SF VIP - Very Important Players

[SF11704]

While I have to give the starting pitchers their props I feel it is the bullpen that actually delivered the goods. When it all counted and everything was on the line (starting in September) they were just - stellar. Yesterday Chez held the line for 5 innings but it was the pen that shut the door. Looking back at the 3 game series, all of the starters had there share of issues early on. Only Chez was able to wiggle out of any trouble but was still lifted after 5 innings. In each of the 3 games the pen shut them down and they actually gave us a chance in the first two games.

I love our starting pitching - but the pen is just unreal!

 

[tzill]

While I was surprised that both Zeets and Cainer pooped the mound in the first two games, I think our pitching - top to bottom - is the best in baseball. While other playoff teams are struggling between going to a three man rotation and using a hack fourth starter, we are likely going to be sitting a starter who would easily make other playoff teams three man rotation.

As GP said on the joke board: enjoy this staff, it's historically good.

 

[SF11704]

This is one of the better pitching staffs that I've seen, but being a real oldtimer (pushing 65) I'd have to say the best I was ever aware of was the 1971 Baltimore Orioles. They had 4 - 20 game winners with some real good stats to back them up. Having never been an AL fan I didn't follow them but do remember reading about them.
We also talk about Timmy quite a bit and there was a NYY pitcher (Ron Guidry) who is very similar in size and ability. He was one of the best I had ever seen (I'm from NY so I did see NYY games every so often).

 

[gp956]

This is one of the better pitching staffs that I've seen, but being a real oldtimer (pushing 65) I'd have to say the best I was ever aware of was the 1971 Baltimore Orioles. They had 4 - 20 game winners with some real good stats to back them up. Having never been an AL fan I didn't follow them but do remember reading about them.
We also talk about Timmy quite a bit and there was a NYY pitcher (Ron Guidry) who is very similar in size and ability. He was one of the best I had ever seen (I'm from NY so I did see NYY games every so often).

In relative terms, the SF 2010 staff is better: 121 ERA+ to 113 for the 1971 Orioles

Just looking at the starting staff:

Pitcher::ERA+
Madison Bumgarner::136....Jim Palmer::126
Jonathan Sanchez::133.....Dave McNally::117
Matt Cain::130.......... .Pat Dobson::116
Tim Lincecum::119.........Mike Cuellar::109

 

[SFGRTB]

While I have to give the starting pitchers their props I feel it is the bullpen that actually delivered the goods. When it all counted and everything was on the line (starting in September) they were just - stellar. Yesterday Chez held the line for 5 innings but it was the pen that shut the door. Looking back at the 3 game series, all of the starters had there share of issues early on. Only Chez was able to wiggle out of any trouble but was still lifted after 5 innings. In each of the 3 games the pen shut them down and they actually gave us a chance in the first two games.

I love our starting pitching - but the pen is just unreal!

This has really been the formula all September. Boch has not been afraid to yank the starter in the 5th, 6th inning and hand it over to the pen.

They had a stretch over 50 inning where they gave up 2 runs and 3 XBH! That's just amazing. Really gotta give Sabean props for getting Lopez and Ramirez and solidifying the Pen.

 

[SFAnthem]

This has really been the formula all September. Boch has not been afraid to yank the starter in the 5th, 6th inning and hand it over to the pen.

They had a stretch over 50 inning where they gave up 2 runs and 3 XBH! That's just amazing. Really gotta give Sabean props for getting Lopez and Ramirez and solidifying the Pen.

Exactly, expanded rosters in September help keep all arms fresh

 

[nateistheshi]

In terms of overall pitching staff, not just taking the 3 best starters or starters as a whole, I think this is a historic pitching staff. I was unable to find the results, but I'd bet as a whole this Giants pitching staff rates as a top-3 ever since they decided to move the mound back. Anybody want to fact check me, or are we going to accept what I say as an absolute truth? After all I am 100% right 30% of the time (sorry to steal your line tzill,) and I'm actually allergic to facts and numbers, so get your nerdy statistics away from me before I break out in hives.

 

[gp956]

In terms of overall pitching staff, not just taking the 3 best starters or starters as a whole, I think this is a historic pitching staff. I was unable to find the results, but I'd bet as a whole this Giants pitching staff rates as a top-3 ever since they decided to move the mound back. Anybody want to fact check me, or are we going to accept what I say as an absolute truth? After all I am 100% right 30% of the time (sorry to steal your line tzill,) and I'm actually allergic to facts and numbers, so get your nerdy statistics away from me before I break out in hives.

Did you mean when the the mound was lowered? Greatest of all time? My non-exhaustive list:

2002 Atlants Braves 133 ERA+
1954 Cleveland Indians 133 ERA+
1954 New York Giants 132 ERA+
1993 Atlanta Braves 129 ERA+
1998 Atlanta Braves 128 ERA+
1964 WhiteSox 127 ERA+
1966 Los Angeles Devils 126 ERA+
1957 Brooklyn Dodgers 124 ERA+
2003 Oakland A's 123 ERA+
1929 Philadelphia A's 123 ERA+
2003 Diamondbacks 122 ERA+
1927 Yankees 121 ERA+

This list is not really the "best of all time". It's really the best of the "how much better are you than league average".

 

[nateistheshi]

Did you mean when the the mound was lowered? Greatest of all time? My non-exhaustive list:

2002 Atlants Braves 133 ERA+
1954 Cleveland Indians 133 ERA+
1954 New York Giants 132 ERA+
1993 Atlanta Braves 129 ERA+
1998 Atlanta Braves 128 ERA+
1964 WhiteSox 127 ERA+
1966 Los Angeles Devils 126 ERA+
1957 Brooklyn Dodgers 124 ERA+
2003 Oakland A's 123 ERA+
1929 Philadelphia A's 123 ERA+
2003 Diamondbacks 122 ERA+
1927 Yankees 121 ERA+

This list is not really the "best of all time". It's really the best of the "how much better are you than league average".

Yes, that's what I meant, sorry. Also, comparing a staff to the league average of that year is the best way to go as far as I'm concerned because it'll allow us to compare staffs (only to a certain extent) across generations. Great work GP, thanks.