Keeping Score: The Parallel Paths of Halladay and Lee – NYTimes.com
Posted by Neil Paine on October 7, 2010
Keeping Score: The Parallel Paths of Halladay and Lee - NYTimes.com.
In the wake of last night's dominating performances by Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, it's time to look at the similarities between the two star hurlers.
October 7th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
I assume it's a typo when that article states that Halladay had a nightmare season in 2007. He had a slightly off year, but 16-7 with 3.71 era in the AL east is most pitcher's dream.
October 7th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Maybe he meant 2000. That was a nightmare. Good job by the Blue Jays for sticking with him. There is more than 1 club that might have tried to trade him after that.
October 7th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Yes, that was a typo, sorry about that. 2000 was Halladay's nightmare season, with the worst ERA ever by a pitcher with 40+ innings.
October 7th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Oddly, I found myself thinking today about who might be a good comp for Cliff Lee. I'm not sure Halladay works though.
Lee was a lightly regarded prospect whose career was progressing about as expected - as someone who could be slotted in the 3rd-5th position of a rotation. And then out of nowhere he became an ace. (Note that his "implosion" in 2007 really wasn't - his WHIP and ERA+ that year was right in line with what he had done in 2004.)
Halladay, on the other hand, was a highly regarded prospect whose nightmare season occurred very early in his career. Plenty of other highly regarded pitching prospects have struggled for a season or two early in their careers before turning things around (though Halladay's 10+ ERA represents a unique level of struggles).
So I'm still wondering if there's anyone else like Cliff Lee out there - someone with 100+ career starts establishing themselves as a 3rd-5th starter and then out of nowhere becoming one of the best pitchers in the league.
October 7th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Chris Carpenter?
Jason Schmidt?
Probably lots more. The superficial change from '07 to '08 was shocking in Lee's case, though, regardless his peripherals.
October 7th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
@5 Thanks! Carpenter seems like a good fit though he did change teams and leagues before becoming an ace.