Now that I've completed this lengthy list, I'd like to conclude it by puting forth my all-defensive team, the ten best players at each respective position. I'm not going to have a lengthy write-up for each of these players because it would take too much time, and many of them have already been written about it in the previous posts.
Left Field Center Field
1.) Barry Bonds 1.) Willie Mays
2.) Ted Williams 2.) Ken Griffey, Jr.
3.) Stan Musial 3.) Joe DiMaggio
4.) Rickey Henderson 4.) Mickey Mantle
5.) Pete Rose 5.) Duke Snider
6.) Manny Ramirez 6.) Kirby Puckett
7.) Carl Yastrzemski 7.) Jimmy Wynn
8.) Lou Brock 8.) Dale Murphy
9.) Willie Stargell 9.) Larry Doby
10.) Goose Goslin 10.) Fred Lynn
Right Field Third Base
1.) Hank Aaron 1.) Mike Schmidt
2.) Babe Ruth 2.) Brooks Robinson
3.) Frank Robinson 3.) Eddie Matthews
4.) Roberto Clemente 4.) George Brett
5.) Shoeless Joe Jackson 5.) Wade Boggs
6.) Tony Gwynn 6.) Alex Rodriguez
7.) Ichiro Suzuki 7.) Chipper Jones
8.) Reggie Jackson 8.) Stan Hack
9.) Al Kaline 9.) Ron Santo
10.) Dave Winfield 10.) Ray Dandridge
Shortstop Second Base
1.) Ernie Banks 1.) Eddie Collins
2.) Cal Ripken, Jr. 2.) Joe Morgan
3.) Derek Jeter 3.) Charlie Gehringer
4.) Ozzie Smith 4.) Jackie Robinson
5.) Joe Cronin 5.) Roberto Alomar
6.) Barry Larkin 6.) Craig Biggio
7.) Robin Yount 7.) Ryne Sandberg
8.) Omar Vizquel 8.) Lou Whitaker
9.) Nomar Garciaparra 9.) Jeff Kent
10.) Jimmy Rollins 10.) Bobby Grich
First Base Catcher
1.) Lou Gehrig 1.) Johnny Bench
2.) Jimmie Foxx 2.) Ivan Rodriguez
3.) Hank Greenberg 3.) Yogi Berra
4.) Eddie Murray 4.) Roy Campanella
5.) Mark McGwire 5.) Mike Piazza
6.) Willie McCovey 6.) Carlton Fisk
7.) Jeff Bagwell 7.) Bill Dickey
8.) Harmon Killebrew 8.) Gary Carter
9.) Albert Pujols 9.) Joe Torre
10.) Jim Thome 10.) Jorge Posada
Pitcher
1.) Roger Clemens
2.) Sandy Koufax
3.) Greg Maddux
4.) Randy Johnson
5.) Tom Seaver
6.) Steve Carlton
7.) Bob Gibson
8.) Pedro Martinez
9.) Nolan Ryan
10.) Walter Johnson
By the way, I realize that all of my numbers are uneven. For some reason, they're straight while I'm writing this, but once it shows up on the main page, they're all crooked. Go figure.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
#1 - Roger Clemens (1962- )
"Rocket"
Teams:
Boston Red Sox (1984-1996)
Toronto Blue Jays (1997-1998)
New York Yankees (1999-2003)
Houston Astros (2004-2006)
New York Yankees (2007)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 354-184
W-L %: .658
ERA: 3.12
Strikeouts: 4,672
BB: 1,580
CG: 118
SHO: 46
IP: 4,916.2
WHIP: 1.173
William Roger Clemens was born in Dayton, Ohio. His parents divorced when he was still an infant, and his mother ended up marrying a man named Woody Booher, whom Clemens always considered to be his father. Booher died when Roger was nine years old. He lived in Vandalia, Ohio until 1977 and then spent most of his years in high school in Houston, Texas. He attended Dulles High School where starred in basketball and football. The Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins scouted him, but he opted to go to college instead. He began pitching for San Jacinto College North in 1981, where he went 9-2. The New York Mets drafted him in the 12th round of the 1981 Major League Baseball Draft, but he did not sign with them. Instead, he transferred to the University of Texas, putting up a 25-7 record and helped the Longhorns win the 1983 College World Series.
Clemens was drafted 19th overall by the Boston Red Sox in 1983 and rose through the minor league system quickly. He made his major league debut on May 15, 1984. In his rookie season, he went an impressive 9-4 with a 4.32 ERA, and 126 strikeouts. He remained steady in '85 with a 7-5 record, a 3.29 ERA, but only 74 strikeouts. He had a breakout season in 1986, going 24-4 with a 2.48 ERA and 239 strikeouts. On April 29, he struck out 20 Seattle Mariners in nine innings, which remains a record (though it has been tied by Kerry Wood and Randy Johnson). His performance helped guide the Red Sox to the World Series, though they lost 4-3 to the New York Mets. He also won his first of a record seven Cy Young Awards, as well as the American League MVP. Clemens attributes his success beginning with this season to the short period of time Tom Seaver spent with the Sox in 1986.
He continued his dominance in '87, going 20-9 with a 2.97 ERA and 256 strikeouts, as well as winning his second Cy Young. He remained consistent through the rest of his career with Boston, going 132-89 with a 3.13 ERA and 1,896 strikeouts. He won his third Cy Young in 1991. On September 18, 1996, Clemens again struck out 20 batters in a game, this time against the Detroit Tigers. It was his third-to-last game as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
Following the 1996 season, the Sox opted to not resign Clemens, with the general manager Dan Duquette remarking that Roger was in the twilight of his career (at the ripe old age of 33). He then signed a four-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. His numbers were amazing during his two seasons with the Blue Jays, posting a 21-7 record in 1997 with a 2.05 ERA and 292 strikeouts, and a 20-6 record with a 2.65 ERA and 271 strikeouts in '98. He won his fourth and fifth Cy Young Awards with the Jays, as well as earning the pitcher's Triple Crown each season.
Clemens was traded to the New York Yankees before the 1999 season, and his contribution was evident immediately. In '99, he posted a 14-10 record with a 4.60 ERA, and 163 strikeouts. He helped lead the Yanks to World Series victories in '99 and '00. During his time with the Yankees, he posted a 83-42 record with a 4.01 ERA, and 1,014 strikeouts. In 2001, he won his sixth Cy Young Award. After the 2003 season, at the age of 41, he announced his retirement.
On January 12, 2004, Clemens decided to un-retire and signed a one-year deal with his hometown Houston Astros. He had a stellar first season with the Astros, racking up a 18-4 record with a 2.98 ERA and 218 strikeouts, winning his seventh and final Cy Young. His 2005 season was arguably even better, though his record did not show it. His record was 13-8, but he posted the lowest ERA of his career, 1.87. Unfortunately, he ranked near 30th in the league in run support. He helped guide the Astros to the World Series in 2005, but performed poorly, though it was later discovered that he had been suffering from a hamstring injury since September. The Astros ended up being swept in the Fall Classic by the Chicago White Sox. After the 2005 season, he again retired (albeit unofficially), but was again added to the Astros lineup halfway through the 2006 season. Again, his numbers didn't give an accurate portrayal of his performance. He finished up the season with a 7-6 record, a 2.30 ERA, and 102 strikeouts in 19 games played. The following season, Clemens signed a one-year deal to return to the New York Yankees, but his performance was lackluster, posting a 6-6 record with a 4.18 ERA, and 68 strikeouts. His final appearance was September 16, 2007.
Like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens has fallen under considerably scrutiny in recent years in dealing with alleged steroid usage. However, like Bonds, I don't feel that the matter of whether or not he using PED's should have an effect on his legacy. What benefits could steroids have given Roger Clemens? I feel that muscular endurance would've been the only benefit. Clemens was already a flamethrower when he was in his early twenties. It's not as though he suddenly began throwing 100-mph fastballs after spending most of his career only throwing 94. And what of longevity? True, steroids may have aided him in staying properous in the league for so long, but what about Nolan Ryan? He retired at the age of 45, still topping 100-mph with his pitches. It seems fairly safe to say that Nolan Ryan wasn't using steroids.
In Jose Canseco's book Juiced, he stated that he believed that Clemens was using PED's due to the improvements in his game after he left Boston. But let's compare those numbers. His record was 192-111 during thirteen seasons in Boston, which gave him a .634 winning percentage. His ERA was 3.06 and his strikeout total of 2,590 strikeouts. This gave him an average of 199.23 strikeouts per year. After leaving the Sox (during his time with the Blue Jays, Yankees, and Astros), his record was 162-73, giving him a .689 winning percentage during those eleven seasons. He had an ERA of 2.91 during that time with 2,082 strikeouts. This gave him an average of 189.27 strikeouts per year. Granted, the winning percentage is fairly considerable, but it also has to be noted that the Red Sox record during his years with them was 1062-978, which gave them a .521 winning percentage. They barely won half their games when he pitched for them. But during the years he spent with the Blue Jays, the Yankees, and the Astros, those teams went a combined 1,005-773, giving those teams a .565 winning percentage, which would explain Clemens's own improvement.
So, his winning percentage increased after he joined teams that were contenders, his ERA decreased slightly from just over three runs per game to slightly under three runs per game. He actually averaged 9.96 fewer strikeouts per season during his years with those teams. This is not to mention the fact that steroids could not have given him the control that he exhibited during his career.
Clemens also had a reputation as being a jerk (again, like Bonds), once complaining about having to carry his own luggage through an airport. He was also known as a headhunter when pitching, though he leveled off a bit during his career. One of the most well-known incidents occured in 2000 when Clemens and the Yankees were facing Mike Piazza and the Mets. Piazza was batting when Clemens drilled him in the head with a fastball, causing a concussion. The two teams met again during the World Series that year. During Game 2, Piazza fouled off a pitch from Clemens that broke his bat. The shard flew toward the pitcher's mound, where Clemens picked it up and hurled it in Piazza's direction as he was running to first. Both benches cleared, but things were settled down before any fights could break out.
So, Clemens may have not been the most pleasant guy in the league and he may have exhibited diva-ish behavior with his constant retirements and un-retirements, but there is little doubt that no other pitcher was dominant for longer or with more consistentcy than Roger Clemens.
Teams:
Boston Red Sox (1984-1996)
Toronto Blue Jays (1997-1998)
New York Yankees (1999-2003)
Houston Astros (2004-2006)
New York Yankees (2007)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 354-184
W-L %: .658
ERA: 3.12
Strikeouts: 4,672
BB: 1,580
CG: 118
SHO: 46
IP: 4,916.2
WHIP: 1.173
William Roger Clemens was born in Dayton, Ohio. His parents divorced when he was still an infant, and his mother ended up marrying a man named Woody Booher, whom Clemens always considered to be his father. Booher died when Roger was nine years old. He lived in Vandalia, Ohio until 1977 and then spent most of his years in high school in Houston, Texas. He attended Dulles High School where starred in basketball and football. The Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins scouted him, but he opted to go to college instead. He began pitching for San Jacinto College North in 1981, where he went 9-2. The New York Mets drafted him in the 12th round of the 1981 Major League Baseball Draft, but he did not sign with them. Instead, he transferred to the University of Texas, putting up a 25-7 record and helped the Longhorns win the 1983 College World Series.
Clemens was drafted 19th overall by the Boston Red Sox in 1983 and rose through the minor league system quickly. He made his major league debut on May 15, 1984. In his rookie season, he went an impressive 9-4 with a 4.32 ERA, and 126 strikeouts. He remained steady in '85 with a 7-5 record, a 3.29 ERA, but only 74 strikeouts. He had a breakout season in 1986, going 24-4 with a 2.48 ERA and 239 strikeouts. On April 29, he struck out 20 Seattle Mariners in nine innings, which remains a record (though it has been tied by Kerry Wood and Randy Johnson). His performance helped guide the Red Sox to the World Series, though they lost 4-3 to the New York Mets. He also won his first of a record seven Cy Young Awards, as well as the American League MVP. Clemens attributes his success beginning with this season to the short period of time Tom Seaver spent with the Sox in 1986.
He continued his dominance in '87, going 20-9 with a 2.97 ERA and 256 strikeouts, as well as winning his second Cy Young. He remained consistent through the rest of his career with Boston, going 132-89 with a 3.13 ERA and 1,896 strikeouts. He won his third Cy Young in 1991. On September 18, 1996, Clemens again struck out 20 batters in a game, this time against the Detroit Tigers. It was his third-to-last game as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
Following the 1996 season, the Sox opted to not resign Clemens, with the general manager Dan Duquette remarking that Roger was in the twilight of his career (at the ripe old age of 33). He then signed a four-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. His numbers were amazing during his two seasons with the Blue Jays, posting a 21-7 record in 1997 with a 2.05 ERA and 292 strikeouts, and a 20-6 record with a 2.65 ERA and 271 strikeouts in '98. He won his fourth and fifth Cy Young Awards with the Jays, as well as earning the pitcher's Triple Crown each season.
Clemens was traded to the New York Yankees before the 1999 season, and his contribution was evident immediately. In '99, he posted a 14-10 record with a 4.60 ERA, and 163 strikeouts. He helped lead the Yanks to World Series victories in '99 and '00. During his time with the Yankees, he posted a 83-42 record with a 4.01 ERA, and 1,014 strikeouts. In 2001, he won his sixth Cy Young Award. After the 2003 season, at the age of 41, he announced his retirement.
On January 12, 2004, Clemens decided to un-retire and signed a one-year deal with his hometown Houston Astros. He had a stellar first season with the Astros, racking up a 18-4 record with a 2.98 ERA and 218 strikeouts, winning his seventh and final Cy Young. His 2005 season was arguably even better, though his record did not show it. His record was 13-8, but he posted the lowest ERA of his career, 1.87. Unfortunately, he ranked near 30th in the league in run support. He helped guide the Astros to the World Series in 2005, but performed poorly, though it was later discovered that he had been suffering from a hamstring injury since September. The Astros ended up being swept in the Fall Classic by the Chicago White Sox. After the 2005 season, he again retired (albeit unofficially), but was again added to the Astros lineup halfway through the 2006 season. Again, his numbers didn't give an accurate portrayal of his performance. He finished up the season with a 7-6 record, a 2.30 ERA, and 102 strikeouts in 19 games played. The following season, Clemens signed a one-year deal to return to the New York Yankees, but his performance was lackluster, posting a 6-6 record with a 4.18 ERA, and 68 strikeouts. His final appearance was September 16, 2007.
