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100 Greatest Starting Pitchers of All-Time

22 Comments

Updated 4/18/2021

Major League Baseball as we know it, that is two leagues American and National, playing by the same rules with the champion from each squaring off against the other for baseball supremacy was born in 1901. Because of that these rankings only consider seasons and careers from 1901 and after. To be eligible a player has to have 1,500 career plate appearances.

If you don’t agree, leave a comment and let me know why.

  1. Walter Johnson

    2. Walter Johnson
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    151.9 68 802 666 417 279 2.17 5914.2 531 110 34 1902 1424 1363 3509 12.6% 1.061

  2. Roger Clemens

    3. Roger Clemens
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    138.7 70 709 707 354 184 3.12 4916.2 118 46 0 1885 1707 1580 4672 23.1% 1.172

  3. Lefty Grove

    4. Lefty Grove
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    113.3 68 616 457 300 141 3.06 3940.2 298 35 55 1594 1339 1187 2266 13.6% 1.278

  4. Pete Alexander

    5. Pete Alexander
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    116.0 73 696 599 373 208 2.56 5190 437 90 32 1851 1476 951 2198 8.3% 1.121

  5. Randy Johnson

    6. Randy Johnson
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    103.5 75 618 603 303 166 3.29 4135.1 100 37 2 1703 1513 1497 4875 28.6% 1.171

  6. Christy Mathewson

    7. Christy Mathewson
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    100.4 74 635 551 373 188 2.13 4780.2 434 79 28 1616 1133 844 2502 6.4% 1.058

  7. Pedro Martinez

    8. Pedro Martinez
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    86.1 66 476 409 219 100 2.93 2827.1 46 17 3 1006 919 760 3154 27.7% 1.054

  8. Tom Seaver

    9. Tom Seaver
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    106.0 79 656 647 311 205 2.86 4782.2 231 61 1 1674 1521 1390 3640 18.8% 1.121

  9. Greg Maddux

    10. Greg Maddux
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    104.8 76 744 740 355 227 3.16 5008.1 109 35 0 1981 1756 999 3371 16.5% 1.143

  10. Bob Gibson

    11. Bob Gibson
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    81.7 78 528 482 251 174 2.91 3884.1 255 56 6 1420 1258 1336 3117 19.4% 1.188

  11. Phil Niekro

    12. Phil Niekro
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    97.0 86 864 716 318 274 3.35 5404.0 245 45 29 2337 2012 1809 3342 14.7% 1.27

  12. Gaylord Perry

    13. Gaylord Perry
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    93.0 85 777 690 314 265 3.11 5350.1 303 53 11 2128 1846 1379 3534 16.1% 1.180

  13. Ed Walsh

    14. Ed Walsh
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    63.7 69 430 315 195 126 1.82 2964.1 250 57 34 877 598 617 1736 7.1% 0.999

  14. Cy Young

    15. Cy Young
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    70.7 74 906 815 511 316 2.63 7354.2 749 76 17 3167 2147 1217 2803 .% 1.129

  15. Bert Blyleven

    16. Bert Blyleven
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    96.1 85 692 685 287 250 3.31 4970 242 60 0 2029 1830 1322 3701 18.1% 1.197

  16. Steve Carlton

    17. Steve Carlton
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    84.1 87 741 709 329 244 3.22 5217.1 254 55 2 2130 1864 1833 4136 19.1% 1.246

  17. Warren Spahn

    18. Warren Spahn
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    92.5 84 750 665 363 245 3.09 5243.2 382 63 29 2016 1798 1434 2583 12.0% 1.194

  18. Robin Roberts

    19. Robin Roberts
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    83.0 89 676 609 286 245 3.41 4688.2 305 45 25 1962 1774 902 2357 12.3% 1.169

  19. Curt Schilling

    20. Curt Schilling
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    80.5 80 569 436 216 146 3.46 3261 83 20 22 1318 1253 711 3116 23.5% 1.137

  20. Clayton Kershaw

    21. Clayton Kershaw
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    67.0 63 357 354 175 76 2.43 2333.0 25 15 0 690 631 585 2526 27.5% 1.00

  21. Fergie Jenkins

    22. Fergie Jenkins
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    82.2 87 664 594 284 226 3.34 4500.2 267 49 7 1853 1669 997 3192 17.4% 1.141

