2010 MLB Playoffs: Ranking Roy Halladay, CC Sabathia, and the Other Top Starters
The 2010 MLB playoffs are stocked with elite arms like Roy Halladay, CC Sabathia, Tim Lincecum, and Cliff Lee. In other words, they promise to give us more entries in "The Year of the Pitcher."
A solid ace is the most important part of any postseason rotation. In 2001, the Mariners were clearly the most talented team in the league, having won a record 116 games.
But they ran into the Yankees' Roger Clemens and Mike Mussina and lost in a mere five games. Whatever team's pitching proves most consistent will be the team that wins the World Series.
While the Padres are still mathematically in the race, their loss tonight has given them a nearly impossible task...and for that reason, their pitching has been left off this list.
8. Edinson Volquez
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The Reds ace is the hardest to discern: While Edinson Volquez does not have the best statistical outlook of the staff, but he is clearly the most talented of the Reds' rotation.
Unfortunately, Volquez reads like a tale of two cities: his strikeout rate, 9.63 is awesome. But his walk rate of over five per game is not.
Which Volquez shows up in each start could determine how deep the Reds will go this October.
7. Francisco Liriano
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After missing a season-and-a-half for Tommy John surgery, Francisco Liriano is back with a vengeance.
Liriano’s traditional statistics are slightly lower than the rest above him, but in the sabermetric community, he has been among the league leaders this year.
His only knock is his ability to pitch deep into games, having gone only 186 innings thus far this year.
He should be a force to be reckoned with in the postseason.
6. David Price
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David Price could legitimately be in the top three on this list. But because of his age he fell all the way to No. 6.
His fastball is simply awesome: other than the few electric starts of Stephen Strasburg, Price’s fastball has been among the best this year.
After a few years trying to work out his secondary pitches, Price simply stopped throwing them: he throws nearly 75 percent fastballs at almost 94 MPH (Fangraphs).
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5. Tim Hudson
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Tim Hudson has had a rocky month of September: his ERA has jumped over half a run and he has yet to record a victory.
But, barring some unpronounced injury, he’s still a very talented pitcher.
The diminutive righty throws in the low 90s, but is among the league leaders in ground-ball percentage.
If the Braves ever recall how to hit the ball, he should able to keep them in games long enough for the Braves dominant bullpen to put it away.
4. C.C. Sabathia
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Carsten Charles Sabathia has been a rock for the Yankees this year.
With all the disarray in the Yankees' rotation (read: the Yankees' dual-headed masochistic monster: A.J. Burnett and Javier Vazquez), Sabathia has given them innings and solid outings, potentially to the tune of a second Cy Young.
He is not on the same tier as the pitchers above him on this list, but is a highly talented innings eater.
With any help from the rest of the rotation, he should be pitching late into October.
3. Cliff Lee
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Cliff Lee would be atop this list had he continued pitching like he had for Seattle. Unfortunately, he was shipped to Texas, where he suffered back problems and run problems.
His past few starts have been better, and if he recovers fully for the playoffs, he should guarantee the Rangers a one-game head start on their first-round opponent.
2. Tim Lincecum
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The Freaky Franchise is back. Over the past month he has looked like the Lincecum of old—only with a slower fastball.
Some would argue that Lincecum has not been the Giants' ace this year, and they would be right.
But should he continue pitching as he has, there is no one the Giants would rather turn to in the postseason.
1. Roy Halladay
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In baseball today, there is simply no pitcher who will give you the consistency of Roy Halladay.
With more than 20 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA, the Phillies can expect him to pitch them all the way to the World Series.
Among his many accolades, Halladay is an innings eater—completing more games over the past five years than any other pitcher in baseball.
In the postseason, there is no Phillies fan who would rather see Brad Lidge toeing the rubber in the ninth than Halladay.
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