Like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens has fallen under considerably scrutiny in recent years in dealing with alleged steroid usage. However, like Bonds, I don't feel that the matter of whether or not he using PED's should have an effect on his legacy. What benefits could steroids have given Roger Clemens? I feel that muscular endurance would've been the only benefit. Clemens was already a flamethrower when he was in his early twenties. It's not as though he suddenly began throwing 100-mph fastballs after spending most of his career only throwing 94. And what of longevity? True, steroids may have aided him in staying properous in the league for so long, but what about Nolan Ryan? He retired at the age of 45, still topping 100-mph with his pitches. It seems fairly safe to say that Nolan Ryan wasn't using steroids.
In Jose Canseco's book Juiced, he stated that he believed that Clemens was using PED's due to the improvements in his game after he left Boston. But let's compare those numbers. His record was 192-111 during thirteen seasons in Boston, which gave him a .634 winning percentage. His ERA was 3.06 and his strikeout total of 2,590 strikeouts. This gave him an average of 199.23 strikeouts per year. After leaving the Sox (during his time with the Blue Jays, Yankees, and Astros), his record was 162-73, giving him a .689 winning percentage during those eleven seasons. He had an ERA of 2.91 during that time with 2,082 strikeouts. This gave him an average of 189.27 strikeouts per year. Granted, the winning percentage is fairly considerable, but it also has to be noted that the Red Sox record during his years with them was 1062-978, which gave them a .521 winning percentage. They barely won half their games when he pitched for them. But during the years he spent with the Blue Jays, the Yankees, and the Astros, those teams went a combined 1,005-773, giving those teams a .565 winning percentage, which would explain Clemens's own improvement.
So, his winning percentage increased after he joined teams that were contenders, his ERA decreased slightly from just over three runs per game to slightly under three runs per game. He actually averaged 9.96 fewer strikeouts per season during his years with those teams. This is not to mention the fact that steroids could not have given him the control that he exhibited during his career.
Clemens also had a reputation as being a jerk (again, like Bonds), once complaining about having to carry his own luggage through an airport. He was also known as a headhunter when pitching, though he leveled off a bit during his career. One of the most well-known incidents occured in 2000 when Clemens and the Yankees were facing Mike Piazza and the Mets. Piazza was batting when Clemens drilled him in the head with a fastball, causing a concussion. The two teams met again during the World Series that year. During Game 2, Piazza fouled off a pitch from Clemens that broke his bat. The shard flew toward the pitcher's mound, where Clemens picked it up and hurled it in Piazza's direction as he was running to first. Both benches cleared, but things were settled down before any fights could break out.
So, Clemens may have not been the most pleasant guy in the league and he may have exhibited diva-ish behavior with his constant retirements and un-retirements, but there is little doubt that no other pitcher was dominant for longer or with more consistentcy than Roger Clemens.
#2 - Sandy Koufax (1935- )
"The Man with the Golden Arm"
Teams:
Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1955-1966)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 165-87
W-L %: 0.654
ERA: 2.76
Strikeouts: 2,396
BB: 817
CG: 137
SHO: 40
IP: 2,324.1
WHIP: 1.106
Sanford Braun was born in Brooklyn, New York to a Jewish family and raised in Borough Park. His parents divorced when he was three, and his mother remarried a man named Irving Koufax when he was nine. He attended Brooklyn's Lafayette High School where he excelled in basketball more than baseball. He attended the University of Cincinnati and walked on to the freshman basketball team. In spring 1954, he made the baseball varsity team. That year he went 3-1 with 51 strikeouts and 30 walks. Koufax tried out for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. During his Pirates try-out, he broke the thumb of the team's bullpen coach, Branch Rickey. Rickey went on to say that Koufax had the best arm of anyone he had ever seen. Dodgers scout Al Campanis heard about Koufax from the owner of a sporting goods store, and later went out to see him pitch. Campanis then invited him to Ebbets Field for a try-out, and later said, "There are two times in my life the hair on my arms has stood up. The first time I saw the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the first time I saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball." Soon after, the Dodgers signed him to a contract.
Koufax made his major league debut (as a reliever) on June 24, 1955 against the Milwaukee Braves, though it was a forgettable outing. He finally made his first start on July 6, but lasted only 4 2/3 innings and gave up eight walks. He didn't make another start until August 27, when he threw a two-hit complete game shut-out against the Cincinnati Reds. His only other win that season was also a shut-out, though his total numbers for the year were subpar (28 walks to 30 strikeouts). The Dodgers won the World Series that year, but Koufax did not pitch.
Koufax's 1956 season wasn't much of an improvement and he was still exhibiting control problems. He only pitched 58.7 innings with a 4.91 ERA walking 29 and striking out 30. In anticipation of the 1957 season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball. In his first start, against the Chicago Cubs, he struck out 13 and pitched a complete game. He won three of his next five starts with a 2.90 ERA, but didn't get another start for 45 days. In his next start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but ended up with a no-decision.
Over the next three seasons, Koufax was hobbled with injuries. In 1958, he came out to a 7-3 start, but ended up injuring his ankle and finished the season 11-11, while leading the National League in wild pitches. In June 1959, Koufax struck out 16 batters in one game, which was a record for a night game. On August 31, he struck out 18 batters. His Dodgers made it to the World Series against the Chicago White Sox that year, but they ended up losing. After the season, Koufax requested to be traded because he wasn't getting enough playing time. By the end of 1960, after going 8-13, Koufax considered quitting to devote himself to an electronics company he'd invested in. After the end of the '60 season, Koufax threw his gloves and cleats in the trash, though they were retrieved by the clubhouse supervisor.
Koufax entered the 1961 season determined to give it a try for one more year. He showed up in better shape than he had been in years, deciding to find out just how good he could be. He was also convinced to make some changes to his windup and delivery, which bore immediate dividends. Nineteen sixty-one was his breakout season, going 18-13 with 269 strikeouts and a 3.52 ERA. On June 30, 1962 against the New York Mets, Koufax threw his first no-hitter. He continued with a strong season, despite injuring his pitching hand. After being hit with a pitch, his left index finger had turned cold, numb, and white. He was performing well, though, so he ignored the problem. But by July, his entire hand was becoming numb and he soon had to seek treatment as it was beginning to affect his performance. He visited a vascular specialist who suspected that Koufax had a crushed artery in his hand. Ten days of experimental medicine successfully reopened the artery. He finished the season 14-7 with a 2.54 ERA and 216 strikeouts, but his Dodgers lost in the pennant race to the San Francisco Giants that season.
On May 11, 1963, Koufax took a perfect game into the eighth inning against the Giants, and still ended up with a no-hitter. He ended up winning the pitcher's Triple Crown that season with a 25-5 record, a 1.88 ERA, and 306 strikeouts. He pitched eleven shutouts, won the NL MVP Award, and the Cy Young Award. While not to diminish from his amazing achievements, the fact that the strike zone was expanded before the '63 season helped contribute partly to his success. The Dodgers took on the New York Yankees in the World Series that season. In Game 1, Koufax faced Whitey Ford, striking out 15 batters. After the game, Yankees catcher Yogi Berra said (in one his few quotes that actually made sense), "I can see how he won 25 games. What I don't understand is how he lost five." Koufax completed the sweep of the Dodgers in Game 4 with another win over Ford. Koufax was named series MVP.
On April 22, 1964, Koufax said he felt something "let go" inside his arm. He missed three starts and ended up getting three cortisone shots in his elbow. On June 4, Koufax, pitching against the Phillies, threw his third no-hitter in three years. It would have been a complete game, except for the fact that Koufax walked Richie Allen in the fourth inning. In August, while diving back into second base against a pickoff attempt, Koufax jammed his pitching arm. He was able to pitch two more games, but after the last (a 13-K shutout), he was not able to straighten his arm. The team's physician diagnosed him with traumatic arthritis. He ended the season 19-5 with a 1.74 ERA and 223 strikeouts.
On March 31, 1965, after pitching a complete spring training game, Koufax awoke to find his arm had turned completely black and blue. He visited again with the team's doctor who told him that he would be lucky to pitch once a week, and may eventually lose the use of his arm. He cautioned Koufax against pitching in-between starts, a resolution which he was not able to keep for very long. He began taking Empirin with codeine before (and sometimes during) games and took other medications for inflammation. On September 9, Koufax pitched his first (and only) perfect game, against the Chicago Cubs. What is interesting to note about this game is that Cubs pitcher, Bob Hendley pitched a one-hitter and only allowed two runners to reach base. Both pitchers had no-hitters going into the seventh inning.
In spite of the constant pain he was in, Koufax won another pitcher's Triple Crown, going 26-8 with a 2.04 ERA and 382 strikeouts (a record, until broken by Nolan Ryan's 383 in 1973). The Dodgers made it to the World Series once again, with Koufax famously declining to pitch Game 1 because of his observance of Yom Kippur. However, his team won the title again, with Koufax being named World Series MVP for the second time.
In April 1966, the team's physician told Koufax he needed to retire because his arm wouldn't be able to hold out for another season. Koufax kept the advice to himself and still pitched every fourth day. He pitched 323 innings and had a 27-9 record, a 1.73 ERA, and 317 strikeouts. His Dodgers beat the Phillies on the last day of the regular season to win the pennant, though they were later swept in the World Series by the Baltimore Orioles. Shortly after, Koufax announced his retirement due to the arthritis in his arm. He had played only twelve seasons.
In 1967, Koufax signed a ten-year contract to be a broadcaster on the Saturday Game of the Week on NBC. He gave up the position after six years. In 1972, his first year of eligibility, he was elected to the Hall of Fame. The Dodgers hired Koufax as a minor league pitching coach in 1979, a position he held until 1990. He broke ties with the Dodgers after The New York Post (which, like the Dodgers, was part of Rupert Murdoch's business empire) ran a piece in 2003 inferring that Koufax was gay. When the Dodgers were sold to Frank McCourt in 2004, he returned to the organization. On May 27, 2010 Koufax was included among a group of prominent Jewish Americans at a White House reception to honor Jewish American Heritage. Koufax got the largest ovation of anyone attending. Currently, he serves as a member of the advisory board of the Baseball Assistance Team, an organization dedicated to helping former baseball players who have fallen on hard times financially or medically.
Teams:
Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers (1955-1966)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 165-87
W-L %: 0.654
ERA: 2.76
Strikeouts: 2,396
BB: 817
CG: 137
SHO: 40
IP: 2,324.1
WHIP: 1.106
Sanford Braun was born in Brooklyn, New York to a Jewish family and raised in Borough Park. His parents divorced when he was three, and his mother remarried a man named Irving Koufax when he was nine. He attended Brooklyn's Lafayette High School where he excelled in basketball more than baseball. He attended the University of Cincinnati and walked on to the freshman basketball team. In spring 1954, he made the baseball varsity team. That year he went 3-1 with 51 strikeouts and 30 walks. Koufax tried out for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. During his Pirates try-out, he broke the thumb of the team's bullpen coach, Branch Rickey. Rickey went on to say that Koufax had the best arm of anyone he had ever seen. Dodgers scout Al Campanis heard about Koufax from the owner of a sporting goods store, and later went out to see him pitch. Campanis then invited him to Ebbets Field for a try-out, and later said, "There are two times in my life the hair on my arms has stood up. The first time I saw the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the first time I saw Sandy Koufax throw a fastball." Soon after, the Dodgers signed him to a contract.
Koufax made his major league debut (as a reliever) on June 24, 1955 against the Milwaukee Braves, though it was a forgettable outing. He finally made his first start on July 6, but lasted only 4 2/3 innings and gave up eight walks. He didn't make another start until August 27, when he threw a two-hit complete game shut-out against the Cincinnati Reds. His only other win that season was also a shut-out, though his total numbers for the year were subpar (28 walks to 30 strikeouts). The Dodgers won the World Series that year, but Koufax did not pitch.
Koufax's 1956 season wasn't much of an improvement and he was still exhibiting control problems. He only pitched 58.7 innings with a 4.91 ERA walking 29 and striking out 30. In anticipation of the 1957 season, the Dodgers sent Koufax to Puerto Rico to play winter ball. In his first start, against the Chicago Cubs, he struck out 13 and pitched a complete game. He won three of his next five starts with a 2.90 ERA, but didn't get another start for 45 days. In his next start, he struck out 11 in seven innings, but ended up with a no-decision.
Over the next three seasons, Koufax was hobbled with injuries. In 1958, he came out to a 7-3 start, but ended up injuring his ankle and finished the season 11-11, while leading the National League in wild pitches. In June 1959, Koufax struck out 16 batters in one game, which was a record for a night game. On August 31, he struck out 18 batters. His Dodgers made it to the World Series against the Chicago White Sox that year, but they ended up losing. After the season, Koufax requested to be traded because he wasn't getting enough playing time. By the end of 1960, after going 8-13, Koufax considered quitting to devote himself to an electronics company he'd invested in. After the end of the '60 season, Koufax threw his gloves and cleats in the trash, though they were retrieved by the clubhouse supervisor.
Koufax entered the 1961 season determined to give it a try for one more year. He showed up in better shape than he had been in years, deciding to find out just how good he could be. He was also convinced to make some changes to his windup and delivery, which bore immediate dividends. Nineteen sixty-one was his breakout season, going 18-13 with 269 strikeouts and a 3.52 ERA. On June 30, 1962 against the New York Mets, Koufax threw his first no-hitter. He continued with a strong season, despite injuring his pitching hand. After being hit with a pitch, his left index finger had turned cold, numb, and white. He was performing well, though, so he ignored the problem. But by July, his entire hand was becoming numb and he soon had to seek treatment as it was beginning to affect his performance. He visited a vascular specialist who suspected that Koufax had a crushed artery in his hand. Ten days of experimental medicine successfully reopened the artery. He finished the season 14-7 with a 2.54 ERA and 216 strikeouts, but his Dodgers lost in the pennant race to the San Francisco Giants that season.
