MLB Power Rankings: A.J. Burnett and the 25 Worst Power Pitchers in Baseball

As fans, we constantly get excited by pitchers who can throw the ball hard.  I remember when Joba Chamberlain made his debut, my fellow Yankees fans and I were blown away by how he so effortlessly threw a fastball in the high 90s.  The same can be said for Justin Verlander, who throws the ball so hard and so fast and never seems to get tired.

Yet, being a power pitcher, as these men are labeled, can go one of two ways.  When such a hurler's stuff is good, it's very good.  When he's having an off-day, he's so bad that you start to wonder, "Is this a baseball game or an audition to pitch the Home Run Derby?"

It's just plain shocking how many fireballers there are in the game today who have the velocity but just can't produce consistently.  For example, New York Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett (pictured) has become the poster child for high walk and home run totals the past couple of years, and both fans and team management are running out of reasons to defend him.

Thus, let's give these poor, downtrodden hurlers, both starters and relievers alike, a moment in the sun and showcase the 25 worst power pitchers in baseball.

25. Ervin Santana

Now, in all fairness, Ervin Santana has gotten better the past few years.  He's slowly learning to balance his velocity (sometimes reaching 95 miles per hour) with control, and each of the past three seasons, his WHIP has dropped.

Still, the fact remains that Santana is one of the most unpredictable pitchers in the game, and despite an improving repertoire, he gives up about a hit per inning.  Last I checked, power pitchers were supposed to be the type to blow hitters away, and with a career mark of 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings, Santana definitely can do that.

However, given how he plays on a contending team and can't even be trusted to be part of the starting rotation is very telling.  Santana is definitely one of the worst power pitchers in the game but among the 25 worst, he's definitely the best.

24. Gio Gonzalez

I know I'm going to piss a lot of people off in saying this, but Gio Gonzalez is overrated.  Sure, he puts up a good ERA and gets lots of strikeouts, but he led the majors with 91 walks last season.  That's always been his bugaboo as his career WHIP is already 1.41.

Gonzalez's problem is that he relies so heavily on both a regular and two-seam fastball, both of which top out at around 95-96 miles per hour.  In doing so, he becomes predictable, and hitters know when and when not to sit on them.

Don't get me wrong, he's only 26 and has plenty of time to rectify the situation as he is remarkably talented.  Until he starts using his other pitches more, however, he's destined to be one of the worst power pitchers in the game today.

23. Max Scherzer

Max Scherzer is only 27 years old and has a lot more baseball left to play in his potential-filled career, but the fact that he hasn't yet become a dominant force in the majors in three full seasons as a starter is a bit disconcerting.  Keep in mind, we're talking about a player who was taken with the 11th overall pick in the 2006 draft.

Scherzer has tremendous ace potential and could be a great fireballing, strikeout pitcher who just puts hitters away one by one.  Yet, there's just one problem.  He relies way too much on his fastball.  Last year alone, he threw that pitch, which averages around 95 mph, just over 61 percent of the time.

The fact that he has not yet fully developed the rest of his arsenal has led to Scherzer being prone to giving up home runs, and for every nine innings he throws, he gives up about 10 hits.  He's also prone to wildness, having thrown 12 wild pitches in 2011.

It's certainly too early to label him as one of the worst power pitchers of all time, but in today's game, he's definitely among that group.

22. Brandon Morrow

Like Scherzer, Morrow was a first-round pick in the 2006 draft, taken fifth by the Seattle Mariners.  The two are also similar in that they are both strikeout pitchers with control issues.

Ever since shifting from the bullpen to the rotation in 2009, Morrow has posted high strikeout totals while struggling with his command.  He tends to walk a lot of guys but is also wild, having thrown 12 wild pitches last year and also hitting 12 batters.  One can only imagine how scary it must be to be hit by one of Morrow's pitches, some of which have been clocked as high as 100 mph.

That isn't to say that Morrow is a bad pitcher.  He's only 27 and with some patience, could blossom into a solid starter who can be relied on to get lots of big strikeouts.  However, unless he learns how to balance his velocity with his control, he's doomed to be forever known as the guy who could throw hard and get tons of strikeouts but not before he let a couple of guys on base.

21. Ubaldo Jimenez

I know it's strange to see Ubaldo Jimenez on a list like this, but let's be honest.  He had one good season, the 2010 campaign, and before that, he was a merely average pitcher who had a decent ERA.  Also, let's not forget his epic second-half collapse of 2010.

