There's fewer than you think. There's no real statistical standard I used, along with my friend Mike, in determining this list a month or two ago, but the A-list seemed to come to us quickly -- we separately had identical players. I'd say the qualification is obviously being a #1 starter and having a track record of it while still being at the top of one's game.
True Aces: Roy Halladay, C.C. Sabathia, Johan Santana, John Smoltz, Carlos Zambrano and Roy Oswalt.
Why? Halladay owns a Cy Young, was third last year, and in the last five years has recorded 77 victories despite two injuries (one a fluky batted ball). He sports a lifetime 3.62 ERA against a 4.68 league average and is an innings machine. He doesn't strike out many people, but remains efficient (nearly 3-to-1 K/BB career ratio and 21 complete games in the last five years). Plus, he's got two 10-inning shutouts, Jack Morris-style. And he's only 30. The problem is, of course, that he keeps landing on the DL.
Sabathia does his work despite being bigger than any NFL lineman who played outside the last 20 years. He may be a bit of a weak case considering he's surpassed 200 innings but once, but at age 26, he owns 86 wins in six seasons and one month. He consistently in the AL top 10 for H/9 and K/9, and last year led the league in complete games while finishing third in ERA. Plus, he tossed a complete game last night to get to 11 wins.
Santana is a no-brainer. Two Cy Youngs, a legitimate case for a third (despite not dominating until the Twins were cooked). He has three straight 225+-inning campaigns with ERAs under 3 and more than a strikeout per frame. He's had three straight years of leading in H/9, K/9, WHIP, K and adjusted ERA. The only knock I personally have is that at time, the Twins and he cost himself wins by using him like a closer -- full speed until he's tired, say, at six innings, and leaving too much up to the bullpen. But that's one hell of a nitpick.
John Smoltz is 40, yet he's probably the best he's ever been. He still brings the heat and wicked breaking stuff, yet is so much smarter. If his body holds up, tell me you want to face him. A Hall of Famer, that's what he is.
Zambrano and Oswalt are opposites in every way but one -- they are the rocks of their staffs. Sure, Z has struggled in several ways this year, but he's a guy you always want out there. Oswalt is underappreciated, perhaps, even in Houston, though he earned two 20-win seasons before age 30. For my money, the best starter in the game.
That's an awfully short list. Jake Peavy is awfully close, as is Dan Haren, Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman. Chris Carpenter was until this year's injuries. Notice the Yankees don't have any of these guys. Of course, not many teams do, and only the Tigers have two, even counting the B-listers. There's plenty of good, solid pitching (dozens of names), and this is no knock on them (Jake Westbrook, Brad Penny, Mark Buehrle) but the aces list, as it should be, is very short.
Make a case for someone else. This list isn't brand-new, so I could be leaving someone off.
Labels: Baseball
Wow, hope you were watching baseball tonight, there were a couple of great games, to include the Cubs game and the Mets game. By the way, when you write new blog posts, go over to BeTheRef.com and post a link to your story, and hopefully get a little extra traffic for your blog.