Who do you think is the best pitcher in baseball?

[CalebHayes]

is my choice, I mean if a 1.09 era means anything.

[David Dunham]

1. Roger Clemons

[Magrittes Pipe]

2. Well, no, it DOESN'T mean anything...

...when you're a reliever who's only pitched 32 2/3 innings and only has one pitch (great pitch that it is!)

Don't get me wrong. Mo's a great pitcher. If he keeps it up, he's a lock for the Hall of Fame. But ain't no way he's the best pitcher in baseball.

I'd take a 40+ year old Clemens or Johnson over Mo. For that matter, I'd take 190 innings (that's all you're gonna get, with his health) of Pedro. 190 innings of Pedro is as good as 220 innings of the next best pitcher.

Okay then -- best pitcher when healthy? Pedro Martinez, and it is not even close. Best pitcher, taken into account that Pedro will never be healthy for a full year? Johnson, Prior, Zambrano... and the Rocket is pitching better than he has since '98.

Hell, even if you want to stick to the Yanks, I'd rather have a starter. I'd take Moose over Mo any day (even though he's had some problems so far this year).

[CalebHayes]

3. Mo could quite passably be the greatest reliever ever.

and they still can't hit that one pitch.

[CTLawGuy]

4. Luis Gonzalez can

NT

[CalebHayes]

6. shut up

[WindRavenX]

7. boo!!!

Rivera is God.

[Magrittes Pipe]

8. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Cheers, darboy! :toast:

[indigobusiness]

5. Eric Gagne....by a mile

Throws 6 different pitches to Rivera's 1

Has a streak of saves going back to 2002

100+ mph gas

no contest

[Awsi Dooger]

11. Based on my one sample, Gagne absolutely sucks

Admittedly, I don't care for baseball, other than the postseason which is tense and terrific. Last year I watched 5 total innings of the pre-October major leagues, the last 5 innings of the All Star game when I was caught in a deluge outside Saratoga.

Eric Gagne was completely shelled, the balls leaving every AL bat like a Tiger Woods 2 iron. He forefited a huge lead and looked like he couldn't get out my 3 year old nephew. "How the hell did this klutz make the All Star game," I screamed out loud.

My Las Vegas friends think it's hysterical, that a relief pitcher supposedly with a massive success streak is viewed by me as a Class A bum. Sorry, Gagne. Until you show up in October and convince me otherwise, I prefer Roseanne Barr's crotch grab to anything you've displayed on the mound.

[indigobusiness]

12. You...are an idiot...

with all due respect.

http://sludgereport.blogspot.com/

[tcfrogs]

9. Fine, argue about "closers"

Mariano Rivera has already (maybe) punched his ticket to Cooperstown with his post-season dominance. Gagne is the "flavor of the month", but until he puts any post-season #'s up, he's still a great regular season pitcher to me.

Clemens is currently the best pitcher in baseball, btw.

[Bluzmann57]

10. He may not be considered as the best yet...

but before it's all said and done, Mark Prior may be considered as one the elite of all time. This guy is only 23 years old and already dominates. If he stays healthy, he will be a dominant pitcher for many years to come. And speaking as a Cub fan, I sincerely hope he stays healthy.

[indigobusiness]

13. Pedro is the best starter...

hands down.

[AngryAmish]

14. A small word of dissent re Clemens

Is he the best pitcher of his generation -yes. It pains me to say so because I am a huge Maddux fan but post-season wins Clemons kills him.

But Clemons really got kicked around (for him) last year. I think it is remarkable that he can still throw so hard (and nevermind Randy Johnson) but I think he is getting the inevitable bounce of a pitcher (especially a power pitcher) switching leagues. Power pitchers switching leagues get a bounce until the league has seen them a few times. Likewise, power hitters numbers go down when switching league until their second year. There is a learning process.

The pitcher I would most want if I was a GM: Mark Prior. Youth, stuff and poise. Plus he can sign a mean brickbat. But I can't say he is the best right now.