Baseball is full of colorful pieces of data and stats.
MLB is the best league in the world: it has 19-year-old rookies already excelling at the biggest stage, but also 40-year-olds still showing they belong.
St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright and Kansas City Royals’ Zack Greinke certainly fit in the second category.
They have pitched for so long that that they are starting to break age and totals records.
They have been two of the best and most consistent starters in baseball since the 2000s, so naturally, they have more than a few trophies and awards between them.
“How about this? Wednesday’s Royals matchup in St. Louis is expected to be Zack Greinke against Adam Wainwright. That’s 36 seasons of pitching. Nine All-Star games. Eight Gold Glove awards. And the accolades could go on for days,” Royals’ beat writer for The Athletic Alec Lewis tweeted.
How about this? Wednesday’s Royals matchup in St. Louis is expected to be Zack Greinke against Adam Wainwright. That’s 36 seasons of pitching. Nine All-Star games. Eight Gold Glove awards. And the accolades could go on for days.
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) April 11, 2022
They Still Get Outs Relying On Command And Smarts
Once upon a time, both hurlers were armed with mid-90s gas and competed for awards year after year.
Nowadays, they remain effective, but using other weapons: Wainwright still has that trademark curveball, and Greinke is one of the smartest pitchers in baseball, and his command is top-notch.
The Cardinals’ 40-year-old righty had a 3.05 ERA in 206.1 innings last year, defying all odds.
Greinke, who is 38, pitched for the Houston Astros last year, and posted a 4.16 ERA in 171 frames.
He is returning to the Royals, likely to finish his career there.
Lots of fans will want to watch the two veterans go against each other on Wednesday: walks should be scarce, and while they are not overpowering anymore, both still get the job done.
Baseball is lucky to have them both.
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