With Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw holding a firm grasp on the Cy Young awards, we shift our focus to Generation Next.
Here’s a look at ten hurlers who took major steps forward this season and may contend for pitching awards as early as the 2012 season.
Doug Fister, SP, Tigers
Don’t let the 9-13 record fool you; Doug Fister has made the leap to elite status this season. He is one of 18 starting pitchers in the major leagues with an ERA lower than 3.00. He is also the only one to accomplish that feat while enduring a losing a record.
The key to Fister’s success on the hill has been his immaculate control. His rate of just 1.6 walks per nine innings is the fifth best ratio in Major League Baseball. Since joining the Tigers, Fister has gone 6-1 with a 2.12 ERA with just five walks over nine starts. He has allowed just four earned runs over his last six starts, even eclipsing his teammate Justin Verlander as the game’s hottest pitcher.
Madison Bumgarner, SP, Giants
On August 20, Madison Bumgarner was just 7-12 with a 3.68 ERA. The key issue for Bumgarner was that he was simply too hittable, as the opposition boasted an all-too-comfortable .275 average against him.
Bumgarner has since picked up five straight wins while limiting the opposition to just a .189 average over the win streak. The key difference has been the addition of a change-up that now has Bumgarner throwing for 8 per cent of his pitches. At just 22-years old, Bumgarner carries plenty of momentum into the 2012 season.
Daniel Hudson, SP, Diamondbacks
Though Daniel Hudson was an impressive 8-2 last year, this was the first season of the young hurler’s career to start as many as 15 games in a season. Hudson has thrived with the increased workload.
The 24-year-old right-hander is one of just 14 big-league hurlers with at least 15 wins and 160 strikeouts. We’ll now get to see what Hudson can offer on the grand stage of the postseason.
Ryan Vogelsong, SP, Giants
Though Ryan Vogelsong has lost some steam since the all-star break, when he boasted a 6-1 record and 2.17 ERA, the Giants hurler remains one of the better stories in baseball this season. The 34-year-old veteran returned to the Big Leagues after a six-year absence and became a vital part of the defending champions pitching rotation.
Since the all-star break, Vogelsong’s record is just 5-6 and his ERA has increased to 3.30 over that period. Oddly, Vogelsong’s ERA is a superior 2.29 when pitching at home, though his record on the road is much better at 5-1. All in all Vogelsong has found success on the mound this season.
Alexi Ogando, SP, Rangers
In spring training, most of the discussion within the Rangers complex was whether or not closer Neftali Feliz would be moved to the starting rotation. While the franchise opted to keep the hard-thrower in the bullpen for another season, fellow flame-thrower Alexi Ogando was transitioned into the starting rotation.
It turns out that the Rangers made a great decision, as Ogando has flourished in the expanded role, picking up 13 wins this season with a respectable 3.58 ERA. As to be expected, Ogando may have experienced mental fatigue in the second half of the season as his ERA ballooned from 2.92 to 4.70. It clearly wasn’t a physical ailment, as his fastball velocity has spiked from 94.7 MPH to 95.4 MPH in the second half of the season.
It will be interesting to see if the Rangers try to limit his innings as they reach the postseason.
Justin Masterson, SP, Indians
Though the wheels are starting to come off for the Indians, you cannot ignore the incredible progress of team ace Justin Masterson this season. Masterson cut a run and a half off of his ERA and dramatically improved his control.
The 26-year-old hurler will offer the Indians a very promising starting rotation next season as he slides in the second spot likely sandwiched between ace Ubaldo Jimenez and the also-improving Josh Tomlin.
Alfredo Aceves, RP, Red Sox
If not for Afredo Aceves, the Red Sox likely would have already lost the Wild Card lead over the Tampa Bay Rays. There is a reason that the 29-year-old veteran boasts a 23-2 career record. Aceves is a winner. He has contributed for Boston in several roles this season.
Aceves made four spot-starts, has picked up two saves, and is often the long-man in the bullpen. The opposition is batting just .202 against him and since the all-star break, Aceves’ ERA is just 2.05.
Few in Red Sox nation would deny that Aceves has been the team’s ace despite his myriad of roles this season.
Brandon McCarthy, SP, A’s
It was a long time coming for Brandon McCarthy to be a front-end of the rotation starter. A top prospect for the White Sox in the mid-2000s, McCarthy was the centerpiece of a blockbuster deal that landed him in Texas in 2007. After combining to go 13-15 over three injury-riddled seasons with the Rangers, McCarthy signed as a free agent with the A’s prior to this season.
The key to McCarthy’s success has been his control. You can note his improvement by comparing his strikeout-to-walk ratio, which soared from 1.8 in 2009 to 4.6 in 2011. To put that in perspective, McCarthy’s 4.6 strikeouts-to-walk ratio ranks as the fifth best in Major League Baseball behind aces such as Roy Halladay, Dan Haren, Cliff Lee and Zack Greinke.
Philip Humber, SP, White Sox
Philip Humber has become a forgotten piece of the blockbuster deal that landed Johan Santana to the New York Mets. Injuries and minor league struggles stalled Humber’s career and over the last few seasons he was waived by the Twins, Royals, and A’s. The former Rice hurler finally enjoyed a break when he was claimed by the White Sox in 2011 and soon placed into their starting rotation.
At 28-years old, Humber won his first start with the White Sox and then three starts later dominated the Yankees, allowing just one hit in seven innings of work. On the season, Humber has picked up nine wins with a solid 3.59 ERA.
Thanks to a combination of control and solid stuff, Humber is slated to be a key part of the White Sox starting rotation next season.
Josh Tomlin, SP, Indians
Though he recently landed on the disabled list with right elbow soreness, this will go down as a breakout season for Indians finesse hurler Josh Tomlin. In Cleveland, Indians fans have come to comparing Tomlin’s control with certain Hall of Famer Greg Maddux. After all, Tomlin currently leads the major leagues with a sensational ratio of 1.1 walks per nine innings. The 27-year-old is now 18-11 for his career with a 4.34 ERA.
Tomlin still struggles with the gopher ball, as his 24 home runs served up is tied for the most round-trippers surrendered by any pitchers with fewer than 170 innings pitched this season. However, the opposition generally struggles to get a hit off Tomlin, which opens the door to another step forward in the 2012 season.