Pedro Martinez's letter to Kershaw

[sneaky_flute]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/pedro-martinez-letter-to-clayton-kershaw/

 

[Tyler]

I hate grantland.

[Blarg]

That was pretty stupid, particularly about the umpires strike zones that were accordions back in Pedero's day, often rewarding veterans. Pedro also started his career pitching against pitchers, in fact for far more years than pitching to a DH. And all of those stats Kershaw gets, the hitters get the same scouting reports on him along with video. 

 

Pedro had an amazing career and a sure first ballot Hall of Famer but Kershaw at his age is better than Pedro was at the same age... pitching in Dodgers stadium.

[eaterfan]

It was a letter comparing 2 seasons. The point about Pedro starting in the NL isn't relevant. But you are correct about the advanced information hurts get now too and the inconsistent strike zones. However, Pedro's '99 and '00 seasons were better than Kershaw's 2014.

[Angel Oracle]

Raviners just need to resist the urge to trade Kershaw for Delino DeShields' son.

[disarcina]

yeah, am sure Martinez wrote this --- love the Kershaw for Delino DeShields' kid post LOL!!  One of the worst trades ever.

 

not quite Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio but pretty close.

[Guest]

What an awful article. I couldn't even finish the first paragraph.

[Bruce Nye]

sneaky flute - is Puig still better than Trout?

[Chuck]

 

^^^

Here's a pic of the Grantland writer of this POS. 

 

Looks like another kid just out of HS blogging like he's a boss or something.

[Blarg]

It was a letter comparing 2 seasons. The point about Pedro starting in the NL isn't relevant. But you are correct about the advanced information hurts get now too and the inconsistent strike zones. However, Pedro's '99 and '00 seasons were better than Kershaw's 2014.

 

Kershaws string from age 21-26 rivals Martinez's run from age 21-26. Maybe we should wait and see what Clayton's best season really is before giving a author writing satire a reach around.

[Second Base]

I don't believe Pedro was juicing, but as we saw with Clemens and Pettite, pitchers never bulked up when cheating. It isn't out if Tge realm of possibility that Pedro was doing all of this while using PED's. Again, I don't think he did, but given that almost every player was, it almost seems likely.

[OregonLAA]

People hate Grantland? Jonah Keri writes incredible articles. I guess they need more slide shows?

[ten ocho recon scout]

I actually liked that article. Its an opinion onviously, but i agree with the point. Kershaw is a beast. Guy is superhuman. But he (IMO) isnt of a different level that pedro, holliday, maddux etc were back then.

I would take kershaw over any pitcher today...but if i got felix or sale instead, i wouldnt be at all sad about it. My argument for those guys today is that theyre doing it in a tougher enviornment (better offenses). Something i think people sometimes dont mention or realize is that aside from facing pitchers, NL pitchers also face more bench guys than AL pitchers due to more subs almost every game. Bench guys arent starters for a reason.

My 2 cents

[Docwaukee]

run scoring environments are different now.  not to take anything away from Kershaw as he's my favorite non-angel player, and I just don't like Pedro, but what Pedro did for that 7 year stretch from 97-03 was arguably one of the best stretches in major league history.   And his two peak seasons in particular were better imo than what Kershaw has done the last two years. 

 

However, Kershaw has been doing it from age 23 to now so he has a chnace to be even better.  He's just not there as of yet.  Kind of like Trout.  We all know he's the best in the game at the current time, but it's gonna take a bunch more seasons to put him up there with the all time greats.  Both are on their way to being in an elite circle of players but they have a ways to go.  Pedro is in that circle already. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

Yep, that cant be ignored. Kershaw is dominating with his natural talent. That said, hes also the beneficiary of a different enviornment, like doc just said.

Kershawz era is insane. But to be fair, when pedro was doing his thing (and like doc, i cant stand the guy but like kershaw), guys with an era of 3.50 were considered studs. Back then you might get a handful of guys with an era in the high, high 2's....theres a pretty big number of them now. Back then it was pretty much just the braves, pedro, clemens (with the stros) and holliday.

Look at it another way. There might be one 40 homer guy this year....trout is one of the top power guys in the league with 30 something......compare thst to pedros era.

And i agree with the article about playing in the east back then. Roids galore, but it was still a juggernaut enviornment. The steroid years AL east (both stafiums and players) vs this era NL west (both stadiums and players) are two totally different animals

[laagamer]

Say what you want.

 

Pedro is still in the top 5 pitchers I've watched live in my life time.

 

Shows you guys how friggin young I am 

[Angel Oracle]

Pedro's 1999 and 2000 seasons may have been two of the best EVER.

[arch stanton]

Say what you want.

 

Pedro is still in the top 5 pitchers I've watched live in my life time.

 

Shows you guys how friggin young I am 

I'm 50 and he's one of the top 5 I've ever watched as well.

[Angel Oracle]

yeah, am sure Martinez wrote this --- love the Kershaw for Delino DeShields' kid post LOL!!  One of the worst trades ever.

 

not quite Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio but pretty close.

It was pretty close. 

Other HOF trades:

Jeff Bagwell for Larry Andersen

John Smoltz for Doyle Alexander

Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas/Dick Simpson

 

And honorable mention to:  Chone Figgins for Kimera Bartee

 

And Rule 5 award goes to the Brooklyn Dodgers, for letting Roberto Clemente go that way.

[DB24]

Wasn't Grant Land started by Bill Simmons?

 

This article makes more sense now....He’s the biggest Boston homer ever.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Wasn't Grant Land started by Bill Simmons?

This article makes more sense now....He’s the biggest Boston homer ever.

The article was written in response to a washington post article that completely missed pedros 2000 campaign. The points it made (which are all true) were just to point out pedro put up about identicle numbers in a far tougher enviornment (which is true)