I’m biased towards Jim Palmer, mainly because he had Earl Weaver as his manager for most of his career. “The only thing Earl knows about pitching is he couldn’t hit it” is one of the greatest baseball quotes of all time!
Great list, but I saw both live and I would swap places for Ryan and Johnson. Ryan is somehow underrated relative to what he accomplished. Having said that, I remember watching Gibson and was told by my father he had suffered from severe asthma and breathing difficulties. I couldn't believe it...but the Primatene Mist ads proved it. That counted for me. I've been biased in favor of Bob since.
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.
If you're excluding Clemens because of the steroid accusations, fine - that's your prerogative (even if II'd disagree). But you should say so, because otherwise this list just looks ridiculous without him.
Interesting to see Seaver and Mathewson next to each other, I remember Keith Olbermann in his blog comparing the two many years ago, he noticed how Mathewson's pitching stance in old pictures was nearly identical to Seaver's.
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
Steve Carlton??? Should not only be on this list he should be in the Top 5
I second this comment
I’m biased towards Jim Palmer, mainly because he had Earl Weaver as his manager for most of his career. “The only thing Earl knows about pitching is he couldn’t hit it” is one of the greatest baseball quotes of all time!
Lefty Grove is conspicuous by his absence here, though he has a legitimate case as the best pitcher of all-time.
Great list, but I saw both live and I would swap places for Ryan and Johnson. Ryan is somehow underrated relative to what he accomplished. Having said that, I remember watching Gibson and was told by my father he had suffered from severe asthma and breathing difficulties. I couldn't believe it...but the Primatene Mist ads proved it. That counted for me. I've been biased in favor of Bob since.
Yep, he’s definitely up there. Along with Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddox, Bob Gibson and Pedro Martinez.
Mo belongs in a separate category because he was a reliever.
Roger Clemens?
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.
If you're excluding Clemens because of the steroid accusations, fine - that's your prerogative (even if II'd disagree). But you should say so, because otherwise this list just looks ridiculous without him.
Interesting to see Seaver and Mathewson next to each other, I remember Keith Olbermann in his blog comparing the two many years ago, he noticed how Mathewson's pitching stance in old pictures was nearly identical to Seaver's.
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