Baseball's Best Decade (25 page)

1990s –
The 1990s pitcher rankings saw a return to a “probable” Hall of Fame line-up (when eligibility kicks in). The fact that Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson are all now 300-game winners virtually assures their eventual inclusion at Cooperstown. John Smoltz’s career numbers (including a 24-8 Cy Young season in 1996) will almost certainly reserve his place among baseball’s immortals.

Who almost made the list?
David Cone at 141, Mike Mussina at 136, Chuck Finley at 135.

2000s –
This decade’s victory leaders posted the lowest total since the 1940s, a reflection of major league baseball’s gradual de-valuation of starting pitchers, complete games … and 20-game winners. A pitcher’s effectiveness and value are no longer measured (as much) by how many wins the pitcher collects over the course of a season. Less than half of the decade’s Cy Young award winners were 20-game winners, and only one of the decade’s winners was strictly a reliever (Eric Gagne in 2003). Of the top 5 pitchers, only Randy Johnson and Roy Halladay were Cy Young recipients.

Who almost made the list?
C.C. Sabathia at 136, Mark Buehrle at 135, Mike Mussina and Greg Maddux at 134.

The Top
Strikeout Pitchers for Each Decade (1920s-1940s)

A 31-year-old rookie for the Dodgers in 1922,
Dazzy Vance led all major league pitchers in strikeouts during the 1920s, on his way to 197 career victories.

Yankees ace Lefty Gomez led all major league hurlers in strikeouts during the 1930s, but with the lowest leading total for any decade after 1920.

For a 20-year period, from 1938 to 1957, the American League leader in strikeouts was most likely to be a Cleveland Indian. Five Indians hurlers topped the AL in strikeouts 12 times during that period: Bob Feller (1938-1941, 1946-1948), Allie Reynolds (1943), Bob Lemon (1950), Herb Score (1955-1956), Early Wynn (1957).

Hal Newhouser was the major leagues’ most prolific strikeout artist of the 1940s.

Johnny Vander Meer led the National League in strikeouts 1941-1943, averaging 187 strikeouts per season.

1920s –
Leading the National League in strikeouts 7 consecutive seasons during the 1920s, Dazzy Vance was easily the most prolific strikeout pitcher of that decade. Vance finished more than 400 strikeouts ahead of runner-up Burleigh Grimes. Lefty Grove led the American League in strikeouts from 1925 to 1929, his first 5 years in the majors. Grove averaged 6.0 strikeouts per inning, just behind Vance’s 6.4 average.