On May 11, 1963, Koufax took a perfect game into the eighth inning against the Giants, and still ended up with a no-hitter. He ended up winning the pitcher's Triple Crown that season with a 25-5 record, a 1.88 ERA, and 306 strikeouts. He pitched eleven shutouts, won the NL MVP Award, and the Cy Young Award. While not to diminish from his amazing achievements, the fact that the strike zone was expanded before the '63 season helped contribute partly to his success. The Dodgers took on the New York Yankees in the World Series that season. In Game 1, Koufax faced Whitey Ford, striking out 15 batters. After the game, Yankees catcher Yogi Berra said (in one his few quotes that actually made sense), "I can see how he won 25 games. What I don't understand is how he lost five." Koufax completed the sweep of the Dodgers in Game 4 with another win over Ford. Koufax was named series MVP.
On April 22, 1964, Koufax said he felt something "let go" inside his arm. He missed three starts and ended up getting three cortisone shots in his elbow. On June 4, Koufax, pitching against the Phillies, threw his third no-hitter in three years. It would have been a complete game, except for the fact that Koufax walked Richie Allen in the fourth inning. In August, while diving back into second base against a pickoff attempt, Koufax jammed his pitching arm. He was able to pitch two more games, but after the last (a 13-K shutout), he was not able to straighten his arm. The team's physician diagnosed him with traumatic arthritis. He ended the season 19-5 with a 1.74 ERA and 223 strikeouts.
On March 31, 1965, after pitching a complete spring training game, Koufax awoke to find his arm had turned completely black and blue. He visited again with the team's doctor who told him that he would be lucky to pitch once a week, and may eventually lose the use of his arm. He cautioned Koufax against pitching in-between starts, a resolution which he was not able to keep for very long. He began taking Empirin with codeine before (and sometimes during) games and took other medications for inflammation. On September 9, Koufax pitched his first (and only) perfect game, against the Chicago Cubs. What is interesting to note about this game is that Cubs pitcher, Bob Hendley pitched a one-hitter and only allowed two runners to reach base. Both pitchers had no-hitters going into the seventh inning.
In spite of the constant pain he was in, Koufax won another pitcher's Triple Crown, going 26-8 with a 2.04 ERA and 382 strikeouts (a record, until broken by Nolan Ryan's 383 in 1973). The Dodgers made it to the World Series once again, with Koufax famously declining to pitch Game 1 because of his observance of Yom Kippur. However, his team won the title again, with Koufax being named World Series MVP for the second time.
In April 1966, the team's physician told Koufax he needed to retire because his arm wouldn't be able to hold out for another season. Koufax kept the advice to himself and still pitched every fourth day. He pitched 323 innings and had a 27-9 record, a 1.73 ERA, and 317 strikeouts. His Dodgers beat the Phillies on the last day of the regular season to win the pennant, though they were later swept in the World Series by the Baltimore Orioles. Shortly after, Koufax announced his retirement due to the arthritis in his arm. He had played only twelve seasons.
In 1967, Koufax signed a ten-year contract to be a broadcaster on the Saturday Game of the Week on NBC. He gave up the position after six years. In 1972, his first year of eligibility, he was elected to the Hall of Fame. The Dodgers hired Koufax as a minor league pitching coach in 1979, a position he held until 1990. He broke ties with the Dodgers after The New York Post (which, like the Dodgers, was part of Rupert Murdoch's business empire) ran a piece in 2003 inferring that Koufax was gay. When the Dodgers were sold to Frank McCourt in 2004, he returned to the organization. On May 27, 2010 Koufax was included among a group of prominent Jewish Americans at a White House reception to honor Jewish American Heritage. Koufax got the largest ovation of anyone attending. Currently, he serves as a member of the advisory board of the Baseball Assistance Team, an organization dedicated to helping former baseball players who have fallen on hard times financially or medically.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
#3 - Greg Maddux (1966- )
"Mad Dog" "The Professor"
Teams:
Chicago Cubs (1986-1992)
Atlanta Braves (1993-2003)
Chicago Cubs (2004-2006)
Los Angeles Dodgers (2006)
San Diego Padres (2007-2008)
Los Angeles Dodgers (2008)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 355-227
W-L %: .609
ERA: 3.16
Strikeouts: 3,371
BB: 999
CG: 109
SHO: 35
IP: 5,008.1
WHIP: 1.143
Gregory Alan Maddux was born in San Angelo, Texas, but ended up spending much of his childhood in Madrid, Spain where the Air Force had stationed his father. Upon returning to the U.S. (Las Vegas), Greg and his brother, Mike trained under Rusty Medar, a former major league scout. He preached control and placement over velocity and power. Even though Maddux had a successful high school career, he did not receive any athletic scholarship offers. So he instead declared himself eligible for the Major League Draft in 1984, and was picked up by the Chicago Cubs.
Maddux made his major league debut in September 1986. He was put in as a pinch runner in the 17th inning of a game against the Houston Astros, and came in to pitch in the 18th. He gave up a home run to Billy Hatcher and took the loss. His next outing was a complete game victory. He finished his short first season with a 2-4 record, a 5.52 ERA, and 20 strikeouts. He struggled the next season as well, finishing with a 6-14 record and a 5.61 ERA. Nineteen eighty-eight was his season to break out, with a 18-8 record and a 3.18 ERA. This would be the first of 17 straight seasons in which Maddux would win at least 15 games. In 1989, he had a record of 19-12, a 2.95 ERA, and 135 strikeouts. He remained somewhat unsteady during 1990 and 1991, going 15-15 and 15-11, respectively. However, in '92, Maddux had a stellar season, going 20-11, with a 2.18 ERA, and 199 strikeouts, and won his first NL Cy Young Award.
Maddux entered into free agency after the '92 season, and after negotiations turned contentious with the Cubs, he signed with the Atlanta Braves. In his first game in a Braves uniform, he defeated his former team 1-0. He led the NL in ERA (2.36) and posted a 20-10 record. He won his second Cy Young and helped Atlanta (along with pitchers John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, and Steve Avery) to the NLCS, but ultimately lost to the Phillies. In the strike-shortened 1994 season, Maddux had an ERA of 1.56, the second lowest since Bob Gibson's record 1.12 in 1968, when the pitcher's mound was lowered. He also led the National League in wins (16), and innings pitched (202). He would go on to win his third Cy Young.
Maddux had an amazing season in 1995, with a 19-2 record with a 1.63 ERA. On May 28, he lost a no-hitter in the eighth inning. Through June and July, he pitched 51 consecutive innings without giving up a walk. He helped lead the Braves to the World Series, where they eventually beat the Cleveland Indians 4-2. He would win his fourth Cy Young for the '95 season.
On July 22, 1997, Maddux pitched a complete game against the Cubs with just 76 pitches. Three weeks prior, he had thrown a complete game against the New York Yankees on 84 pitches, and five days before that, he'd defeated the Phillies on 90 pitches. He allowed just 20 walks in 1997, six of which were intentional. Barring those intentional walks, Maddux only went to a 3-0 count one time the entire season. He went into a minor slump towards the end of '97 (his ERA had been 1.65 throughout much of the season), but he still managed a 2.22 ERA, which was the lowest in the NL. Only an amazing season by Pedro Martinez prevented him from winning another Cy Young Award.
In 1998, Maddux struck out 200+ batters for the first and only time in his career. He finished 18-9 with a 2.22 ERA. In September 2000, he pitched a streak of 40 1/3 scoreless innings.
Prior to the 2004 season, Maddux re-signed with the Cubs as a free agent. On August 7, he gathered his 300th win, against the San Francisco Giants. Maddux pitched poorly in 2005, posting his first losing record since 1987. His second stint with the Cubs last until 2006, when he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished the '06 season 15-14 with a 4.20 ERA and only 117 strikeouts.
On December 5, 2006, Maddux agreed to a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres. He was 14-11 with the Padres in '07, with a 4.14 ERA, and 104 strikeouts. On August 19, 2008, Maddux was traded back to the Dodgers. In December, he announced his retirement.
More than anything, Greg Maddux was known for his exceptional control, pitch movement, and placement. His fastball rarely exceeded 90 mph, and he was certainly not an imposing presence on the mound. He didn't strike out a lot of batters, but instead relied on placing pitches in such a way to induce ground balls. He was an incredibly intelligent pitcher who had the ability to outwit his opponent, and an exceptional memory about how certain batters hit. Few pitchers have ever made greater use of the outside corner of the plate than Maddux (though at times, it resulted in some questionable calls by the umpire). Hall of Famer Wade Boggs once said, "It seems like he's inside your mind with you. When he knows you're not going to swing, he throws a straight one. He sees into the future. It's like he has a crystal ball hidden inside his glove." Former Braves catcher (and now bullpen coach) Eddie Perez related a story about how Maddux once intentionally gave up a home run to Astros's slugger Jeff Bagwell because he knew that he would be facing Bagwell in the playoffs later on. He felt that Bagwell would expect the same pitch that he allowed him to hit out of the park and Maddux would refuse to throw it to him. Maddux was once asked what the most memorable at-bat of his pitching career was, and he said that it was striking out Dave Martinez to end a regular season game. The interviewer assumed Maddux would've mentioned one of his many playoff experiences, but Maddux said, "I remember that one because he got a hit off me in the same situation (full count, bases loaded, two out in the 9th inning) seven years earlier. I told myself if I ever got in the same situation, I'll pitch him differently. It took me seven years, but I got him."
Maddux never walked more than 82 batters in any season of his career. In 2001, he set a National League record by going 72 1/3 innings without walking a batter. His fielding was also exceptional, and he ended up with 18 Gold Gloves, which is a record for a pitcher.
Though he was often dismissive of his own reputation, it is clear there has never been a more clever pitcher to play the game of baseball.
Teams:
Chicago Cubs (1986-1992)
Atlanta Braves (1993-2003)
Chicago Cubs (2004-2006)
Los Angeles Dodgers (2006)
San Diego Padres (2007-2008)
Los Angeles Dodgers (2008)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 355-227
W-L %: .609
ERA: 3.16
Strikeouts: 3,371
BB: 999
CG: 109
SHO: 35
IP: 5,008.1
WHIP: 1.143
Gregory Alan Maddux was born in San Angelo, Texas, but ended up spending much of his childhood in Madrid, Spain where the Air Force had stationed his father. Upon returning to the U.S. (Las Vegas), Greg and his brother, Mike trained under Rusty Medar, a former major league scout. He preached control and placement over velocity and power. Even though Maddux had a successful high school career, he did not receive any athletic scholarship offers. So he instead declared himself eligible for the Major League Draft in 1984, and was picked up by the Chicago Cubs.
Maddux made his major league debut in September 1986. He was put in as a pinch runner in the 17th inning of a game against the Houston Astros, and came in to pitch in the 18th. He gave up a home run to Billy Hatcher and took the loss. His next outing was a complete game victory. He finished his short first season with a 2-4 record, a 5.52 ERA, and 20 strikeouts. He struggled the next season as well, finishing with a 6-14 record and a 5.61 ERA. Nineteen eighty-eight was his season to break out, with a 18-8 record and a 3.18 ERA. This would be the first of 17 straight seasons in which Maddux would win at least 15 games. In 1989, he had a record of 19-12, a 2.95 ERA, and 135 strikeouts. He remained somewhat unsteady during 1990 and 1991, going 15-15 and 15-11, respectively. However, in '92, Maddux had a stellar season, going 20-11, with a 2.18 ERA, and 199 strikeouts, and won his first NL Cy Young Award.
Maddux entered into free agency after the '92 season, and after negotiations turned contentious with the Cubs, he signed with the Atlanta Braves. In his first game in a Braves uniform, he defeated his former team 1-0. He led the NL in ERA (2.36) and posted a 20-10 record. He won his second Cy Young and helped Atlanta (along with pitchers John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, and Steve Avery) to the NLCS, but ultimately lost to the Phillies. In the strike-shortened 1994 season, Maddux had an ERA of 1.56, the second lowest since Bob Gibson's record 1.12 in 1968, when the pitcher's mound was lowered. He also led the National League in wins (16), and innings pitched (202). He would go on to win his third Cy Young.
Maddux had an amazing season in 1995, with a 19-2 record with a 1.63 ERA. On May 28, he lost a no-hitter in the eighth inning. Through June and July, he pitched 51 consecutive innings without giving up a walk. He helped lead the Braves to the World Series, where they eventually beat the Cleveland Indians 4-2. He would win his fourth Cy Young for the '95 season.
On July 22, 1997, Maddux pitched a complete game against the Cubs with just 76 pitches. Three weeks prior, he had thrown a complete game against the New York Yankees on 84 pitches, and five days before that, he'd defeated the Phillies on 90 pitches. He allowed just 20 walks in 1997, six of which were intentional. Barring those intentional walks, Maddux only went to a 3-0 count one time the entire season. He went into a minor slump towards the end of '97 (his ERA had been 1.65 throughout much of the season), but he still managed a 2.22 ERA, which was the lowest in the NL. Only an amazing season by Pedro Martinez prevented him from winning another Cy Young Award.
In 1998, Maddux struck out 200+ batters for the first and only time in his career. He finished 18-9 with a 2.22 ERA. In September 2000, he pitched a streak of 40 1/3 scoreless innings.
Prior to the 2004 season, Maddux re-signed with the Cubs as a free agent. On August 7, he gathered his 300th win, against the San Francisco Giants. Maddux pitched poorly in 2005, posting his first losing record since 1987. His second stint with the Cubs last until 2006, when he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished the '06 season 15-14 with a 4.20 ERA and only 117 strikeouts.
On December 5, 2006, Maddux agreed to a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres. He was 14-11 with the Padres in '07, with a 4.14 ERA, and 104 strikeouts. On August 19, 2008, Maddux was traded back to the Dodgers. In December, he announced his retirement.
More than anything, Greg Maddux was known for his exceptional control, pitch movement, and placement. His fastball rarely exceeded 90 mph, and he was certainly not an imposing presence on the mound. He didn't strike out a lot of batters, but instead relied on placing pitches in such a way to induce ground balls. He was an incredibly intelligent pitcher who had the ability to outwit his opponent, and an exceptional memory about how certain batters hit. Few pitchers have ever made greater use of the outside corner of the plate than Maddux (though at times, it resulted in some questionable calls by the umpire). Hall of Famer Wade Boggs once said, "It seems like he's inside your mind with you. When he knows you're not going to swing, he throws a straight one. He sees into the future. It's like he has a crystal ball hidden inside his glove." Former Braves catcher (and now bullpen coach) Eddie Perez related a story about how Maddux once intentionally gave up a home run to Astros's slugger Jeff Bagwell because he knew that he would be facing Bagwell in the playoffs later on. He felt that Bagwell would expect the same pitch that he allowed him to hit out of the park and Maddux would refuse to throw it to him. Maddux was once asked what the most memorable at-bat of his pitching career was, and he said that it was striking out Dave Martinez to end a regular season game. The interviewer assumed Maddux would've mentioned one of his many playoff experiences, but Maddux said, "I remember that one because he got a hit off me in the same situation (full count, bases loaded, two out in the 9th inning) seven years earlier. I told myself if I ever got in the same situation, I'll pitch him differently. It took me seven years, but I got him."