Simply put, while talented, Jimenez is completely unpredictable.  He horribly regressed last year and walked too many hitters, per usual.  Plus, his ERA was a career-worst 4.68.

On top of that, Jimenez has always been known to be a bit of a wild thrower.  In his breakout year, 2010, he led the NL with 16 wild pitches, and he has thrown 51 of those in just six seasons.

Does he have time to become one of the best power pitchers in the game?  Absolutely.  Is he one now?  Not by a long shot.

20. Edinson Volquez

Injuries may have robbed Edinson Volquez of the dominance he exhibited in 2008 (17-6, 3.21 ERA, 206 strikeouts), but let's be honest.  Even when he was at his best, he was still one of the worst.

You see, in that breakout rookie season not too long ago, Volquez had a less-than average 1.32 WHIP and 93 walks, not to mention he led the NL with 14 hit batsmen.  Since 2008, his WHIP has gotten progressively worse, and while the velocity still pops up on occasion, he just isn't as effective (and I use that term loosely) as he used to be.

He's about to get a fresh start in the pitcher-friendly Petco Park, but not even that can help him stop giving up too many hits or walking too many batters.  Simply put, the inconsistency of his pitches following injury has made him go from the game's hot ticket to yesterday's news.

19. Ramon Ortiz

Ramon Ortiz hasn't really been a power pitcher since the early days of his career, when he was part of a World Series-winning starting rotation with the then-Anaheim Angels in 2002.  That season was Ortiz's lone good year as he went 15-9 with a 3.77 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP.  However, he was still the worst power pitcher in the game that season.

You see, Ortiz threw so hard and basically relied on his fastball so much that he became predictable.  As a result, despite the decent record and ERA, he led the majors with 40 home runs allowed, and for the remainder of his career to this day, hitters have had a field day with him as he has given up 10.5 hits per nine innings.

Thus, while the velocity was great, he just relied on it way too often.

18. Carlos Zambrano

Hard-throwing Carlos Zambrano is an imposing presence on the mound who can be a strikeout machine when he's on his A-game.  The problem is that for the past couple of years, his control has completely deserted him.

The big Venezuelan has posted a 1.41 WHIP since 2009, and even in the prime of his career, he was prone to giving up walks.  He led the majors with 115 in 2006 and the NL with 101 the following year.  Since then, due to a slight dip in velocity along with the fact that he's just a headcase, Zambrano has become such a professional and personal liability that the Chicago Cubs traded him to the Miami Marlins this offseason.

How he'll do in Miami remains to be seen, but if the last few years are any indication, he'll be a guy who throws hard but just can't keep men off the basepaths.

17. Francisco Liriano

When Francisco Liriano first burst onto the scene in 2006, it looked as though he was going to be the next great power pitcher.  Unfortunately, elbow surgery robbed him of his velocity's consistency, and despite slowly regaining it in 2010, 2011 saw him go right back to square one.

The big lefty still touched 95 mph on occasion, but his control was gone, and going into 2012, there's no telling which Liriano will show up.  He averaged five walks per nine innings last year, and while his velocity may stick around a little while longer, I think it's safe to say that the fairy tale of Francisco Liriano and his fire arm is coming to a sad end.

He's got the speed but just no ability to make it last.

16. James McDonald

I'll be the first to admit that James McDonald is due for a breakout season, but he can only have that if he does one thing: stop trying to be a power pitcher.  He looked to have finally found his groove after being traded to the Pirates in 2010, having used his curveball more, and that saw him cut down on his walks in the second half of the season.

Yet, according to FanGraphs, McDonald relied more on his fastball again in 2011 and as a result gave up more than a hit per inning as well as 78 walks.  He's got a future if he brings the curve in more often, but as a power pitcher, he's just a bust.

15. Alfredo Simon

Being on the Baltimore Orioles, it may be a little unfair to classify Alfredo Simon as one of the worst power pitchers in baseball.  Yet the numbers just speak for themselves.  His fastball averages at or around 95 miles per hour, and it's the pitch he uses the most.

Combine that with a 1.47 career WHIP and allowing 10 hits per nine innings last season, and it's safe to say that the power-pitching approach isn't working for Simon.  Might I suggest toning down the velocity a bit?

14. Mike Pelfrey

Mike Pelfrey is a big guy who throws hard, usually in the low-mid 90s, and is easily one of the worst power pitchers in the game today.  Ironically, it isn't his fault.

You see, as a member of the New York Mets, he plays in the expansive Citifield, and this is where we see the double-edged sword.  The pitcher-friendly park results in a ton of hits given up by Pelfrey, as he averaged 10.2 per nine innings last year and also gave up 102 earned runs.

