Best Pitcher of the Modern Era (1980-present)

The answer is Clemens ... but it wouldn't be if he'd had any semblance of a normal decline.

So, Maddux gets my vote.

Oh, and Johnson > Carlton.

 

Which won't happen because a few douchebags will misuse/abuse their votes.

 

True. I thought there was a chance that Ripken would get 100 percent.

It's a nice thought, but it will never happen.

 

This.

 

I yield to no one in my admiration for Maddux. I too hope he's a unanimous first round pick.
But Pedro in the late 1990s-early 2000s was every bit Koufax's equal. Based on the evidence of my eyes, he was one of the two best pitchers of my lifetime, and I'm 60. So he has my vote.

 

I am not 60, but this is not untrue.

 

I would say Johnson = Carlton. And nodding to the Gold Gloves, I'd go with Maddux but take any of 'em.

 

Quote function problems?

I absolutely hate this bullshit of a few voters making sure nobody ever gets in unanimously. I never hated it more than when they did it to Henderson because you just know those smug assholes felt extremely good about themselves for doing it to him. Never mind the fact they signed their name to a piece of paper that says, in effect, Rickey Henderson is not a Hall of Famer. I don't know about the rest of you, but I wouldn't want my name on a statement that shows that level of cluelessnes.

 

I thought Maddux was fairly effective right until the end of his career. His record didn't reflect it since he didn't get a ton of run support his last year or two with the Padres, and he certainly wasn't going to go nine innings, but he was a solid No. 5 starter who could give you five or six good innings.
His dropoff was nowhere near as bad as Johnson's last two or three years. Johnson hung around too long just to get to 300.
Clemens has the steroid cloud hanging over him and Pedro was never the same after Grady Little. Pedro's peak was awesome, but the last five years he's been pretty average.
My vote went to Maddux.

 

Maddux' ERA was over 4.00 every year from 2004 on. Would say his record is more a factor that than run support.

 

Without looking too closely, I'd say Pedro for brief peak, Maddux for extended peak, Clemens for career.