Best 1 Season SF Giant Starting Staff?

[klaiggeb]

I got to thinking about all of the good, Giant pitching staffs over the years, and was curious.

If you had to pick 1... just 1, based upon ONLY that 1 season, which STARTING staff would you pick?

My guess is that anyone who puts their two cents in will have a built in bias towards a particular year, or time period in their life.

I say that because I know I do.


Here's how I'd rank them.

1-1962 -Sanford, Marichal, O'dell, Pierce

Lots of wins, lots of complete games, all 4 were big time gamers.


2-2010-Certainly the best Starting STAFF ERA of any SF Giant team that I could find.

Hard to make a case NOT to pick them #1.

I just like that 1962 staff better


3-2002 -Jason Schmidt, Hernandez, Rueter, Ortiz... Awfully good. But I just can't put them in the top 2, because really, After Schmidt... we're not talking elite, here.


4-1993-- Getting a little "iffy" here, because it really wasn't that good after Swift and Burkett


5-2012- With Tim's 5.18 ERA, and Zito's 4.15, which, for him, wasn't bad, I just can't pick this group in my top 4.

boly

[Islandboagie]

I didn't have the benefit of seeing the pitching staffs prior to 1986...because, well, I'm not an old fart like everyone else on the board.

I would gather that Lincecum and Cain would have tallied more complete games and wins if pitch count wasn't such a crucial part of today's game.

Since I did see the recent years you're talking about I can agree with your 2010 and 2012 assessment. However, if we include those, I believe I would put 2011 above 2012. Because of the dismal offense in 2011 (in large part due to the pathetic performance of Beltran) the Giants were unable to make the post season, but the pitching staff kept us in it until the very end. In 2011, Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner and Vogelsong together were probably the best 1-4 starting staff I had ever seen in a Giants uniform during my lifetime.

Again, I yield to those who have been around longer to see more seasons than I. But, knowing what I know, I find it hard to believe that if given the same amount of pitch count slack that was given to pitchers in the 50's and 60's that Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner and Vogelsong would be better, based on comparisons with their peers. From looking at the numbers, your #1 has nobody with under a 3.00 ERA. I know during that era the Dodgers were the best pitching staff, whereas since 2010 you could make an argument the Giants staff has been better than any in baseball...

Its a hard one, but In my opinion, I'm going to have to go with 2011. And that's not being biased, 2011 as a whole was disappointing. 2010 or '12 was much more exciting, but pure starting staffs I think 2011 stands above the rest.

[allenreed]

Dark horse. 1978. Three of the five starters had ERAs under 3.00. Had a 17 game winner in Bob Knepper, and an 18 game winner in Vida.