  22. Justin Verlander

    23. Justin Verlander
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    72.3 78 454 454 226 129 3.33 2988.0 26 9 0 1192 1105 851 3013 24.7% 1.08

  23. Roy Halladay

    24. Roy Halladay
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    65.4 76 416 390 203 105 3.38 2749.1 67 20 1 1135 1034 592 2117 18.8% 1.177

  24. Stan Coveleski

    25. Stan Coveleski
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    66.4 78 450 385 215 142 2.89 3082 224 38 21 1237 990 802 981 7.7% 1.251

  25. Bob Feller

    • Age: 17 – 22, 26 – 37
    • Years: 1936 – 1941, 1945 – 1956
    • Teams: Cleveland Indians

    Bob Feller
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    65.2 82 570 484 266 162 3.25 3827 279 44 21 1557 1384 1764 2581 16.% 1.315

  26. Juan Marichal

    27. Juan Marichal
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    61.8 81 471 457 243 142 2.89 3507.1 244 52 2 1329 1126 709 2303 16.2% 1.101

  27. Eddie Plank

    28. Eddie Plank
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    87.7 81 623 529 326 194 2.35 4495.2 410 69 23 1569 1174 1072 2246 7.8% 1.118

  28. Mike Mussina

    29. Mike Mussina
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    82.8 82 537 536 270 153 3.68 3562.2 57 23 0 1559 1458 785 2813 19.3% 1.191

  29. Sandy Koufax

    30. Sandy Koufax
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    53.1 75 397 314 165 87 2.76 2324.1 137 40 9 806 713 817 2396 25.2% 1.106

  30. Hal Newhouser

    31. Hal Newhouser
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    60.0 76 488 374 207 150 3.06 2993 212 33 26 1197 1016 1249 1796 14.2% 1.310

  31. Kevin Brown

    32. Kevin Brown
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    68.2 78 486 476 211 144 3.28 3256 72 17 0 1357 1185 901 2397 17.7% 1.222

  32. Rube Waddell

    33. Rube Waddell
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    54.9 75 407 340 193 143 2.16 2961.1 261 50 5 1063 711 803 2316 1.101

  33. Jim Palmer

    • Age: 19 – 21, 23 – 38
    • Years: 1965 – 1967, 1969 – 1984
    • Teams: Baltimore Orioles

    Jim Palmer
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    67.6 79 558 521 268 152 2.86 3948 211 53 4 1395 1253 1311 2212 13.7% 1.180

  34. Zack Greinke

    35. Zack Greinke
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    67.1 80 500 459 208 126 3.37 2939 16 5 1 1181 1100 676 2689 22.4% 1.16

  35. Dazzy Vance

    36. Dazzy Vance
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    62.9 81 442 347 197 140 3.24 2966.2 216 29 11 1246 1068 840 2045 16.6% 1.230

  36. Nolan Ryan

    37. Nolan Ryan
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    83.6 90 807 773 324 292 3.19 5386 222 61 3 2178 1911 2795 5714 25.3% 1.247

  37. Max Scherzer

    38. Max Scherzer
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    60.6 77 377 368 175 93 3.21 2357.1 11 5 0 906 841 641 2784 29.1% 1.10

  38. Carl Hubbell

    39. Carl Hubbell
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    68.9 77 535 431 253 154 2.98 3590.1 260 36 33 1380 1188 725 1677 11.3% 1.165

  39. Jim Bunning

    40. Jim Bunning
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    60.4 88 591 519 224 184 3.27 3760.1 151 40 16 1527 1366 1000 2855 18.3% 1.178

  40. Bret Saberhagen

    41. Bret Saberhagen
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    58.9 80 399 371 167 117 3.34 2562.2 76 16 1 1036 952 471 1715 16.5% 1.140

  41. Johan Santana

    42. Johan Santana
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    51.1 74 360 284 139 78 3.2 2025.2 15 10 1 773 721 567 1988 24.1% 1.132

  42. Luis Tiant

    43. Luis Tiant
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    65.6 87 573 484 229 172 3.3 3486.1 187 49 15 1400 1280 1104 2416 16.8% 1.198

  43. Mordecai Brown

    44. Mordecai Brown
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    57.2 71 481 332 239 130 2.06 3172.1 271 55 49 1044 725 673 1375 10.3% 1.065

