Obviously should have defined what I meant in my original post. It doesn't. I was just trying to define what I saw as Cosart's ceiling. People are quick to defend Oswalt, because so often people would talk about aces or best right-handed pitchers in the game, and Oswalt would go unmentioned or somebody else would have to throw his name out there.
I consider Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson two of the top 25-35 starting pitchers of All Time.... I don't consider "2nd tier" to be those outside of the top 25-35 pitchers in 125 years of baseball.....
Sorry, I have tiers for my aces, not just for pitchers in general. Every generation gets talents like that. Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, and Randy Johnson were all around the same time. Before he got injured, Johan Santana was in that tier. Clayton Kershaw is at that tier. Edit: Dammit. I need to quit derailing this thread by responding. COSART COSART COSART
7/12 @ TB 8.0 IP 2 hits 0 runs 0 ER 3 BB 2 Ks 0.00 era (1-0) 7/23 OAK 7.0 IP 7 hits 2 runs 1 ER 3 BB 4 Ks 0.60 era (1-0) ND 7/28 @TOR 6.0 IP 4 hits 1 run 1 ER 5 BB 1 K 0.86 era (1-0) ND 8/2 @MIN 7.0 IP 5 hits 1 run 1 ER 1 BB 4 Ks 0.96 era (1-0) ND 8/7 BOS 5.0 IP 7 hits 2 runs 2 ER 5 BB 3 Ks 1.36 era (1-0) ND 8/14 @ OAK 6.0 IP 3 hits 0 runs 0 ER 1 BB 4 Ks 1.15 era (1-0) ND 8/20 @ TEX 6.0 IP 4 hits 3 runs 3 ER 3 BB 3 Ks 1.60 era (1-1)
From watching some of his highlights (I'm on the east coast and can't watch his games), he really lacks command which is why he doesn't strike out many guys. He'll miss the target, but it'll be out over the plate and alot of the time it'll be a weak grounder or something because his fastball is so heavy. Once he starts hitting his targets and is able to move the ball in and out and really learns how to PITCH, then he'll start seeing the strikeout numbers.
His career high in IP is 144.1 This year he is at 138. I think you'd like to expand on that, especially given you want him to go a full season next year.
7/12 @TB 8.0 IP 2 hits 0 runs 0 ER 3 BB 2 Ks 0.00 era (1-0) 7/23 OAK 7.0 IP 7 hits 2 runs 1 ER 3 BB 4 Ks 0.60 era (1-0) ND 7/28 @TOR 6.0 IP 4 hits 1 run 1 ER 5 BB 1 K 0.86 era (1-0) ND 8/2 @MIN 7.0 IP 5 hits 1 run 1 ER 1 BB 4 Ks 0.96 era (1-0) ND 8/7 BOS 5.0 IP 7 hits 2 runs 2 ER 5 BB 3 Ks 1.36 era (1-0) ND 8/14 @OAK 6.0 IP 3 hits 0 runs 0 ER 1 BB 4 Ks 1.15 era (1-0) ND 8/20 @TEX 6.0 IP 4 hits 3 runs 3 ER 3 BB 3 Ks 1.60 era (1-1) 8/28 @CHI 6.0 IP 7 hits 1 run 1 ER 5 BB 4 Ks 1.59 era (1-1)
Once again he has traffic, but little damage. It's just hard to string together hits to score runs on Cosart. He's gonna pay for the traffic eventually, but over the long haul I think he's gonna get away with it more often than not.
Needs to learn how to strike people out to get out of jams. It's insane that someone with his stuff walks more than he strikes out.
7/12 @TB 8.0 IP 2 hits 0 runs 0 ER 3 BB 2 Ks 0.00 era (1-0) 7/23 OAK 7.0 IP 7 hits 2 runs 1 ER 3 BB 4 Ks 0.60 era (1-0) ND 7/28 @TOR 6.0 IP 4 hits 1 run 1 ER 5 BB 1 K 0.86 era (1-0) ND 8/2 @MIN 7.0 IP 5 hits 1 run 1 ER 1 BB 4 Ks 0.96 era (1-0) ND 8/7 BOS 5.0 IP 7 hits 2 runs 2 ER 5 BB 3 Ks 1.36 era (1-0) ND 8/14 @OAK 6.0 IP 3 hits 0 runs 0 ER 1 BB 4 Ks 1.15 era (1-0) ND 8/20 @TEX 6.0 IP 4 hits 3 runs 3 ER 3 BB 3 Ks 1.60 era (1-1) 8/28 @CHI 6.0 IP 7 hits 1 run 1 ER 5 BB 4 Ks 1.59 era (1-1) ND 9/3 MIN 4.0 IP 5 hits 4 runs 4 ER 3 BB 5 Ks 2.13 era (1-1) ND
Wins/losses by pitchers are getting to be more and more meaningless as people are familiar with the stats that usually define a "good" pitcher.
