With the New York Yankees loaded in the bullpen and the Mets stocked in the rotation, ranking the top five electric arms in the Big Apple is no easy task.
By Robby Sabo
Stolen due to the fact he won’t be tried for his domestic abuse case that the world heard so much about. Stolen in the eyes of Los Angeles Dodgers fans who thought they’d acquired him just several weeks earlier.
Now that Chapman won’t miss any time at the hands of Rob Manfred and MLB, Joe Girardi‘s bullpen comprised of the Cuban Missile, Dellian Betances and Andrew Miller has a chance to be one of the best in decades, no less years.
What’s more – while playing in the fantasy sandbox at the moment – is if that bullpen combined forces with the starting rotation in Queens, there wouldn’t be a pitching staff in the 146 year history of baseball that could match-up.
Of course though, it has to be proven on the field first. The New York Mets young guns proved it last season, but one season doesn’t make a career.
Since pitchers and catchers don’t report for another 19 days, we stay stuck in the fantasy sandbox and countdown the top five electric arms in New York City.
Notables
- Jacob deGrom (SP-NYM)
- Andrew Miller (RP-NYY)
- Masahiro Tanaka (SP-NYY)
- Steven Matz (SP-NYM)
Now remember, this is a list of the city’s top “electric arms.” This means we’re counting down the pitchers who have the top stuff and lively arms of the two clubs.
This is not a list of the best overall pitchers. If it was, Mets ace Jacob deGrom surely wouldn’t be on the notables section.
Don’t get it twisted either. With a fastball that routinely touches 96 miles an hour and a change with pinpoint control, deGrom’s stuff is just silly.
The same can be said for Andrew Miller who’s four-seamer is in the mid-90s at it’s lowest. His weapon, that nasty slider, gives fits to both lefties and righties.
If we were discussing 2014, Masahiro Tanaka might be No. 1 on this list. However, the elbow has really done a lot to his electricity. The Japanese import still possesses one of the nastier splits in the game, but it’s not as terrifying as we once saw.
Now, let’s get on to the big show:
5. Jeurys Familia (RP-NYM)
The weakest part of the Mets as a club heading into last fall was most definitely their bullpen. The 6th, 7th and 8th innings were always “hold your breathe and pray for the best” times.
This is why guys like deGrom had to battle through subpar outings just to get it deep enough in the game to feel comfortable.
The one guy who was flat-out dominant out of that pen was Jeurys Familia, and it wasn’t hard to see why.
While Familia can throw his four-seamer near the 98 miles per hour range on a regular basis, it’s his sinker at the same speed that is really relied upon. Even though the guy in the batter’s box knows it’s coming, the movement is too much to deal with as it generates a ton of swings and misses.
He also throws a very hard slider.
4. Matt Harvey (SP-NYM)
For some reason Matt Harvey’s fourseamer generates more swings and misses than the average 96 miles per hour fastball.
Yes, between deGrom, Familia and Harvey, it’s a crapshoot when trying to rank each guy. Harvey though, gets the nod at the No. 4 spot due to his control perhaps being a tad lower than deGrom’s.
Matt still relies on power and deception to go along with his nasty stuff in getting by.
Being equipped with the normal starting pitcher arsenal – four-seam, straight change, straight curve, and slider – Harvey’s stuff is still top notch.
3. Dellin Betances (RP-NYY)
The top three of this list is where we really separate the men from the boys.
Dellin Betances is a guy who doesn’t throw many pitches – as relievers tend to do. He has a wicked four-seam fastball with a ton of movement that often touches 100 miles an hour, and a mid-80s extremely hard curve that throws the batter for a loop every now and again.
His stature, at 6’8”, adds more fuel to the nasty fire opposing hitters face when the kid comes in during the late innings.
2. Aroldis Chapman (RP-NYY)
They don’t call him the Cuban Missile for nothing folks.
Not only were fans in awe, but his All-Star teammates were completely flabbergasted when he whiffed the entire side during last July’s Mid-Summer Classic:
100 miles an hour isn’t a climax for Aroldis Chapman, it’s an average.
Then, when thinking about his high-80s slider and change, the thought of “unfair” comes to mind. That high-80s speed feels more like a 50 mile an hour knuckleball after one of his sizzling fastballs comes across the plate.
1. Noah Syndergaard (SP-NYM)
There’s only one man in New York City who can even touch the nastiness of the newly acquired Chapman, and his name is simply Thor.
Yes, Mets starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard has the nastiest stuff in the Big Apple. It doesn’t he’s the best pitcher, yet. It simply means the pitches generated from this man’s arm are the scariest in combination.
Syndergaard is equipped with a 98 miles an hour fastball, 98 miles per hour sinker, and an 81 miles an hour knee-buckling curve. He also mixes in a high-80s change and seldom throws his slider.
The worst part about facing Syndergaard is not the stuff, it’s the complete package. The guy can overpower you on one pitch and finesse you on another.
Speed and finesse – it’s a hell of a combination.