Maddux never walked more than 82 batters in any season of his career. In 2001, he set a National League record by going 72 1/3 innings without walking a batter. His fielding was also exceptional, and he ended up with 18 Gold Gloves, which is a record for a pitcher.
Though he was often dismissive of his own reputation, it is clear there has never been a more clever pitcher to play the game of baseball.
#4 - Randy Johnson (1963- )
"The Big Unit"
Teams:
Montreal Expos (1988-1989)
Seattle Mariners (1989-1998)
Houston Astros (1998)
Arizona Diamondbacks (1999-2004)
New York Yankees (2005-2006)
Arizona Diamondbacks (2007-2008)
San Francisco Giants (2009)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 303-166
W-L %: .650
ERA: 3.29
Strikeouts: 4,875
BB: 1,497
CG: 100
SHO: 37
IP: 4,135.1
WHIP: 1.171
Randall David Johnson was born in Walnut Creek, California and attended Livermore High School, where he starred in baseball and basketball. As a senior, he struck out 121 batters in 66 innings pitched, and threw a perfect game in his final high school start. He went on to play for the USC Trojan under legendary coach Rod Dedeaux, but he sometimes exhibited control issues.
His control problems followed him to the major leagues where was drafted by the Montreal Expos with the 65th pick overall in the second round of the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft. He only managed a 3-4 record during his time with the Expos, and was traded to the Seattle Mariners in the 1989 season. He proceeded to lead the American League in walks for three straight seasons (1990-1992), and in hit batsmen in '92 and '93. On two separate occasions in 1991 and 1992, he walked 10 batters during 4 innings of work.
However, he showed flashes of his untapped potential, pitching a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers, losing a no-hitter in the ninth inning of a game against the Oakland Athletics in 1991, and striking out Wade Boggs three times in a game. He often states that working with Nolan Ryan helped him with his control issues, as Ryan didn't want Johnson to take as long to figure certain things out as he did.
He had a breakout year in 1993, with a 19-8 record and a 3.24 ERA and 308 strikeouts. In May 1993, he once again lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning against the Oakland A's. In 1995, Johnson won the AL Cy Young Award, posting an 18-2 record, 2.48 ERA, and 294 strikeouts. His .900 winning percentage that season was the second highest in AL history. Johnson was confined to the dugout through much of the 1996 season due to a back injury, but rebounded quickly in '97 with a 20-4 record, 2.28 ERA, and 291 strikeouts. On both June 24 and August 8, Johnson struck out 19 batters in a single game. His statistics the following season were subpar (9-10 with a 4.33 ERA). On July 31, the Mariners traded Johnson to the Houston Astros.
Johnson's season picked up after arriving in Houston. For the rest of the season, he posted a 10-1 record, a 1.28 ERA, and 116 strikeouts. Though he helped the Astros reach the NLDS that season, they did not provide him with any run support in the two games he pitched in the series, and they ended up losing to the San Diego Padres. In 1999, Johnson signed a four-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, a second-year franchise. It immediately paid dividends, as he posted a 17-9 record, 2.48 ERA, and 364 strikeouts, won the NL Cy Young, and led his team to the NLDS (though they were defeated by the New York Mets). In 2000, Johnson finished with a 19-7 record, 347 strikeouts, and a 2.64 ERA, and won his third Cy Young.
On May 8, 2001, Johnson struck out 20 batters in a single game, though he has not been credited with tying the record due to the fact that the game went into extra innings. However, all of his strikeouts occurred in the first nine innings of the game. Randy Johnson and teammate Curt Schilling led the Diamondbacks to their first ever World Series in 2001, and ended up defeating the Yankees 4-3. Johnson and Schilling were awarded co-World Series MVP's, with Johnson winning the NL Cy Young.
In 2002, Johnson won the pitching Triple Crown, posting a 24-5 record with a 2.32 ERA, and 334 strikeouts, and won his fourth consecutive Cy Young. It was also his fourth consecutive season with 300 or more strikeouts. Johnson spent most of the 2003 season on the disabled list and was largely ineffective in the few starts he did manage. In 2004, Johnson had another dominating season, though his 16-14 record did not necessarily reflect it. He did manage a 2.60 ERA and 290 strikeouts, but his team was not able to offer him much run support. On May 18, 2004, he recorded his first perfect game (17th in history) in a 2-0 win over the Atlanta Braves.
On January 6, 2005, Johnson was traded to the New York Yankees. He struggled through the first half of his first season with the Yanks, but regained his composure and ended up with a 17-8 record, a 3.79 ERA, and 211 strikeouts. The 2006 season was more of the same, with Johnson faltering in the first half, but making a comeback towards the end of the season. His final tally for 2006 was 17-11, a 5.00 ERA, and 172 strikeouts. It was later revealed that Johnson had been suffering with a herniated disc in his back.
On January 5, 2007, at Johnson's request, the Yankees traded him back to the Diamondbacks so that he could be nearer his family (his brother had just died). Since he was rehabbing his back, Johnson did not make his first start until April 24, 2007. His first start was shaky, but he gradually regained his form before reinjuring his back on July 3. He then had season-ending surgery to remove the offending disc. He had a subpar season in 2008 with a 11-10 and an ERA of 3.91.
On December 26, 2008, Johnson was traded to the San Francisco Giants. On June 4, 2009, Johnson won his 300th ballgame. However, his injury woes continued as he was placed on the disabled list July 28, 2009 because of a torn rotator cuff. He finished the season with an 8-6 record, a 4.88 ERA, and 86 strikeouts. On January 5, 2010, Johnson announced his retirement. He and his wife and children live in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Teams:
Montreal Expos (1988-1989)
Seattle Mariners (1989-1998)
Houston Astros (1998)
Arizona Diamondbacks (1999-2004)
New York Yankees (2005-2006)
Arizona Diamondbacks (2007-2008)
San Francisco Giants (2009)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 303-166
W-L %: .650
ERA: 3.29
Strikeouts: 4,875
BB: 1,497
CG: 100
SHO: 37
IP: 4,135.1
WHIP: 1.171
Randall David Johnson was born in Walnut Creek, California and attended Livermore High School, where he starred in baseball and basketball. As a senior, he struck out 121 batters in 66 innings pitched, and threw a perfect game in his final high school start. He went on to play for the USC Trojan under legendary coach Rod Dedeaux, but he sometimes exhibited control issues.
His control problems followed him to the major leagues where was drafted by the Montreal Expos with the 65th pick overall in the second round of the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft. He only managed a 3-4 record during his time with the Expos, and was traded to the Seattle Mariners in the 1989 season. He proceeded to lead the American League in walks for three straight seasons (1990-1992), and in hit batsmen in '92 and '93. On two separate occasions in 1991 and 1992, he walked 10 batters during 4 innings of work.
However, he showed flashes of his untapped potential, pitching a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers, losing a no-hitter in the ninth inning of a game against the Oakland Athletics in 1991, and striking out Wade Boggs three times in a game. He often states that working with Nolan Ryan helped him with his control issues, as Ryan didn't want Johnson to take as long to figure certain things out as he did.
He had a breakout year in 1993, with a 19-8 record and a 3.24 ERA and 308 strikeouts. In May 1993, he once again lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning against the Oakland A's. In 1995, Johnson won the AL Cy Young Award, posting an 18-2 record, 2.48 ERA, and 294 strikeouts. His .900 winning percentage that season was the second highest in AL history. Johnson was confined to the dugout through much of the 1996 season due to a back injury, but rebounded quickly in '97 with a 20-4 record, 2.28 ERA, and 291 strikeouts. On both June 24 and August 8, Johnson struck out 19 batters in a single game. His statistics the following season were subpar (9-10 with a 4.33 ERA). On July 31, the Mariners traded Johnson to the Houston Astros.
Johnson's season picked up after arriving in Houston. For the rest of the season, he posted a 10-1 record, a 1.28 ERA, and 116 strikeouts. Though he helped the Astros reach the NLDS that season, they did not provide him with any run support in the two games he pitched in the series, and they ended up losing to the San Diego Padres. In 1999, Johnson signed a four-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, a second-year franchise. It immediately paid dividends, as he posted a 17-9 record, 2.48 ERA, and 364 strikeouts, won the NL Cy Young, and led his team to the NLDS (though they were defeated by the New York Mets). In 2000, Johnson finished with a 19-7 record, 347 strikeouts, and a 2.64 ERA, and won his third Cy Young.
On May 8, 2001, Johnson struck out 20 batters in a single game, though he has not been credited with tying the record due to the fact that the game went into extra innings. However, all of his strikeouts occurred in the first nine innings of the game. Randy Johnson and teammate Curt Schilling led the Diamondbacks to their first ever World Series in 2001, and ended up defeating the Yankees 4-3. Johnson and Schilling were awarded co-World Series MVP's, with Johnson winning the NL Cy Young.
In 2002, Johnson won the pitching Triple Crown, posting a 24-5 record with a 2.32 ERA, and 334 strikeouts, and won his fourth consecutive Cy Young. It was also his fourth consecutive season with 300 or more strikeouts. Johnson spent most of the 2003 season on the disabled list and was largely ineffective in the few starts he did manage. In 2004, Johnson had another dominating season, though his 16-14 record did not necessarily reflect it. He did manage a 2.60 ERA and 290 strikeouts, but his team was not able to offer him much run support. On May 18, 2004, he recorded his first perfect game (17th in history) in a 2-0 win over the Atlanta Braves.
On January 6, 2005, Johnson was traded to the New York Yankees. He struggled through the first half of his first season with the Yanks, but regained his composure and ended up with a 17-8 record, a 3.79 ERA, and 211 strikeouts. The 2006 season was more of the same, with Johnson faltering in the first half, but making a comeback towards the end of the season. His final tally for 2006 was 17-11, a 5.00 ERA, and 172 strikeouts. It was later revealed that Johnson had been suffering with a herniated disc in his back.
On January 5, 2007, at Johnson's request, the Yankees traded him back to the Diamondbacks so that he could be nearer his family (his brother had just died). Since he was rehabbing his back, Johnson did not make his first start until April 24, 2007. His first start was shaky, but he gradually regained his form before reinjuring his back on July 3. He then had season-ending surgery to remove the offending disc. He had a subpar season in 2008 with a 11-10 and an ERA of 3.91.
On December 26, 2008, Johnson was traded to the San Francisco Giants. On June 4, 2009, Johnson won his 300th ballgame. However, his injury woes continued as he was placed on the disabled list July 28, 2009 because of a torn rotator cuff. He finished the season with an 8-6 record, a 4.88 ERA, and 86 strikeouts. On January 5, 2010, Johnson announced his retirement. He and his wife and children live in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
Monday, April 4, 2011
#5 - Tom Seaver (1944- )
"Tom Terrific"
Teams:
New York Mets (1967-1977)
Cincinnati Reds (1977-1982)
New York Mets (1983)
Chicago White Sox (1984-1986)
Boston Red Sox (1986)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 311-205
W-L %: .603
ERA: 2.86
Strikeouts: 3,640
BB: 1,390
CG: 231
SHO: 61
IP: 4,783
WHIP: 1.121
George Thomas Seaver was born in Fresno, California and later pitched for Fresno High School. In 1962, he joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve and served through July 1963. After six months of active duty, he enrolled at Fresno City College. He was heavily recruited by Rod Dedeaux from the University of Southern California, but they were still unsure of whether he was deserving of a scholarship. So he was sent to play for the Alaskan Goldpanners in Fairbanks, Alaska for a season. After pitching in and winning the national tournament with a grand slam, he was awarded a scholarship to USC. As a sophomore, he put up a 10-2 record and was drafted in the tenth round of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, when he requested $70,000, the Dodgers decided to pass him up. In 1966, he signed a contract with the Braves, but Commissioner of Baseball, William Eckert voided the contract due to the fact that Seaver's college team had played two exhibition games (neither of which Seaver took part in). Seaver then decided to go back to USC and finish out his season there, but he was denied because he had signed a pro contract, as per NCAA rules. When his father complained to Eckert and threatened him with a lawsuit, Eckert allowed other teams to pursue Seaver if they matched the Braves offer. The New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cleveland Indians came calling, and Seaver finally signed with the Mets.
He spent his first season with the Jacksonville Suns of the International League, and then joined the Mets in 1967. He won 16 games for them in his first season, with 18 complete games, 170 strikeouts, and a 2.76 ERA. He was named National League Rookie of the Year. In '68, he again won 16 games and struck out over 200 batters for the first of nine consecutive seasons. However, the Mets were still floundering in last place.
The Mets turned around in 1969, winning their first World Series. Seaver, for his part, won 25 games (a league high) and his first Cy Young Award. He also came in second place in MVP voting. On April 22, 1970, Seaver set a modern major league record by striking out the final ten batters of a game, and later struck out 19 batters in a single game, a record which stood until broken by Roger Clemens in 1986. Seaver seemed to be on his way to another Cy Young Award in 1970, with his record standing at 17-6. However, he only maanged to win one of his last ten games to finish 18-12.
In 1971, Seaver put up what he considered to be the finest season of his career. He led the league in ERA (1.76) and strikeouts (289), while putting up a 20-10 record. He only managed to place second in the Cy Young voting that year because the Cubs's Ferguson Jenkins had more wins and more innings pitched.
In his remaining years with the Mets, Seaver would put up three more twenty-win season (1972, 1975, and 1977 [which included a partial season with the Reds]), and took home the Cy Young in '73 and '74.
