I got to thinking about this question while reading Alan Levy's great bio on Rube Waddell. I began to wonder who in today's pitching ranks resembles Waddell (pitching, not personality wise of course
).
Waddell = C.C. Sabathia / Randy Johnson
Both large, lefty-power pitchers with the capability to blow it by the batter. They also share great breaking balls (but CC and Randy, of course, don't do cartwheels off the mound after striking out the side!)
Christy Mathewson = Greg Maddux
Not power pitchers by any means, but have perfected the art of pitching. They both could place the ball exactly where they wanted it and strike out their opponents with accuracy, smarts, and finesse.
Walter Johnson =
Who's the fastest, most intimidating guy in the game today? I couldn't think of one but he would certainly be it.
What does the board think about my comparisons? Any other pitchers from the pre-war era that remind you of a current day pitcher?
I look forward to your input!