2010 was the “Year of the Pitcher,” so I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the top pitchers in each league and compare them.
The addition of a DH in an American League lineup makes it impossible to know for sure who is the better pitcher between aces in each league, but I have tried nonetheless.
The following article is purely opinion, and I expect to hear the wrath of many a sabermetrician who thinks that so and so’s GDIPGLCTF (sarcasm) is the explanation behind their struggles and or achievements.
In this article I compare who I think are the top 10 pitchers in each league in order to prove my point that the National League has superior starting pitching, and far more depth than does the AL.
In selecting the top 10 starting pitchers, I have to be specific. These are the pitchers who I feel are not only at the pinnacle of their game, but have also proven over the course of several (or many) great seasons that they are more than a flash in the pan.
Therefore, pitchers with a track record of greatness, receive more credit than a pitcher like Mat Latos, who was great, but is still unproven at the big league level.
In certain instances, a pitcher with incredible talent can make up for a lack of experience simply because they show no signs of slowing down. Further, I have to take into consideration the intangibles: pitchers who are still among the best in the league but have been injured/stuck on bad teams, etc.
Just for fun, I will assign a point system for this comparison. If an NL and AL pitcher are a “tie/draw,” no points are awarded to either side. If a pitcher is slightly better than another, one point is awarded to their league. If a pitcher is far better than his counterpart, two poiints are awarded.
There are several issues with the validity of this number system, and this comparison between the two leagues in general, but compiling it was a fun way for me to illustrate the superior pitching of the National League.