Baseball’s Best Starting Pitching Is Why the Mets Are Off and Running

There are many reasons why the New York Mets, owners of baseball’s best record, are off to such a terrific start but the best five appear, in order, every five days.

The Mets have, by nearly the distance from the south to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, the best starting rotation in baseball. And you can not only look it up, you can figure it out.

The Mets, through games of May 14, had an earned run average of 2.35 by its five starting pitchers--more than half a run a game lower than anybody else in baseball.

No American League team was below 3.00--and you might guess two lifetimes before you get to Cleveland as the lowest--with only Los Angeles (2.86) and St. Louis (2.97) below that in the National League.

Statistics compiled by UPI are for games through May 14.

They are based only on the pitchers currently in starting rotations, as the Met figures would be altered if Rick Aguilera’s 8.22 ERA in three starts were included. But Aguilera is now in bullpen, so he is not included. Some relief appearances by pitchers now starting were included but were statistically insignificant.

The worst starting pitching in baseball was agonizing fans of the Toronto Blue Jays, whose five hurlers had given up an average of 5.14 earned runs per game.

Dave Stieb and Jimmy Key, who led a sterling staff a year ago, were largely responsible for the Toronto turnaround. Word is that Stieb’s inside slider and fastball are going out quicker than they are coming in. Key is having problems getting the ball over the plate -- and wishes he hadn’t when he does.

Right there at the bottom of the AL East standings with Toronto was Detroit and it isn’t hard to see why. The Tigers’ pitchers were giving up home runs at a record rate and the staff ERA, which has come down considerably in a week, was second worst to Toronto’s at 4.73.

Worst ERA for starting pitching in the National League can be found at Chicago’s cozy Wrigley Field--and the wind hasn’t even begun blowing out consistently yet. The Cubs were at 5.04 and were the only team in the league worse than disappointing Cincinnati’s 4.40.

Cleveland’s starting staff had an ERA of 3.15, and not surprisingly, the perennial last-place Indians were challenging for the lead in the American League East. The same can be said of San Francisco (3.02) in the National League West.

Boston is poised for a run at the division title if its pitching continues. The Red Sox starters were at 3.15 and improved relief pitching makes the Boston hitters hard to overcome.

Kansas City’s highly touted fivesome had yet to get untracked but most figure it will. The Royals’ starters turned in a collective 3.65 ERA, still best in the division.

Oakland, at 3.66, had the second-best starters’ ERA in the American League West.

If the Dodgers can hang in there they should be tough because their starting pitching has been living up to preseason raves.

Houston has used four starters and they stood at a collective 3.56. It will be interesting to see how the four-man rotation holds up if Manager Hal Lanier continues to resist the trend toward five-man starting staffs.

Atlanta, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Minnesota, Milwaukee and Philadelphia also have been using only four regular starters.

Two pitchers--the incomparable Dwight Gooden and excellent acquisition Bob Ojeda--are mainly responsible for the Mets’ outstanding starting pitching although Sid Fernandez on another staff might be considered the ace.

They are the reasons Al Kaline has predicted the Mets will break the Cleveland Indians’ 1954 record of 111 wins during the regular season.

There have been suggestions out of Detroit about the juicing up of the baseball. This usually happens when a staff suddenly gives out home runs like the corner grocer gives candy to kids, which is what Tiger pitchers have been doing.

If the baseball is souped up, why do only Detroit pitchers throw it? They don’t change balls between innings. If they do, we’re missing a great story.

Baseball America had an interesting fact in its latest issue. It noted the San Francisco Giants’ starting infield is getting paid about $388,000--roughly $37,000 less than the Atlanta Braves are paying the infield of their Richmond farm club.

Buddy Bell of the Reds, at the suggestion of his father, former major league outfielder Gus Bell, took an eye examination recently and is now wearing glasses.

American League Cy Young award winners haven’t fared too well in recent seasons. The last one to post a winning year the season following a Cy Young award was Mike Flanagan, who followed his 23-9 1979 campaign with a 16-13 log in 1980.

Look for Bret Saberhagen of the Royals to rebound from a slow start, caused largely by a lack of spring training due to a sore arm, and put an end to the jinx talk. He was 2-3 entering the May 17 weekend and pitched well against Detroit’s Jack Morris in his last start.

It should be noted that with Gooden, there is no talk of a Cy Young jinx.