  44. Rick Reuschel

    45. Rick Reuschel
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    68.1 88 557 529 214 191 3.37 3548.1 102 26 5 1494 1330 935 2015 13.5% 1.274

  45. Tom Glavine

    46. Tom Glavine
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    73.9 86 682 682 305 203 3.54 4413.1 56 25 0 1900 1734 1500 2607 14.0% 1.313

  46. Dave Stieb

    47. Dave Stieb
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    56.5 82 443 412 176 137 3.44 2895.1 103 30 3 1225 1106 1034 1669 13.8% 1.245

  47. Eddie Cicotte

    48. Eddie Cicotte
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    57.5 82 502 361 208 149 2.38 3223.1 249 35 25 1149 853 827 1374 9.9% 1.155

  48. David Cone

    49. David Cone
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    61.6 84 450 419 194 126 3.46 2898.2 56 22 1 1222 1115 1137 2668 21.9% 1.256

  49. Kevin Appier

    50. Kevin Appier
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    54.9 83 414 402 169 137 3.74 2595.1 34 12 0 1168 1078 933 1994 18.2% 1.293

  50. Don Drysdale

    51. Don Drysdale
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    61.3 83 518 465 209 166 2.95 3432 167 49 6 1292 1124 855 2486 17.6% 1.147

  51. Joe McGinnity

    52. Joe McGinnity
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    46.3 85 465 381 246 142 2.66 3441.1 314 32 24 1438 1016 812 1068 .% 1.187

  52. Red Faber

    53. Red Faber
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    67.7 84 669 483 254 213 3.15 4086.2 273 29 28 1813 1430 1213 1471 7.8% 1.301

  53. John Smoltz

    54. John Smoltz
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    66.4 81 723 481 213 155 3.33 3473 53 16 154 1391 1284 1010 3084 21.6% 1.175

  54. Chuck Finley

    55. Chuck Finley
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    58.3 87 524 467 200 173 3.84 3197.2 63 15 0 1517 1366 1332 2610 19.1% 1.376

  55. Addie Joss

    56. Addie Joss
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    47.7 70 286 260 160 97 1.89 2327 234 45 5 729 488 364 920 0.967

  56. C.C. Sabathia

    57. CC Sabathia
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    62.0 87 561 560 251 161 3.74 3577.1 38 12 0 1623 1485 1099 3093 20.6% 1.26

  57. Chris Sale

    58. Chris Sale
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    45.4 71 312 232 109 73 3.03 1629.2 16 3 12 590 548 374 2007 30.7% 1.03

  58. Vic Willis

    59. Vic Willis
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    50.8 87 513 471 249 205 2.63 3996 388 50 11 1628 1167 1212 1651 1.209

  59. Roy Oswalt

    60. Roy Oswalt
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    49.9 79 365 341 163 102 3.36 2245.1 20 8 0 897 838 520 1852 19.9% 1.211

  60. Nap Rucker

    61. Nap Rucker
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    47.1 86 336 272 134 134 2.42 2375.1 186 38 14 817 639 701 1217 9.4% 1.174

  61. Urban Shocker

    62. Urban Shocker
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    54.8 81 412 317 187 117 3.17 2681.2 200 28 25 1127 945 657 983 8.8% 1.255

  62. Tim Hudson

    63. Tim Hudson
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    56.5 83 482 479 222 133 3.49 3126.2 26 13 0 1319 1213 917 2080 16.0% 1.239

  63. Billy Pierce

    64. Billy Pierce
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    53.3 84 585 432 211 169 3.27 3306.2 193 38 32 1325 1201 1178 1999 14.4% 1.260

  64. Wes Ferrell

    65. Wes Ferrell
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    48.9 87 374 323 193 128 4.04 2623 227 17 13 1382 1177 1040 985 8.5% 1.481

  65. Jacob deGrom

    66. Jacob deGrom
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    35.9 67 183 183 70 51 2.61 1169.2 3 1 0 371 339 284 1359 29.2% 1.05

  66. Cole Hamels

    67. Cole Hamels
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    58.4 82 423 422 163 122 3.43 2698.0 17 7 0 1103 1027 767 2560 23.0% 1.18

