These are the pitchers who I think are the top five pitchers in Major League Baseball. You may have other opinions. Please post what you think....
1. Josh Beckett
Beckett has a great array of pitches, a solid player, and hardly makes a mistake. What more can you ask for in a pitcher?
Not much. He won the World Series in 2003 with the Florida Marlins virtually single handedy. Then, in 2007, he helped the Boston Red Sox to their second championship in four years. Beckett is a clutch pitcher and deserves to be number one.
2. Johan Santana
Obviously the best pitcher in baseball but, after a poor 2007 season, Santana has dropped to number two.
He played on a struggling Twins team last season, but now has signed a six-year $139 million contract with the Mets after being traded from Minnesota for four prospects.
Santana leads the league in strikeouts almost every season. He is number one, but drops to number two after a poor season.
3. Jake Peavy
Probably one of the best, if not the best, pitcher in the National League. But Beckett and Santana would outduel him.
One reason for Peavy lack of dominance is when he leaves the game. Even with one of the best bullpens in the league, they gave up leads in the late innings.
If this were a National League top pitchers list, Peavy would definitely be number one or two.
4. Roy Halladay
Everytime Roy goes out to pitch you can almost garuntee a solid outing. He plays in the hardest division in baseball the AL East. He has to face the Yankees and Red Sox several times a year, Toronto's bullpen just cant handle the pressure and folds.
If Toronto trades Halladay to a different ball club, which I think they should do, then they would get a lot of young talent.
5. C.C. Sabathia
Probably the second best lefty in the league. If it wasn't for Santana, Sabathia would be the best in the league.
He is a big guy that provides an awesome fastball with some speed. The Indians went pretty far this season and almost made it to the World Series.
The combination of C.C. and Fausto Carmona will be a definite threat for American League ball clubs for many years to come.
Those are my top five pitchers. If you have any objections, please post them with courteousness, thanks.
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8 months ago
Last time I checked, CC beat Johan 3 times last year and won the CY Young over Beckett! And is rated 5th behind Zambrano? Just saying, thanks for your ranking though. I think Brandon Webb is missing instead of Zambrano and this is a solid top 5.
8 months ago
thanks yes i was contemplating about webb, he has good stuff too, he was the next in line, and cc only beat johan because the twins arent that good
8 months ago
The whole C.C. beat Johan, or whatever, argument is pointless. They don't pitch against each other. They pitch against each other's respective line-ups. What were the comparative stats of each pitcher? Against similar teams? Same hitters? That's the only way to statistically compare any two pitchers.
8 months ago
If we're going by last season alone, Jake Peavy is your best pitcher. But since there's no criteria, its good work. Certainly better than just going out and naming the top 5 by 2007 Cy Young voting.
One omission may have been Halladay, but all 5 you mentioned were very outstanding.
8 months ago
I boy Beck is in his rightful place at the top!
8 months ago
Zambrano is way to inconsistent to not only be ahead of CC, but be ranked in the top five.
8 months ago
i agree on beckett number one
zambrano higheer than cc?
8 months ago
i like how against the yankees last year beckett averaged over 3 earned runs a game in four games, and gave up 4 in three of his four starts.
8 months ago
I agree that Beckett is number one, however Santana, Peavy, and Sabathia are interchangeable as numbers 2, 3, and 4. Zambrano has had health issues and is way to inconsistent. Yes, he doesn't get as much run support as someone like Beckett, but giving up 23 home runs and had a 3.95 ERA. I do not deny that he is a good pitcher, he had 177 strikeouts last season with 101 walks, but i just don't think he is number 4, and not even in the top 5. Passion for the game alone wont get him there.
8 months ago
i would have to agree with you, i just believe if he is healthy he could be awesome, this list is not from the 2007 season but overall
8 months ago
Seriously, if you were going to make a trade, would you trade Justin Verlander for CC Sabathia, Jake Peavy, or Carlos Zambrano even up. I don't think so. Verlander has a better fastball ( 100 mph), and curve. plus He also has a better pickoff move...and He also threw a No Hitter last year.
8 months ago
so so did Buehrle, and that rookie from the sox Buchholz but they're not up there..verlander is good but not top 5, and im begining to think zambrano isnt top 5 either
8 months ago
Matt, I am glad to see you took Zambrano out of your top 5, If you were to ask Major League hitters who they would rather bat against Verlander, or Sabbathia,or Peavy, it wouldn't be Verlander...
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