MLB Showdown Cards

MLB Showdown 2013: Starters +600 points 

              No matter how much east coast bias you can muster there is something you have to admit: that Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball right now. Many of us wanted Justin Verlander to be the best pitcher of this era. Others thought Roy Halladay would get 2 more great years out of that arm. Others want Matt Harvey to be the next… well the next Clayton Kershaw. 3 straight ERA titles and 5 straight years with an ERA under 3 with 30 or more starts in all 5 of those years. Max Scherzer had another great year but the honor goes to Kershaw.

               The two sixes you can choose from in this class both cost 610 points. They also both go 7 innings. I think Scherzer is likely going to be the pick of more players. As a 6, 20 2B, 18-19 1B, 16-17 BB, 1-9 none advancing out he is a very predictable chart. He counters power with his control. He counters speed with his high none advancing out and his pair of walks. He won’t win the ERA title in any league but he also won’t give up too many crooked numbers. He also can reset the bullpen and go 8 or 9 innings every time. Hisashi Iwakuma is the more interesting of the two options. With his 6 control 19-20 2B, 18 1B, 17 BB, 1-6 none advancing out he is likely the less desirable of the two. Roughly once a game he is going to give up a leadoff double. There is more power and less speed in this year’s class which makes him not a complete bust. I still think if he is going against number 1’s he is going to struggle even if they cost less points. He is a nice option if you went for a dominant 1 who doesn’t go deep like Bucholtz or Fernandez.

               The last +600 starter in this class is Clayton Kershaw at 670 points as a 5, 19-20 1B, 17-18 BB, 9-11 GB, 1-8 none advancing out who can pitch 8 innings. He easily resets the bullpen. He doesn’t give up an extra-base hit. He does not require a huge catcher arm to be effective because he has a decent none advancing out. He can use an infield but doesn’t need to be built around one. He also can walk players behind steals and doubles. He is going to be very difficult to knock out of games without stacking strategy cards against him. He is the only starter I recommend taking in the second or third round. Like most single year drafts starting pitching is always going to be deeper than hitters. You want a run producer first and then pick this guy up. A sub 600 pointer at an expensive position for the first pick is ideal like Hanley Ramirez make the best pair.

               Since these 3 will be compared to one another because of the point totals I rank them Kershaw, Scherzer, Iwakuma with Kershaw going round 2 or 3 in an 8 man league (later in smaller leagues). Scherzer likely should wait till round 4-5 and Iwakuma a round or so after him. There are no 4 or lower controls worth 600+ points this year.