All-Stars

[mweir145]

I guess now we really find out who the best pitcher in the majors is.

I think they made the right choice (though I suppose it depends on what you think the AS game should be about). Halladay and Lincecum have been the top 2 pitchers in the league for the last 2 seasons.

[Splendid61]

Lincecum is pitching great this year (even better than last year's Cy Young season), but Dan Haren is pitching better. I don't think most people understand how impressive it is to post a 0.81 WHIP as a starter.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/whip_season.shtml

Haren is really dazzling with the cutter this season. Hopefully, it will allow him to finally break the disturbing cycle of mediocre post-ASB performances.

2009: Pre-ASB - 2.01 ERA, Post-ASB - ????? ERA
2008: Pre-ASB - 2.72 ERA, Post-ASB - 4.18 ERA
2007: Pre-ASB - 2.30 ERA, Post-ASB - 4.15 ERA
2006: Pre-ASB - 3.52 ERA, Post-ASB - 4.91 ERA

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1757&position=P#pitchtype

[Giambis]

Lincecum is pitching great this year (even better than last year's Cy Young season), but Dan Haren is pitching better. I don't think most people understand how impressive it is to post a 0.81 WHIP as a starter.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/whip_season.shtml

Haren is really dazzling with the cutter this season. Hopefully, it will allow him to finally break the disturbing cycle of mediocre post-ASB performances.

2009: Pre-ASB - 2.01 ERA, Post-ASB - ????? ERA
2008: Pre-ASB - 2.72 ERA, Post-ASB - 4.18 ERA
2007: Pre-ASB - 2.30 ERA, Post-ASB - 4.15 ERA
2006: Pre-ASB - 3.52 ERA, Post-ASB - 4.91 ERA

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1757&position=P#pitchtype

This. Not saying Lincecum didn't deserve it, but I think the CY Young pushed him over the top.

Always that second-half decline though. I'm not betting against him, but if you could get a top tier guy for him now, I'd jump.