  67. Andy Pettitte

    68. Andy Pettitte
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    60.7 86 531 521 256 153 3.85 3316 26 4 0 1572 1418 1031 2448 17.4% 1.350

  68. Frank Tanana

    69. Frank Tanana
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    57.1 94 638 616 240 236 3.66 4188.1 143 34 1 1910 1704 1255 2773 15.7% 1.269

  69. Dizzy Dean

    70. Dizzy Dean
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    43.9 77 317 230 150 83 3.02 1967.1 154 26 30 774 661 453 1163 14.2% 1.205

  70. Frank Viola

    71. Frank Viola
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    47.1 90 421 420 176 150 3.73 2836.1 74 16 0 1303 1175 864 1844 15.5% 1.301

  71. Sam McDowell

    72. Sam McDowell
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    43.1 90 425 346 141 134 3.17 2492.1 103 23 14 999 879 1312 2453 23.2% 1.308

  72. Mark Langston

    73. Mark Langston
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    50.0 93 457 428 179 158 3.97 2963 81 18 0 1438 1306 1289 2464 19.6% 1.354

  73. Ron Guidry

    74. Ron Guidry
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    47.8 83 368 323 170 91 3.29 2392.0 95 26 4 953 874 633 1778 18.2% 1.18

  74. Felix Hernandez

    75. Felix Hernandez
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    50.3 84 419 418 169 136 3.42 2729.2 25 11 0 1157 1037 805 2524 22.4% 1.21

  75. Don Sutton

    76. Don Sutton
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    68.3 92 774 756 324 256 3.26 5282 178 58 5 2104 1914 1343 3574 16.5% 1.142

  76. Cliff Lee

    77. Cliff Lee
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    42.5 84 328 324 143 91 3.52 2156.2 29 12 0 923 843 464 1824 20.5% 1.196

  77. Jerry Koosman

    78. Jerry Koosman
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    57.0 91 612 527 222 209 3.36 3839.1 140 33 17 1608 1433 1198 2556 16.0% 1.258

  78. Mark Buehrle

    79. Mark Buehrle
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    60.0 87 518 493 214 160 3.81 3283.1 33 10 0 1542 1391 734 1870 13.6% 1.281

  79. Whitey Ford

    80. Whitey Ford
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    53.6 75 498 438 236 106 2.75 3170.1 156 45 10 1107 967 1086 1956 15.0% 1.215

  80. Orel Hershiser

    81. Orel Hershiser
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    51.4 89 510 466 204 150 3.48 3130.1 68 25 5 1366 1211 1007 2014 15.3% 1.260

  81. Jimmy Key

    82. Jimmy Key
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    49.0 82 470 389 186 117 3.51 2591.2 34 13 10 1104 1010 668 1538 14.4% 1.229

  82. Hippo Vaughn

    83. Hippo Vaughn
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    46.8 83 390 331 178 137 2.49 2730 215 41 5 1039 754 817 1416 12.1% 1.200

  83. Lefty Gomez

    84. Lefty Gomez
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    43.2 79 368 320 189 102 3.34 2503 173 28 9 1091 930 1095 1468 13.7% 1.352

  84. Ted Lyons

    85. Ted Lyons
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    66.8 85 594 484 260 230 3.67 4161 356 27 23 2056 1696 1121 1073 6.0% 1.348

  85. Tommy John

    86. Tommy John
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    62.1 90 760 700 288 231 3.34 4710.1 162 46 4 2017 1749 1259 2245 11.4% 1.282

  86. Vida Blue

    87. Vida Blue
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    44.9 92 502 473 209 161 3.27 3343.1 143 37 2 1357 1213 1185 2175 15.7% 1.23

  87. Dwight Gooden

    88. Dwight Gooden
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    48.2 90 430 410 194 112 3.51 2800.2 68 24 3 1198 1091 954 2293 19.6% 1.256

  88. Larry Jackson

    89. Larry Jackson
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    52.6 90 558 429 194 183 3.4 3262.2 149 37 20 1405 1233 824 1709 12.6% 1.235

  89. Mickey Lolich

    90. Mickey Lolich
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    47.9 96 586 496 217 191 3.44 3638.1 195 41 10 1537 1390 1099 2832 18.7% 1.23