The free agency period began in 1977, and Seaver entered into negotiations to remain with the Mets. However, terms on his salary could not be agreed to and Seaver was sent to the Cincinnati Reds on June 15, 1977. M. Donald Grant, chairman of the board for the Mets, was often criticized for making this move, and was later fired after the 1978 season. Seaver finished the '77 season with 21 wins and went 14-3 for Cincinnati, which included a 5-1 win over his former team.
On June 16, 1978, facing the St. Louis Cardinals, Seaver finally threw a no-hitter, after throwing five one-hitters for the Mets (two of which were no-hitters that were spoiled in the 9th inning). It would be the only one of his career.
Seaver went 75-46 during his stay in Cincinnati including leading the Reds to a Western Divison crown in 1979, as well as helping them to the best record in baseball during the strike-shortened 1981 season. He only managed a 5-13 record in 1982, due to injuries.
On December 16, 1982, Seaver was traded back to the Mets, and though his record was only 9-14, he had high hopes for the follwing year. But to his and the Mets's shock, he was grabbed in a free agent compensation draft by the Chicago White Sox. He had not been protected because the Mets had assumed that no one would risk picking up a 39-year old pitcher with such a high salary. Though he had wanted to finish his career where it had started, Seaver grudgingly reported to the White Sox. Seaver pitched two and a half seasons with the White Sox, picking up his 300th win on August 4, 1985.
Seaver nearly returned to the Mets in 1986 for his final season, but Mets manager Davey Johnson nixed the idea. Seaver was instead traded to the Boston Red Sox. His 311th and final career win came on August 18 against the Minnesota Twins. He was offered a contract by the Red Sox at the end of the season, but with a much-reduced salary. He was granted free agency in November.
In 1987, the Mets pitching rotation was in trouble due to injuries and Seaver was brought in to pitch a few exhbition games (though no contract was ever signed). After being trounced in three of these starts, he officially announced his retirement, stating, "I've used up all the competitive pitches in my arm." To this day, he remains the only Mets player to have his number retired.
When he retired, he was third on the all-time strikeout list (now sixth) behind Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton. His per-game strikeout average (6.85) is second only behind Nolan Ryan of all-pitchers who have at least 300 career wins. He also holds the record for most consecutive seasons with at least 200 strikeouts (nine). No other pitcher has ever matched his feat of striking out ten straight batters in a game.
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 7, 1992. Since retirement, he has spent time working as a color commentator, working for the Mets, the Yankees, and with Vin Scully in 1989 for NBC. He then replaced Joe Garagiola as NBC's lead color commentator. He also worked part-time as a scout and a spring training pitching coach. He and his wife currently live in Calistoga, California wher he started his own vineyard and has presented a couple of cabernets at wine-tasting events.
Teams:
New York Mets (1967-1977)
Cincinnati Reds (1977-1982)
New York Mets (1983)
Chicago White Sox (1984-1986)
Boston Red Sox (1986)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 311-205
W-L %: .603
ERA: 2.86
Strikeouts: 3,640
BB: 1,390
CG: 231
SHO: 61
IP: 4,783
WHIP: 1.121
George Thomas Seaver was born in Fresno, California and later pitched for Fresno High School. In 1962, he joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve and served through July 1963. After six months of active duty, he enrolled at Fresno City College. He was heavily recruited by Rod Dedeaux from the University of Southern California, but they were still unsure of whether he was deserving of a scholarship. So he was sent to play for the Alaskan Goldpanners in Fairbanks, Alaska for a season. After pitching in and winning the national tournament with a grand slam, he was awarded a scholarship to USC. As a sophomore, he put up a 10-2 record and was drafted in the tenth round of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, when he requested $70,000, the Dodgers decided to pass him up. In 1966, he signed a contract with the Braves, but Commissioner of Baseball, William Eckert voided the contract due to the fact that Seaver's college team had played two exhibition games (neither of which Seaver took part in). Seaver then decided to go back to USC and finish out his season there, but he was denied because he had signed a pro contract, as per NCAA rules. When his father complained to Eckert and threatened him with a lawsuit, Eckert allowed other teams to pursue Seaver if they matched the Braves offer. The New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cleveland Indians came calling, and Seaver finally signed with the Mets.
He spent his first season with the Jacksonville Suns of the International League, and then joined the Mets in 1967. He won 16 games for them in his first season, with 18 complete games, 170 strikeouts, and a 2.76 ERA. He was named National League Rookie of the Year. In '68, he again won 16 games and struck out over 200 batters for the first of nine consecutive seasons. However, the Mets were still floundering in last place.
The Mets turned around in 1969, winning their first World Series. Seaver, for his part, won 25 games (a league high) and his first Cy Young Award. He also came in second place in MVP voting. On April 22, 1970, Seaver set a modern major league record by striking out the final ten batters of a game, and later struck out 19 batters in a single game, a record which stood until broken by Roger Clemens in 1986. Seaver seemed to be on his way to another Cy Young Award in 1970, with his record standing at 17-6. However, he only maanged to win one of his last ten games to finish 18-12.
In 1971, Seaver put up what he considered to be the finest season of his career. He led the league in ERA (1.76) and strikeouts (289), while putting up a 20-10 record. He only managed to place second in the Cy Young voting that year because the Cubs's Ferguson Jenkins had more wins and more innings pitched.
In his remaining years with the Mets, Seaver would put up three more twenty-win season (1972, 1975, and 1977 [which included a partial season with the Reds]), and took home the Cy Young in '73 and '74.
The free agency period began in 1977, and Seaver entered into negotiations to remain with the Mets. However, terms on his salary could not be agreed to and Seaver was sent to the Cincinnati Reds on June 15, 1977. M. Donald Grant, chairman of the board for the Mets, was often criticized for making this move, and was later fired after the 1978 season. Seaver finished the '77 season with 21 wins and went 14-3 for Cincinnati, which included a 5-1 win over his former team.
On June 16, 1978, facing the St. Louis Cardinals, Seaver finally threw a no-hitter, after throwing five one-hitters for the Mets (two of which were no-hitters that were spoiled in the 9th inning). It would be the only one of his career.
Seaver went 75-46 during his stay in Cincinnati including leading the Reds to a Western Divison crown in 1979, as well as helping them to the best record in baseball during the strike-shortened 1981 season. He only managed a 5-13 record in 1982, due to injuries.
On December 16, 1982, Seaver was traded back to the Mets, and though his record was only 9-14, he had high hopes for the follwing year. But to his and the Mets's shock, he was grabbed in a free agent compensation draft by the Chicago White Sox. He had not been protected because the Mets had assumed that no one would risk picking up a 39-year old pitcher with such a high salary. Though he had wanted to finish his career where it had started, Seaver grudgingly reported to the White Sox. Seaver pitched two and a half seasons with the White Sox, picking up his 300th win on August 4, 1985.
Seaver nearly returned to the Mets in 1986 for his final season, but Mets manager Davey Johnson nixed the idea. Seaver was instead traded to the Boston Red Sox. His 311th and final career win came on August 18 against the Minnesota Twins. He was offered a contract by the Red Sox at the end of the season, but with a much-reduced salary. He was granted free agency in November.
In 1987, the Mets pitching rotation was in trouble due to injuries and Seaver was brought in to pitch a few exhbition games (though no contract was ever signed). After being trounced in three of these starts, he officially announced his retirement, stating, "I've used up all the competitive pitches in my arm." To this day, he remains the only Mets player to have his number retired.
When he retired, he was third on the all-time strikeout list (now sixth) behind Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton. His per-game strikeout average (6.85) is second only behind Nolan Ryan of all-pitchers who have at least 300 career wins. He also holds the record for most consecutive seasons with at least 200 strikeouts (nine). No other pitcher has ever matched his feat of striking out ten straight batters in a game.
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 7, 1992. Since retirement, he has spent time working as a color commentator, working for the Mets, the Yankees, and with Vin Scully in 1989 for NBC. He then replaced Joe Garagiola as NBC's lead color commentator. He also worked part-time as a scout and a spring training pitching coach. He and his wife currently live in Calistoga, California wher he started his own vineyard and has presented a couple of cabernets at wine-tasting events.
Friday, April 1, 2011
#6 - Steve Carlton (1944- )
"Lefty"
Teams:
St. Louis Cardinals (1965-1971)
Philadelphia Phillies (1972-1986)
San Francisco Giants (1986)
Chicago White Sox (1986)
Cleveland Indians (1987)
Minnesota Twins (1987-1988)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 329-244
W-L % - .574
ERA: 3.22
Strikeouts: 4,136
BB: 1,833
CG: 254
SHO: 55
IP: 5,217.2
WHIP: 1.247
Steven Norman Carlton was born in Miami, Florida and participated in Little League and American Legion baseball as a child. He attended North Miami High School and then Miami-Dade Community College. In 1963, while still in college, he signed a contract with St. Louis Cardinals.
In 1965, at the age of 20, he debuted with the Cardinals and became a regular member of the rotation by 1967. He had great success in St. Louis, and led his team to the World Series in 1967 and '68 (winning in '67, but losing in '68). On September 15, 1969, he struck out 19 Mets batters in one game, which was a record (later broken by Roger Clemens). In '69, he finished with a 17-11 record, a 2.17 ERA, and 210 strikeouts. Carlton did not show up at spring training in 1970 due to a contract dispute, and ended up going 10-19 with a 3.73 ERA. He rebounded the next season with a 20-9 record and a 3.56 ERA.
Shortly before the 1972 season, Carlton was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies because of a salary dispute. In his first season in Philly he led the league in wins (27), complete games (30), strikeouts (310), and ERA (1.97). He accomplished all of this while playing for a team whose record ended up being 59-97. Ultimately, he won 46% of his team's games. He was chosen as the winner of the Cy Young Award that year.
Carlton struggled in 1973, posting a terrible 13-20 record. He rebounded somewhat the following two years, with a 16-13 record and a 15-14 record, respectively. He came back into his own in 1976 with a 20-7 record, a 3.13 ERA, and 195 strikeouts. He had another great year in '77 with a 23-10 record, and again won the Cy Young. He also earned the award in 1980 and 1982.
He continued to perform well with the Phillies and helped them climb back up to the top of the standings. From 1976-1978, they won the NL East, and in 1980, won the World Series, with Carlton personally winning the decisive Game 7. They returned to the World Series in '81, but ultimately lost to the Orioles 4-1. On September 23, 1983, Carlton won his 300th career game against his former team, the Cardinals.
Between 1982 and 1984, Carlton, Nolan Ryan, and Gaylord Perry engaged in a pitching duel to set the all-time record for strikeouts, which was held by Walter Johnson (3,508). Ryan was the first to surpass the record on April 22, 1983. But Ryan soon had a stint on the disabled list, allowing Carlton to catch up with and ultimately surpass Ryan on June 7. The lead would fluctuate back and forth for a couple of years before Calrton finally ran out of steam, allowing Ryan to take the lead for good. Gaylord Perry never played much of a role in the duel, but did end up surpassing Johnson's record by the end of his career, with 3,534 strikeouts.
Carlton signed with the San Francisco Giants in 1986, but ended up being very ineffective, posting a 1-3 record and a 5.10 ERA. He then announced his retirement. His retirement was extremely brief, though, and he ended up signing with the Chicago White Sox almost immediately. He performed well, ending the season with a 4-3 record and a 3.69 ERA. However, the White Sox did not offer him a contract for the next year.
In 1987, he signed with the Indians, but was very ineffective once again, posting a 5-9 record, with a 5.17 ERA. He was then traded to the Minnesota Twins, but still could not find success. For both the Indians and the Twins, he had a combined 6-14 record with a 5.74 ERA. The Twins actually won the World Series that season, but Carlton was not on the postseason roster. His 1988 season was incredibly brief (0-1 record and 16.76 ERA in four games) and the Twins quickly released him. He tried to generate interest in 1989, but found no takers, which prompted him to retire for good.
Some notable accomplishments in Carlton's career: he was a ten-time All-Star, he struck 4,136 batters setting a record for a left-handed pitcher (later surpassed by Randy Johnson), and 329 career wins (eleventh place on the career wins list). He was also very adept at picking off runners, with 144 pick-offs, which is 62 more than Jerry Koosman, who holds second place. While he never threw a no-hitter, he threw six one-hitters. In 1994, his first year of eligibility, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Teams:
St. Louis Cardinals (1965-1971)
Philadelphia Phillies (1972-1986)
San Francisco Giants (1986)
Chicago White Sox (1986)
Cleveland Indians (1987)
Minnesota Twins (1987-1988)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 329-244
W-L % - .574
ERA: 3.22
Strikeouts: 4,136
BB: 1,833
CG: 254
SHO: 55
IP: 5,217.2
WHIP: 1.247
Steven Norman Carlton was born in Miami, Florida and participated in Little League and American Legion baseball as a child. He attended North Miami High School and then Miami-Dade Community College. In 1963, while still in college, he signed a contract with St. Louis Cardinals.
In 1965, at the age of 20, he debuted with the Cardinals and became a regular member of the rotation by 1967. He had great success in St. Louis, and led his team to the World Series in 1967 and '68 (winning in '67, but losing in '68). On September 15, 1969, he struck out 19 Mets batters in one game, which was a record (later broken by Roger Clemens). In '69, he finished with a 17-11 record, a 2.17 ERA, and 210 strikeouts. Carlton did not show up at spring training in 1970 due to a contract dispute, and ended up going 10-19 with a 3.73 ERA. He rebounded the next season with a 20-9 record and a 3.56 ERA.
Shortly before the 1972 season, Carlton was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies because of a salary dispute. In his first season in Philly he led the league in wins (27), complete games (30), strikeouts (310), and ERA (1.97). He accomplished all of this while playing for a team whose record ended up being 59-97. Ultimately, he won 46% of his team's games. He was chosen as the winner of the Cy Young Award that year.
Carlton struggled in 1973, posting a terrible 13-20 record. He rebounded somewhat the following two years, with a 16-13 record and a 15-14 record, respectively. He came back into his own in 1976 with a 20-7 record, a 3.13 ERA, and 195 strikeouts. He had another great year in '77 with a 23-10 record, and again won the Cy Young. He also earned the award in 1980 and 1982.
He continued to perform well with the Phillies and helped them climb back up to the top of the standings. From 1976-1978, they won the NL East, and in 1980, won the World Series, with Carlton personally winning the decisive Game 7. They returned to the World Series in '81, but ultimately lost to the Orioles 4-1. On September 23, 1983, Carlton won his 300th career game against his former team, the Cardinals.
