(04-19-2018 08:26 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-19-2018 04:59 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(04-19-2018 01:47 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-19-2018 01:41 PM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  

(04-19-2018 09:20 AM)stever20 Wrote:  well, according to your precious fWAR, they were.

Again, I'm just talking perception.

And I'm talking perception when I'm talking about the Dodgers. I don't think the Dodgers are perceived as being close to a top 4 rotation especially this year. Nats, Indians, Astros, and Red Sox I think clearly ahead of them. Dodgers I think a lot of folks see on that next level behind them.

I'll be honest - I think it's pretty silly to spend this much energy arguing about our perception of others' perception but whatever. You don't like fWAR; look at ERA. Dodgers STARTERS have been #1 or #2 in MLB for the last 5 years, with the exception of 2016 when they were #6. How does a "general fan", who probably looks at ERA when evaluating pitching, look at that stat over that time period and say the Dodgers rotation isn't top tier?

2013-15 they had Greinke around. He who in the 3 years averaged 6.56 innings per start. Also they had Kershaw averaging 7.17 innings per start. Kershaw is down by about 1/2 inning in the last 2 years and only made 48 starts(after 93 in the prior 3 years). The 2013-15 rotation was a lot better than the last 2 years where it's get 5-6 innings and hope the pen can keep it. I don't think the rotation now is viewed anywhere close to the rotation from 13-15 at all.

Stop moving the damned goalposts. You claimed that "general" fans don't think the Dodgers rotation has been top 4. And with one exception (that wasn't bad at all) they've had the best or second best ERA in MLB for the last 5 years, not to mention a top 5 or better WAR. So if the perception has been that the Dodgers rotation has NOT been top tier, what the heck has that perception been based on?