PITCHERS versus THEIR COMPETITION

(Newton Center, January 20, 2004, my mom's b'day) Mama B used to say, "Pitching's not just 80% of the game, it's the whole enchilada!" (Not sure she actually said that, but DAMN sure she was right.) Found a great and telling statistic on Baseball Reference. This compares the pitcher's ERA with the league average over his career (or any given year.) Brilliant. This essentially isolates the pitcher against his competition.

Here's what I've come up with so far, in a very unscientific manner, the pitcher's runs allowed below the league average over his career:

Pedro Martinez    1.68
Lefty Grove       1.48
Johan Santana     1.39
Roy Oswalt        1.30
Roger Clemens     1.36
Randy Johnson     1.21
Roy Halliday      1.07
Walter Johnson    1.00
Cy Young          0.99
Whitey Ford       0.88
Sandy Koufax      0.87
John Smoltz       0.86
Bob Gibson        0.79
Tom Seaver        0.78
Andy Pettitte     0.73
Jim Palmer        0.72
Bob Feller        0.72
Tom Glavine       0.70
Bert Blyleven     0.59
Dennis Eckersley  0.56
Steve Carlton     0.48
Nolan Ryan        0.38
Don Sutton        0.26
Catfish Hunter   +0.03

Starters Career Records Thru 2003

pitcher	ERA	record	IP	hits	k	bb	cg	misc.
Pedro Martinez	2.58	166-67	2079	1553	2426	554	41	3 Cys, 5 ERA crowns, 4 SO crowns
Greg Maddux	2.89	289-163	3969	3625	2765	838	103	4 Cy Youngs, 4 ERA crowns
Randy Johnson	3.10	230-114	3122	2435	3871	1258	88	5 Cys, 4 ERA & 8 SO crowns, 2 19k games
Kevin Brown	3.16	197-131	3051	2840	2264	847	72	1 ERA crown, 1 no-hitter
Roger Clemens	3.19	310-160	4279	3677	4099	1379	117	6 Cys, MVP, 6 ERA & 5 SO crowns, 2 20k games, 5 20-win seasons
John Smoltz	3.29	163-120	2618	2252	2313	816	47	1 Cy Young, 2 SO crowns, *55 saves*
Curt Schilling	3.33	163-117	2586	2286	2542	603	79	2 SO crowns, 2 20-win seasons
Tom Glavine	3.43	251-157	3528	3379	2136	1206	52	2 Cy's, 5 20-win seasons
Mike Mussina	3.53	199-110	2669	2497	2126	597	53
Al Leiter	3.69	145-112	2075	1860	1760	968	16
Chuck Finley	3.85	200-173	3197	3069	2610	1332	63

(Newton Center, January 6, 2004) Pedro's #s continue to stand proud next to Koufax. See below . . . (And in computer simulations Koufax was unable to floor Zimmer in one move.) Kevin Brown passed Clemens for 4th in ERA, and passed him on his way to NY, where he'll anchor the Right Way Yanks. Smoltz joins Gagne and Rivera as elite closers. Gonna hafta update this list...

(Newton Center, April 8, 2003) Tonight's edition of the Pitching Page is brought to you by Concord Brewers, specifically the IPA, a fine addition to the family! Seems to have been a little movement in the last coupla years, but this much is clear as mud: Maddux, Clemens, Glavine, & Randy Johnson are Hall of Famers. I'm guessing the great Pedro Martinez could retire tomorrow and be there as well. (This based on the career comparison to Koufax below and the fact that he is not of this world.) Smoltz, now a closer (with an MLB-record 55 saves in 2002) may very well join them. The ballot of Dennis Eckersley may give us a better idea in a few. "The Ballad of Dennis Eckersley," come to think of it, could be the B-side of Big Nude Mike's "Berkompas Blues" single... Just sayin'...

New sponsor: Fishbrook Pond's Just Sayin' IPA. Not available commercially. Never. Ever. Not much of a sponsor when it come right down to it. Good beer, though. Coney's back with the Mets after a year off, and he gots a chance for 200 wins to top off his fine run. The Rocket, of course, is closing fast on 300, 5 away as of today, and pitching for the best ~EVIL~ team money ~EMPIRE~ can buy. He still looks pretty forkin' good though... And pay no heed to Larry Lucchino's sublimnable messages.