Now, turning that around, you can only imagine what his numbers would look like if he played half of his season in a standard ballpark or even a hitter-friendly stadium.  No matter how you look at it, this guy isn't an elite power pitcher.

13. Rich Harden

In the first half of his career, Rich Harden was one of the best power pitchers in the game.  He threw incredibly hard and did a good job of keeping opposing hitters off base.

The only problem was that he couldn't stay healthy.

It has been his volatile health that has robbed Harden of the velocity he once exhibited, as he can still occasionally touch 95, but his fastball only averages around 92 or 93 today.  Yet, instead of adjusting his repertoire so that he can still pitch effectively without overworking and thus hurting himself, he seems determined to get that dominance back and at age 30 is struggling just to stay in the majors.

His WHIP has been an atrocious 1.45 the past three seasons, and he walked close to five batters while giving up close to nine hits every nine innings.  Once one of the elite, he is now just a sad story of what once was and shall never be again.

12. Jason Hammel

Jason Hammel has been a member of the Colorado Rockies' starting rotation for three seasons, and each year he has produced the same results: high WHIP due to lots of hits allowed.  Since 2009, Hammel and his fastball that ranges from 93-95 mph have posted a less-than average WHIP of 1.40, and to add insult to injury, his walks per nine innings have gone up each of those three seasons.

He relies a lot on his fastball, and playing in the hitter-friendly Coors Field, that can prove to be a curse.  If he can develop the rest of his pitches more and keep the ball down, then perhaps he can slowly become an average power pitcher.

11. Felipe Paulino

Throughout his career, Felipe Paulino just hasn't been able to get it together.  He has a blazing fastball that sometimes touches 98 miles per hour, but that's about it.  The velocity is there, but the control is borderline nonexistent.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that Paulino is only 28 years old and has already posted a 5.28 ERA for his career to go with an awful 1.54 WHIP.  He doesn't walk too many hitters, but his lack of control has led to a great number of hits given up. The fact that he is even still in the majors boggles the mind.

I'm just guessing here, but maybe a switch to the bullpen is what he needs.  It's obvious that he's just dead weight as a starter, and the sooner he finds a niche more suitable for his fastball, he might just have a shot at salvaging his career.

10. Edwin Jackson

Edwin Jackson is supposedly seeking a five-year deal, and I wish I could be the one to tell him he isn't going to get it.  He's a lot like A.J. Burnett in the fact that he has phenomenal velocity on his fastball (at or around 95 mph) but absolutely zero control to go with it.  He walks his fair share of hitters and that definitely hurts him, but the amount of hits he gives up is off the charts.

For his career, he has given up 9.6 hits per nine innings, and his career WHIP is a less-than average 1.47.  The crazy part is that Jackson didn't even use his fastball the most in 2011, but rather his slider. 

Call me crazy, but I think it's time to go back to the fastball reliance and at least be a decent pitcher instead of one of the worst and most unpredictable power arms in the game today.

9. Jeremy Guthrie

Jeremy Guthrie is another one of those pitchers who throws hard, but that's about it.  His fastball tops out around 94 mph, and his control is extremely inconsistent to the point where he has become prone to giving up lots of home runs.  In 2009, he led the AL with 35 longballs allowed.

On top of that, Guthrie's fastball is so flat to the point where hitters just seem to wait for him to throw it.  For his career, he has allowed about nine hits per nine innings and has recently become prone to hitting batters.

He's one of the worst power pitchers in the game, and the fact that the Orioles have kept him as the ace of their pitching staff this long is just plain miraculous.

8. Fausto Carmona

Fausto Carmona used to be a talented young pitcher who threw pretty hard, around 94 mph, but didn't necessarily get many strikeouts.  Rather, he relied on movement to get hitters out and as a result finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting in 2007.

However, Carmona soon lost his velocity and with it his control.  Since 2007, he has posted an ERA of 5.01 and a 1.48 WHIP.  Batters seem to have figured him out, and he gives up 9.6 hits per nine innings.

That being said, what is the problem?  Well, Carmona is still trying to pitch the way he did in 2007 instead of adjusting his style of pitching so that hitters are fooled by him again.  He needs to stop searching for that lost velocity and realize that he is no longer a power pitcher.

Yet, despite that, he still seems to act like one on the field.

7. Bobby Jenks

For five years, Bobby Jenks was the closer for the Chicago White Sox and made short work of hitters thanks to his fastball that often traveled upwards of 95 mph, sometimes touching 100. 

