How many times in a row can a season be declared “The Year of the Pitcher” before it’s considered a new era? In 2010, two pitchers threw perfect games, another three had no-hitters and Phillies ace Roy Halladay had the first postseason no-hitter since Don Larson’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
In 2011, the Tigers’ Justin Verlander became the first pitcher to win the AL MVP since Dennis Eckersley in 1992.
And you don’t have to go far to see how pitching has dominated the 2012 season.
Washington’s starters had an unreal 2.06 ERA entering Thursday’s game. Baltimore, which had the worst ERA (4.89) in the majors in 2011, has the best ERA (2.83) in the AL this season.
There already has been two no-hitters this year, too. The Angels’ Jered Weaver didn’t allow a hit vs. the Twins on Wednesday night, and the White Sox’s Phil Humber threw a perfect game at Seattle on April 21.
Since the start of the 2010 season, there have been 29 games in which a pitcher has thrown at least nine innings and given up one hit or fewer, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
To explain the drop in offensive production solely as the result of harsher drug-testing policies would be a slight to the pitchers. It’s unfair to label this as the “post-steroid era.”
The ball should never be credited for the evolution of the game. It has never been “dead” or “juiced.”
The last few years have not been defined by ballpark dimensions or the height of the mound.
Let’s just give the pitchers the recognition they deserve.
We’re living in a time when also-rans in the bullpen have 100-mph fastballs and setup men make the All-Star team.
We’re living in the “The Era of the Power Pitcher.”
– Jeffrey Tomik