Between 1982 and 1984, Carlton, Nolan Ryan, and Gaylord Perry engaged in a pitching duel to set the all-time record for strikeouts, which was held by Walter Johnson (3,508). Ryan was the first to surpass the record on April 22, 1983. But Ryan soon had a stint on the disabled list, allowing Carlton to catch up with and ultimately surpass Ryan on June 7. The lead would fluctuate back and forth for a couple of years before Calrton finally ran out of steam, allowing Ryan to take the lead for good. Gaylord Perry never played much of a role in the duel, but did end up surpassing Johnson's record by the end of his career, with 3,534 strikeouts.
Carlton signed with the San Francisco Giants in 1986, but ended up being very ineffective, posting a 1-3 record and a 5.10 ERA. He then announced his retirement. His retirement was extremely brief, though, and he ended up signing with the Chicago White Sox almost immediately. He performed well, ending the season with a 4-3 record and a 3.69 ERA. However, the White Sox did not offer him a contract for the next year.
In 1987, he signed with the Indians, but was very ineffective once again, posting a 5-9 record, with a 5.17 ERA. He was then traded to the Minnesota Twins, but still could not find success. For both the Indians and the Twins, he had a combined 6-14 record with a 5.74 ERA. The Twins actually won the World Series that season, but Carlton was not on the postseason roster. His 1988 season was incredibly brief (0-1 record and 16.76 ERA in four games) and the Twins quickly released him. He tried to generate interest in 1989, but found no takers, which prompted him to retire for good.
Some notable accomplishments in Carlton's career: he was a ten-time All-Star, he struck 4,136 batters setting a record for a left-handed pitcher (later surpassed by Randy Johnson), and 329 career wins (eleventh place on the career wins list). He was also very adept at picking off runners, with 144 pick-offs, which is 62 more than Jerry Koosman, who holds second place. While he never threw a no-hitter, he threw six one-hitters. In 1994, his first year of eligibility, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
#7 - Bob Gibson (1935- )
"Hoot" "Gibby"
Teams:
St. Louis Cardinals (1959-1975)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 251-174
W-L %: .590
ERA: 2.91
Strikeouts: 3,117
BB: 1,336
CG: 255
SHO: 56
IP: 3884.1
WHIP: 1.188
Pack Robert Gibson was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1935. His father died of tuberculosis three months before his birth, and Bob was named Pack in honor of him. Bob didn't particularly like the name Pack, and later officially changed his first name to Robert. Though he suffered from numerous health problems as a child, notably rickets and asthma, he excelled in sports, such as basketball and baseball.
He attended Omaha Technical High School where he participated in track, baseball, and basketball. He was named to the All-State basketball team his senior year by a newspaper in Lincoln, and later won a full athletic scholarship to Creighton University. At the end of his junior year of college, he was averaging 22 points per game for the basketball team and made third team Jesuit All-American. After he graduated, he courted offers from both the Harlem Globetrotters and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was offered a $3,000 signing bonus to play for the Cardinals, which he accepted, though he spent a year playing with the Globetrotters. He continued playing basketball in the offseason after beginning his baseball career, but later quit when Cardinals general manager, Bing Devine offered him $4,000 to hang it up. Gibson attended spring training in 1958 with the Cardinals before being sent to the minors for the regular season.
He was assigned to the Cardinals major league roster in 1959 and made his big league debut on April 15 as a relief pitcher. He was sent back to the minors briefly before returning July 30 as a starting pitcher. He earned his first win as a pro that day. In 1960, he was shuffled back and forth between the Cardinals and their Rochester affiliate until mid-June. After compiling a 3-6 record and 5.61 ERA for the season, he traveled to Venezuela to play winter ball. In 1961, Cardinals skipper Solly Hemus rotated Gibson back and forth between starting pitcher duties and the bullpen for the first half of the season. When Hemus was replaced by Johnny Keane in July, Gibson was moved permanently into the starting rotation. He posted an 11-6 record with a 3.24 ERA.
In late May of the 1962 season, Gibson pitched 22 2/3 scoreless innings and was named to his first All-Star team. In spite of suffering a broken ankle late in the season, Gibson still managed to strike out over 200 batters. His rehabilitation was slow and he had only posted one win May 19, 1963. He then rattled off six straight wins by late-July. His offensive production was also impressive, driving home 20 runs which exceeded the combined RBI totals of all other National League pitching staffs.
In 1964, Gibson's pitching prowess led the Cardinals to the World Series, where they faced the New York Yankees. Gibson and Yankees ace Mel Stottlemyre faced one another in three of the series' seven games. Gibson lost Game 2, but prevailed in Game 5. In Game 7, Gibson pitched into the ninth inning, but gave up homeruns to Phil Lenz and Clete Boyer, making the score 7-5, Cardinals. As a reliever was warming up in the bullpen, Gibson retired Bobby Richardson, winning the game and the Series for the Cardinals.
On July 15, 1967, the Pirates' Roberto Clemente hit a line drive off Gibson's right leg. He faced three more batters before the bone snapped right above the ankle. He returned September 7 and the Cardinals soon secured the National League pennant. In the World Series that season, the Cardinals faced the Boston Red Sox. Over three complete games, Gibson allowed only three earned runs and fourteen hits. The Cardinals prevailed once again, with Gibson pitching the decisive Game 7, and even hitting a homer in the game.
In 1968, Gibson posted a 1.12 era, which remains a record in the "live-ball" era. He threw 13 shutouts, and between June 2 and July 30, allowed only two earned runs in ninety-two innings pitched. Opposing hitters batted a meager .184 off of him, with .233 OBP. He also pitched forty-seven consecutive scoreless innings on his way to the National League MVP award. In Game 1 of the 1968 World Series, Gibson struck out 17 Tiger's batters, a record which still stands. The Cardinals ultimately lost the Series 4-3.
Gibson's stellar performance in 1968 is widely considered to be one of the driving forces behind lowering the pitcher's mound from 15 inches to 10 inches starting in the 1969 season. However, this did not change anything, as Gibson posted a 20-13 record with a 2.18 ERA, 4 shutouts, and 28 complete games in '68. On August 4, 1971, Gibson earned his 200th career victory. Ted days later, he pitched a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. On July 17, 1974, he fanned his 3,000th batter.
Bob Gibson's hitting prowess was unusual among pitchers. He was sometimes used as a pinch hitter and ended his career with a .206 batting average, 44 doubles, 5 triples, 24 homers, and 144 RBI. Eventually, Gibson's wild delivery began to take its toll on his right knee. In 1975, his final season, he put up a 3-10 record with a 5.04 ERA. Early that season, he announced his retirement. In his final appearance, he was brought in as a reliever against the Cubs in a game that was tied 6-6. He ended up giving up the game-winning grand slam. In his career, Gibson won nine Gold Glove Awards, the World Series MVP in '64 and '67, and the Cy Young Award in '68 and '70.
Gibson was known throughout his career as a fierce competitor who was not afraid to throw brushback pitches to show the batters who was in charge. Young players were often warned by veterans not to dig in against Gibson because he would knock them down. Hank Aaron once said that he would knock his own grandmother down if she challenged him. Still yet, he had excellent control, hitting only 102 batters in his career. When his friend and teammate, Bill White, was traded to the Phillies, Gibson hit him in the arm. In 1992 during an Old-Timer's Game, Reggie Jackson hit a homerun off of Gibson. At the following year's Old-Timer's Game, Gibson threw Reggie a brushback pitch and he ended up not getting a hit.
After retirement, Gibson returned to Omaha and served on the board of a local bank, became the principal investor in a radio station, and opened his own restaurant. He also worked as a color analyst for ABC's Monday Night Baseball in 1976. He returned to baseball in 1981, working as a coach for Joe Torre, who was managing the New York Mets. He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame that year. He stuck with Torre after he accepted a job as the manager of the Atlanta Braves and remained in that position until 1984. He then began hosting a pre- and post-game show for Cardinals games from 1985 to 1989. After that, he worked as a color commentator for ESPN in 1990, but resigned due to the time he had to spend away from his family. Gibson currently serves as Vice President of the Baseball Assistance Team, an organization dedicated to helping former baseball players through financial and medical hardships.
Teams:
St. Louis Cardinals (1959-1975)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 251-174
W-L %: .590
ERA: 2.91
Strikeouts: 3,117
BB: 1,336
CG: 255
SHO: 56
IP: 3884.1
WHIP: 1.188
Pack Robert Gibson was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1935. His father died of tuberculosis three months before his birth, and Bob was named Pack in honor of him. Bob didn't particularly like the name Pack, and later officially changed his first name to Robert. Though he suffered from numerous health problems as a child, notably rickets and asthma, he excelled in sports, such as basketball and baseball.
He attended Omaha Technical High School where he participated in track, baseball, and basketball. He was named to the All-State basketball team his senior year by a newspaper in Lincoln, and later won a full athletic scholarship to Creighton University. At the end of his junior year of college, he was averaging 22 points per game for the basketball team and made third team Jesuit All-American. After he graduated, he courted offers from both the Harlem Globetrotters and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was offered a $3,000 signing bonus to play for the Cardinals, which he accepted, though he spent a year playing with the Globetrotters. He continued playing basketball in the offseason after beginning his baseball career, but later quit when Cardinals general manager, Bing Devine offered him $4,000 to hang it up. Gibson attended spring training in 1958 with the Cardinals before being sent to the minors for the regular season.
He was assigned to the Cardinals major league roster in 1959 and made his big league debut on April 15 as a relief pitcher. He was sent back to the minors briefly before returning July 30 as a starting pitcher. He earned his first win as a pro that day. In 1960, he was shuffled back and forth between the Cardinals and their Rochester affiliate until mid-June. After compiling a 3-6 record and 5.61 ERA for the season, he traveled to Venezuela to play winter ball. In 1961, Cardinals skipper Solly Hemus rotated Gibson back and forth between starting pitcher duties and the bullpen for the first half of the season. When Hemus was replaced by Johnny Keane in July, Gibson was moved permanently into the starting rotation. He posted an 11-6 record with a 3.24 ERA.
In late May of the 1962 season, Gibson pitched 22 2/3 scoreless innings and was named to his first All-Star team. In spite of suffering a broken ankle late in the season, Gibson still managed to strike out over 200 batters. His rehabilitation was slow and he had only posted one win May 19, 1963. He then rattled off six straight wins by late-July. His offensive production was also impressive, driving home 20 runs which exceeded the combined RBI totals of all other National League pitching staffs.
In 1964, Gibson's pitching prowess led the Cardinals to the World Series, where they faced the New York Yankees. Gibson and Yankees ace Mel Stottlemyre faced one another in three of the series' seven games. Gibson lost Game 2, but prevailed in Game 5. In Game 7, Gibson pitched into the ninth inning, but gave up homeruns to Phil Lenz and Clete Boyer, making the score 7-5, Cardinals. As a reliever was warming up in the bullpen, Gibson retired Bobby Richardson, winning the game and the Series for the Cardinals.
On July 15, 1967, the Pirates' Roberto Clemente hit a line drive off Gibson's right leg. He faced three more batters before the bone snapped right above the ankle. He returned September 7 and the Cardinals soon secured the National League pennant. In the World Series that season, the Cardinals faced the Boston Red Sox. Over three complete games, Gibson allowed only three earned runs and fourteen hits. The Cardinals prevailed once again, with Gibson pitching the decisive Game 7, and even hitting a homer in the game.
In 1968, Gibson posted a 1.12 era, which remains a record in the "live-ball" era. He threw 13 shutouts, and between June 2 and July 30, allowed only two earned runs in ninety-two innings pitched. Opposing hitters batted a meager .184 off of him, with .233 OBP. He also pitched forty-seven consecutive scoreless innings on his way to the National League MVP award. In Game 1 of the 1968 World Series, Gibson struck out 17 Tiger's batters, a record which still stands. The Cardinals ultimately lost the Series 4-3.
Gibson's stellar performance in 1968 is widely considered to be one of the driving forces behind lowering the pitcher's mound from 15 inches to 10 inches starting in the 1969 season. However, this did not change anything, as Gibson posted a 20-13 record with a 2.18 ERA, 4 shutouts, and 28 complete games in '68. On August 4, 1971, Gibson earned his 200th career victory. Ted days later, he pitched a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates. On July 17, 1974, he fanned his 3,000th batter.
Bob Gibson's hitting prowess was unusual among pitchers. He was sometimes used as a pinch hitter and ended his career with a .206 batting average, 44 doubles, 5 triples, 24 homers, and 144 RBI. Eventually, Gibson's wild delivery began to take its toll on his right knee. In 1975, his final season, he put up a 3-10 record with a 5.04 ERA. Early that season, he announced his retirement. In his final appearance, he was brought in as a reliever against the Cubs in a game that was tied 6-6. He ended up giving up the game-winning grand slam. In his career, Gibson won nine Gold Glove Awards, the World Series MVP in '64 and '67, and the Cy Young Award in '68 and '70.
Gibson was known throughout his career as a fierce competitor who was not afraid to throw brushback pitches to show the batters who was in charge. Young players were often warned by veterans not to dig in against Gibson because he would knock them down. Hank Aaron once said that he would knock his own grandmother down if she challenged him. Still yet, he had excellent control, hitting only 102 batters in his career. When his friend and teammate, Bill White, was traded to the Phillies, Gibson hit him in the arm. In 1992 during an Old-Timer's Game, Reggie Jackson hit a homerun off of Gibson. At the following year's Old-Timer's Game, Gibson threw Reggie a brushback pitch and he ended up not getting a hit.
