There have been a lot of great starting pitchers in both the National League and the American League throughout the first half of this 2015 Major League Baseball season. People have talked a lot about the successes of pitchers like Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, Sonny Gray, Dallas Keuchel, Jacob deGrom, Gerrit Cole, Madison Bumgarner, the list goes on and on. The best starting pitcher thus far, and I don’t believe that it’s close, is a guy who isn’t even considered the ace on his own team and that is Los Angeles Dodgers’ right hander Zack Greinke.
Heck, his hair is talked about more than his pitching is!
The 31 year old Greinke started off his Major League Career with a lot of talent, but also many questions about his consistency and his mentality. He’s pitched for the Kansas City Royals, the Milwaukee Brewers, had a short stint with the Los Angeles Angels, and has now flourished across town with the Dodgers. Consistency’s become his strong suit. He has somehow been able to fly under the radar, and has pitched phenomenally all year long. He’s mastered his breaking pitches and has finished off the first half with 35 and two third straight scoreless innings under his belt. Greinke currently has an earned run average of 1.39, which is the lowest a pitcher has had after the first half of a season in the last 30 years.
He currently holds a record of 8-2 with that microscopic earned run average, and in his 123 and a third innings of work this season, he’s only given up 84 hits and 19 earned runs. That is mind-boggling. There have been starting pitchers who have given up 19 earned runs in two weeks!
I believe that it’s good for Greinke that he’s been able to fly under the radar next to whom many people still consider the best pitcher in the game in left hander Clayton Kershaw. I have a strong feeling that will change though, especially if the Dodgers hope to be successful in the playoffs. The spotlight will be on and they will need both of these aces to be on their games if they plan on going far this year. Until they win something it’s all talk, but on paper, it is always nice to be able to pencil in Kershaw and Greinke as your top two pitchers going into any playoff series.
