2012 MLB Regular Season Running Thread

Well played, and absolutely correct. Strasburg isn't even No. 2 on the list. That would be Verlander. You could also argue for R.A. Dickey, David Price, Felix Hernandez and Chris Sale ahead of Strasburg. Perhaps not on long-term potential, but just based on what they are right now.

 

Strasburg, at this moment, is better than Price, Hernandez and Sale.

 

The numbers do not back you up on that. Hernandez, for example, has a lower ERA and a lower WHIP while pitching nearly 40 more innings in a tougher league. He also has more of a track record, one that includes a Cy Young Award.

Price has a lower ERA, a lower WHIP. He is also in the tougher league and he has pitched 20 more innings.

Sale has a lower ERA and a lower WHIP. He pitches in a tougher league and a tougher home ballpark for pitchers. He is the only one of those three who does not have more of a track record than Strasburg.

Be dazzled by the nasty stuff all you like. Would I take any of the three over Strasburg long term? No. I would not. Are all three better than Strasburg right now? Yes, they are.

 

Well, you're right about one thing. I am dazzled by the nasty stuff. That means more to me than the raw numbers.

 

Just in terms of "stuff," Felix and Verlander are both at least as nasty as Strasburg, if not more so. They are absolutely better pitchers than Strasburg at this moment.

Price maybe isn't quite as nasty, but is definitely a better pitcher right now. Same goes for Weaver.

I'd take Strasburg over Sale, but not by that much.

 

I wrote that post because Monday evening I finished watching the Tigers-Yankees on ESPN and listened to all three booth announcers (McDonough??, Boone, Sutcliffe) and Kurkjian absolutely fucking gushing about Verlander being the best, best, best, best; then 3 hours later Weaver finishes off a four-hit shutout of the A's to go 15-1 .... Fifteen and freaking one.
Best record, ERA and WHIP (one of the few sabr stats I use) in baseball.

 

And the Zimmerman deal. If they can handle that on the books, then it's not so bad. But those are two huge deals for borderline all stars.

 

I think your vastly underestimating what Zimmerman means to the team.

 

If they can handle it on the books? Oh, you mean baseball's wealthiest owners? Yeah. I think they can handle it.

God, you're shitty at this. I truly hope you're doing it just to be.....whatever it is you're trying to be here. What's next? You gonna bash Rizzo for bringing Harper up too soon? The choice of post-game beverages in the clubhouse?

 

Maybe, but the Nationals are light years away from a gold standard where their moves are unquestioned.

 

You mean rich like Dan Snyder?

 

I can't stand Sterling, and it drives me nuts that he's the Yankee announcer (and the voice my kids imitate narrate their games). I'll still listen to him over Carton any time. I'm stunned that they get people to listen. If people want a Howard Stern Wannabe, why don't they just listen to the real one? Because they don't have XM? Because they want it done about sports? He makes my skin crawl.