After retirement, Gibson returned to Omaha and served on the board of a local bank, became the principal investor in a radio station, and opened his own restaurant. He also worked as a color analyst for ABC's Monday Night Baseball in 1976. He returned to baseball in 1981, working as a coach for Joe Torre, who was managing the New York Mets. He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame that year. He stuck with Torre after he accepted a job as the manager of the Atlanta Braves and remained in that position until 1984. He then began hosting a pre- and post-game show for Cardinals games from 1985 to 1989. After that, he worked as a color commentator for ESPN in 1990, but resigned due to the time he had to spend away from his family. Gibson currently serves as Vice President of the Baseball Assistance Team, an organization dedicated to helping former baseball players through financial and medical hardships.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
#8 - Pedro Martinez (1971- )
Teams:
Los Angeles Dodgers (1992-1993)
Montreal Expos (1994-1997)
Boston Red Sox (1998-2004)
New York Mets (2005-2008)
Philadelphia Phillies (2009)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 219-100
W-L %: .687
ERA: 2.93
Strikeouts: 3,154
BB: 760
CG: 46
SHO: 17
IP: 2,827.1
WHIP: 1.05
Pedro Jaime Martinez was born in Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic in 1971. In 1988, he was signed as an amateur free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent several years in the Dodgers's farm system, and was finally called up to the majors on September 24, 1992, where he worked two scoreless innings of relief against the Cincinnati Reds. On September 30, he made his first start, also against the Reds, though it was in a losing effort. Dodgers skipper, Tommy Lasorda, often used Martinez as a reliever, as he felt him too small to be a reliable starting pitcher.
In 1993, Martinez became the Dodgers's setup man, posting a 10-3 record with a 2.61 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 65 games played. Prior to the 1994 season, Martinez was traded to the Montreal Expos for Delino DeShields because the Dodgers were in dire need of a second baseman due to a contract dispute with Jody Reed.
It was with the Expos that Martinez began developing into a top pitcher. On June 3, 1995, he pitched nine perfect innings against the San Diego Padres before giving up a hit in the bottom of the 10th inning. He was promptly removed from the game, but ended up being credited with the win. In 1997, he sported a 17-8 record and led the league in ERA (1.90), strikeouts (305), and complete games (13). The 13 complete games gave him the tie for second most in a season. He would also win the National League Cy Young Award that season.
Martinez was traded to the Boston Red Sox in November 1997 as he was approaching free agency. His impact was immediate, as he went 19-7 and finished second in the American League in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and in Cy Young voting. 1999 saw Martinez post one of the greatest pitching performances in history with a 23-4 record, 2.07 ERA, and 313 strikeouts. These numbers gave him the pitcher's Triple Crown for '99. He was unanimously selected as the AL Cy Young winner and came in second in MVP voting, though many felt he had been robbed in this regard.
Despite the amazing year Pedro had in 1999, 2000 was even more impressive. His ERA was a miniscule 1.74 which was nearly half the second-lowest ERA in the American League (Roger Clemens's 3.70). He also gave up only 128 hits in 217 innings pitched, which translated to 5.13 hits per 9 innings pitched, the third lowest mark on record. He also won his third Cy Young. Though his record was 18-6, those numbers don't reflect what a phenomenol season he had that year. In his six losses, he had 60 strikeouts, 8 walks, and only 30 hits allowed with a 2.44 ERA and .79 WHIP. He averaged eight innings per start. In two of his losses, he was beaten by the Yanks's Andy Pettitte, one of the premier pitchers of the time. The other four losses were each by only one run. In fact, his first loss of the season 1-0 complete game in which he fanned 17 batters and walked only one. His WHIP this season was 0.74 which broke the record set by Walter Johnson in 1913.
Midway through the 2001 season, Martinez suffered a rotator cuff injury and was placed on the disabled list. He ended up finishing with a 7-3 record, and 2.39 ERA, and 163 strikeouts in only 116 innings pitched. He rebounded in 2002, and led the league in ERA (2.26), WHIP (0.923), and strikeouts (239), and amassed a 20-6 record. However, the Cy Young Award ended up going to the Oakland A's Barry Zito, in spite of the fact that he had a higher ERA, higher WHIP, fewer strikeouts, and lower winning percentage. It was the first time since the introduction of the Cy Young Award that the pitcher who led the league in all of these statistics didn't win the trophy.
Pedro posted a 14-4 record in 2003, led the league with a 2.22 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and finished second in strikeouts by a single K. He came in third in the Cy Young voting. In spite of an unusually high 3.90 ERA, Martinez managed a 16-9 record in 2004 and helped the Boston Red Sox win their first World Series in 86 years.
Pedro Martinez became a free agent after the 2004 championship season, and ended up signing a 4-year contract with the New York Mets. In his first season, he posted a 15-8 record with a 2.82 ERA, 208 strikeouts, and a 0.95 WHIP, which led the league. Opposing hitters batted only .204 against him. Martinez had a very promising start in 2005, but it fizzled quickly. By the end of May, he was 5-1 with a 2.50 ERA with 88 strikeouts. However, on May 26, 2005, he was told by the umpires that he needed to change his undershirt. As he was walking down the players' tunnel to the locker room, he slipped and fell, injuring his hip. Although he finished the game, it was a losing effort. But beginning on June 6, he went 4-7 with a 7.10 ERA with a couple of visits to the DL thrown in. For the last two months of the season, he was hobbled by a calf injury. MRI's revealed a torn muscle in Martinez's left calf, as well as a torn rotator cuff. He ended up requiring surgery which sidelined him for most of the 2007 season.
On September 3, 2007, Martinez returned from the disabled list and earned his 207th career win and collected his 3,000th strikeout. He ended up going 3-1 in five starts with a 2.57 ERA. However, his last start was a 3-0 loss during the Mets's historic collapse at the end of the season. Martinez performed well in the game, pitching seven innings, giving up two earned runs, seven hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts.
The injury woes followed Pedro into 2008, as he strained his left hamstring just four innings into his first game of the season. He was out for two months. He ended up posting a paltry 5-6 record, the first true losing season of his career. His ERA and WHIP were also the highest ever (5.61 and 1.57, respectively).
Martinez became a free agent after the conclusion of the 2008 season, though he failed to sign with a team during the winter. He instead joined the Dominican Republic's team for the 2009 World Baseball Classic, hoping that a Major League team would take notice of his arm and sign him to a contract, even if just as a backup. He pitched well, but his team was eliminated early and no contracts were offered. Later, he was offered a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He made his debut August 12, 2009, earning a win. Philadelphia ended up winning each of Pedro's first seven starts. He pitched well in the NLCS, and in the World Series against the New York Yankees. However, he ended up giving up four hits in four innings to the Yanks in Game Six, giving them the championship.
After the Series, Pedro announced that he had no intention of retiring, though 2010 came and went without him signing with any club. In December 2010, Pedro said he didn't expect to ever pitch again, but was reluctant to officially announce his retirement. Though some inquiries were made prior to the 2011 season, Pedro remains unsigned.
Martinez's career has been saddled with several close-calls. On April 13, 1994, he took a perfect game into the eighth inning, when he hit Cincinnati's Reggie Sanders with a pitch. Sanders charged the mound, and was later lambasted by fans and the press for believing that a pitcher would ruin a perfect game just to intentionally hit him with a pitch. On June 3, 1995, he technically threw a perfect game by sitting down the first 27 Padres batters he faced. However, the game was tied 0-0 and ended up going into extra innings. Pedro ended up surrendering a double on the 28th batter he faced and was removed from the game. The Expos would go on to win the game. Prior to 1991, he would've been awarded a perfect game, but a new rule stated that the pitcher must remain perfect for the duration of the game, no matter how far past nine innings the game goes. On September 10, 1999, he faced just 28 Yankees batters, struck out 17, and walked none. Martinez hit Chuck Knoblauch to lead off the game and surrendered only a homerun to Chili Davis in the second inning. On August 29, 2000, Martinez took a no-hitter into the 9th against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He lost it on a lead-off single to John Flaherty. What's more impressive is that Pedro accomplished all of this after being punched in the face after hitting Tampa Bay's lead-off batter, Gerald Williams, to start the game.
To date, Martinez has never pitched a perfect game or a no-hitter, but he has put up far more impressive numbers throughout his career than many other pitchers who have.
#9 - Nolan Ryan (1947- )
"The Ryan Express"
Teams:
New York Mets (1966; 1968-1971)
California Angels (1972-1979)
Houston Astros (1980-1988)
Texas Rangers (1989-1993)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 324-292
W-L %: .525
ERA: 3.19
Strikeouts: 5,714
BB: 2,795
CG: 222
SHO: 61
IP: 5,386
WHIP: 1.247
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. was born in Refugio, Texas. When he was 6 weeks old, his family moved to Alvin, Texas. When he was a boy, he enjoyed throwing rocks at any target, so his father encouraged him to play baseball to save their windows. He joined Alvin Little League Baseball when he was nine, and threw his first no-hitter a few years later.
After graduating Alvin High School in 1965, Ryan was drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft. He was assigned to the Marion Mets of Marion, Virginia in the Appalachian League. He was called up the Mets the following year, and logged his first strikeout against Pat Jarvis. He later gave up his first career homer to future-manager Joe Torre.
He missed much of the next season due to illness, an arm injury, and service with the Army Reserve. He only managed to pitch seven innings for the Met's minor league equivalent in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1968, he finally returned to the Mets for good, though he was unable to crack the Mets rotation, due to superstars Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman. He was used more as a reliever and spot starter in 1969. In the 1969 postseason, Ryan pitched seven innings of relief in Game 3 against the Braves. Later, in that season's World Series, Ryan pitched 2 1/2 shutout innings of relief against the Baltimore Orioles, which gave the Mets a 2-1 series lead. The Mets would eventually win the Series, but it would be Ryan's first and last World Series appearance.
On April 18, 1970, Ryan tied a Mets record by striking out 15 batters in one game, though teammate Tom Seaver broke the record four days later by fanning 19 batters. In 1971, Ryan posted a 10-14 record, and was finding himself increasingly frustrated with baseball. At one time, he even contemplated retiring. He informed the Mets that he was not happy playing in New York and requested a trade.
His request was granted December 10, 1971 when he was traded to the California Angels. In his first season, he was given the opportunity to be in the starting rotation and he ended up leading the league with 329 strikeouts. He also set a Major League record by allowing only 5.26 hits per game, as well as having a 2.28 ERA. For a majority of Ryan's time in California, the Angels didn't manage to drag themselves above a .500 record, but Ryan put up some notable winning seasons: 19-16 in '72, 21-16 in '73, and 22-16 in '74. However, Ryan actually led the league in losses in 1975 with a 17-18 record, though the numbers are a bit skewed due to the fact that most ball clubs at the time used only a four-man rotation and expected their starting pitchers to pitch for a majority of the game, which resulted in few no-decisions for him.
In 1973, Ryan struck out 383 batters, beating Sandy Koufax's record by one. He also threw two no-hitters this season, striking out 17 batters in the second. In 1974 and 1975, he added to more no-hitters to his resume, and also managed to twice strike out 19 batters in a game in 1974. This tied the record set by former teammate, Tom Seaver, and flamethrower, Steve Carlton (Roger Clemens broke the record in 1986). In 1979, his final season with the club, he helped the Angels reach the ALCS. He pitched seven innings with the Orioles, though he ended up with a no-decision. The Orioles took the Series in four games. Ryan led the American League in strikeouts seven of his eight seasons with the Angels, though he also led the league in walks six of those years, and came in second the other two. This is a common complaint lodged against Nolan Ryan because he was incredibly prone to walking batters, though he usually made up for it by striking out so many others.
Nolan entered into free agency after the 1979 season, and eventually signed with the Houson Astros. He got his season off with a bang by hitting a three-run homer (one of two in his career) against Don Sutton in his first game with the Astros. On July 4, 1980, he struck out his 3,000th career batter. On September 26, 1981, Ryan threw his fifth career no-hitter, breaking Sandy Koufax's record. Ryan posted a mere 1.69 ERA that year. Throughout the 1982 season, Ryan and Steve Carlton were battling to surpass Walter Johnson's all-time strike-out record. Ryan finally took the top spot with his 3,059th K. Carlton would pass the original record two weeks later. In 1987, Ryan, at the age of 40, led the league in ERA (2.76) and strikouts (270), but ended up with a 8-16 record because of poor run support from his teammates.
Due to a contract dispute, Ryan left the Astros after the 1988 season and signed with the Texas Rangers. On August 22, 1989, Nolan Ryan struck out his 5,000th batter. In June 11, 1990, he threw his sixth career no-hitter and earned his 300th win on July 31. On May 1, 1991, Ryan hurled his seventh and final no-hitter at the age of 44.
Prior to opening day of 1993, Ryan announced that he would be retiring at the conclusion of the season. On August 4, Ryan participated in one of the most memorable fights in baseball history. Ryan beaned the Chicago White Sox's Robin Ventura, which prompted him to charge the mound against Ryan, who was twenty years older. When Ventura reach the mound, Ryan put him in a headlock and pummeled his perfectly-coiffed head six times before catcher Ivan Rodriguez intervened. Ryan later quipped that it was the same maneuver he used on the cattle he had to brand at his ranch. Ventura was ejected from the game and Ryan ended up pitching hitless ball the remainder of the game.
Nolan Ryan's career ended up coming to a close two games earlier than he had planned when he tore a ligament in his arm on September 22, 1993. Though he initially tried to play through the pain, it soon became unbearable. He threw his final pitch, torn ligament and all, at 98 mph. Ryan closed out his career pitching in a major league-leading 27 seasons.
After his retirement, Nolan Ryan purchased interest in two minor league ball clubs: the Corpus Christi Hooks (in AA Texas League) and the Round Rock Express (in AAA Pacific Coast League). Ryan also served as special assistant to the general manager of the Houston Astros, and then became president of the Texas Rangers in 2008. He has co-written six books, three of which are autobiographies, one about contemporary pitchers, and two instructional books. In addition to his ownership in minor league teams, he was also majority owner and chairman of Express Bank of Alvin, though he sold his interest in 2005. He also owns a restaurant, served on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, and appeared as a spokesman for Advil.
He has also joined the federal government in promoting physical fitness, though he himself suffered a heart attack in 2000 and had to receive a double bypass. His sons, Reid and Reese both pitched for the TCU Horned Frogs, and Reid pitched in the minor leagues for a brief time. They have recently become part-owners with Nolan of the Round Rock Express and Corpus Christi Hooks. Nolan currently lives in Georgetown, Texas with his wife.
Teams:
New York Mets (1966; 1968-1971)
California Angels (1972-1979)
Houston Astros (1980-1988)
Texas Rangers (1989-1993)
Career Statistics:
W-L: 324-292
W-L %: .525
ERA: 3.19
Strikeouts: 5,714
BB: 2,795
CG: 222
SHO: 61
IP: 5,386
WHIP: 1.247
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. was born in Refugio, Texas. When he was 6 weeks old, his family moved to Alvin, Texas. When he was a boy, he enjoyed throwing rocks at any target, so his father encouraged him to play baseball to save their windows. He joined Alvin Little League Baseball when he was nine, and threw his first no-hitter a few years later.
