MLB Debate: C.C. Sabathia and the Top 10 LHP vs. Roy Halladay and the Top 10 RHP

Lefties always seem to be a hot commodity. They are few and far between and the dynamic lefties appear to be rare, but are they?

In this piece we will look at the top 10 left-handed pitchers in the game today and compare them to the top 10 right-handed pitchers. I will outline the statistics.

Let the discussion begin about which squad you think is more talented. You can state your case in the comments below about which team you would rather have going forward.

The Breakdown

Each team will consist of 10 pitchers (as well as one pitcher on the long-term DL) and contain one reliever (or should I say one Atlanta reliever? Stay tuned).

The pitchers will be grouped in order from one (best) to 10 (worst) and compared against their counterpart.

That being said, I tried to compare pitchers who have followed a somewhat similar career path (for example, I'm not going to compare 34-year-old Roy Halladay to 23-year-old Clayton Kershaw).

Sabathia vs. Halladay

Argument for C.C. (13-4, 2.72 ERA; 1.16 WHIP; 126 K)

• - Dominant, consistent, World Series
• - Five-time All-Star, Cy Young winner, 2009 ALCS MVP
• - Durable, 170 career wins, 65-percent career winning percentage
• - WHIP has been lower than 1.20 every season since 2005
• - Career 3.52 ERA

Argument for Halladay (11-3, 2.45 ERA; 1.02 WHIP, 138 K)

• - Dominant consistency, perfect game, no hitters
• - Eight-time All-Star, two-time Cy Young winner
• - WHIP has been higher than 1.13 only once since 2004
• - 67-percent career winning percentage, 180 career wins
• - Career 3.27 ERA

My pick: Halladay

Roy has always been a top 5 pitcher in the league for the last 10 years whereas C.C has been great in spurts yet a little less consistent than Roy. Factor in his 68% winning percentage playing for the Jays and that is also impressive.

Kershaw vs. Lincecum

Argument for Kershaw (9-4, 3.03 ERA; 1.05 WHIP; 147 K)

• - Is only 23 years old
• - Leads the league in strikeouts
• - Has lowered his WHIP every year in the league
• - Has increased his strikeout rate every year
• - Career 3.14 ERA

Argument for Lincecum (7-7, 3.06 ERA; 1.20 WHIP; 132 K)

• - Is only 27 years old
• - Averaged over 250 strikeouts the last three years (led the NL each year)
• - Four-time All-Star, two-time Cy Young winner, World Series champion
• - 65-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 3.04 ERA

My pick: Kershaw

Most will probably choose Lincecum but Kershaw is still only 23 and as a lefty, has the ability to dominate for a long time (not saying Lince doesn't) and could easily match Lince's accolades in the next 4-5 years.

Hamels vs. Verlander

Argument for Hamels (11-4, 2.32 ERA; 0.93 WHIP; 121 K)

• - Is only 27 years old
• - WHIP above 1.18 only once since 2006; 9.5 career K/9
• - Two-time All-Star, NLCS MVP, World Series champion and MVP
• - 60-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 3.38 ERA

Argument for Verlander (12-4, 2.15 ERA; 0.87 WHIP; 147 K)

• - Is only 27 years old
• - Only had less than 17 wins once in his career
• - Four-time All-Star, two no hitters
• - 63-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 3.60 ERA

My pick: Verlander

Hamels has always been solid but Verlander, at this point is just menacing. His velocity, strength and stamina puts him over the top for me.

Price vs. Felix

Argument for Price (8-7, 3.70 ERA; 1.09 WHIP; 125 K)

• - Is only 25 years old
• - Two-time All-Star, Cy Young runner-up
• - First-overall pick in 2007; 8.9 K/9
• - 65-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 3.37 ERA

Argument for Hernandez (8-7, 3.19 ERA; 1.15 WHIP; 140 K)

• - Is only 25 years old
• - Two-time All-Star, Cy Young winner
• - Durable, started over 30 games every season
• - Lowest strikeout total for a season: 165
• - Career 3.20 ERA

My pick: Push

I think Price will develop into an even better pitcher yet it is too close to call if that is better than what Felix is today. I believe Felix has peaked but it is tough to pick against him. I am being lame and sitting on the fence.

Cliff Lee vs. Jered Weaver

Argument for Lee (9-6, 2.82 ERA; 1.06 WHIP; 137 K)

• - Three-time All-Star, Cy Young winner
• - Only one season since 2008 with a WHIP above 1.11
• - Postseason career: 7-2, 2.13 ERA; 0.82 WHIP; 3 CG; 9.47 K/9
• - 62-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 3.76 ERA

Argument for Weaver (11-4, 1.86 ERA; 0.91 WHIP; 120 K)

• - Two-time All-Star
• - Durable; has a combined 0.99 WHIP since beginning of 2010
• - Achieved double-digit wins every year of career
• - 64-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 3.32 ERA

My pick: Lee

Never been a huge fan of Weaver and watching Lee pitch in the spotlight is storybook stuff especially in the playoffs. When Weaver pitches for a real contender and continues his dominance in the playoffs maybe I will change my tune.

