careers. As for the rest of the list, anytime you're talking about the top X or something, there aren't going to be many definites. There just happen to be quite a few ? marks here, but with the Twins pair you pretty well know what you're going to get.

[snepp]

Re: Mini-rant: ESPN 1-2 pitcher combo poll...

Should be, afterall, he did have a shorter season than everyone else.

That's painfully obvious....

(no pun intented, I swear!)