After four no-hitters (one in the post-season), two perfect games and another should-be perfect game, MLB’s Year of the Pitcher in 2010 ended when the San Francisco Giants capped off the season with a World Championship.
If 2011 is any indication, we may be entering the era of the pitcher. Barely into the season’s second month; two American League starters have tossed no-hitters.
On May 7th Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers threw the second no-hitter of the season ending with a near perfect game (one walk). The gem was the second no-hitter of Verlander’s career and with that feat the right-hander became only the 30th pitcher in MLB history to have multiple no-nos.
The first of this 2011 season belonged to Francisco Liriano of the Minnesota Twins. Despite walking six batters and throwing less than half of his pitches for strikes, Liriano got the job done where many others have failed this year.
Already, a number of pitchers have taken no-hitters late into the game. Anibal Sanchez, Yovani Gallardo, Derek Lowe, Josh Johnson and Tim Lincecum have all taken no-hit bids into the seventh inning this year only to fall short. Sanchez was the only one of the group to make it to the ninth inning before allowing a hit.
Additionally, Dan Haren and Tim Hudson have thrown one hitters already this year.
While the 2011 season is still young, it may end up being an even better year for pitchers. In 2010, the league average ERA was 4.08 but it has dropped to 3.81 so far this year.
The Philadelphia Phillies received a lot of press this off-season when Cliff Lee gave them a staff with four aces.
Thus far though, the Oakland Athletics (2.62) and Atlanta Braves (2.85) are leading their leagues in team ERA. All five of the Braves starting pitchers rank in the top 50 in ERA. The Athletics would be in the same situation except they don’t have enough qualified starters.
As the season progresses, offenses may begin to catch up, but the early results in 2011 show that 2010 may have been the start to a new era in baseball.
Verlander near perfect in second career no-no – Sports Climax
MLB Pitching Stats – MLB.com
Used with permission of the author.
Along with contributing to Sports Climax, Brett Kettyle is the Atlanta Braves Community Leader on Bleacher Report and maintains a Braves column for MTR Media. Follow Brett on Twitter.
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