who is the bst pitcher in history?

Answer 1

It's obviously Roger Clemens. Clemens beats Cy Young in every category except wins, he beats Nolan Ryan in every category except strikeouts, he beat Niekro, Maddux, Glavine Perry, Carlton and every other hall of famer in almost every single category there is. He also has the most Cy Young awards in baseball history. And if thats not enough, he's still going strong at 45.

Answer 2

On the list of greatest Athletes of all time the pitcher that holds the highest spot is Sandy Koufax !!! In a 6 to 7 year span there was NO ONE that was more dominating than Koufax,. He was practically un-hitable. He gave up the least amount of home runs in that span than any other pitcher in the history of baseball. He also still holds the record for most consecutive strikeouts in World Series history !! The lowest ERA in World Series history. These 2 records still have not been broken as well as a few others that haven't been broken. The fact he holds the highest position for a Pitcher in the 100 greatest athletes of all time says something as well !!

Answer 3

Depends if you are talking about longevity or if you mean over a short few year period. Cy Young and Walter Johnson did amazing things. The endurance and level of skill they displayed for such long periods of time is just mind boggling.

When it comes to a few short years Ron Guidry, Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax has amazing seasons. None of them could do it for long. Injury took Guidry and Koufax down. Gibson just wore out.

When you are talking about clutch pitching and skill Whitey Ford was easily the best. He was almost ordinary if the game didn't mean anything but in important games and the post season he was untouchable. There was never a craftier pitcher than Ford who almost completely lacked raw talent but made the most of his very ordinary skills.

In terms of raw talent nobody could touch Nolan Ryan. If he'd learned how to pitch early on he'd been the greatest ever without a doubt. Until late in his career when Ryan was on he was untouchable when he wasn't on he was a very ordinary pitcher. There was no skill involved. He just threw it as hard as he could and dared hitters to catch up with it. Later in his career when his fastball lost some zip he added a change up to his already nasty curve and evil fastball and learned how to mix speeds a little and became a much better pitcher.

So to be honest there isn't one pitcher yet that really did it all. None that stand out so much that you can say they were the best of their generation without a doubt much less best ever. There were different guys who were the best at various aspects of pitching. None that combined all the various qualities and did it for a long time.

Answer 4

Here is my top 10 list

1: Sandy Koufax
2: Bob Gibson
3: Roger Clemens
4: Cy Young
5: Tom Seaver
6: Whitey Ford
7: Mariano Rivera
8: Babe Ruth
9: Walter Johnson
10: Don Drysdale

Answer 5

Depends on how you want to define it- best career, best peak, or best in a big spot.

Best career you have to go with Clemens or Walter Johnson 350+ wins each, a bucketload of strikeouts, and terrific ERAs (with respect to their eras) (honorable mention goes to Tom Seaver)

Best peak would be either Sandy Koufax or Pedro Martinez. Pedro posted about the same ERA (1.74) that Koufax did at the absolute peak of the steroid era (more home runs were hit in 2000 than any other season ever, the .792 league OPS was also the highest) and he set records- RECORDS- for lowest WHIP (BB+Hits divided by innings) and lowest opposing batting average, at .737 and .167 respectively. Putting it in perspective, Mariano Rivera never posted below a .868 WHIP, and he did that in nearly 1/3 the innings.

Koufax, of course, was also dominant in those peak years, and he had one thing going that Pedro didn't- 100 more innings a season. But weigh that against the lower mound, smaller ballparks, juiced up ballplayers, and the DH, I'd say that Pedro's season looks equally as impressive, if not more so.

Best in a big spot? That would have to be either Bob Gibson or Koufax. Look at Gibson- played in only 3 postseason series, but had three complete games in each, to the tune of a 1.89 ERA and 92 Ks in 81 innings. Wow. As for Koufax- a .95 ERA in the World Series says it all.

Answer 6

I would say Walter Johnson, 3,000 K's, 400 wins and a career ERA of under 2.20. Then I would say Roger Clemens, over 4,700 career K's, over 350 wins, and a career ERA of 3.11, and this was all going on in the steroid ERA. Not to mention 7 cy young awards. Then I would say Sandy Koufax, a career ERA of 2.76, 2396 career strikeouts in only an 11 year career, 2nd all time in no-hitters (4) also in just an 11 year career, and he also led the major leagues in ERA 5 years in a row. Those are my big 3.

Answer 7

Koufax was practically unhittable for about 5-6 years in the 60's.

Answer 8

Sandy Koufax

Answer 9

Cy Young

Answer 10

Cy Young, by far. He has 511 wins, the most innings played with 7354 2/3 innings, 511 wins, 749!!!! complete games, 511 wins, most games started with 815, and 511 wins. All of those i listed he is number one in and most of them (like 511 wins) will never be surpassed.