Jon Lester (DL) vs. Josh Johnson (DL)

Argument for Lester (10-4, 3.31 ERA; 1.21 WHIP; 110 K)

• - Is only 27 years old
• - Two-time All-Star, no hitter
• - Diagnosed with and beat lymphoma in 2006
• - Minimum 15 wins as a full-time starter
• - 71-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 3.52 ERA

Argument for Johnson (3-1, 1.64 ERA; 0.98 WHIP; 56 K)

• - Is only 27 years old
• - Two-time All-Star
• - 2009-2011: 29-12; 1.08 WHIP
• - Never had more than seven losses in any season
• - 67-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 2.98 ERA

My pick: Johnson

J.J is a top three pitcher in the league in my eyes. He can dominate every game with stellar numbers. How many times did he have a no-hitter in the 5th or 6th this season? Nothing against Lester, he just does not have the dominant stuff that J.J does IMHO.

Gio vs. Ubaldo

Argument for Gonzalez (8-6, 2.47 ERA; 1.27 WHIP; 111 K)

• - Is only 25 years old
• - All-Star
• - 15 wins in first full season
• - Career K/9: 8.6
• - Career 3.93 ERA

Argument for Ubaldo (4-8, 4.14 ERA; 1.30 WHIP; 95 K)

• - Is only 27 years old
• - All-Star starter
• - No hitter
• - April-May 2010: 10-1, 0.78 ERA
• - Career 3.60 ERA

My pick: Ubaldo

Ubaldo unquestionably has mesmerizing stuff. It is still too early to judge Gio. Ubaldo's past dominance and menacing arsenal gives him the nod.

Jaime Garcia vs. Tommy Hanson

Argument for Garcia (9-3, 3.22 ERA; 1.25 WHIP; 100 K)

• - Is only 25 years old (He just turned 25 last week—Happy Belated, Jaime!)
• - Drafted in the 22nd round in 2005, two shutouts this season
• - In only his second season as a full-time starter; has yet to tap into potential
• - 66-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 3.06 ERA

Argument for Hanson (10-4, 2.44 ERA; 1.02 WHIP; 109 K)

• - Is almost 25 years old (He turns 25 in just over a month—don’t party too hard, Tommy!)
• - Drafted in the 22nd round in 2005, already matched last season's win total (10)
• - In only his second season as a full-time starter; has yet to tap into potential
• - 62-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 2.99 ERA

My pick: Hanson

I find that Hanson is always undervalued. Granted I have yet to see Garcia pitch on a regular basis I just think Hanson is a very very solid pitcher and takes the victory slightly.

Ricky Romero vs. Matt Cain

Argument for Romero (7-8, 3.09 ERA; 1.23 WHIP; 101 K)

• - Is only 26 years old; turning 27 in the fall
• - All-Star
• - Has steadily decreased his ERA and WHIP every season; increased K total
• - 57-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 3.77 ERA (three seasons)

Argument for Cain (8-5, 3.06 ERA; 1.10 WHIP; 105 K)

• - Is only 26 years old; turning 27 in the fall
• - Two-time All-Star
• - Durable starter, started 32-plus games every year since 2006
• - 49-percent career winning percentage
• - Career 3.41 ERA (seven seasons)

My pick: Romero

An unpopular pick I would assume, Romero has steadily increased his abilities year in and year out and has a great work ethic. Pitching in the AL East, every Yankees, Rays or BoSox player would tell you he is a top lefty in this league. With less mileage on him than Cain, Romero is my pick.

Reliever: Jonny Venters vs. Craig Kimbrel

Argument for Venters (4-1, 1.46 ERA; 0.96 WHIP; 9.65 K/9)

• - Is only 26 years old
• - All-Star
• - Had a string of 36 appearances with only one total ER allowed
• - In two seasons: 1.76 ERA; 1.11 WHIP; opponent BA: 1.91

Argument for Kimbrel (28 SV, 2.35 ERA; 1.04 WHIP; 13.7 K/9)

• - Is only 23 years old
• - All-Star
• - Current league leader in saves
• - Current league leader in strikeouts per inning

My pick: Venters

A rarer commodity than Kimbrel, Venters has proven to be nothing but absolutely dominant. A very, very close call but Venters due to his lower ERA and WHIP this year must get the nod.

Long-Term DL: Johan Santana vs. Adam Wainwright

Argument for Santana (Career: 133-69, 3.10 ERA; 1.12 WHIP; 8.85 K/9)

• - Four-time All-Star, Two-time Cy Young winner
• - Consistent: Only once as a full-time starter did he have a WHIP over 1.18
• - Has had an ERA under 3.00 six times and a WHIP at 1.00 or under three times
• - 66-percent career winning percentage

Argument for Wainwright (Career: 66-35, 2.97 ERA; 1.20 WHIP; 7.5 K/9)

• - All-Star, Cy Young runner up
• - ERA above 3.20 only once in his career
• - 2009-2010: 39 wins, 2.52 ERA, 415 K
• - 65-percent career winning percentage

My pick: Santana

Probably the only person who could rival Halladay for the top pitcher of the past decade. He has always been a smart pitcher. Wainwright is younger and has great upside but I don't think he could ever match what Santana accomplished.

What Do You Think?

Final assessment: 5-5-1

What do you think? Remember, these accolades only tell you the story from previous years. There are many pitchers (like Kershaw, Price and Hanson) that are seen as future Cy Young winners.

So, use the accolades to help shape your argument, but not to create your judgment. We are curious about what you think as a baseball fan. Add your comments below.

Thanks for reading!