2 of the Best Pitching Seasons in History were Pitched by the Same Person, But Which One was Better? Lets Debate

    

Ever wonder what it's like to be the best at something? Especially in sports, it's one of the hardest things a person can do. Sustaining success is an even harder task. Pitching in baseball is as much about brains as it is about strength. An enormous number of factors play into one's success. If just one piece of the puzzle is missing or out of place, it all comes apart. Many pitchers peak in one season, but how many have the best season of their career and then do it again the next year, but even better? Such is the case for Pedro Martinez. Many speculate on which one was better because some of the stats are conflicting. When comparing the 2 seasons, Pedro won the Cy Young in both and also led the league in WAR, ERA, ERA+, and Strikeouts (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martipe02.shtml). 

    What Makes the 2000 campaign more impressive than 1999? Simply put, ERA. Finishing a season with an ERA in the range of 2-3 will make any average pitcher into a handsomely paid one in a matter of time, but to take it up a notch and finish a season with a sub-2 ERA as a starter is an excellent example of his dominance. While many other stats lead you to the conclusion that the 2000 season was the finest ever done, there is one element to the season that is often overlooked. 

    When a pitcher has a game-breaking season, it isn't just noticed by the fans and writers of baseball, but other teams take note as well. The scouting reports for Pedro in 2000 must have been a page or 2 longer than the one in the year prior. Along with a better knowledge of him, opposing teams likely wanted to take his crown away because athletes are competitive by nature. For Martinez to not only face these challenges head-on, but improve from the year before, puts an end to the debate.