2007-01-25 08:12:05 · 13 answers · asked by Mister E 2 in Sports ➔ Baseball
Good question.
Statistically, I think you have to go with Marichal. He beats out Drysdale in wins (243 to 209), ERA (2.89 to 2.95), complete games (244 to 167), shutouts (52 to 49), 20-win seasons (6 to 2), and he finished in the top ten in MVP voting three times (compared to only two for Drysdale). Drysdale was the better strikeout artist and does suffer somewhat from having a slightly shorter career than Marichal, and Drysdale does have a Cy Young (Marichal does not), but Marichal still seems to be the overall better pitcher.
2007-01-25 08:32:06 · answer #1 · answered by maryvillescots 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, you sure picked two guys who are close enough that it's a tough call. Great pitchers, and both tough men on the mound.
I'd probably give it to Marichal by the slightest of margins, based on two factors:
1) His performance from 1963-69 is amazing. His ERA never rose above 2.76 for a season, and he won 20 or more in 6 of those 7 seasons. Drysdale didn't have as long or strong a peak.
2) The fact that Marichal comes out a little ahead in ERA, WHIP, K/BB ratio, and the probably-too-arbitrary-to-consider wins categories. Drysdale did win a Cy Young award, but Marichal just had the bad luck of running into Koufax during his prime.
I don't think you can go wrong with either choice, really.
EDIT - I had some free time this afternoon, so I looked at their head to head matchups. Their respective numbers:
Drysdale - 112.2 IP, 3.28 ERA, 3-10 record
Marichal - 125.2 IP, 1.86 ERA, 10-3 record
Those probably don't mean a lot, but I just thought I'd check them out.
2007-01-25 16:29:31 · answer #2 · answered by Craig S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don Drysdale is the better pitcher. He had a less strikeout to ball ratio (less than 3:1) than Juan Marichal (3.25 to 1). Drysdale pitched 58 consecutive scoreless innings as well.
2007-01-26 22:26:51 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Juan Marichal
2007-01-25 17:37:53 · answer #4 · answered by AL IS ON VACATION AND HAS NO PIC 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As a long time Dodger fan, I like Don Drysdale, but the stats indicate that Marichal was a better pitcher. If the question was who was a better PLAYER, I'd have to call it even, as Drysdale did some good stuff with his bat and had better stats as a fielder.
2007-01-25 19:21:15 · answer #5 · answered by Ace Librarian 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The best thing I think you should do is look at all the games they actually faced each other and see who comes out ahead that way. I like Juan Marichal because of his outrageously high kick and the accuracy he had pitching that was. With Don Drysdale it was great pitching and not being intimidated by batters to close to the plate. He wasn't afraid to move them back.
2007-01-25 16:34:04 · answer #6 · answered by Mailman Bob 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Marichal
2007-01-25 16:38:06 · answer #7 · answered by gman 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jaun Marichal
2007-01-25 17:02:42 · answer #8 · answered by nas88car300 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As a lifelong Dodger fan, I'd have to say Don Drysdale. That brings back some good memories. The only regular season games they televised in LA back then was against the Giants, so I saw a lot of games with both of them. Seems to me, the Dodgers won more pennants than the Giants in the late 50s and 60s. Of course, the Dodgers also had Koufax. Don Drysdale is my favorite all-time pitcher. He had a long and productive career.
2007-01-25 17:57:23 · answer #9 · answered by wyldfyr 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Juan Marichal had more dominate years.
2007-01-25 17:32:56 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