Who throws the best...

[Flaming Mo]

Fastball?
Curveball?
Changeup?
Slider?
Any other pitch?

Discuss.

[craig01]

James Shields- changeup.

[gooGD]

Fastball-Peavy
Curve- Its still Zito....
Change- Johan
Slider- Joba
Sinker- Wang
Split- Zambrano


Webb is not a "pure" sinkerball pitcher, he consistently features his slider and changeup much more than Wang...

[Triple M]

I would say Dan Haren has the best splitter though it is hard to disagree with what others say.

[Bleeding Green]

Fastball: Papelbon
Curve: Burnett
Change: Santana
Slider: Chamberlain
Sinker: Webb
Splitter: Haren
Cutter: Rivera (Jared Burton is coming for you, though)

[Flaming Mo]

Beckett and Lincecum boith throw devastating fastballs...

[Bleeding Green]

Papelbon is the most dominant reliever in baseball right now and often times just mows down teams on 10-12 pitches with just the aid of his fastball. He's been clocked up to 99.7 MPH this season and the movement and command of the pitch is just absolutely off the charts. Just not even close as far as I'm concerned. I think it's easily the best single pitch in all of baseball.

[Schad]

Papelbon is the most dominant reliever in baseball right now and often times just mows down teams on 10-12 pitches with just the aid of his fastball. He's been clocked up to 99.7 MPH this season and the movement and command of the pitch is just absolutely off the charts. Just not even close as far as I'm concerned. I think it's easily the best single pitch in all of baseball.

I have to agree. Here's Papelbon's early-season pitch chart:



Here's Felix Hernandez (probably second in the speed/movement department:



It's otherworldly that they throw 97-99 MPH fastballs that bore in on hitters to that degree.

[Da Schwab]

Papelbon is the most dominant reliever in baseball right now and often times just mows down teams on 10-12 pitches with just the aid of his fastball. He's been clocked up to 99.7 MPH this season and the movement and command of the pitch is just absolutely off the charts. Just not even close as far as I'm concerned. I think it's easily the best single pitch in all of baseball.

I still think Johan's changeup has it beat. He's the reason why some players need knee surgeries in the offseason.

[Bleeding Green]

Eh, Johan's change is obviously incredible, but he sets it up with his fastball. Papelbon has thrown his fastball like 90% of the time and still just blows guys away like they aren't even there.

LOL. 95 MPH fastball with 14 inches of movement and pinpoint command. I don't know what that change pitch is or the cutter; must just be errors in the classification system. I didn't realize he's only thrown 3 splitters all season.

[oakfanintheeast]

Papelbon is the most dominant reliever in baseball right now and often times just mows down teams on 10-12 pitches with just the aid of his fastball. He's been clocked up to 99.7 MPH this season and the movement and command of the pitch is just absolutely off the charts. Just not even close as far as I'm concerned. I think it's easily the best single pitch in all of baseball.

Santiago Castilla has been better than Papelbon so far this year.

[crkone]

Sheets has the best curve, the few days he pitches a year.

[Bleeding Green]

-= original quote snipped =-




Santiago Castilla has been better than Papelbon so far this year.

Yeah, I like Jairo Garcia a lot.

[Da big3]

Joba Chamberlain if he was a starter

Agree wang's signature pitch is the sinker, its what makes him a 19-game winner.....

[HeyIt'sMe]

I'd take Felix Hernandez's fastball over Papelbon's. It induces an insane amount of ground balls and, unlike Papelbon, he doesn't get to come in and just throw it all out for one inning.

I'd also take James Shields' changeup and put it up against any other change in baseball, Santana's included. It's an absolutely filthy pitch.

[A.J.]

Fastball- Papelbon without question
Curveball- Adam Wainwright's curve is wicked
Changeup- Johan Santana
Slider- Brad Lidge
Any other pitch?

Sinker- Brandon Webb
Knuckle- Wakefield (duh)
Splitter- Haren
Cutter- Mariano Rivera

[Buck You]

Sheets' curveball is devastating.