Halladay vs. Zambrano

[DiMag4Life]

Here's an interesting one:

Who do you think is the better pitcher, Roy Halladay or Carlos Zambrano?

Halladay has a career ERA+ of 128. Zambrano 130.

Zambrano has been more consistent the past few years......... well, I couldn't say that. Probably healthier is the right word. Halladay was on a tear in '05 before than damn Kevin Mench.

Zambrano has better stuff, and maybe hasn't even seen his best days. Halladay is usually among league leaders in IP per start, CG, and innings, including 241 and 266 in '02 and '03. It may be Bluejay bias, but it's no pink tea pitching in the A.L. East. I'll take Halladay now. Eventually, I think Zambrano will have a historical season though.

[StanTheMan]

Halladay, for sure. Zambrano's emotions will get in the way of the "historic season" you are prediction.

He can be one of the best 5 pitchers in the NL on any given night... or he can blow up.

When Halladay is off, it is a "stuff" issue. When Zambrano is getting rocked, it is often a mindset issue.

Huge difference imo.

[Doctor Zizmor]

its not even close. hallady is a MUCH better pitcher than zambrano

[Gregory Pratt]

Halladay's stuff is, IMO, better than Zambrano's. He's got a better makeup. He's in a tougher league. I think it's easy.

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Can't say that I know all that much about Zambrano other than seeing him on Sportscentre, but as a Jays fan I can say that when Halladay is on, he is the best pitcher in the AL. The only reason he didn't win 20 games this season is because of an emergency appendectomy that put him out of comission for about a month. They guy is just a groundball machine, who never seems to lose his cool.

[Doctor Zizmor]

Can't say that I know all that much about Zambrano other than seeing him on Sportscentre, but as a Jays fan I can say that when Halladay is on, he is the best pitcher in the AL. The only reason he didn't win 20 games this season is because of an emergency appendectomy that put him out of comission for about a month. They guy is just a groundball machine, who never seems to lose his cool.

I have to agree. He is probably the best right handed pitcher is baseball

[Richmond Hill Phoenix]

Halladay has just had terrible luck. Line drive ended his season in '05 breaking his leg, and then this season he has to get his appendix out in the middle of the season. I guess that's the way it goes though...

[Westlake]

I have to agree. He is probably the best right handed pitcher is baseball

Not the way Beckett has pitched this year.

[Erik Bedard]

Halladay at his best is probably slightly better than Beckett at his best. And probably far better than Zambrano at his best. Check out how good Halladay was before getting injured in '05.

[BigStellyPADRES4LIFE]

Not the way Beckett has pitched this year.

Screw Beckett look at Peavy's dominance

[Westlake]

Halladay at his best is probably slightly better than Beckett at his best. And probably far better than Zambrano at his best. Check out how good Halladay was before getting injured in '05.

I don't know if we've seen Beckett at his best.

Screw Beckett look at Peavy's dominance

Yeah, he's alright.

[KCGHOST]

This is really an awkward comparison. One guy is four years older than the other and has hurled an additional 370 IP's. He has also pitched in a tougher division and in a league with DH's. But give Zambrano any kind of Zambrano-like productivity over the next four years and he would have higher career productivity numbers. I don't know about this one.

[Gregory Pratt]

I think a healthy Ben Sheets and a healthy Roy Halladay and a healthy Roy Oswalt are much better than Zambrano and I think they're better than Beckett. I love Oswalt and Halladay, especially, but Sheets is very very good.

[The Splendid Splinter]

I think a healthy Ben Sheets and a healthy Roy Halladay and a healthy Roy Oswalt are much better than Zambrano and I think they're better than Beckett. I love Oswalt and Halladay, especially, but Sheets is very very good.

Thank you for giving props to Sheets... he's probably the best righty in MLB at his best. The only guy I could think who could challenge is Harden and Peavy (after seeing a couple of his games this year). Even Z isn't the best pitcher on the Cubs when they're "on". Kerry Wood (i mean his 20 Ks game says it all) and Mark Prior were better when they're "on". And then of course, there's always Pedro.

Evan (Westlake)... umm... If you wanna see Beckett at his best, just have him in the playoffs and you'll see it. For example... Game 5 and 7 in '03 NLCS against Cubs, Game 3 and 6 in '03 WS, Game 1 this year against Angels, Game 5 against Indians 4 days ago... Actually every game so far except for Game 1 against Cubs in '03 NLCS when he gave up 6 runs... I mean 3 CG SHO so far in a career is amazing for a pitchers nowadays in the playoffs. When it comes to playoffs time, Beckett turns into someone else and just pitch at his best.

[Westlake]

Thank you for giving props to Sheets... he's probably the best righty in MLB at his best. The only guy I could think who could challenge is Harden. Even Z isn't the best pitcher on the Cubs when they're "on". Kerry Wood (i mean his 20 Ks game says it all) and Mark Prior were better when they're "on". And then of course, there's always Pedro.

