Sports Illustrated players vote best pitchers...

Posted by Tony Paul on Wed, May 21, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Polling Data ...

Those Sports Illustrated players polls typically are intriguing, and this
week's was no exception. The question: Which team has the best starting
pitching? The answers, aside from the top two, were a bit surprising:

1. Red Sox, 25 percent
2. Diamondbacks, 19 percent
3. Tigers, 17 percent
4. Mariners, 8 percent
5. Mets, 7 percent

The Tigers' starters ERA (5.41), as you unfortunately are aware, is worst in the American League and second-worst in the majors. Meanwhile, the Mariners' (4.72) is 12th in the AL and 24th in all of MLB.

Another interesting tidbit: The A's, whose 3.50 starters ERA is only worse than the Indians filthy 2.97, didn't receive a single vote from anybody. And the survey was given to nearly 500 major league players.

Just goes to show, even the big leaguers get blinded by the big names.

I have no clue how that happens. It probably was based on potential, not stats.

Has me baffeled, unless batters feel our pitchers are good, but our fielding and hitting stinks!

Not lately...