Johnny Cueto Left Off ESPN’s Top 10 Pitchers List

May 3, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto (47) pitches during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park. The Reds defeated the Brewers 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN made a list of their Top 10 pitchers to see in the major leagues currently. As you can imagine one would expect Johnny Cueto to be on the list, considering he is dominating this season. Shockingly enough though Cueto was left off the list.

With this being an ESPN list is should come as no surprise Cincinnati and their players got no recognition. It has been an ESPN trend for years to ignore Cincinnati sports, then when the teams do well or players do well they find a new storyline to talk about. Yet knowing this I still find it incredibly annoying Cueto got no recognition on this list.

Here is ESPN’s Top 10 Must See Pitchers list:

1. Jose Fernandez (17 votes)
2. Clayton Kershaw (11 votes)
3. Felix Hernandez (9 votes)
T-4. Masahiro Tanaka (8 votes)
T-4. Max Scherzer (8 votes)
6. Justin Verlander (7 votes)
7. Yu Darvish (6 votes)
T-8. Cliff Lee (5 votes)
T-8. Adam Wainwright (5 votes)
T-8. Mark Buehrle (5 votes)

Cueto did get 2 votes on the list, not enough to make the Top-10. Two whole votes for the first pitcher since 1937 to start 9 games to begin the season and go 7+ innings in each one. Not to mention he has thrown 3 complete games this season, 2 being shutouts.

The biggest problem with this list has to be Masahiro Tanaka at #4, Cliff Lee at #8 and Mark Buehrle at #8. Those three pitchers are either too early in their career to know if they are that good and then you have two guys past their prime.

Tanaka is something like 9 starts into his major league career. Everyone good starting pitcher in their first season does well at the beginning, wait until teams start seeing him a second time. Tanaka may be good but I’d rather still see Cueto pitch any day.

Cliff Lee and Mark Buehrle both are having decent 2014’s so far there is no denying that. Buehrle is leading the American League in wins and ERA at the moment. When it comes to Top 10 Must See Pitchers they don’t make my list. I’ve seen Cliff Lee pitch in his prime a few years ago, he isn’t that special anymore.

Cueto should easily be Top 10 without a doubt. He shear dominance this season should make people want to see him, when he is pitching it is exciting. ESPN to their credit wouldn’t know excitement if it slapped them in the face. Just another example of ESPN overlooking Cincinnati and in general not knowing what they are talking about.