10. Kevin Doby: 3 seasons — 2.97 ERA and 1.67 WHIP
Dammit Kevin! One of the more successful rise ball pitchers of recent memory, Kevin Doby enjoyed two very good seasons on the mound in WSEM. Having a sub-3.00 ERA right in the middle of the black bat era is nothing to scoff at, especially when you mainly throw one pitch. He might be higher on the list if he played more than 3 seasons, but while he was here he certainly was not a push over on the mound.
9. Nate Gendron — 3 seasons; 3.16 ERA and 1.75 WHIP
Nate would really only pitch in two seasons as a full-time player. He was a borderline ace with excellent strikeout stuff. His only drawback would be his failure to limit walks from time to time. Another guy that I wished would’ve played longer because he was only scratching the surface of his potential. He remains a top 5 two way player in WSEM history.
8. Ray Brown: 5 seasons — 4.09 ERA and 1.90 WHIP
Ray has started to come around on the mound the past two seasons with 3.52 and 2.00 ERAs, respectively. His rise to success would actually start in 2017; his stats were blemished by two bad starts and he also pitched extremely well in the playoffs, which would help the El Diablos win the Championship. If he’s healthy in 2020, he could be right in the thick of the Clown-Shu race.
7. Brandon D’Agnese: 4 seasons — 2.67 ERA and 1.63 WHIP
Brandon only really played as a full-time player in 2 seasons, and in those two seasons he boasted a 1.54 and an 1.29 ERA. In other words, he was dominant. His pitching prowess would earn him Rookie of the Year honors as well as an All-Star selection. If he would’ve kept playing, he’d have a place as one of the best pitchers in league history. Unfortunately, we only got to see him excel on the mound for two seasons, which is a real shame.
6. Kiefer Haffey: 5 seasons — 3.21 ERA and 1.37 WHIP
Unlike most rookie pitchers Keifer enjoyed success right away in WSEM. His rookie year perfect game coming in his first ever career start on the mound would put him firmly in the Clown-Shu race from the get go. He would perform very well in seasons to follow, and even though his availability began to dwindle, his pitching ability did not. Like Doby, he’d be higher on the list if he stuck around longer.
5. Chris Paquin: 8 seasons — 3.96 ERA and 1.46 WHIP
Historically known as one of the more accurate pitchers in league history, Paquin would never blow a fastball by anyone, but would nibble on the corners and make you look silly by dropping in a 12-6 curve for a strike. There’ve been games where he’s been knocked around a bit, but he’s also held his own against some of the league's giants. Pair him up with a fireballer and your 1-2 will be dominant.
4. Nick Braden: 9 seasons — 3.59 ERA and 1.67 WHIP
When WSEM went back to pitching from 45 feet while incorporating a speed limit as well, as classic yellow bats, Nick Braden instantly became a top tier pitcher in WSEM. Before the new pitching rules Nick wasn’t necessarily a push over, but definitely wasn’t as successful as he’s been over the past two seasons. He comes into the 2020 season as a top 5 Clown-Shu candidate.
3. Nicco Lollio: 5 seasons — 2.03 ERA and 1.53 WHIP
Nicco has only one true full-time season under his belt, which hurt his position on this list. However, during that season he would have a 2.26 ERA with 141 strikeouts and a perfect game as a cherry on top. In part-time duty, he’s never had an ERA higher than 3.50 in a season which is equally as impressive as his full-time stat line.
2. RJ Fisher: 6 seasons — 1.04 ERA and 1.16 WHIP
RJ is one of the more fascinating stories in WSEM history. If it weren’t for his razor thin availability and very questionable alibis, he would probably be a top 3 or 4 pitcher to ever play in the league. He is one of the toughest pitchers to face and I would argue that he is the hardest thrower in league history, as well. It still baffles me that he has never thrown a perfect game or no hitter, but then again maybe it’s because he got concussed by a robot.
1. Sam Hatt: 8 seasons — 1.20 ERA and 1.14 WHIP
The best and most reliable pitcher the league never talks about, Sam Hatt. He won’t wow you with strikeouts, but he just gets the job done. You probably didn’t even know that he has two perfect games to his name, that he’s allowed double digit runs in a season only once, and that he owns a 32-9 record on the mound. Yes, Sam Hatt is one of the best pitchers in league history, and yes he deserves way more respect on the mound than he’s given.
