Pitchers' ERA Benefiting from Crackdown on Steroids

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

As I was browsing through this year's ERA leaders, I noticed there was an unusual amount of starting pitchers with ERAs better than 3.00.  Although it is a known fact that pitchers are just as apt to take performance enhancing drugs as are hitters, it seems like the pitchers are the ones who are benefiting the most from the mandate of long-term suspensions as punishment for abuse.

Let's look at some statistics available to us from this decade.  In the 21st century, 2009 is the only season in which more than 10 starters have produced ERAs under 3.00. To be exact, 16 have kept ERAs of 3.00 or better this year.

Going by individual years, there were eight in 2008, one in 2007, two in 2006, eight in 2005, six in 2004, six in 2003, 10 in 2002, two in 2001, and two in 2000.  That's as far back as ESPN.com's statistics go, but it's easy to assume the trend continues through the beginning of the steroid era.

In the previous nine seasons, only the best of the pitchers have been able to crack 3.00.  Hurlers like Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Greg Maddux, and Tim Hudson dominated the early decade.  After that established group came Jake Peavy and Johan Santana.

Now, Edwin Jackson, Jarrod Washburn, and Javy Vazquez, all of whom have career ERAs over 4.00, have broken the barrier and crossed into the land of sub-three, presumably because the opposition doesn't pose as dangerous of a threat anymore.  It's probably the same reason that talented youngsters J.A. Happ, Clayton Kershaw, and Jair Jurrjens have easily joined the sub-three club as well.

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