The Curious Case of Adam Wainwright: Can Greatness Be Underrated?

The Curious Case of Adam Wainwright: Can Greatness Be Underrated?

 

 

Adam Wainwright grew up in Georgia, watching and idolizing the likes of Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, and Avery. Using what he learned from those guys and combining it with his own natural abilities, he has gone on to be one of the best pitchers in the game since his debut. So how is it that we still underrate him?

Forget the fact that Wainwright has one of if not the best curveballs this game has ever seen. Truthfully, it’s a thing of beauty that should be in a museum and marveled at. Still don’t believe me? Ask Carlos Beltran about it. Forget about the fact that Wainwright was thrust as a rookie into the closer role and excelled at it, including in the playoffs where he was a crucial part of the Cardinals World Series win. Forget the fact that after Tommy John Surgery Wainwright changed the way he pitched yet continued to be great. Lastly, forget the fact that Wainwright has never won a Cy Young Award. Besides, if he keeps pitching the way he has this season that will no longer be the case. Forget all of that and remember this; Adam Wainwright is better than great. He is an absolute all timer.

Wainwright learned at the foot of Chris Carpenter, another great and underrated pitcher. You can see a lot of Carpenter in Wainwright including the bulldog hate to lose mentality and the acceptance of nothing short of perfection. Wainwright ranks 2nd all-time in Cardinals history in strikeouts, behind only Bob Gibson, has won 2 Gold Gloves, and led the NL in wins twice. Pitching over 200 innings 4 times, missing a 5th by 1 out, and well on his way to that benchmark again this season, there are none more dependable than Wainwright.

A few weeks ago during Sunday Night Baseball a story was told about Wainwright texting Clayton Kershaw and basically telling him he was coming for the Cy Young and it would be his this year. Due to Kershaw starting the year on the DL and that win at all costs attitude, there was no reason to doubt Wainwright. With a 2.15 ERA and an almost 4.5 to 1 K/BB ratio the award is his to lose. The last piece of the legacy puzzle will fit into place and Wainwright will be well on his way to Cooperstown when he hangs up the spikes.