Tagged As: baseball, MLB, Sports, Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Mark Buerhle

After Mark Buerhle became just the 18th player to throw a perfect game I began to wonder if that feat would make him a lock for the Hall of Fame. After setting the record for consecutive outs on Tuesday at 45 I asked myself the same thing. Now I am wondering who else among his peers is going to be considered in the Hall of Fame debate.

His peers do not include guys like Randy Johnson, but pitchers around the age of 30, let’s say between the ages of 28 and 32. These guys have had enough experience to dismiss any fluke seasons and have come up in the age of the 100-pitch limit, as noted by ESPN columnist Tim Kurkjian. These are the guys that are going to be competing for votes on the same Hall of Fame ballots in a decade or so.

The Chicago Wonders

Mark Buerhle, Chicago White Sox

Age: 30, Throws: Left

Pros:

As stated before, Buerhle is one of a handful of pitchers to throw a perfect game and currently holds the record for most consecutive outs at 45. He also has threw a no hitter on April 18, 2007; has quietly amassed 133 wins in nine seasons; has led the AL in innings pitched twice (2004 and 2005); has been on the All Star team four times; and was the ace on a World Series champion (2005 White Sox).

Cons:

Buerhle is a control pitcher so while he has a pretty good K:BB ratio, far more balls are hit into play. Later in his career, this may cost him some wins and inflate his ERA. This is important because despite his notable career and accomplishments (apart from the recent exploits), these accomplishments have been in minor categories. Also, he plays for the second team in a market far away from the coasts. His is often a forgotten guy on the national scene, meaning he probably needs to win at least 250 games to be considered for Cooperstown and 300 to be a lock.

Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs

Age: 28, Throws: Right

Pros:

Zambrano has a no hitter under his belt (September 14, 2008), played on three All Star teams, led the NL in wins once (2006), has two Silver Slugger awards (2006 and 2008), and has a great nickname (Big Z). He has surpassed 20 innings five times (2003-2007) and has had 3 15-plus win seasons (2004, 2006, and 2007). He also plays for a big market team that is quite popularly always very close to breaking a century old curse.

Cons:

Zambrano throws hard and he may be throwing himself out of the league. Last season he missed time with dead arm and this season is on pace to miss the 200 inning mark for the second year in a row. The other issue is his control. His career K:BB ratio is 1:89:1. These do project well for his longevity in the MLB. He has also expressed interest in retiring at the end of his current contract. He ha the money, so there is no reason for him not to, but he will need another solid decade to even warrant Hall of Fame considerations.

The Cy Young Winners

Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays

Age: 32, Throws: Right

Pros:

Halladay is a six time All Star with a Cy Young Award and is highly coveted every season around the trade deadline. He also has 142 wins in 11 seasons (including two 20-win seasons), is an innings eater (pitched more than 200 in five seasons), and is a strike out pitcher (struck out over 200 in two seasons). He has four seasons with an ERA below 3.00 and three more with an ERA near three.

Cons:

He split time in his first two years in the majors, costing him around 30 starts. This is nothing major, but there is very little to criticize about him. The only other major knock on him is that he has pitched in pitcher-friendly ballparks as a Toronto Blue Jays, helping his numbers. Obviously he has to finish out his career without dive bombing once he leaves via free agency or trade. Otherwise, he is a pretty sure thing.

Johan Santana, New York Mets

Age: 30, Throws: Left

Pros:

Santana has won the AL Cy Young award twice (2004 and 2006), played on four All Star teams, won a Golden Glove (2007), led the AL in wins once (2006), led the AL in strikeouts in three consecutive years (2004-2006), led the AL in ERA twice (2004 and 2006), and led the NL in ERA once (2008). He is the rare power southpaw and has 120 wins in nine seasons and his career ERA is a remarkable 3.12. He also managed to eclipse 200 strikeouts every year from 2004 to 2008 and surpass 200 innings in those same years.

Cons:

He has a habit of giving up the long ball, giving up 20 or more home runs from 2004 to 2008 (giving up a whopping 33 in 2007). Right now people are sure to note that he is pitching in the National League, which is considered the lesser of the two leagues right now.

Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians

Age: 30, Throws: Left

Pros:

Lee has an AL Cy Young Award (2008) and an All Star selection. He has pretty good control (2.56 K: BB ratio for his career) and has pitched more than 200 innings in a season three times (2005, 2006, and 2008).

Cons:

Lee only has 83 career wins in seven seasons. He might have more with a different team but his career ERA has fluctuated from a mark as high as 6.29 to as low as 2.54. The AL Comeback Player of the year in 2008 is not exactly something that speaks well of his career as a whole, indicating that he was once a terrible pitcher. He will need A career in his 30s and 40s like Randy Johnson to make the ballot.

