Most impressive pitcher thus far?

[ak47jared]

Which has been the most impressive thus far?

1.Josh johnson
2.cliff lee
3.ubaldo Jimenez
4.Adam wainwright
5.david price

[24]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

choice 6 none of the above. Andy Pettite who never gets any recognition outside NY is 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA and hes 38.

[Chip Douglass]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

choice 6 none of the above. Andy Pettite who never gets any recognition outside NY is 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA and hes 38.

You can mostly chalk Pettitte's numbers to luck, not great pitching performance.

He has a .265 BABIP and a 80.6% strand rate (2nd highest in the AL and 10% above league average) this year.

[Chip Douglass]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

Which has been the most impressive thus far?

1.Josh johnson
2.cliff lee
3.ubaldo Jimenez
4.Adam wainwright
5.david price

Cliff Lee and his insane 13.86 K/BB ratio. Price shouldn't even be in the debate IMO.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

Impressive? Probably Cliff Lee and his K/BB ratio. The next closest pitcher to him is Roy Halladay... with nearly less than half the ratio.

[24]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

You can mostly chalk Pettitte's numbers to luck, not great pitching performance.

He has a .265 BABIP and a 80.6% strand rate (2nd highest in the AL and 10% above league average) this year.

you just have to rain on my parade . I attribute it more to skill. stats is not everything as he gets the job done in the clutch. yes he gets a giant advantage by having a superpower option but for his age i think he is throwing very well

[Chip Douglass]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

Impressive? Probably Cliff Lee and his K/BB ratio. The next closest pitcher to him is Roy Halladay... with nearly less than half the ratio.

I agree.

I'd recalibrate the OP's top 5 and go with:

1. Lee
2. Johnson
3. Halladay
4. Liriano (who is unfairly ignored from this debate)
5. Hernandez

[Chip Douglass]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

you just have to rain on my parade . I attribute it more to skill. stats is not everything as he gets the job done in the clutch. yes he gets a giant advantage by having a superpower option but for his age i think he is throwing very well

There's no doubt Pettitte has improved from 2009. He's striking out more hitters and walking significantly less.

However, he's been the beneficiary of luck and improved defense. You just have to look past the flawed stat of ERA.

[ak47jared]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

I agree.

I'd recalibrate the OP's top 5 and go with:

1. Lee
2. Johnson
3. Halladay
4. Liriano (who is unfairly ignored from this debate)
5. Hernandez

Their could be at least 12 candidates in this conversion, I tried you judgement to choose best 5.

[snepp]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

I voted for Johnson, but probably should have gone with Lee, that K/BB ratio is RI****INGDICULOUS.

[Chip Douglass]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

Their could be at least 12 candidates in this conversion, I tried you judgement to choose best 5.

Oh sure. You could probably substitute Hernandez for Lester/Lincecum/Wainwright/Weaver, etc.

I went with Halladay/Hernandez over some of the others because they've pitched well and have racked up a ton of innings this year (#1 and #2 in innings pitched respectively).

[Sandman42]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

choice 6 none of the above. Andy Pettite who never gets any recognition outside NY is 11-2 with a 2.88 ERA and hes 38.

I love Andy as much as any other Yankee fan, but to say he's been more impressive than Lee or Johnson is ludicrous. Also saying he gets no recognition out of NY is insane.

[storychecksout]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

Have to go with Josh Johnson. The dude is just incredible.

[12]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

You can mostly chalk Pettitte's numbers to luck, not great pitching performance.

He has a .265 BABIP and a 80.6% strand rate (2nd highest in the AL and 10% above league average) this year.

Really? Because I don't think you can call it luck when an AL pitcher has a 2.88 ERA. It's not like Pettitte is a flash in the pan either, he's been one of the game's best lefties for YEARS.

The fact that he is doing this at 38 is pretty impressive.

I'm the biggest Yankee ***** of them all but I can give credit when it's due. Pettitte has been surprisingly impressive this year.

[12]

Re: Most impressive pitcher thus far?

There's no doubt Pettitte has improved from 2009. He's striking out more hitters and walking significantly less.

However, he's been the beneficiary of luck and improved defense. You just have to look past the flawed stat of ERA.

Maybe I am just not following baseball closely enough anymore; and all the new stats they have to determine performance... but please explain to me how ERA is a "flawed stat." ERA measures how many runs you allow over nine innings. I thought for the most part, a pitcher's job was to keep runs from crossing the plate.

I am NOT being a smart aleck, either. I am genuinely curious how ERA can be considered a flawed/overrated stat. I can see W/L record, but ERA is one that I'm having a tough time with...