Philadelphia Phillies: Is Aaron Nola the Best Pitcher Since the 1900s?
Of course, comparing Nola to the likes of Roy Halladay is bound to elicit controversy. But anyone who saw the June 16th Phillies will tell you that there is some truth to the hype surrounding Nola.
The athlete has pitched a minimum of six innings while allowing no more than two runs in nine consecutive games. That is an amazing feat because it hasn’t been replicated since 1900. Think about what that means.
Nola did something Curt Schilling and Steve Carlton never did. This is the same athlete Phillies fans couldn’t stop complaining about because he had delivered such a terrible 2016 season performance. June 16th saw the Phillies lose 4-5 to the Arizona Diamondbacks. But Aaron Nola put on a noticeable performance by going six innings in the home game.
And he has only improved since then. Aaron came to the Phillies in 2014 and while they hoped he would boost the strength of their roster, no one expected him to overachieve as he has so far. It is astounding to think that Aaron Nola of all people is a true ace.
But the facts cannot be denied. His strong start has made Nola one of the best MLB pitchers this season. To think people had begun planning for a Phillies team that didn’t have Nola on it. Sports fans are a fickle bunch.
They are driven by what they can see in the moment, caring little for what could be in the future. For some months, Nola had convinced Phillies fans that he had nothing else to offer them. It’s a good thing Phillies fans are not in charge of the team, otherwise, Nola wouldn’t have had the chance to prove himself.
Looking at WAR and ERA figures, the only pitchers who look like they could give Aaron Nola a run for his money are Jason Vargas and Ervin Santana, not to mention Marcus Stroman. But that is fine.
Nola is 24-years old. He doesn’t have to be the best there ever was just yet. There’s still room for the youngster to grow into something even more terrifying down the line. And the fact he is already being mentioned among the very best pitchers the Phillies have ever produced should make him proud.
If there’s anyone the Phillies can rally around to get them to the championship, it is Nola. The Phillies do not have money. But maybe they do not need it. The team has plenty of potential in their ranks. They still have what it takes to turn this season around, but only if Nola leads the charge.
People are doing themselves a disservice by choosing to ignore Aaron Nola. An athlete this good has no business being absent from the national media. People need to start shouting the name Aaron Nola. He’s the one talent amongst the Phillies that is unlikely to disappoint.