C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees

Age: 29, Throws: Left

Pros:

Sabathia won the AL Cy Young in 2007, has made three All Star teams, and led the AL in innings pitched in 2007. He also has pitched more than 200 innings three times in his career, pitched more than 190 three times, and has 127 wins in eight seasons. He has also been regarded as one of the top pitchers in the last few seasons, which means a lot for nostalgia. Playing the Yankees is a definite plus as well. Having the stamp of approval from a team that is wildly popular and a consistent contender is never a bad thing.

Cons:

Sabathia has to pitch in a hitters dream. This could slaughter his career ERA and where him down mentally. Also, Sabathia is not exactly a svelte athlete. Right now he is listed as 290 pounds, but could be over 300 pretty easily. As a pitcher this means even more strain on all those joints and ligaments necessary to throw to the plate. It appears from his innings numbers over his career that his body is already an issue, keeping him from eclipsing the 200 inning mark. He is young now, so if he changes his dietary ways he could slim down and keep his career going, all the while remaining in the discussion of the best pitchers in baseball.

Jake Peavy, San Diego Padres

Age: 28, Throws: Right

Pros:

Peavy won the NL Cy Young award in 2007, is a two-time All Star, led the NL in ERA twice (2004 and 2007), and led the NL in strikeouts once (2007). He also has fours seasons with an ERA under 3.00 (2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008), three seasons with more than 200 innings pitched (2005-2007), he has had three seasons with 200 plus strike outs (2005-2007), he has a career 3.09:1 K:BB ratio, and he has 92 wins in seven seasons. He is also among the most highly regarded pitchers in baseball.

Cons:

Peavy has too many wasted quality starts because he plays for the San Diego Padres, but since he will be shipped soon that should no longer be an issue. He also has pitched in a pitchers park at PETCO Park. People have to wonder will have to hold if he pitches in less friendly confines. The fact that he commonly misses a few starts every season in his 20s is kind of a red flag. Will his health deteriorate rapidly in the years to come in his 30s?

Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks

Age: 30, Throws: Right

Pros:

Webb won the NL Cy Young award in 2006, is a three time All Star, has led the NL in wins twice (2006 and 2008), and has led the NL in innings pitched once (2007). He also has a career ERA of 3.27 (he has never had a full season an ERA above 3.59), he has had five consecutive seasons with at least 200 innings pitched (2004-2008, he is injured this season), he has five consecutive 30-plus start seasons (2004-2008), and he has a career K: BB ratio of 2.44:1.

Cons:

There are not many cons for Webb. He only has 87 career wins at the age of 30, but that is also only with six full seasons. He started late, but he has been making jumps in his win totals over the last three healthy seasons. The future looks bright, assuming he comes back fully recovered next season.

The Overlooked

Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox

Age: 29, Throws: Right

Pros:

Beckett has been a World Series champion twice (2003 and 2007), a World Series MVP once (2003), an ALCS MVP once (2007), and a two time All Star selection. He also has 101 wins in eight seasons, has two seasons with more than 200 innings pitched (2006 and 2007), has a 20-win season (2007), has a career ERA of 3.74, has a career K:BB ratio of 3.08:1, and has a 7-2 record with a 2.90 ERA in the postseason in 12 starts. He also plays for the Red Sox, giving him the media exposure to grow his reputation.

Cons:

Beckett’s ERA has jumped drastically season to season since joining the Red Sox. Despite his good numbers he does not have the recognition of several other players on this list. He seems like one of those players that will not receive recognition until his late 30s. There is no real proof of that, but that is simply the vibe that I get.

Roy Oswalt, Houston Astros

Age: 31, Throws: Right

Pros:

Oswalt is a little short on accolades. He is a three time All Star selection, was the NLCS MVP in 2005, and was on the gold medal team in the 200 Sydney Olympics. Stats wise, he has a 3.17 career ERA, has four seasons with an ERA below 3.00 (and never has had a season ERA above 3.54), has 135 wins in eight seasons, has been a 20-game winner twice (2004 and 2005), has eclipsed 200 strikeouts in a season twice (2002 and 2004), has a career K:BB ratio of 3.58, has five consecutive seasons with 30 plus starts and 200 plus innings pitched (2004-2008), has 18 career complete games, and has six career shutouts.

Cons:

Oswalt plays in Houston. The team is always kind of competitive, but nobody recognizes them. The team last made the playoffs in 2005 and has not been back since. He really has had a spectacular career, but has simply been forgotten since the early career buzz. He needs to keep doing what he is doing and someday he will get his recognition, though probably when he ends up on the Yankees.

Final Thoughts

Of the 237 players in the Hall of Fame 59 are pitchers. This means nearly one in four inductees has taken the mound. I expect that after the sluggers from the late ‘90s and early 21st century are in you will see a number of these pitchers on the ballot. Of course, all will not make into the hall, but I could easily see five of these guys getting in.

Will Buerhle be one of them? I do not know, but if he does not then I imagine he will become the sob story to replace Ron Santo’s failure to join his teammates Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, and Billy Williams.

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