Year of the Pitcher - AKA my first essay in my MLB application

Baseball has once again become a game dominated by the pitcher.  Yes, there are still the home run kings and power hitters of the early 2000’s – however, the 2010 season can confidently be labeled “the year of the pitcher.” Just look at the defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants: they charged their way through the playoffs solely on the strength of their starting pitchers and lights-out bull-pen.

The necessity for teams to develop strong pitching staffs is made evident by the Cliff Lee saga that swept the headlines at the start of the off-season.  Where would the playoff proven left-hander end up?  The top two contenders appeared to be his former team, the Texas Rangers against the perennial big-spending New York Yankees.  However, seemingly from out of left-field (ha puns), Lee accepted an $11 million a year contract from another former team of his, the Philadelphia Phillies.

It’s no mystery that many top teams have worked to build an elite 5 and 6 man rotation in the off-season.  The Philadelphia Phillies are at the front of the pack in terms of creating a seemingly unstoppable force of all-star pitchers.  The combination of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels is unprecedented.  What is also unprecedented is the payroll: the combination of these contracts culminates in roughly $70 million a year for the four all-star starters plus #5 starter Joe Blanton.  With the addition of Cliff Lee, the Phills were forced to make the tough decision to pass on free-agent Jayson Werth, a power hitting, gold-glove worthy outfielder who signed with the up and coming Washington Nationals.

This decision is symbolic of the new trend that favors the pitcher.  Although Werth eventually signed a $126 million contract with the Nat’s, it’s interesting to note that he was dropped by the Phillies in favor of a star pitcher.

 Other position players have faced adversity in attaining lucrative contracts from teams, and teams they have provided equally lucrative service to.  Who could have predicted the resigning of Derek Jeter, the face of the Yankees organization, would turn as ugly and drawn-out as it ended up?  In the National League, the St. Louis cardinals were unable to meet the deadline set by first baseman Albert Pujols, a consistent MVP favorite and arguably the best position player in the game today.

This past season is the start of a new era, marked by the increased emphasis on pitching.  The story of 2011 will be a continuation of where 2010 left off, with the primary debate facing baseball pundits being what team has the best pitching staff, and how much of an impact will these power arms will have in lifting a ball club into the playoffs.