Month: June 2021

The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #30 Warren Spahn

Toeing the rubber at #30 is starting pitcher Warren Spahn. There is a pretty convincing argument that Spahn is squarely in the conversation of the greatest pitcher of all time. Quite literally, there is an 85-year stretch where Spahn’s career was unrivaled. From 1915 to 2000, Spahn won 34 more games than any other pitcher and threw 26 more complete games than any other pitcher. He threw a minimum of 260 innings in 14 different seasons during this stretch, which is four more seasons than anyone else. Even more remarkable is that Spahn was a 13-time 20-game winner, which is the most in history. He led the league in wins eight times and complete games nine times, both are the most in history. Spahn was a 17-time all-star selection, which is five more than any other pitcher in history. His Black Ink and Gray Ink scores are the highest of any pitcher since 1930. Spahn’s durability showed up in the postseason as well. He is the only pitcher since 1912 to throw two 10-inning games in the World Series, including in Game 4 of the 1957 series, helping propel the Minneapolis Braves over the heavily favored New York Yankees. It’s fun to imagine what Spahn’s career might have looked like had he not missed three-and-a-half seasons of his prime serving in WWII.

The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #31 Joe DiMaggio

Joltin’ in at #31 is Joe DiMaggio. With just 7,642 career plate appearances due to three years serving in WWII, Joltin’ Joe had one of the shorter careers among the top-100, but he made the most of them. In just 13 seasons, he won three AL MVPs with two runner-ups and 10 top-10 finishes while also leading the Yankees to nine World Series titles. DiMaggio spent his entire career at or near the top of statistical leaderboards. He finished in the top-5 in home runs and slugging % 10 times, RBIs, runs created, and total bases nine times, and OPS+, extra-base hits, and triples eight times.   He owns the only season in MLB history with 215 hits, 45 home runs, and 150 runs and the only season with 45 home runs, 150 runs, and fewer than 40 strikeouts. Oh, by the way, he was only 22 years old when he did it. Joe’s the only player in history with more than 700 career walks, fewer than 400 strikeouts, and a .579 slugging %. He joins Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, and Lou Gehrig as the only five players in history with 350 home runs, a .325 batting average, and a .579 slugging % and his six consecutive 125 RBI-seasons are third behind only Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth for most all-time. DiMaggio’s .579 career slugging percentage is the 10th highest in baseball history.

The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #32 Christy Mathewson

Striking the list at #32 is New York Giants hurler “Big Six” Christy Mathewson. Without adjusting for league strength, few pitchers, if any, have more impressive career numbers than Mathewson. He’s third all-time in wins and shutout, 9th all-time in ERA and WHIP, and 10th all-time in WAR for pitchers.  He led the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio nine times, BB/9 seven times, ERA+ six times, WAR, ERA, and strikeouts five times and wins, WHIP, and shutouts four times. He’s the only pitcher in history with 12 consecutive seasons of at least 22 wins. He’s also the only pitcher in history with eight consecutive seasons of at least 23 wins. He led the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio a record eight consecutive seasons and his 11 300-inning seasons are the most in MLB history. Mathewson’s regular season totals are stuff of make believe so it’s even harder to believe that his postseason numbers are even better. Among starting pitchers, he holds the records for lowest ERA (.97) and WHIP (.836) in posteason history (min 60 innings). He holds the records for most career complete games and shutouts in the World Series and he’s the only pitcher in history with three shutouts in a single World Series.