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Decade Awards: RoY, 7x All Star, 4x Cy Young
Damaso Solano didn't play in the first two seasons of the SPL, making his big league debut in Season 3. He went on to win the Cy Young Award 4 of the next 8 seasons. He was the ace pitcher on a Redbirds team that won 3 American League Pennants and 2 World Series titles. His record in Decade I was 158-30, a remarkable win percentage of 84%. He was a control artist (2.14 K/BB) and a ground ball pitcher, only twice surrendering more than 20 home runs. In 5 of 8 seasons, he won 20 games or more, including 3 straight (6-8). In Season 8, he was especially spectacular, earning a record of 26-1 with a 2.15 ERA. In Season 6 (he missed some starts due to injury) he went 20-3 in 26 starts with a 2.15 ERA. After Season 10, Solano was traded to the Baltimore Revolution where he helped them win an AL Pennant. He has played there for the last 3+ seasons.
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Decade I Awards: RoY, 7x All Star, 3x Cy Young
Brownson is the very definition of a power, workhorse pitcher. He pitched at least 230 innings in every season he pitched in during the decade. He struck out at least 225 batter in every season except for his rookie campaign, where he struck out a measly 190. He earned 20+ wins in 7 out of 8 seasons. His record during the decade was 172-50 with 1936 strikeouts (to only 626 walks, a 3.09 K/BB ratio). He set the SPL single season record for strikeouts in Season 8 with 263. He also set the third highest single season mark for strikeouts, twice, with 259 in Seasons 9 and 10. Season 10 was probably his best. He went 26-4 with a 2.29 ERA and 259 strikeouts. He is still one of the top pitchers in the league, and pitching with Pittsburgh.
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Decade Awards: RoY, 8x All Star, 2x Cy Young
Julian Castillo is the most dominant, wild pitcher the SPL has ever seen. He struck out more batters in Decade I (2262) than anyone else. He also walked more batters (866) than anyone else. He bounced around early in his career before finally being traded to St. Louis during Season 6. There he teamed up with Damaso Solano to form one of the best pitching tandems around. During the four seasons that they were team mates, they each won 2 Cy Youngs. Castillo helped the Redbirds win an 2 AL Pennants and a World Series. He went 186-64 during Decade I. He won 20+ games in five different seasons, including all four that he played in St. Louis. He struck out 200+ batters in 9 out of 10 seasons, and 3 times he exceeded 250. After Season 11, he left St. Louis and signed a free agent contract with the Jackson Runnin' Rebels. He is still pitching in Jackson.
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Decade Awards: RoY, 5x All Star, 3x Cy Young
Armas was a highly touted prospect coming out of the Dominican. He signed for a king's ransom of $20.2M in Season 2. He spent only three full seasons in the minors before being called up in Season 6. The rest, as they say, is history. Armas was the most dominant pitcher in the NL (and maybe the league) during the last 5 seasons of Decade I. During his first 3 seasons in the majors, he won three consecutive Cy Youngs. He went 123-28 with 915 strikeouts and only 269 walks. He won 20+ games in every season. His ERA was below 2.50 in 4 of the 5, and it was 3.47 in his "off" year. His most dominant campaign (and one of the best single seasons in SPL history) was Season 7. He went 27-7 with a 1.70 ERA and 196 strikeouts. He, of course, won the Cy Young but also set the single season record for wins. He followed up his Season 7 performance by breaking the single season wins record again; this time going 29-3 with a 2.35 ERA. He was a key piece to 3 World Series wins in Pittsburgh. Armas still makes his home in Pittsburgh and is still pitching at an All Star level.
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Decade Awards: 4x All Star, 3x Cy Young
Clarence Thomas was the first truly dominant pitcher in the SPL. He won the Cy Young in Seasons 1-3, going 67-13. He also led his team to a World Series title in Season 3. His record during the decade was 110-47 with a 3.48 ERA. He racked up 1006 strikeouts to only 359 walks. He became a relief pitcher after Season 5 where he had 2 solid seasons out of the bullpen. He retired after Season 8.
Other Starters:
Signature Franchise: none
Decade Awards: 5x All Star, Cy Young
Signature Franchise: none
Decade Awards: 4x All Star, Cy Young
Signature Franchise: none
Decade Awards: 4x All Star, Cy Young
Signature Franchise: St. Louis Redbirds
Decade Awards: 6x All Star
Relief Pitchers:
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Decade Awards: 5x All Star, 3x Fireman
Nakamura is probably the best, most consistant and reliable relief pitcher in the history of the SPL. He played in 8 of the 10 seasons in the decade making his debut in Season 3. He is one of only 5 players to earn 50 saves during a season. He had 40+ saves in 6 of 8 season and a sub 3.00 ERA in 6 of 8 was well. He never had a season in which his ERA was over 3.70. He was the anchor to the Redbirds bullpen that went to 3 World Series and won 2 of them. Shin-Soo is still playing in St. Louis where he'll probably be a lifelong Redbird.
Signature Franchise: Arizona Awesomness (now the Oakland A's)
Decade Awards: 4x All Star, 4x Fireman
Signature Franchise: none
Decade Awards: 4x All Star, Fireman
Signature Franchise: Baltimore Revolution
Decade Awards: 4x All Star, 2x Fireman
