April 13, 2010

2010s: a pitcher's decade?

I'm really excited at the future of pitching in baseball because of...

Brett Anderson, Oakland
Homer Bailey, Cincinnati
Brad Bergesen, Baltimore
Dallas Braden, Oakland
Matt Cain, San Francisco
Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati
John Danks, Chicago (AL)
Yovani Gallardo, Milwaukee
Matt Garza, Tampa Bay
Zack Greinke, Kansas City
Cole Hamels, Philadelphia
Tommy Hanson, Atlanta
Felix Hernandez, Seattle
Luke Hochevar, Kansas City
Edwin Jackson, Arizona
Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado
Josh Johnson, Florida
Jair Jurrgens, Atlanta
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles
Mike Leake, Cincinnati
Jon Lester, Boston
Tim Lincecum, San Francisco
Francisco Liriano, Minnesota
Brian Matusz, Baltimore
Ricky Nolasco, Florida
Rick Porcello, Detroit
David Price, Tampa Bay
Ricky Romero, Toronto
Max Scherzer, Detroit
Justin Verlander, Detroit
Jered Weaver, Los Angeles of Anaheim

All are 27 or younger. All have enjoyed various levels of success in the Big Leagues that have impressed me to some high degree. And this list doesn't even include Adam Wainwright (just barely too old to qualify), Stephen Strasburg (hasn't reached the majors), Aroldis Chapman (ditto) or Phil Hughes (still waiting to see if his eighth inning dominance translates into excellence as a starter).

It makes me wonder if baseball might headed toward a pitching-dominated decade. Sure, some of these guys won't make it but I have seen so many pitch at such a high level and, in some cases, on such huge stages that I cannot help but wonder where this is going. I hope the pitching dominance continues as the likes of Strasburg, Chapman, Madison Bumgarner and Shelby Miller make their way to the majors.

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