I can't spew out any stats or anything. Just my opinion; Clayton Kershaw has been nothing but dynamite from day one. Been a Dodger fan for 51 years. I've witnessed Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddox, Orel Hershiser, etc... Kershaw & Johnson always reminded of left handed Nolan Ryan's. Whom I think is the greatest...
1. More strikeouts, despite pitching 2,000 fewer innings
2. About 150 fewer wins, but a better win-loss percentage (66% vs 70%) — pitchers just don’t throw as often today
3. Mathewson’s claim to fame is dominating the World Series, but Kershaw was similarly dominant
1. In his first start in the 2017 WS against the Astros, he gave up one run in seven innings with 11 strikeouts. This is despite the Astros hitting that trashcan.
2. He went 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in the 2020 World Series against a Rays team stacked with young batting talent
4. Lower total WAR, but a marginally higher bWAR per game (0.17 vs 0.174)
5. Mathewson played in the dead-ball era, Kershaw had to deal with the end of the steroid era and a decade of batting-heavy baseball until the start of the StatCast era
I am not a young nerd salivating to tell people that some random pitcher from the Braves is better than Nolan Ryan: but it must be said that Nolan Ryan was a pitcher of immense strengths and weaknesses. He is the all time leader in strikeouts, and the all time leader in walks. Neither record is particularly close. Ryan, in many ways, was unhittable at his best, but he was also wild and threw a ton of wild pitches. He's clearly one of the best ever, but I am skeptical he's top 10.
Steve Carlton??? Should not only be on this list he should be in the Top 5
I can't spew out any stats or anything. Just my opinion; Clayton Kershaw has been nothing but dynamite from day one. Been a Dodger fan for 51 years. I've witnessed Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddox, Orel Hershiser, etc... Kershaw & Johnson always reminded of left handed Nolan Ryan's. Whom I think is the greatest...
Kershaw probably deserves Mathewson’s sport:
1. More strikeouts, despite pitching 2,000 fewer innings
2. About 150 fewer wins, but a better win-loss percentage (66% vs 70%) — pitchers just don’t throw as often today
3. Mathewson’s claim to fame is dominating the World Series, but Kershaw was similarly dominant
1. In his first start in the 2017 WS against the Astros, he gave up one run in seven innings with 11 strikeouts. This is despite the Astros hitting that trashcan.
2. He went 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in the 2020 World Series against a Rays team stacked with young batting talent
4. Lower total WAR, but a marginally higher bWAR per game (0.17 vs 0.174)
5. Mathewson played in the dead-ball era, Kershaw had to deal with the end of the steroid era and a decade of batting-heavy baseball until the start of the StatCast era
6. Best ERA + by 9 points
I am not a young nerd salivating to tell people that some random pitcher from the Braves is better than Nolan Ryan: but it must be said that Nolan Ryan was a pitcher of immense strengths and weaknesses. He is the all time leader in strikeouts, and the all time leader in walks. Neither record is particularly close. Ryan, in many ways, was unhittable at his best, but he was also wild and threw a ton of wild pitches. He's clearly one of the best ever, but I am skeptical he's top 10.