Is Johan Santana still the best ace in baseball?

Question

Or is it:
Beckett
Peavy
Sheets
Sabathia
Penny
Webb
or other?

Answer 1

The guy is 93-44 pitching for the Twins and has won 2 Cy Young's to boot.

There's no doubt he's the best left and pitcher in the game as of today.

Answer 2

Johan Santana is still considered to be one of the best aces in baseball, although this year it would be Peavy from NL and Beckett from AL, if it wasn't for the lack of run support that Johan Santana got from his team.

He finished with a 15-13 record with a 3.33ERA and 235Ks. The 13 losses that he got wouldn't be 13 if his offense had scored more than 3 runs in the games that he pitched in. At least 8 out of the 13 games he would have won only if his offense had scored 4 or more runs, in some cases 3 or more.

Sorry, just went off topic for a while but if you take into consideration that those 13 losses wouldn't exactly be 13 or anywhere close if he got some run support.

So to answer your question, no he is not the "BEST ACE", but "ONE" OF THE BEST ACES IN BASEBALL

Answer 3

All the players you list have it within their ability to be the best pitcher any given year. However, I would have to say that Johan Santana is consistently the best over a longer period of time.
Note to fahd_dog and Frank P: Ease up a little bit guys, this is a subjective question and not objective with a right or wrong answer. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, including the both of you. When there is a free exchange of ideas there is nothing to get upset about.

Answer 4

If you were starting a new team and salary was not an issue, Santana should be the first pitcher you take in almost all circumstancs.

Beckett, how many great seaons has he had??? 2007.
Peavy and sheets are good but both consistency and health have been an issue.

Sabathia has been good, but this is his first break out year.

Penny, see Beckett.

For Webb, last year was his Cy Young year but was only so-so in terms of #'s.

Santana had a very off year for a bad Minnesota club and he still put up great #'s.

Power of clemens, control of Maddux.

When you ask a question if there is going to be another 300 game winner, his name is the first that comes up.

Answer 5

Good question. I think that he has stiff competition now, but I'd still rank him as the best SP in the majors, even with the off year he had this past year (if you consider a 3.33 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, .225 BAA, and 235 K's an off year). Still, someone with a career numbers like Santana's (3.22 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, ,221 BAA, 1.05 K/IP) has to be considered a truly dominant pitcher.

To me, Santana's closest competition is Peavy, who was hurt in 2006, but has shown that he can truly dominate games. Everyone else listed above is one step below these two guys, some of them for a history of being prone to injuries (for example, Beckett's blister issues), but mainly because there isn't anyone besides Peavy & Santana that truly dominate a game.

Webb's BAA is higher and he's yet to break 200 K's in a year.

Beckett gets the press playing for Boston, but he also hasn't broken 200 K's in a year, and his BAA is around what Webb's is. Also, his history of blister problems is well-documented.

Sabathia just broke 200 K's this year, but his BAA was .259, which would have been a real issue, had he not cut down on his walks this year.

Sheets & Penny are, to me, a step below these guys. Both are very good pitchers, but I'd rank them lower than some other guys not in your list.

Answer 6

I would put Santana, Peavy and Beckett on a level all by themselves. The rest would be a tier lower but still way better than most everyone else in baseball.

Pitching records (via W-L) are usually relative to the teams success. ERA is important and in todays game anything under 4.00 is considered very good.

Answer 7

Cosnidering Carmona is better then CC-and both out pitched Santana this year in head to head match-ups...considering Beckett has shown the ability to dominate Cleveland and Santana was 0-5 vs. them this year I will go with those 3 over Santana-and that is just in the A.L. and as far as sabathia not getting it done in the postseason-the guy is 2-1...in 3 career postseason starts. BIG DEAL.

Answer 8

I'll take Santana. The others on you list are good but none has the length of time in service like Santana's. Webb is getting there, though.

Answer 9

If I was starting a team tomorrow Santana would be the first pitcher I would pick.

Answer 10

It has to be Beckett..

He is the new BIG GAME pitcher.. what more could you want??

Sheets cant stay healthy..

Santana hasn't done it in playoffs...

Sabathia hasnt dont it in playoffs....

Peavy hasnt in playoffs...

Penny ... ehhhh.. not....

Webb is pretty good,, but not as good as beckett..

They all do it in the reg season,,, but what beckett does in the playoffs has to give the edge.. plus he has done ti for a while..


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you all are doinks!!!

Santana hasnt gotten his team past the first round..

Beckett had more than one good year,, See Florida Marlins.. i believe he took them all the way to a world series.. winning game 7 IN yankee stadium..

please..

ill take beckett..

oh and whoever said this,,, peavvy has had at least 3 good seasons.. just as many as johan,,

you people should do research before typing..