Left handed starters

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  • #43965
    Cardinals27
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    I am not sure if it just me, but left handed starting pitching seems to be in decline in terms of quantity and quality. I am not sure how often talent like Steve Carltons or Randy Johnsons come along. But it seems right now there are few great lefties. Some good ones, David Price, who is coming back from injury. Dallas Keuchel, but he has not been around very long.

    #43968
    Brian Walton
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    Kershaw and Bumgarner immediately come to mind. I think the former will be considered one of the game’s greatest lefties ever when he is done. I do not have any data on past vs. present on a broader scale.

    #43970
    Cardinals27
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    True, Kershaw is fantastic and a future hall of famer. And Bumgarner isn’t too shabby either, and if he stays healthy, he could be Cooperstown bound also. How could I forget them? Still seems like there aren’t many like those 2. As far as the Cardinals go, there is Gomber, and I like the lefty reliever Evans at AA. Pretty slim pickings for our organization.

    #43972
    Brian Walton
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    Yes, slim pickings for Cardinals, past and present. There was Ankiel, then Jaime Garcia a decade later. That has been about it during this ownership group’s time.

    #44018
    mudville
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    I’m glad we havren’t been wasting draft choices on lefthanders just because they are lefthanded. If we had done that, we wouldn’t have all the high ceiling pitching that we have.

    #44019
    Brian Walton
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    Why assume that the Cards couldn’t have picked up a few more lefties along the way?

    Just looking at the cream of the crop, six of MLB’s top 10 LHP prospects were 1st rounders, but four were not. A couple were international signs and did not cost draft picks at all.

    https://www.mlb.com/news/2018-top-10-left-handed-pitching-prospects/c-264764456

    #44021
    858booyah
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    John Tudor had 10 shutouts in 1985. He had 7 the rest of his career. So maybe you’d be onto something.

    Personally I like a little change in the rotation as long as it’s a decent one but those appear to be few and far between. Let your pen handle it!

    #44050
    bicyclemike
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    The Rockies might have a good one in Kyle Freeland. I wish we had a couple of lefties in the rotation, as I think it really makes a difference during a season when you can keep putting guys out there from each side and give the opponent a different look. When your rotation is fairly monogamous, all righties throwing fastballs and sliders, even if they do throw mid-90s, hitters have an easier time adjusting. The Cubs are set up nice with a couple of good lefties, although Lester is getting a bit past his prime.

    We do have some lefties out of the ‘pen which helps, although Cecil needs to bring his “A” game this year.

    #44053
    Brian Walton
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    I thought of another premier LHS today in Chris Sale. I am up to three now. 😉

    P.S. As bikemike notes, the Cubs’ pair of Lester and Quintana are not bad, either.

    #44068
    gscottar
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    The Dodgers have an entire roster of LH pitchers. Not all are elite but they were good enough to get to game 7 of the WS: Kershaw, Hill, Wood, Ryu, Urias.

    Other notable LH’s that are past their prime but still can contribute: Hamels, Sabathia, Duffy.

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