After eating his way out of the Windy City, the Boston Red Sox decided to take a chance on him last offseason and signed him to a two-year deal so that the velocity that had become a legend in Chitown could continue its legacy in Beantown.

Instead, Jenks has been a complete and utter joke for the Red Sox.  He only appeared in 19 games his first season in Boston, and his ERA was a ridiculous 6.32 as he gave up both hits and walks almost like clockwork despite his velocity. 

He ultimately was put on the DL with back trouble, but there's no doubt at all that Jenks and his questionable conditioning have made him one of the worst fireballers in the game today.

6. Fernando Rodney

Throughout his career, hard-throwing Fernando Rodney has always been one of the worst power pitchers in the game.  He walks way too many batters, and the fact that he throws his fastball more than 50 percent of the time makes him one of the most predictable pitchers in the game, thus why he was a major liability out of the bullpen for the Los Angeles Angels the past two years.

His 4.29 career ERA and 1.46 career WHIP, not to mention the 4.9 walks per nine innings over nine seasons, are unacceptable for someone who may be called on to get a save every so often. While his fastball is one of the scariest in the majors, it doesn't make him a good pitcher by any means.

5. Jonathan Broxton

Over the first half of his career, Jonathan Broxton was someone known for a blazing fastball and a freakishly imposing presence on the mound.  However, two years ago, something changed.

Broxton used to hit near 100 mph regularly, but he started averaging just around 95 in 2010 and saved just 22 games while posting a 1.47 WHIP.  The troubles continued into 2011 as his elbow started bothering him, and he just couldn't get hitters out.  Over that two-year stretch, his WHIP was 1.55 and he walked 4.4 hitters per nine innings.

In the blink of an eye, he went from being a phenomenal power pitcher to one of the worst.

4. Luke Hochevar

Considering how Luke Hochevar was the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, he has certainly not lived up to the hype.  The hard-throwing righty has looked like everything but a No. 1 pick over his five-year MLB career, posting a 5.29 ERA and 1.39 WHIP.  Giving up hits is his biggest problem as he has allowed 9.6 per nine innings as a major leaguer.

He showed slight improvement last year, as it was the first full season in which he allowed less hits than innings pitched, but the fact remains that among power pitchers, Hochevar is somewhere around the bottom of the barrel.

3. Brad Penny

Brad Penny has had his good and bad years as a power pitcher, but based off of his 2011 campaign with the Detroit Tigers, he's one of the worst in the game.  Playing in the wide and expansive Comerica Park, the pitcher prone to giving up both home runs and hits allowed a career-worst 24 longballs and 11 hits per nine innings (also a career-worst). 

The career worsts just kept on coming for Penny as he posted a 5.30 ERA while relying heavily on a fastball that averages around 94-95 mph.

He's proven that he can pitch in the National League, as his stats there are a great improvement over those he posted playing in the AL, but the song remains the same in that as of now, Penny is among the dregs of the power pitchers in the majors.

2. A.J. Burnett

On pitching repertoire alone, A.J. Burnett should be a perennial All-Star.  He has a 95 mph fastball that can freeze hitters as well as a biting curveball and a decent changeup.  That being said, it's truly shocking that Burnett has been one of the worst and most unpredictable pitchers in baseball since joining the Yankees in 2009.

Forget the high ERA and the disappointing win-loss records, though.  Burnett's worst quality is his complete lack of control.  In three years with the Yankees, he has twice led the majors in wild pitches and has hit an astonishing 38 batters.  He has allowed about a hit per inning and four walks every nine innings.

Burnett has become so ineffective to the point where he will spend this year's spring training competing with teammates Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia for the fifth and final spot in the starting rotation.  For the $33 million he is due over the next two seasons, I really hope he shows up prepared.

1. John Lackey

John Lackey used to be an effective pitcher for the Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels, being able to use his fastball to strike out hitters effectively and get his team to the playoffs regularly.  Then, after the 2009 season, he signed a five-year deal with the Boston Red Sox.  Ironically, it was for the same amount of money the Yankees agreed to pay A.J. Burnett over five years.

Simply put, Lackey has been a disaster in Boston.  His velocity is still there, around 93-95 mph, but the hitter-friendly dimensions of Fenway Park have not been kind to him as he has given up 10.5 hits per nine innings over two years and has also given up 219 earned runs over that stretch. 

Combine that with the fact that he'll miss all of 2012 while recovering from Tommy John surgery to go with his questionable work ethic, and Lackey is easily the worst power pitcher in the game today.