Out of all the rookie pitchers from last year, who will have the best future & win most Cy Youngs & how many?

Question

Nominees:
Francisco Liriano
Justin Verlander
Jonathon Papelbon
Joel Zumaya
Jerred Weaver

Answer 1

Right now with everything factoer in the best bet would be Verlander. Liriano probably would have been my first choice before the injury but it is too hard to predict how he will bounce back (some come back just fine, others never regain the dominance). Verlander has the dominating fastball...voted the best and hardest to hit in the Majors by a group of top team scouts and has the type of effortless motion that indicates he llikely will not have arm issues down the road. Papelbon is an unknown as a starter and had arm issues while pitching only 80 innings so arm problems may plague his career if he struggles with arm issues already with minimal innings. Zumaya is probably the most exciting guy to watch in baseball...he threw 233 fastballs of 100mph or faster last year and the rest of the major league pitchers combined threw 120. But again he had arm issues. Weaver has the same arm angle as his brother and once the hitters learn to adapt then he will need to adapt also or they will hit him just like they do Jeff (Jeff started his career in similar fashion but struggled when hitters got a good read on him).

So right now it seems likely that of this group Verlander has the best chance pending how Liriano rebounds from major surgery. I predict either 1 or 2 Cy Youngs for Verlander, maybe the same for Liriano if he recovers and none for the rest.

Answer 2

In order they are:
1. Liriano--He is a lefty and his stuff is just so nasty that you cannot hit it. His durability may be an issue if he continues to get hurt.
2. Verlander--He throws 100 mph and has good off-speed stuff, so why not?
3. Weaver--He's extremely talented but he doesn't throw as hard as Verlander and he doesn't have junk like Liriano.
4. Papelbon--This will probably go up depending on how he adjusts to being a starter, but he was a heck of a closer. Also, Boston has enough starting pitching to put this guy back in the bullpen, therefore significantly damaging his chances at a Cy Young.
5. Zumaya--He may throw 104 mph but he is a reliever. It's unlikely that a reliever will win a Cy Young. He isn't even Detroit's main setup man or closer, let alone a Cy Young-caliber player.

Answer 3

1) Weaver because hes got a great rotation to learn from in Anaheim as well as good coaches. Also, baseball runs in his blood, and he is flat out amazing.
2) Liriano is amazing. He'll win almost as many as Weaver and has a great model in Santana. Only problem is that santana will probably win the next 4 cy youngs. He has two great pitches (fastball and slider), but needs more to add to his arsenal to become an even better pitcher.
3) Verlander is a very good young pitcher who throws gas. Also, he should get plenty of run support from the happy-go-lucky tigers.
4) Papelbon. He had shoulder issues after pitching about 2/3 pf the season in relief. Chances are he is not going to be able to pitch 200+ innings for two or three years. If he gains stamina though, he is one who can win games.
5) Lastly, Zumaya. He can throw 102 MPH and should develop into the next Troy Percival except better. He just lacks the nastiness (movement) on pitches to be considered a candidate as a reliever

Answer 4

I would have to say that Francisco Liriano will have the best future although it's gotten off to a rocky start with an injury. If he can seriously keep it together then he should have the best all around future. Besides playing with Johan Santana can't hurt either lol.

Justin Verlander just better hope his arm doesn't go out, because he is sometimes more of a thrower than a pitcher I think. Jonathan Papelbon was interesting and I'll see if I will change my answer after this season when he gets into the Red Sox rotation. Joel Zumaya will be a dominating closer somewhere down the road like a left handed Billy Wagner type. Jerred Weaver will be good and will just have to keep his head on straight and not go down the slippery slope his brother did.

Answer 5

hmm this is tough but liriano is not even playing this year and who knows what he will be like when he comes back, zumaya is just a reliver and despite the fact he will be a very good closer relivers rarely win cy youngs, i think jerred weaver will end up being like jeff weaver( hot young kid with all the talent in the world but can't utilize it to be great) that leaves papelbon and verlander, this will be close but i think verlander pulls ahead because he started all of last year (meaning teams saw him more than once or even twice) and he still got about 20 wins. papelbon has real good stuff and is a fiery competitor but again you never now what a year of closing can do to his arm. SO verlander and i think he wins 2

Answer 6

weaver all the way they got some good pitcher in that FAM so he been taught very well

1: weaver
2: verlander
3:papelbon ( all depends if he goes back to the PEN or not)
4: liriano(whos not playing this year) (and how he comes off surgery)
5:Zumaya ( hes in the PEN they don't win Cy Younges That Much)

Answer 7

francisco liriano hands down is the best in this group of young pitchers. just look at last year hewas 12-2 before going on the DL. for everyone saying weaver i say your crazy. he has a tired shoulder because he never threw that many innings before last year and he in my opinion will be hit around the park all day this year. i think the only competition for liriano will be verlander. that kid can throw gas like none other and control it. while liriano can also throw gas but has a wicked curve and change up so who know with those two but i can almost guarantee that those two are the two to watchand thats it. zumaya is a reliever and he will have his good moments and bad but if he tries to start he will be getting the smack down from teh yankees and the restr of the american league

Answer 8

I wouldn't go with any of em, I'd say Wang from the yankees.
The guy can ground-out just about anyone. If you watched him in the playoffs you would have seen him ground-out just about evrybody for like 7 innings before being replaced by I think Mussina. Mussina lost the yanks the game.
I'm putting down Wang with about 5

But of the guys you wrote, Weaver, with 2-3

Answer 9

If he remains healthy, Papelbon. The guy is a reincarnation of Roger Clemens and had a 0.92 ERA in relief last year...he throws laser guided missiles! Going to the starting rotation means he is going to get the opportunity to rest his arm, which i think will mean lights out performances for years to come. Also, if he can remain healthy as well, Liriano will challenge.

Answer 10

There are incredibly some to decide on from. Maddux, Pedro, Randy J and Clemens in case you decide directly to throw him in (i in my view might depart him out) plus others. i might flow with Randy Johnson. BQ: Pujols in 2006? I have not any thought. it somewhat is largely a wager. BQ2: Austin Jackson. according to danger Mike Stanton. If Dunn is an on a daily basis participant next year, he'd be there too. BQ3: 3-4. BQ4: confident.