After graduating Alvin High School in 1965, Ryan was drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft. He was assigned to the Marion Mets of Marion, Virginia in the Appalachian League. He was called up the Mets the following year, and logged his first strikeout against Pat Jarvis. He later gave up his first career homer to future-manager Joe Torre.
He missed much of the next season due to illness, an arm injury, and service with the Army Reserve. He only managed to pitch seven innings for the Met's minor league equivalent in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1968, he finally returned to the Mets for good, though he was unable to crack the Mets rotation, due to superstars Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman. He was used more as a reliever and spot starter in 1969. In the 1969 postseason, Ryan pitched seven innings of relief in Game 3 against the Braves. Later, in that season's World Series, Ryan pitched 2 1/2 shutout innings of relief against the Baltimore Orioles, which gave the Mets a 2-1 series lead. The Mets would eventually win the Series, but it would be Ryan's first and last World Series appearance.
On April 18, 1970, Ryan tied a Mets record by striking out 15 batters in one game, though teammate Tom Seaver broke the record four days later by fanning 19 batters. In 1971, Ryan posted a 10-14 record, and was finding himself increasingly frustrated with baseball. At one time, he even contemplated retiring. He informed the Mets that he was not happy playing in New York and requested a trade.
His request was granted December 10, 1971 when he was traded to the California Angels. In his first season, he was given the opportunity to be in the starting rotation and he ended up leading the league with 329 strikeouts. He also set a Major League record by allowing only 5.26 hits per game, as well as having a 2.28 ERA. For a majority of Ryan's time in California, the Angels didn't manage to drag themselves above a .500 record, but Ryan put up some notable winning seasons: 19-16 in '72, 21-16 in '73, and 22-16 in '74. However, Ryan actually led the league in losses in 1975 with a 17-18 record, though the numbers are a bit skewed due to the fact that most ball clubs at the time used only a four-man rotation and expected their starting pitchers to pitch for a majority of the game, which resulted in few no-decisions for him.
In 1973, Ryan struck out 383 batters, beating Sandy Koufax's record by one. He also threw two no-hitters this season, striking out 17 batters in the second. In 1974 and 1975, he added to more no-hitters to his resume, and also managed to twice strike out 19 batters in a game in 1974. This tied the record set by former teammate, Tom Seaver, and flamethrower, Steve Carlton (Roger Clemens broke the record in 1986). In 1979, his final season with the club, he helped the Angels reach the ALCS. He pitched seven innings with the Orioles, though he ended up with a no-decision. The Orioles took the Series in four games. Ryan led the American League in strikeouts seven of his eight seasons with the Angels, though he also led the league in walks six of those years, and came in second the other two. This is a common complaint lodged against Nolan Ryan because he was incredibly prone to walking batters, though he usually made up for it by striking out so many others.
Nolan entered into free agency after the 1979 season, and eventually signed with the Houson Astros. He got his season off with a bang by hitting a three-run homer (one of two in his career) against Don Sutton in his first game with the Astros. On July 4, 1980, he struck out his 3,000th career batter. On September 26, 1981, Ryan threw his fifth career no-hitter, breaking Sandy Koufax's record. Ryan posted a mere 1.69 ERA that year. Throughout the 1982 season, Ryan and Steve Carlton were battling to surpass Walter Johnson's all-time strike-out record. Ryan finally took the top spot with his 3,059th K. Carlton would pass the original record two weeks later. In 1987, Ryan, at the age of 40, led the league in ERA (2.76) and strikouts (270), but ended up with a 8-16 record because of poor run support from his teammates.
Due to a contract dispute, Ryan left the Astros after the 1988 season and signed with the Texas Rangers. On August 22, 1989, Nolan Ryan struck out his 5,000th batter. In June 11, 1990, he threw his sixth career no-hitter and earned his 300th win on July 31. On May 1, 1991, Ryan hurled his seventh and final no-hitter at the age of 44.
Prior to opening day of 1993, Ryan announced that he would be retiring at the conclusion of the season. On August 4, Ryan participated in one of the most memorable fights in baseball history. Ryan beaned the Chicago White Sox's Robin Ventura, which prompted him to charge the mound against Ryan, who was twenty years older. When Ventura reach the mound, Ryan put him in a headlock and pummeled his perfectly-coiffed head six times before catcher Ivan Rodriguez intervened. Ryan later quipped that it was the same maneuver he used on the cattle he had to brand at his ranch. Ventura was ejected from the game and Ryan ended up pitching hitless ball the remainder of the game.
Nolan Ryan's career ended up coming to a close two games earlier than he had planned when he tore a ligament in his arm on September 22, 1993. Though he initially tried to play through the pain, it soon became unbearable. He threw his final pitch, torn ligament and all, at 98 mph. Ryan closed out his career pitching in a major league-leading 27 seasons.
After his retirement, Nolan Ryan purchased interest in two minor league ball clubs: the Corpus Christi Hooks (in AA Texas League) and the Round Rock Express (in AAA Pacific Coast League). Ryan also served as special assistant to the general manager of the Houston Astros, and then became president of the Texas Rangers in 2008. He has co-written six books, three of which are autobiographies, one about contemporary pitchers, and two instructional books. In addition to his ownership in minor league teams, he was also majority owner and chairman of Express Bank of Alvin, though he sold his interest in 2005. He also owns a restaurant, served on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, and appeared as a spokesman for Advil.
He has also joined the federal government in promoting physical fitness, though he himself suffered a heart attack in 2000 and had to receive a double bypass. His sons, Reid and Reese both pitched for the TCU Horned Frogs, and Reid pitched in the minor leagues for a brief time. They have recently become part-owners with Nolan of the Round Rock Express and Corpus Christi Hooks. Nolan currently lives in Georgetown, Texas with his wife.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
#10 - Walter Johnson (1887-1946)
"The Big Train"
Teams:
As a player:
Washinton Senators (1907-1927)
As a manager:
Washinton Senators (1929-1932)
Cleveland Indians (1933-1935)
Career Statistics:
Win-loss: 417-279
W-L%: .599
Earned Run Average: 2.17
Strikeouts: 3,508
Base-on-Balls: 1,363
Complete Games: 531
Shutouts: 110
Innings Pitched: 5,914.1
Walks Plus Hits Per Innings Pitched: 1.061
Walter Perry Johnson was born on a rural farm near Humboldt, Kansas. When he was fourteen, his family moved to Orange County, California. When he was young, he busied himself playing baseball, working the oil fields, and riding horses. He attended Fullerton High School, where he managed to strike out 27 batters during a 15-inning game against Santa Ana High School. Later, he moved to Idaho where he worked for the local telephone company and pitched in the Idaho State League. In 1907, at the age of nineteen, he was spotted by a scout and soon signed a contract with the Washington Senators.
The surly Ty Cobb remembered him from his rookie season thusly: "On August 2, 1907, I encountered the most threatening sight I ever saw in the ball field. He was a rookie, and we licked our lips as we warmed up for the first game of a doubleheader in Washington. Evidently manager Pongo Joe Cantillon of the Nats (a name the Senators were sometimes known by) had picked a rube out of the cornfields of the deepest bushes to pitch against us . . . He was a tall, shambling galoot of about twenty, with arms so long they hung far out of his sleeves, and with a sidearm delivery that looked unimpressive at first glance . . . One of the Tigers imitated a cow mooing, and we hollered at Cantillon: 'Get the pitchfork ready, Joe - your hayseed's on his way back to the barn' . . . The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup. And then something went past me that made me flinch. The thing just hissed with danger. We couldn't touch him . . . every one of us knew we'd met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ballpark."
At the time, there was no reliable radar equipment to clock the speed of Walter Johnson's fastball. In 1917, a Connecticut munitions lab recorded his fastball at 134 feet per second (about 91.36 mph). This would've been an amazing speed at this point in baseball history, as weight training and conditioning didn't play the significant part in players' development as they do today. He also pitched with a submarine-style delivery, which made things especially difficult for right-handed batters, as the ball often looked to be coming from third base.
Johnson held the record for most career strikeouts for 55 years until Nolan Ryan finally claimed the top spot. He currently ranks ninth on the all-time strikeouts list. This is also impressive considering only two other pre-World War II pitchers ever fanned more than 1,000 batters in a career: Cy Young and Tim Keefe. Johnson is also only one of two pitchers to have ever won more than 400 games in a career (along with Cy Young, who won 511). Johnson managed to accumulate twelve 20-win seasons during his 21 year career, ten of which were consecutive. His stats also include 110 shutouts, which remains a record to this day. Sixty-five of the games he lost were due to the fact that his team failed to score a run.
In 1913, 1918, and 1924, Walter Johnson won the pitcher's Triple Crown, and twice (1913 and 1924) won the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
In 1913, Johnson won 36 games. In April and May of that year, he pitched 55.2 consecutive scoreless innings.
Though he often played on a losing team, Johnson finally led his team to the 1924 World Series. He lost the first and fifth games of the Series, but later pitched four scoreless innings in relief during Game Seven, winning the Series for the Senators. Walter led them to the Series once again the following year, but his experience was the opposite: wins in the first two games, and a loss in the seventh game.
Johnson was also a fairly accomplished hitter with a career batting average of .235, including a .433 average in 1925. He also made thirteen appearances in the outfield during his career. In 13 of his 21 seasons, he hit over .200, hit three homers in 1914, and 12 doubles and a triple in 1917. For his career, he had 23 home runs, which remains the ninth-highest total for a pitcher.
He began his managerial career in 1928, managing the Newark, New Jersey team of the International League. He later moved up to the majors, managing the Washington Nationals/Senators (1929-1932) and the Cleveland Indians (1933-1935).
Johnson was one of the first five players to be elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1938, he served as a commissioner in Montgomery County, Maryland. In 1939, Johnson worked as a radio announcer for the Senators. In 1940, he ran for Maryland's 6th district Congressional seat, but ultimately lost to William D. Byron. On Tuesday, December 10, 1946, Johnson died of a brain tumor at the age of 59.
Teams:
As a player:
Washinton Senators (1907-1927)
As a manager:
Washinton Senators (1929-1932)
Cleveland Indians (1933-1935)
Career Statistics:
Win-loss: 417-279
W-L%: .599
Earned Run Average: 2.17
Strikeouts: 3,508
Base-on-Balls: 1,363
Complete Games: 531
Shutouts: 110
Innings Pitched: 5,914.1
Walks Plus Hits Per Innings Pitched: 1.061
Walter Perry Johnson was born on a rural farm near Humboldt, Kansas. When he was fourteen, his family moved to Orange County, California. When he was young, he busied himself playing baseball, working the oil fields, and riding horses. He attended Fullerton High School, where he managed to strike out 27 batters during a 15-inning game against Santa Ana High School. Later, he moved to Idaho where he worked for the local telephone company and pitched in the Idaho State League. In 1907, at the age of nineteen, he was spotted by a scout and soon signed a contract with the Washington Senators.
The surly Ty Cobb remembered him from his rookie season thusly: "On August 2, 1907, I encountered the most threatening sight I ever saw in the ball field. He was a rookie, and we licked our lips as we warmed up for the first game of a doubleheader in Washington. Evidently manager Pongo Joe Cantillon of the Nats (a name the Senators were sometimes known by) had picked a rube out of the cornfields of the deepest bushes to pitch against us . . . He was a tall, shambling galoot of about twenty, with arms so long they hung far out of his sleeves, and with a sidearm delivery that looked unimpressive at first glance . . . One of the Tigers imitated a cow mooing, and we hollered at Cantillon: 'Get the pitchfork ready, Joe - your hayseed's on his way back to the barn' . . . The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup. And then something went past me that made me flinch. The thing just hissed with danger. We couldn't touch him . . . every one of us knew we'd met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ballpark."
At the time, there was no reliable radar equipment to clock the speed of Walter Johnson's fastball. In 1917, a Connecticut munitions lab recorded his fastball at 134 feet per second (about 91.36 mph). This would've been an amazing speed at this point in baseball history, as weight training and conditioning didn't play the significant part in players' development as they do today. He also pitched with a submarine-style delivery, which made things especially difficult for right-handed batters, as the ball often looked to be coming from third base.
Johnson held the record for most career strikeouts for 55 years until Nolan Ryan finally claimed the top spot. He currently ranks ninth on the all-time strikeouts list. This is also impressive considering only two other pre-World War II pitchers ever fanned more than 1,000 batters in a career: Cy Young and Tim Keefe. Johnson is also only one of two pitchers to have ever won more than 400 games in a career (along with Cy Young, who won 511). Johnson managed to accumulate twelve 20-win seasons during his 21 year career, ten of which were consecutive. His stats also include 110 shutouts, which remains a record to this day. Sixty-five of the games he lost were due to the fact that his team failed to score a run.
In 1913, 1918, and 1924, Walter Johnson won the pitcher's Triple Crown, and twice (1913 and 1924) won the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
In 1913, Johnson won 36 games. In April and May of that year, he pitched 55.2 consecutive scoreless innings.
Though he often played on a losing team, Johnson finally led his team to the 1924 World Series. He lost the first and fifth games of the Series, but later pitched four scoreless innings in relief during Game Seven, winning the Series for the Senators. Walter led them to the Series once again the following year, but his experience was the opposite: wins in the first two games, and a loss in the seventh game.
Johnson was also a fairly accomplished hitter with a career batting average of .235, including a .433 average in 1925. He also made thirteen appearances in the outfield during his career. In 13 of his 21 seasons, he hit over .200, hit three homers in 1914, and 12 doubles and a triple in 1917. For his career, he had 23 home runs, which remains the ninth-highest total for a pitcher.
He began his managerial career in 1928, managing the Newark, New Jersey team of the International League. He later moved up to the majors, managing the Washington Nationals/Senators (1929-1932) and the Cleveland Indians (1933-1935).
Johnson was one of the first five players to be elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1938, he served as a commissioner in Montgomery County, Maryland. In 1939, Johnson worked as a radio announcer for the Senators. In 1940, he ran for Maryland's 6th district Congressional seat, but ultimately lost to William D. Byron. On Tuesday, December 10, 1946, Johnson died of a brain tumor at the age of 59.
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