So there be a dozen pitchers with 100 career wins and an ERA under 4.00. These are your aces. True blue. The games may be a changin', but 2.60 lifetime for Pedro (who started pitching when this HR madness began) is hard to believe.... And the Sox kicked in his option year today at $17.5. Good idear.

pitcher	ERA	record	IP	hits	k	bb	cg	misc.
Sandy Koufax	2.76	165-87	2324	1754	2396	817	137	MVP, 3 Cy Youngs, 5 ERA & 4 SO crowns
Pedro Martinez	2.58	166-67	2079	1553	2426	554	41	3 Cys, 5 ERA crowns, 4 SO crowns

(St. Pete, July 2, 2000) JUST THE KISS OF THE HOPS... This long-awaited update of baseball's top starters lifetime statistics is brought to you by the beer that made Milwaukee famous, Schlitz. Quite drinkable, too, especially for $2.50 a six. A few changes since we last looked. There are now only 9 starters with a lifetime ERA under 3.50, down from 13 a coupla years ago. I've used 100+ wins as a cutoff. Pedro Martinez, not surprisingly, has passed Maddux for the ERA lead. The Big Unit and Kevin Brown are both surging forward, really establishing themselves as Hall of Fame candidates. Hershiser and Gooden were recently released, with Doc toiling on the Yankee farm at the moment. Don't think these guys can pitch anymore, but who would notice? It ain't getting any better. Mike Mussina will be a free agent after this season, and if I was a big-market GM looking to unload an obscene amount of cash, he'd be my guy.

Bamboozled!

Maddux and the Man

Cy Five for Rocket

Glavine Gets Second Cy Young

The Road to Cooperstown

Randy "Big Unit" Johnson (34), David Cone (35), Orel Hershiser (39), Bret Saberhagen (34), Doc Gooden (33), and Jimmy Key (37) could (loosely) be catagorized as being in a "winding down/overcoming injury" phase of their careers. All are (or were) top starters, but would need a few more stellar seasons to merit serious consideration ...

Braves' aces John Smoltz (31) and Tom Glavine (32) may have the right stuff. Both are healthy and at the top of their games, both are big-game hurlers with plenty of Series experience. If I were a betting man, I'd give these two good odds. Dennis Martinez (43) joins the Braves this year, and gets closer to wrapping up a nice long run that began in 1976 with the Orioles. He's included here mainly to stir up a debate on longevity vs. domination. He is one of those quality horses managers love to have in their rotations - good for 14-15 wins a year, year in and year out. My opinion is that he is not quite Hall of Fame caliber, but in some ways Don Sutton and Phil Niekro were of similar makeup, and they're in. Guess I'll leave that one to the Committee ...

We'll have to check back in a few on the young bucks like Pedro Martinez, Ramon Martinez, Mike Mussina, Kerry Wood, and Andy Pettitte to see where they are headed - as everyone knows, no guarantees on the arm of a pitcher.

Some Greats of the Last 50 Years

pitcher	ERA	record	IP	hits	k	bb	cg	ShO	misc.
Whitey Ford	2.75	236-106	3170	2766	1956	1086	156	45	1 Cy Young, 2 ERA crowns
Sandy Koufax	2.76	165-87	2324	1754	2396	817	137	40	MVP, 3 Cy Youngs, 5 ERA & 4 SO crowns
Tom Seaver	2.86	311-205	4783	3971	3640	1390	231	61	3 Cy Youngs, 3 ERA & 5 SO crowns
Jim Palmer	2.86	268-152	3948	3349	2212	1311	211	53	3 Cy Youngs, 2 ERA crowns
Bob Gibson	2.91	251-174	3885	3279	3117	1336	255	56	MVP, 2 Cy Youngs, 1 ERA & 1 SO crown
Nolan Ryan	3.19	324-292	5387	3923	5714	2795	222	61	7 no hitters, 2 ERA & 11 SO crowns
Steve Carlton	3.22	329-244	5217	4672	4136	1833	254	55	4 Cy Youngs, 1 ERA & 5 SO crowns
David Cone	3.46	194-126	2899	2504	2668	1137	56	22	1 Cy Young, 2 SO crowns, 19k game

2000 Version

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