Evan (Westlake)... umm... If you wanna see Beckett at his best, just have him in the playoffs and you'll see it. For example... Game 5 and 7 in '03 NLCS against Cubs, Game 3 and 6 in '03 WS, Game 1 this year against Angels, Game 5 against Indians 4 days ago... Actually every game so far except for Game 1 against Cubs in '03 NLCS when he gave up 6 runs... I mean 3 CG SHO so far in a career is amazing for a pitchers nowadays in the playoffs. When it comes to playoffs time, Beckett turns into someone else and just pitch at his best.

That's true. Beckett has been a different pitcher.

When people like Oswalt, Halladay, Beckett, and Sheets are at their "best", how much is really seperating them? Very little, if anything at all, IMO.

[The Splendid Splinter]

only going by Game Score basically: not the best way to go about it but it gives you a sense on what their best game could be or what's it like they're "on". Also I strictly made a rule where it's a CG only.

Ben Sheets:
5/16/04- 9 IP 3 H 1 ER 1 HR 1 BB 18 Ks GS (Game Score): 94

Roy Halladay:
5/25/05- 9 IP 2 H 0 ER 0 BB 10 Ks GS: 93

Rich Harden:
7/14/05- 9 IP 2 H 0 ER 0 BB 8 Ks GS:91

Roy Oswalt:
4/6/04- 9 IP 3 H 0 ER 0 BB 10 Ks GS: 91

Carlos Zambrano:
7/22/05- 9 IP 3 H 1 ER 1 HR 0 BB 12 Ks GS: 89

Mark Prior:
9/30/04- 9 IP 3 H 1 ER 1 HR 1 BB 16 Ks GS: 92

Kerry Wood:
5/6/98- 9 IP 1 H 0 ER 0 BB 20 Ks GS: 105

Pedro Martinez:
9/10/99- 9 IP 1 H 1 ER 1 HR 0 BB 17 Ks GS: 98
5/12/00- 9 IP 2 H 0 ER 0 BB 15 Ks GS: 98
8/29/00- 9 IP 1 H 0 ER 0 BB 13 Ks GS: 98

Jake Peavy:
9/2/06- 9 IP 2 H 1 ER 1 HR 2 BB 14 Ks GS: 91

Josh Beckett:
4/10/05- 9 IP 5 H 0 ER 1 BB 11 Ks GS: 87
Playoff (just for him):
10/12/03- 9 IP 2 H 0 ER 1 BB 11 Ks GS: 93 (Game 5 of '03 NLCS)

[StanTheMan]

Thank you for giving props to Sheets... he's probably the best righty in MLB at his best.

Attention shoppers. Mr. Carpenter... Mr. Chris Carpenter, please pick up the white courtesy phone.....

[Gregory Pratt]

I actually think Carpenter is less than Oswalt, Sheets, Halladay, etc. etc.
Still damn good, but I wonder if his career as an Ace is over.

PS: "Game Score" is lousy a determinant of anything.

[Doctor Zizmor]

Phil Hughes will be better than all of them

[StanTheMan]

I actually think Carpenter is less than Oswalt, Sheets, Halladay, etc. etc.
Still damn good, but I wonder if his career as an Ace is over.

PS: "Game Score" is lousy a determinant of anything.

Could be right about Carpenter's career... but he has delivered the goods in BIG games when healthy. Perhaps I'm suffering from selective memory, but I can't recal any of the three above delivering shutouts in the playoffs recently, or throwing 90 pitch gems in the World Series.....

[The Splendid Splinter]

Attention shoppers. Mr. Carpenter... Mr. Chris Carpenter, please pick up the white courtesy phone.....

Totally forgot about Carpenter...

Game Score: 94

9 IP 1 H 0 ER 1 BB 10 Ks

[Westlake]

Attention shoppers. Mr. Carpenter... Mr. Chris Carpenter, please pick up the white courtesy phone.....

Carpenter is good, but better than all these other guys? Better than Peavy? Not sure about that..

[Honus Wagner Rules]

I think a healthy Ben Sheets and a healthy Roy Halladay and a healthy Roy Oswalt are much better than Zambrano and I think they're better than Beckett. I love Oswalt and Halladay, especially, but Sheets is very very good.

The key word is healthy. Sheets and Halladay can't stay healthy. Also, Zambrano is by the far the youngest of these pitchers.

[Chickazoola]

The key word is healthy. Sheets and Halladay can't stay healthy. Also, Zambrano is by the far the youngest of these pitchers.

With Halladay though it's freak things beyond his control like the broken leg, and an appendectomy. Ben Sheets has chronic arm problems it seems.

Also Zambrano has a ton of innings(over 700 by age 24) and I wouldn't be surprised to see him flame out as that seems to be the trend for pitchers who threw a bunch of innings that young.

[Big_Mac]

Halladay has terrific stuff and great makeup. I hate comparing pitchers because it's hard, everything throws different stuff and has contrasting styles. All i can say is that when Doc is on his game, the Jays have more then an excellent shot at winning.