There are currently 25 full time pitchers who entering this past Tuesday with earned run averages under 3.00, and according to theElias Sports Bureau, we have not seen this this since 1997.
Ubaldo Jiminez has an era of 0.99.
Jamie Garcia is in at 1.28
Doug Fister is at 1.96
Doug Fister ???? Jamie Garcia, not household names, but MLB reports that hitting for average is down by .12 at .256 so hitters are not hitting, but 25 pitchers are reaping the benefits, or are they causing part of that downturn.
A little of both, because if we judge a season on 45 games, it is unfair but Halladay and Lincecum are both under 2.50, but there are the Clayton Richards and Rickey Romero ( pre blow up in East LA ) so it is a mixed bag.
No they did not raise the mound, but geez, not a bad idea, those who would like to see the 2 hour game, I hear a group of college kids snuck onto Wrigley to measure the mound, sorry lads, it;s regulation, and your Cubs just suck, no conspiracy.
In 1968 Bob Gibson finished the year with a 1.12, best in the last century, in any league, especially post the dead ball era.
That year Denny McLain of the Tigers went 31-6 and pitched 336 innings. He posted an AL era of 1.96, and that did not even lead the AL for era, Luis Tiant, or El Tiante spun a 21 - 9 record with a 1.60 era in 258 innings and 32 game starts.
Pitchers nowadays pitch in 5 man rotations, and have specific bullpen helpers, and complete games are a rarity, so let's see how Jiminez and the other under 3 achievers fare.
It is 2010, but this beginning reminds me of the 1968 and the it would be wonderful to have some sub 2 era's reached.
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