"There are Opening Day Pitchers, and pitchers who start on Opening Day"
--- Roger Craig
With the new schedule everyone plays on opening day and we've got some matchups you won't want to miss. I decided to rank them in terms of quality using our RSAA (Runs Saved Against Average) stat. A refresher, this stat tries to determine how many runs a pitcher saves his team compared to league average. League average is zero, so the negative numbers are better than average, and positive numbers are lower than average.
Using this statistic we have two superior matchups to look forward to:
First, Sean S' Sparta Hoplites travel to Shamokin to face Mike M's Miners. There, we are treated to a Pedro Martinz vs Johnny Podres matchup. Pedro is easily the best pitcher in the game and averages 44 runs saved per year. In normal terms, he's averaged a 2.66 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP.
Podres is no slouch himself, averaging a -23.3 RSAA over the past three years with a 39-31 record and a 2.94 ERA.
Our second matchup is just as good, and Division rivalry to boot. While neither pitcher surpasses Martinez, both are better than Podres. Carl Hubbell stormed into the league three years ago when Gold Country created him anew and drafted him 5th; he helped them to a division title with a 17-6 record. In all, he's averaged a 3.00 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in his three years, never falling above the -20 RSAA mark. Joe V has high hopes for the left hander.
Stephen L counters with Walter Johnson. The Big Train was drafted 'early' this season and the topic was bantered around the draft room for the first few days of the draft. For all the negative talk we need to remember it was around draft position, no one argued that Johnson is not an ace starting pitcher. Case in point? ATB 16 when Johnson made an incredible 45 starts and held down a 2.56 ERA.
Three other matchups bear watching for quality starting pitching. The two time returning World Series Champions, Spanish Harlem, who are currently 19-4 in the preason by the way, are hoping for a monster year from Tex Hughson. The righty has had big seasons in ATB (18-8 with a 2.67 in ATB 12) but has struggled the last two years in hitters parks. Hughson and the Beaters travel (west?) to Denver to face the RoidBoys and their leader, Cy Blanton. The 26 year old is coming off a down year (again in a batters park) but don't let that fool you, the righty has posted double digit negative RSAA seasons 5 times in his career.
The Adventurers send Addie Joss (3.58 career ERA) to the mound to battle Jesse Tannehill (3.85 ERA) of the New orleans Clown Punchers.
Elsewhere, Hudson Madbum opens ATB 17 with Al Orth (3.77 ERA) and the Rochester Red Wings counter with Russ Ford (3.84 ERA)*.
*These ERA's look gawd awful, but remember, we are coming fresh off a no DH league last year, where the league average ERA was a miniscule 3.65 and no team, an entire team (!) had an ERA worse than 4.25. Two years ago, in ATB 15, the league average ERA was 40 points higher and 10 teams had ERA's over 4.25 and the worst was over 5.00.
The AL is in for a rude awakening this season. Quick trivia, what do Al Orth, Babe Adams, Walter Johnson, John Tudor, Addie Joss, and Tex Hughson have in common? They are all opening day starters this year that had ERA's north of 4.00 the last time we played in a DH league.
Finally, two additional matchups will interest everyone due to the involvement of two newly created aces - Clayton Kershaw from 2014 and Dwight Gooden of 1984. Neither have any ATB history, and both are being counted upon as #1 starters.
The rest of the games still feature some incredible pitchers, but their opponents leave a little to be desired. Good luck to all, and have a great opening day on Sunday!
