who was better in their prime Sandy Koufax or Bob Gibson?

Question

who would you want for game 7 of the world Series.

Answer 1

In their prime nobody in the history of the game was better than Koufax. When he was on his game, which was most of the time, it was never a question if he would win the game, the only unknown was if the other team would get a hit. I had season tickets at Dodger Stadium during the Koufax years and I can tell you that Gibson was great but Koufax was in a league of his own. Players like Joe Morgan, Bench, Aaron, Rose, and many others have said that Koufax was the best pitcher they ever faced. Who are we to doubt players of that quality?

Answer 2

You ask two different questions, but to me the answer is same (and most likely an unpopular one): Gibson.

Koufax was great, there's no denying that. However, his stats were helped immensely by the mound at Dodger Stadium. (As were Drysdale's and every other Dodger pitcher of that era.) Over his amazing six year period of brilliance Koufax's ERA at Dodger Stadium was over a full run lower than it was on the road. It's not a knock on Sandy, it's just a fact which must be kept in mind when assessing those eye-popping statistics.

Obviously, Gibson was no slouch. Many people claim he is quite possibly the greatest big game pitcher the game has seen. I've never heard that claim applied to Koufax. So if you put them both in a neutral park during their prime and asked me to choose, I'd pick Gibson. However, if I was forced to pick Koufax I think I could deal. :-)

Answer 3

As tenacious of pitcher as Bob Gibson was, Sandy Koufax is arguably the greatest left-hand pitcher ever and had mad stats before the arm problems derailed his career. Give me a southpaw like Koufax on the mound in Game 7 every time.

Answer 4

Yes, Sandy Koufax was the best lefty there was. BUT -- for that one year, 1968, I'd take Bob Gibson. He had other years that were great, but no one put 6 seasons together like Koufax.

Answer 5

I can remember being 12 - 13 years old and watching Koufax and Gibson in the
World Series TV. I can also remember listening to them on radio. They were the
two best I ever saw, but have to give the edge to Koufax. He had the best fastball
and curve ball in baseball at the time, a rare fete. My father now deceased
said flatly that Bob Feller was the best, no argument. He saw them both.

Answer 6

Koufax ... Gibson is an aggressive self-promoter (and a frequent re-writer of history) but his record doesn t compare with Koufax s 6-year run

Answer 7

As much as I admire Gibson and his competitiveness, no one in baseball history can compare with Koufax during his prime, 1961 to 1966. He won one MVP award, three Cy Young awards (all unanimous) and in 1963, 1965, and 1966 he led the league in wins, k's and ERA. In his last 4 years, he was 97-17! If you took Gibson's 4 best years for W-L, he was 84-37. Great pitcher but not as good as Sandy.

Answer 8

I remember a game where I was sitting behind home plate watching Koufax pitch and heard the batter and umpire arguing over a called strike:

Batter: "Sounded outside to me."

Ump: "Well it sounded like a strike to me."

Bob Gibson was great, but I don't think he ever prompted a conversation like that. Koufax gets my vote.

Answer 9

Sandy Koufax. It's that simple.

Answer 10

Sandy Koufax fsho man

Thats a no doubter I would want Sandy on my team at that situation