  90. Steve Rogers

    91. Steve Rogers
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    45.1 87 399 393 158 152 3.18 2837.2 129 37 2 1122 1001 876 1621 13.9% 1.231

  91. Babe Adams

    92. Babe Adams
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    50.0 86 482 355 194 140 2.76 2995.1 206 44 15 1129 917 430 1036 7.0% 1.092

  92. Eddie Rommel

    93. Eddie Rommel
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    50.3 83 501 249 171 119 3.54 2557.0 145 18 30 1213 1006 724 599 5.5% 1.35

  93. Dizzy Trout

    94. Dizzy Trout
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    45.2 81 521 322 170 161 3.23 2725.2 158 28 35 1166 979 1046 1256 10.8% 1.352

  94. Jon Matlack

    95. Jon Matlack
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    38.9 87 361 318 125 126 3.18 2363 97 30 3 970 835 638 1516 15.5% 1.23

  95. Corey Kluber

    96. Corey Kluber
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    32.3 75 209 204 98 58 3.16 1342.2 17 7 0 518 471 293 1462 27.1% 1.09

  96. Jon Lester

    97. Jon Lester
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    45.0 84 424 423 193 111 3.60 2598.2 15 4 0 11131 1040 837 2397 22.1% 1.27

  97. Brad Radke

    98. Brad Radke
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    45.6 89 378 377 148 139 4.22 2451 37 10 0 1233 1150 445 1467 14.3% 1.26

  98. Brandon Webb

    99. Brandon Webb
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    33.0 72 199 198 87 62 3.27 1319.2 15 8 0 557 479 435 1065 19.3% 1.239

  99. Jim Kaat

    100. Jim Kaat
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    45.2 93 898 625 283 237 3.45 4530.1 180 31 17 2038 1738 1083 2461 12.9% 1.26

  100. Wilbur Cooper

    101. Wilbur Cooper
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG SHO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    49 86 517 408 216 178 2.89 3480 279 35 14 1406 1119 853 1252 8.5% 1.226

Published by Dave Franks

100 Greatest Players of All-Time, The Lists
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22 Comments »

  1. Here’s a fun guessing game. Try and find the greatest southpaw pitcher of the modern era. Do you think Sandy Koufax in the top 10? Strike 1! Top 20? Strike 2! Top 30? Swing-and-a-miss, take a seat! So Sandy Koufax ranks BELOW such all-time greats as Mike Messina and Kevin Brown??

    I’m not wasting any more time on this site. Adios!

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  2. I admire anyone who has the guts to out together a thoughtful list of the 100 greatest players of all-time. It’s easy to criticize the list, but very hard to create them. I know this from experience.

    I’m curious how you defined your criteria? Did you place an emphasis more on peak performance or career value? For example, you have Ed Walsh, who only made about 300 starts, ahead of Warren Spahn and Robin Roberts, two great pitchers who started more than 600 games. But on the other hand, you have Gaylord Perry ahead of Bob Feller. Clearly, to my most people, Feller had a much higher peak than Perry. He was also robbed of his prime years due to WWII. Did you make adjustments for any of that?

    Thanks for publishing these lists.

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    • There is no way Gaylord Perry should be ranked higher than Juan Marichal.. Marichal was the ace of the Giant’s staff throughout the 60’s. Perry played longer and achieved over
      300 wins by cheating. The three best pitchers of the sixties are Koufax, Marichal, and Gibson. To say Blyleven, Schilling, or Jenkins are better than those three pitchers is ridiculous.
      What’s even more ridiculous is to rank Kershaw over Koufax. Anyone who has actually seen Koufax pitch knows he was the best pitcher in the modern era. I’m a lifelong Giants fan who has never seen any pitcher that was better than Koufax. I also agree that Feller was far better than Gaylord Perry. Statistics alone do not define a player’s career. Koufax could have pitched several more seasons, but he made an intelligent decision to retire due to feeling arthritic agony. The players Koufax pitched against are in the upper echelon of the
      MLB Hall of fame. Mays, Clemente, Aaron, Mathews, Banks, McCovey. In addition, Koufax was magnificent in every World Series he participated in. I never saw Walter Johnson pitch but according to his statistics, he is the greatest pitcher of all time. Nobody from the 1950’s to present is or was better than Koufax. Certainly not Roger Clemens,,or Tom Seaver, The closest pitchers I’ve seen to Koufax were Randy Johnson, and Pedro Martinez. What makes Koufax even more remarkable is he played for an extremely poor hitting team. That’s my opinion. Thanks for allowing me to express it.:) Jeff Hiller

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  3. This was a near perfect list. I think the top three are the top three provided only that Clemens was legal. Their consistent dominance thru their careers is unsurpassed.. All three reinvented themselves and were just crazy dominant.after they had short lapses.

