Which pitcher had the best season............?

Question

Ron Guidry 1978 stats:
W- 25 L- 3 GS- 35 CG- 16 SHO- 9 INN- 273.7 H- 187 ER- 53
HR- 13 BB- 72 K- 248 ERA- 1.74
Bob Gibson 1968 stats:
W- 22 L- 8 GS- 34 CG- 28 SHO- 13 INN- 304.7 H- 198 ER- 38
HR- 11 BB- 62 K- 268 ERA- 1.12
Sandy Koufax 1965 stats:
W- 26 L- 8 GS- 41 CG- 27 SHO- 8 INN- 335.7 H- 216 ER- 76
HR- 26 BB- 71 K- 382 ERA- 2.04

with exception of Gibson, each pitcher's respective teams won World Series. Each of these single season performances are some of the best in history.

Nothing like an unbiased opinion from Yankees23.

Bad_Dog - you are correct my apologies he did lose 9 games that year.

Snoop great answer! What hardcore baseball fan could forget that season Carlton had. Once again outstanding answer.

Answer 1

All your examples are great, but the best season for my money would be Steve Carlton's 1972 campaign. Consider how amazing this season was: Carlton's first season with the Phillies was among the greatest seasons a pitcher has ever had. He led the league in wins (27), complete games (30), strikeouts (310) and ERA (1.97) despite playing for a team whose final record was 59-97. His 1972 performance earned him the Hickok Belt as top professional athlete of the year. His having won 46% of his team's victories is a record in modern major league history. Carlton attributed his success to his grueling training regime, which included Eastern martial arts techniques, the most famous of which was twisting his fist to the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket of rice. He was perhaps the most physically fit baseball player of his time. The above examples are for pitchers whose teams either played in (all three) or won (Guidry and Koufax) the World Series, as you mention above. Try to have excellent numbers on a team as awful as the 1972 Phillies. And of course, Carlton won the first of four Cy Young awards for that outstanding year.

Answer 2

Partner you have quite a list here. Guidry is 1978 was certainly phenomenal. Gibson in 68 was amazing especially with that miniscue 1.12 era and his 17 strikeout performance in the first game vs the Tigers was awesome and dominating. Sandy Koufax over a 5 year period was the best pitcher I have ever seen bar none with 4 no hitters over that span as well and one a perfect game! As far as some of the old timers go of course Cy Young, Christy Matthewson, Grover Alexander, Walter Johnson and Lefty Grove also had some truly amazing seasons. Here are a few examples of their excellence:

1913 Walter Johnson 36-7 1.14 era and 243 strikeouts
1931 Lefty Grove 31-4 175 strikeouts and 2.06 era

Cy Young of course won 511 games and did throw a perfect game and I believe the first pitcher to do so. Christy Mathewson had 3 shutouts in the 05 World Series and won 373 games. Grover Alexander won 373 games and well noted for shutting the mighty Yankees down in relief in the 26 World Series. Walter Johnson mostly pitched for 2nd division teams during his career yet won 416 games and had 110 shutouts.

Getting back to that list of modern pitchers you mentioned, it's amazing to me how Gibson actually lost 9 games! During the 78 season it seemed like Guidry was throwing a shutout every week and Koufax was just head and heels above everyone and still holds the southpaw record with 382 strikeouts during that 65 season.

I guess Guidry had the most dominating season of those you mentioned overall but barely. Good question sir!

Answer 3

definite, many pitchers hit abode runs very last three hundred and sixty 5 days. the most abode runs by technique of a pitcher very last season became Micah Owings who hit 4. because pitchers do not bat a lot interior the AL, countless pitchers who were given a chance in interleague play have higher averages. So i visit in basic terms allow you to comprehend had the utmost accepted interior the NL and had a minimum of 40 at-bats. Micah Owings also led all pitchers (40 ABs or extra) with a .333 accepted. As you will discover Micah Owings can hit. he's such an outstanding hitter that Bob Melvin became pinch hitting him later interior the season. He actual received the Silver Slugger award.

Answer 4

With all of those stats and each having an edge in at least 1 or 2 over the others, would have to pick a stat that meant 'best' over all others.

Would normally go with ERA and Gibson's 1.17 is unbelievable. Koufax pitched more games though and well over 1 K per inning as a starter is nasty. Guidry is my hero, but in the end I would have to go with Gibson and that ERA (plus players of that time were scared to death of him).

Answer 5

Ron Guidry 1978 stats: He won the Cy Young and the World Series.

Answer 6

I thought Gibson lost 9 games that year? Anyway a 1.12 kind of speaks for itself and because of him they lowered the mound, which also makes Guidry's performance even more special.
I'd give the nod to Gibson

Answer 7

Even though the conditions of the game hugely favored pitchers in 1968, I still have to go with Gibson's amazing season. 38 earned runs in 300+ innings! Think about how remarkable that is. My question....how the heck did he lose 9 games????

Answer 8

bob gibson record as awesome as was also influenced. the batting champ in the al was yaz at .301 mlb had things geared toward pitching majorly that year.

as good as guidry was that year subsequent years after that were not quite as good. but koufax had several years that were just as impressive. my vote is for him.

Answer 9

I would have to say Ron Guidry.

Answer 10

Easy. It was Gibson.