Justin Verlander’s no-hitter against the Blue Jays is just another sign of the dominant pitching we have seen to begin the 2011 season.  At the end of week 5, there are 18 teams with a total ERA of 4.00 or less.  The Oakland Athlectics lead the ERA list at 2.69 followed by the Braves (2.87), Padres (2.94), and the Phillies (3.00).  One glance at the hitting totals reaffirms the plethora of pitching since a number of notable stars still remain “on the interstate” with an average below .200.

Eventually, things will even out, but owners must recognize the trend.  In the short term, pitching isn’t as valuable as offense.  There will likely be plenty of “suitable” pitchers that can fill the back end of a fantasy rotation.  Hitting is always key, but appears to be more so in 2011.