Cain or Kershaw

[warner892001]

Who do you think has the better chance of replicating their 2009 numbers

Matt Cain or Clayton Kershaw?

[ChillyChill]

kershaw i think cain regresses

[fezzik]

I'll take Kershaw all day over Cain. Cain was lucky with his era last season, while Kershaw progressed nicely during the year...his control improved significantly the second half of the season and he's a K machine.

[DaSh 1s]

Definitely Kershaw...

[dladue]

I agree, I would take Kershaw. Cain left a ton of baserunners on last year, which lowered his ERA among other things.

[RedSoxNation04]

Kershaw. Easily.

[AquaMan2342]

Kershaw but I definitely don't think it's as easy a choice some are making it sound like. He was pretty inefficient last year. His BB/9 is almost 5 and his ERA was pretty luck driven last year. The only reason I would take him is strictly talent based.

[Pogotheostrich]

Another for Kershaw.

[J35J]

Kershaw but I definitely don't think it's as easy a choice some are making it sound like. He was pretty inefficient last year. His BB/9 is almost 5 and his ERA was pretty luck driven last year. The only reason I would take him is strictly talent based.

+1

[The Artful Dodger]

Kershaw but I definitely don't think it's as easy a choice some are making it sound like. He was pretty inefficient last year. His BB/9 is almost 5 and his ERA was pretty luck driven last year. The only reason I would take him is strictly talent based.

Kershaw improved his walk rate down the stretch, granted that it's a relatively small sample. He's had his glimpses where his control is brilliant and then, he's prone to the big inning where he's hurling 30+ pitches and thrown off from that. Game 1 of last season's NLCS is sort of a microcosm of what Kershaw is capable of for better or worse this season.

He's still trying to master his changeup and slider, both of which are pretty good pitchers for his age. If he mixes it up well, he'll progress from being the fastball-curve pitcher most perceive of him. I do agree that it's all about pitch efficiency which impacts his innings thrown, but I'd still take him over Cain who had a lucky strand rate and a declining K/9.