    My only criticism is with a sympathy for the guy who was upset with Sandy Koufax’s position. I think he should have been top 15 on the shear dominance of his peak; but don’t try and compare him with Lefty because Lefty wins that across the board and has two peaks of over 40 WAR. Grove even had a higher strikeout to walk ratio controlled for era and a better spg average compared to league (relative spg).

    All the way through the list pitchers were about where they should have been. I think Sudden Sam McDowell was 70th and the biggest disappointment of what could have been in MLB history.

    This was a scholarly list with most of the over-rated pitchers where they should have been.

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  4. Tom Seaver was equal or more dominant up to age 34 than Clemens, the age when steroids started giving Clemens the relative advantage in maintaining his peak. And Seaver was more durable and just as dominant as the great Pedro Martinez. Seaver finished far more games, pitching more frequently, which contributes heavily to his higher WAR than Martinez. No qualms with Randy Johnson ranking, but Seaver is about equal to him.

    And Warren Spahn , who pitched well into the 1960’s, so I remember him vividly, as I’m almost 70 and was glued to baseball starting in 1960, was right there with Seaver and Johnson. He was called the “the great” for good reason. 363 wins in an era when baseball attracted the best athletes in the country, was very similar later eras in style of play. So either Seaver orJohnson ranking 2 and 3, Clemens deserves top 10 for his early to mid career dominance, probably unjuiced, but hard to separate when the extra edge kicked in, and Spahn is ahead of Martinez in the top 6. And a shout out to Greg Maddox for making it look so easy for so long to frustrate most hitters most of the time.

    As for Koufax, best peak years of all time, then chose to retire young. The Jimi Hendrix of pitchers, except Sandy went on to enjoy 53 years
    of actual life after retirement, and counting..His starts were an event during those years. It could be a no hitter, a one hitter, or…something else spectacular.

    I cannot comment on Lefty Grove or Pete Alexander, even before my time:), but the stats do tell you they were dominant for a very long time. And Walter Johnson was like Babe Ruth in his era, no arguments there. Oh ya, Babe could pitch too.

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    • Art, remember that in 1969, they voted an all-time All Star team. And the right-handed pitcher was Walter Johnson, and the lefty was Lefty Grove. Hey, my Baseball Reference page defaults to Sandy Koufax, and I know your feeling because I started obsessing over baseball in 1959, the last time for more than 30 years that my Cleveland Indians were a good team. I am 71, and the last 25 year have been good to the Indians even though they have not won the ring.

      But in 69 Spahn and Koufax were pretty fresh in everybody’s memories. And I asked my dad, who was 55 at the time, why Koufax was not the starter on the all time team, and he said that Sandy Koufax was a great pitcher but that he could not wear Grove’s jock. My dad watched Lefty open old Cleveland Municipal Stadium before a sell out crowd against the Indians ace Mel Harder and beat Harder 1-0 in 1932. Recently I examined that assertion because Koufax (the guy my Baseball Reference page defaults to) was awfully good.

      I found out this basic stuff:in five years from 1928 to 1932, Grove was 128-33; he pitched 1408.1 innings. He struck out 925 batters for a spg average of 5.91. Meanwhile, Sandy between 1962-66 had a record was 111-34 in 1377 innings. He struck out 1444 batters for a 9.44 average. But from 1928-32 the mean AL strikeout average was 3.15; in the NL from 1962-66 it was 5.77. In Groves era, it was considered a mortal sin to strikeout. In the late forties and fifties guys like Ralph Kiner, Eddie Mathews and Ted Kluzewski discovered if you hit home runs, it did not matter if you struck out, so they hit home runs and struck out more. Grove actually had a better relative spg than Koufax, 5.91/3.15=1.88. Koufax had 9.44/5.77=1.64

      I did a break down of lots of things, and Grove consistently comes in second to Johnson, just ahead of Roger Clemens. I use rWAR which is runs per game allowed not fWAR which is what Fanagraph’s uses that is dependent on DIP (Defense Independent Pitching). So doing that, the only area where Koufax has a chance, is peak pitching because of his
      relatively short career. I used Grove from 1929-33 where he had a WAR of 46 and a 128-33 record. I used Koufax from 1962-66 where he had a 40.7 WAR and a 111-34 record. Grove tied Pedro Martinez for the second best peak with a value of 185; Walter Johnson demolished everybody with a 195 from 1910-14. Sandy finished 14th with a 158 score.

