Oakland Athletics: 5 Reasons Ryan Cook Is Currently the Best Reliever in MLB

Who's this Ryan Cook guy and why is he the best relief pitcher in MLB right now?

To start, he's a setup man for the Oakland A's and could arguably be the closer at some point this year the way he's pitching, having allowed only four hits and no runs in 21.2 innings. Here's five reasons why he's the No. 1 reliever in baseball right now.

5. It's His First Major League Season

Cook hasn't seen a full slate of MLB action in his career yet and the fact he's doing this well almost two months into 2012 shows he's slowly becoming the real deal. It's also helps he was in the National League and not the American League last year.

4. AL Batters Don't Know What to Expect

Scouting can only go so far. Many hitters need to actually "see" what Cook is throwing before they know what to expect, and right now Cook is showing them he's a force to be reckoned with by allowing only a handful of hits so far. Nobody has driven in a run off him yet, therefore it's safe to say hitters still don't know, almost 50 games into the season, what to expect when he's on the mound.

3. Can Other Pitchers Say They've Only Given Up 4 Hits in 21.2 Innings?

There's only one other pitcher that hasn't allowed an earned run to opponents this year and that's Cincinnati Reds star reliever Aroldis Chapman, the Cuban sensation who consistently blows away batters with a 100+ MPH fastball. Cook can reach the mid-90s but he's no Chapman, at least not yet.

2. Cook Could Reach Ziegler's Benchmark

Brad Ziegler set a bench mark, though NOT an actual record, for future Oakland relievers when he recorded 39 consecutive scoreless innings to start his career in 2008.

Ziegler was traded to the Diamondbacks in 2011 (and was a teammate of Cook's for a short time). Cook has the speed on his pitches that Ziegler didn't, providing the extra kick needed to blow away hitters and possibly be a solid closer someday. 

1. No Other Oakland Reliever Has Started This Well in Team History

In an appearance against the Angels on Monday night according to CSNBayArea.com, Cook broke an Oakland record that had stood since the team's days in Philadelphia:

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"With his scoreless inning tonight he broke a record dating back to at least 1918. Cook has 21.2 scoreless innings to start the season, a feat never accomplished by an Oakland pitcher that started the season on the opening day roster."

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There's nothing else to say but to keep watching, because Cook has the potential, and is already showing he can handle pressure with ease.