Wednesday, March 22, 2006
A Baker's Dozen, 13 Brilliant Hall of Fame Caliber Pitchers Who'll Never Get There Due to Their Late-Starting Careers - Part IV
VIC RASCHI - the Springfield Rifle didn't make his major league debut until he was 27, when he pitched in 2 games, and really didn't get his career going until he was 28. He ended up with a career record of 132-66. That's a winning percentage of .667, which puts Raschi in a tie for 12th place all-time on the active list and 10th on the retired list. He pitched to 91% of the league ERA over his career, and moved his teams forward by .075. A high number considering he pitched for Yankee teams that were great over most of his career.
Raschi pitched all but the last two years of his career for the Yankees and compiled a 120-50 (.706) record for them. Over the first three full years of his career his record was 47-20 (.702), clearly indicating he was ready for the majors long before he was given the chance. He was a very good pitcher in the World Series for the Yankees, going 5-3 with a 2.24 ERA, while throwing 3 complete games and one complete game shutout. The Yankees won all six World Series that Raschi competed in for them.
A typical year for Raschi was 17-8. Using that as a basis, if his career had started 6 years earlier, his career record might have looked something like 235-117. He'd be in the Hall of Fame with those numbers.
ALLIE REYNOLDS - the Big Chief's career didn't get going until he was 26 years old. He still managed to compile a 182-107 (.630) career record, while pitching to 86% or the league's ERA throughout his career. He moved his teams forward by .044. His record over the first 3 years of his career was 40-32.
Reynolds pitched the first 5 years of his career for the Indians, and then the last 8 years for the Yankees. He was, arguably, the greatest World Series pitcher of all-time. In the World Series he was 7-2, with a 2.79 ERA and he saved another 4 games. He pitched 5 complete World Series games, including two shutouts. The Yankees won all six World Series that Reynolds competed in for them. On the greatest stage possible for his profession, while all the world was watching, Allie Reynolds, time and again, stepped onto that stage and pitched brilliantly. All of the Yankee players of that era, whenever they were, or are, interviewed and asked about the great players they played with, always make a point of mentioning Allie Reynolds. None of them ever forgot how great a big game pitcher the Big Chief was and how impotant he was to their winning.
A typical year for Reynolds was 15-9. Using that as a basis, if his career had started four years earlier, his career record might have been something like 252-148. He'd be in the Hall of Fame with that record. Given the outstanding record that Reynolds did compile, combined with his brilliant World Series record, and it is no stretch to say that he should be in the Hall of Fame today anyway.
PREACHER ROE - pitched in one game at age 23 for the Browns, and then didn't pitch again in the majors until he was 29 year old. He went on to post a lifetime record of 127-84, good for a winning percentage of .602. He pitched to 87% of the league ERA over his career, and moved his teams forward .037. Roe is the one guy on this list who did not post a great record over his first 3 full seasons, going just 30-32. From age 33 on, Roe's record was outstanding at 93-37(.714). All for the Dodgers. A typical year for Roe was 13-8. Using that as a basis, if his career had started at age 22, he might have compiled a record something like 218-143. Probably good enough to have gotten him into the Hall.
That completes the Baker's Dozen. There is another pitcher who could have been included on this list, but I chose to leave off for various reasons that will be explained in the next posting. His name is Urban Shocker.
Raschi pitched all but the last two years of his career for the Yankees and compiled a 120-50 (.706) record for them. Over the first three full years of his career his record was 47-20 (.702), clearly indicating he was ready for the majors long before he was given the chance. He was a very good pitcher in the World Series for the Yankees, going 5-3 with a 2.24 ERA, while throwing 3 complete games and one complete game shutout. The Yankees won all six World Series that Raschi competed in for them.
A typical year for Raschi was 17-8. Using that as a basis, if his career had started 6 years earlier, his career record might have looked something like 235-117. He'd be in the Hall of Fame with those numbers.
ALLIE REYNOLDS - the Big Chief's career didn't get going until he was 26 years old. He still managed to compile a 182-107 (.630) career record, while pitching to 86% or the league's ERA throughout his career. He moved his teams forward by .044. His record over the first 3 years of his career was 40-32.
Reynolds pitched the first 5 years of his career for the Indians, and then the last 8 years for the Yankees. He was, arguably, the greatest World Series pitcher of all-time. In the World Series he was 7-2, with a 2.79 ERA and he saved another 4 games. He pitched 5 complete World Series games, including two shutouts. The Yankees won all six World Series that Reynolds competed in for them. On the greatest stage possible for his profession, while all the world was watching, Allie Reynolds, time and again, stepped onto that stage and pitched brilliantly. All of the Yankee players of that era, whenever they were, or are, interviewed and asked about the great players they played with, always make a point of mentioning Allie Reynolds. None of them ever forgot how great a big game pitcher the Big Chief was and how impotant he was to their winning.
A typical year for Reynolds was 15-9. Using that as a basis, if his career had started four years earlier, his career record might have been something like 252-148. He'd be in the Hall of Fame with that record. Given the outstanding record that Reynolds did compile, combined with his brilliant World Series record, and it is no stretch to say that he should be in the Hall of Fame today anyway.
PREACHER ROE - pitched in one game at age 23 for the Browns, and then didn't pitch again in the majors until he was 29 year old. He went on to post a lifetime record of 127-84, good for a winning percentage of .602. He pitched to 87% of the league ERA over his career, and moved his teams forward .037. Roe is the one guy on this list who did not post a great record over his first 3 full seasons, going just 30-32. From age 33 on, Roe's record was outstanding at 93-37(.714). All for the Dodgers. A typical year for Roe was 13-8. Using that as a basis, if his career had started at age 22, he might have compiled a record something like 218-143. Probably good enough to have gotten him into the Hall.
That completes the Baker's Dozen. There is another pitcher who could have been included on this list, but I chose to leave off for various reasons that will be explained in the next posting. His name is Urban Shocker.