      Sandy was a great pitcher, but he had two maybe three advantages. He was the best pitcher in one of the best pitching periods in baseball history. He also pitched in the most pitcher friendly park in the MLB (park factor .91). Lefty Grove pitched in two hitter friendly parks: Shibe Park and Fenway Park (park factor 1.02.2). Consider this: Lefty Grove won four ERA titles in five years pitching in Fenway Park as a left-handed pitcher with the Green Monster looming behind him. Another great lefty, Lefty Gomez,said that when he pitched in Fenway, he prepared for the game by standing in a phone booth for a couple of hours.

      Anyway, I was gratified to find your response up there and I thought that I would write something. Have a good day.

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    • I looked at the list, and you are right. Phil should probably have been in the top 25. From 1974-78 he had a WAR of 40.2, and only about 20 pitchers since 1901 have achieved that number. And he was 11th in career WAR. Yeah, they really missed with him, and I did not see it. I was so impressed that they got the top three right and put Sandy Koufax and Nolan Ryan in reasonable historical perspective. Missed that though. Thanks

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    • Niekro wasn’t there when I posted in Nov. 2020. Steve also posted in Feb. 2021, “Niekro is the big miss…” I’m glad to see you added him. Overall, your list is as solid as any baseball writer or big website out there. You’ve done your research and no doubt you’ve spent HOURS and HOURS on your thought process…Well done. I have my own formula and own views on why I would have Koufax, and Carlton a little higher, others a little lower, etc. Why? Because even with all the numbers, it’s still somewhat subjective on what you emphasize. That’s the fun thing about these lists. I love baseball scholar and I commend you for all your great work!

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      • Thanks Brian. Doing legitimate lists is incredibly difficult. In fact, Niekro was left off by mistake. I’m a one man show working on this at nights and on weekends – I was bound to miss someone.

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  7. Niekro is the big miss; should be somewhere around #50. A shame Kid Nichols can’t be included. I think your dividing line should be 1893, when the mound was moved to its current distance, rather than 1901. Nichols would be top 20, for sure, and Young would move into the top 10. The other miss, in my opinion, is less obvious. Look at the career of Noodles Hahn. Easily the best pitcher in the Reds’ long history. If you started in 1893, he would get his first to years included and move into the top 50, in my estimation. Amos Rusie and Clark Griffith are the only other two 19th Century pitchers who would probably make the list, both in the bottom 50. Also, you have way underrated Kershaw. To date, he is top 5 all-time.

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  9. How is the all-time strikeout leader in all-time no hitter leader number 34 all time? Is it his fault that he played on bad teams?

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  10. Nolan Ryan being the 34th greatest pitcher OF ALL-TIME is pretty damn good. Nothing to sneeze it. Much of his value is in longevity. No-hitters are great, but it doesn’t indicate greatness. Bill Stoneman threw two no-hitters, so did Steve Busby. So what? Great accomplishments, yes. But even 7 no-hitters is not something that makes you automatically one of the 10 or 20 greatest pitchers.

    Ryan walked a lot of batters and he allowed more runs relative to his league than many other great pitchers. His adjusted ERA ( compared to his league and accounting for the teams he played for and parks he pitched in) doesn’t rank in the top 200 all-time. It’s 112, meaning he was 12 percent better at allowing earned runs than an average pitcher. Very good, but not all-time great. That matters quite a bit, and so do the high number of baserunners he allowed via walks. He just doesn’t have the high peak that matches someone like Steve Carlton, and he doesn’t have the career record of a Greg Maddux, Christy Mathewson, or his teammate Tom Seaver, who was a much better pitcher.

    There’s no shame in being the 34th ranked pitcher in history.

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