Who is the best MLB pitcher to come along since 1970?

Question

Personally I have to go with Greg Maddux. I challenge anyone to find a pitcher who was more productive for 10 straight years.

From 1992 - 2001 Maddux averaged stats per year=

18 wins
2.44 era
32 games started
238 innings pitched
37.5 base on balls
178.5 strike outs.

With those stats plus 4 Consecutive Cy Young awards from 1992-1995 I don't know if anyone can match up.

Answer 1

Come on now...you've already stated the facts. Surely you could have left something out of your assessment for us to use....but here is something you probably already know; he is 1 of only 9 pitchers in major league history to accumulate 300 wins and 3000 strikeouts. Its really a no brainer, 4 CONSECUTIVE Cy Young awards, emphasis on consecutive, Greg Maddux is the right answer.

Answer 2

Clemens is statistically better. Probably not by much. He has had a lower ERA vs the rest of his league. Maddux' era is helped by being the NL all his career. And Maddux played on better teams than Clemens. Other than the Yankees, Clemens spent most of his career on mediocre Red Sox teams and 2 years on the Blue Jays. And Clemens won 7 Cy Youngs which matches up pretty well against Maddux' 4.

Answer 3

I'd actually say Santana from the Twins. Maddox, Glavine, Smoltz, were all beatable and while Clemens has been excellent, he never struck me as a guy who would be a guarenteed win every start. There's also the teams they played for to consider. Maddox, Glavine, and Smoltz all pitched for the Braves when they were good and Glavine is now with the Mets. Clemens went from the Red Sox to the Yankees, and then to Houston. All of the teams that they've played for have been big market teams that had superstar players during those years.

Santana is on a team that has a lower payroll then most teams in their division and has virtually no offesnive stars to back him up. And Santana is almost a guarenteed win everytime he starts. Considering that the Twins do not have the stars that the Red Sox and Yankees of the 80s and 90s had and the Braves of the late 80s and 90s had, and the fact that Santana continues to dominate the American League (which is at present better then the national league in every respect), I'd have him as the best.

Answer 4

rocket. hands down
when he returns mid season at age 44 he will be one of the top 5 pitchers in the game. it's mad crazy how good this guy is. maddux is a good choice though. he played on some stacked braves teams. he was padded in the rotation better than rocket has ever been and those braves bats were great. he also pitched NL and in a weak division. AL pitchers have it a bit tougher with a dh but having to pitch to random pinch hitters like in the NL can be very difficult too.

Answer 5

Roger Clemens has better career stats across the board but Maddox is a first ballot hall of Famer

(he has 7 Cy Young awards and an MVP award)

Career Fielding Percentage better too .972 to .970

Answer 6

Roger Clemens has 7 Cy Young awards, and 341 wins, 4000+strikeouts, enough said. maddux is great but he is not as good as the Rocket.

Answer 7

Roger Clemens but I would also have to say Orel Hershiser, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, and Andy Pettite

Answer 8

Roger Clemens

Answer 9

roger clemons hands down. roger also pitched for toronto and won a cy. Maddox is great but only beats the rocket in one category. That is fielding. If your question was who is the best fielding pitcher since 1970 then maddox would be your answer.

Answer 10

I will have to say former Yankee Brian Taylor, who Steinbrenner spent an amazing amount of money on to get him to sign, and he never played in the majors. OR, now this is a BIG OR, and call me crazy, but Im thinkin that Bret Saberhagen in odd years "85, 87, 89" was probably the best pitcher EVER, its really a toss up, if Saberhagen woulda been better in even years, Id say him for sure.