[Mid-depth_Reporter]

Imagine you can take any 5 (or four if you swing that way) starting pitchers and put them in your starting rotation. You can take them when they were at their best. Assume you have an offense that will score you about 5-7 runs any given night. Who would you take?

I'd go with:

1 - Nolan Ryan. I can't imagine having to face this guy.

2 - Walter Johnson. Sure, he pitched in a different era, but his ERA of 2.17 and high amount of IP means you don't need to score more than 5 runs to win.

3 - Babe Ruth. Yeah. Ruth. If he continued on with his pitching career, who knows what he would have done. This guy was a great pitcher and an even better batter, it seems. But, if he kept it up, I'd love to have this true definer of jack-of-all-trades pitch on my team.

4 - Cy Young. Most wins AND most losses of any pitcher. Sure, wins are dependant on your team's run scoring ability, but when your career ERA is 2.63, you know that you're losing games that you shouldn't.

5 - Randy Johnson. Man, if only the Expos had the money to keep all the players that its organization produced during it's tenure. Randy Johnson is a great pitcher. Dominating and has a scary fastball. Yeah, with a career ERA of 3.11, he gives up his share of HRs, but in his prime, this guy rarely - and I mean rarely - gave up a big game.

There's a lot to choose from. Who makes your list?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Mid-depth_Reporter

Imagine you can take any 5 (or four if you swing that way) starting pitchers and put them in your starting rotation. You can take them when they were at their best. Assume you have an offense that will score you about 5-7 runs any given night. Who would you take?

I'd go with:

1 - Nolan Ryan. I can't imagine having to face this guy.

2 - Walter Johnson. Sure, he pitched in a different era, but his ERA of 2.17 and high amount of IP means you don't need to score more than 5 runs to win.

3 - Babe Ruth. Yeah. Ruth. If he continued on with his pitching career, who knows what he would have done. This guy was a great pitcher and an even better batter, it seems. But, if he kept it up, I'd love to have this true definer of jack-of-all-trades pitch on my team.

4 - Cy Young. Most wins AND most losses of any pitcher. Sure, wins are dependant on your team's run scoring ability, but when your career ERA is 2.63, you know that you're losing games that you shouldn't.

5 - Randy Johnson. Man, if only the Expos had the money to keep all the players that its organization produced during it's tenure. Randy Johnson is a great pitcher. Dominating and has a scary fastball. Yeah, with a career ERA of 3.11, he gives up his share of HRs, but in his prime, this guy rarely - and I mean rarely - gave up a big game.

There's a lot to choose from. Who makes your list?

Ah come on...all speed guys...I mean if you want to scare the heck out of the other team sure...Ryan was fun to watch, but give me Seaver and Carlton over him and day...look at their winning pct...I'd take Christy Mathewson over Ruth...Koufax over Johnson...how about a change of speed with a knuckballer pitching after one of those guys?...no not Niekro... I am going off the board with Wilbur Wood...then just for fun Bert Blyleven for his big curve ball...Dream Rotation?...maybe not...but I'd have fun messing with the other teams hitters over the course of a series...

[legend]

1. Walter Johnson- One of the most overlooked stats in baseball history- his 5,526 innings pitched: 4929 hits allowed. Simply amazing! 112 shutouts-that will never be approached, never.
2. Sandy Koufax- 2325 innings pitched- 2396 strike outs
3. Bob Gibson- he pitched once with a broken leg! Won 2 game Sevens
4. Steve Carlton- 27-10 in 1972 for a team that won 59 games, 30 complete games
5. Jim Palmer- Never allowed a grand slam, 3 Cy Youngs, only pitcher to win a World Series game in three different decades

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by legend

1. Walter Johnson- One of the most overlooked stats in baseball history- his 5,526 innings pitched: 4929 hits allowed. Simply amazing! 112 shutouts-that will never be approached, never.
2. Sandy Koufax- 2325 innings pitched- 2396 strike outs
3. Bob Gibson- he pitched once with a broken leg! Won 2 game Sevens
4. Steve Carlton- 27-10 in 1972 for a team that won 59 games, 30 complete games
5. Jim Palmer- Never allowed a grand slam, 3 Cy Youngs, only pitcher to win a World Series game in three different decades

I hear you Legend, I hear you man...hard ot argue with that line up...2 guys from the 60's, 2 from the 70's, and the Train...What about Bob Feller?...he was Nolan and Sandy before there was a Nolan and Sandy.

[legend]

They asked Walter Johnson if Feller was as fast as him. Incredibly modest but always truthful, he almost was apologetic when he replied, "No, I'm sorry, but he's not."
Ryan is remembered for his shutouts and no-hitters, but I recall his walks and inability to control his fastball until he was late in his career. If you want to say he was on bad teams, go ahead, but Walter Johnson pitched for one of the worst teams in the league every year. He lost over 30 1-0 games!
I have written articles on Johnson. As a publicity stunt , he was brought to the edge of the river in Washington that supposedly George Washington had thrown a silver dollar across. He failed on his first try, took off his overcoat, and sailed the coin over the river and into a farmer's field! He then said the river must be not as wide as in George's time. At the time of the stunt, he was 48!
Ty Cobb used to crowd the plate and rely on the fact that Johnson didn't want to kill him. He would take a couple wide pitches and when Johnson let up a little he would swing. He hit well against Johnson but always said he was by far the best pitcher he ever faced.

[Lefty Noob]

My five-man rotation would be:
Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Nolan Ryan