Their Time In The Sun Was Short But Sweet: Jeff Tesreau

Jeff Tesreau was one of the best pitchers on John McGraw's New York Giants from 1912 to 1918. And after just four seasons with the Giants, it appeared Jeff would end up as the heir apparent to Christy Mathewson, Rube Marquard (And even pretty good Red Ames and Hooks Wiltse) and end up in the Hall of Fame with the pair. But that didn't quite happen.

Although only 15-14 with Shreevport of the Texas League in 1910, Tesreau had an earned run average of just 1.91. Although it was "C" level ball, Jeff improved on that the next season, his last in the minors. Now pitching on Toronto of the Eastern League ("A" ball), Tesreau won fourteen games, lost just nine, and posted an ERA of 2.70. His days as a minor leaguer were over at age twenty-three.

Alas, Jeff's days as a major leaguer were over by the time he was thirty. But as a twenty-four year old rookie on the New York Giants in 1912, Tesreau was the earned run average leader in the National League. 1.96, not too far off what he'd been two years earlier down south. Jeff's big moment came on September 6th of that season, when the rookie threw a no-hittter against Philadelphia. 

Jeff Tesreau was 17-7 in 1912, behind Mathewson (23) and Marquard (26) for team lead in wins. The Giants, alas, lost a tough World Series to the Boston Red Sox. The Giants were in the midst of three straight Fall Classic appearances, but lost all of them.

Tesreau, though, kept New York in the hunt in the coming years (They'd make it back in 1917 for good measure, only to lose to the Chicago White Sox in six games). Then team followed their 103-win season with another 100 triumphs in 1913 (101). Tesreau DID join the two aces as a twenty-game winner that year. He didn't lead the league in ERA, but it was just 2.17.

The Giants appeared to fade in the years that followed, briefly rebounding in 1917, but our boy lead the team in wins in just his third season on the ballclub. The 1914 New York Giants got 26 wins by Tesreau and another 24 by Matty. Rube Marquard went just 12-22. And Jeff nearly got another no-hitter in May of '14 vs. Pittsburgh, losing it on a two-out, ninth inning single. He finished the season tops in the National League with eight shutouts.

Tesreau continued to contribute. He won 19 games in '15, although that was against 16 losses. Tesreau had been 84-46 with a 2.22 earned run average his first four seasons in the major leagues. He wouldn't quite be that good in his last four years, but oddly enough Jeff would remain one of the top hurlers on the club. And, Tesreau had added another eight shutouts. So he wasn't consistent.

But 1917 was a disappointing year for Jeff Tesreau. His earned run average climbed up over three for the first time in his career, although it wasn't that bad (3.09). Jeff won only thirteen games and lost nine. The Giants, though, won their first flag in four seasons, making Tesreau on a pennant winner for the third time in only six seasons.

But the Chicago White Sox were too strong in the Fall Classic. Jeff held them scoreless in his only World Series appearance that year. He'd been 1-2 in the 1912 World Series, but lost his only start in '13. Tesreau pitched the last of the eighth in game two, but New York lost the game. In games three and four back home, the Giants' pitching stifled the Pale Hose, shutting them out back-to-back contests. Chicago bounced back with a pair of close wins to take it in six games.

Although just twenty-nine in 1918, Tesreau was pitching for the last time in the bigs. He got off to a strong start. It seemed like just bad luck that got him sidetrackked.

Jeff beat the Boston Braves for his first win on April 22nd. Then he he tossed a brilliant 5-hitter in a complete game 6-0 win over Philadelphia a week later. He beat Boston again in his first start in May to go 3-0. It was a 2-hitter over 8 1/3. Then Tesreau beat Philadelphia 4-1, allowing just five hits in another complete game victory. Although it pushed Jeff's record to a perfect 4-0 in 1918, he'd won his last MLB game.

But he continued to pitch well. His earned run average at this point was 0.96. What could possibly go wrong?

A tough 3-0 loss on May 16th for starters. Although Jeff allowed nine hits over six innings, he permitted just three (earned) runs. One the 23rd of the month, another solid start: Seven innings, three earned runs allowed again. It was a no-decision, as New York still went on to win the game. Tesreau allowed eight hits and five runs over eight innings of work in his last May appearance of 1918. Tesreau got tagged with the loss again, dropping his record to 4-2.

Tesreau pitched well his first June appearance against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Eight innings, seven hits and just two earned runs allowed. But the Giants lost 3-2 to the Bucs. Although he pitched twice more that month, neither outing was longer than two and a third innings.

And, when Jeff was replaced by Fred Anderson in the top of the third inning in a game against Chicago on June 11th, he left the mound for the last time. What brought this all on? Although now just 4-4, Tesreau's earned run average was great, 2.45.

Well, he wasn't happy, for one. Jeff Tesreau had budded heads with his manager, John McGraw. Just before spring got underway in '18, McGraw entrusted Tesreau to take on a more serious role with his Giants' team. Jeff was to look after pitchers and catchers and some other players workout, to get them ready for the season. That seemed to go off without a hitch.

But then, McGraw went too far in Tesreau's mind. Suddenly, Jeff was to keep and eyes on those players, checking in on what they were doing off the field. To Jeff, what a player did in their spare time wasn't his to be checking in on. So while Tesreau was pitching well through June of that season, this had set off a rift between manager and star pitcher. At one point, they had a serious argument.

So, Tesreau left the team. He found work with Bethlehem Steel, and kept pitching with the Steel Mill leagues. The next season, with McGraw not interested in making the pitcher available for other teams (Jeff was nonetheless offered a contract some time later with the Boston Braves), Jeff got a baseball coaching job at Dartmouth College. It was there that he'd been employed for the next 27 years. Among his pupils that he instilled the game to were his own son, and even Red Rolfe.

And Tesreau also managed for four years (1938-1941) in  the Vermont’s Northern League. First, the the St. Albans Giants and later the Claremont Pilots. Jeff may never have taken the hill in The Big Show after 1918, but he kept busy.

Sadly, Jeff passed away long before his time (Age 57) in 1946 after suffering a stroke. His short career, and the way it and his life ended make Tesreau a rather forgotten man from the Deadball Era. Yet in just seven seasons, the right-hander won 117 games.


References

Lesch, R. J. “Jeff Tesreau.” Society of American Baseball Research, SABR, sabr.org/bioproj/person/jeff-tesreau. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.

Publications International Ltd., and David Nemec. The Baseball Chronicle, 0 ed., Lincolnwood, Illinois, Publications International, Ltd., 2008, pp. 59–83.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 19 Aug. 2020.

“Three Time Giants World Series Pitcher: Jeff Tesreau (1912-1918).” Centerfieldmaz, www.centerfieldmaz.com/2015/03/three-time-giants-world-series-pitcher.html. Accessed 19 Aug. 2020.

World Series: Did You Know?

Tonight's win by the Chicago Cubs was their first win not going to extra inning since game three of the 1945 Fall Classic? And did the winning pitcher for Chicago ever pitch well. And his hitting was pretty good, too.

Detroit and Chicago split the first two games of the '45 World Series, but the Tigers should have had the edge in the third contest at home. They had Hank Greenberg and Rudy York and were looking for some serious offence.

It never came in this game.

Claude Passeau, the Cubs starter, was 17-9 with a 2.46 ERA in 1945, so he was the right man to stop the Tigers. And stop them he did. They went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first. In the second inning, York got the home team's first hit of the game, but he was stranded. Detroit would not get another hit the entire game.

The Cubs, meanwhile, scored twice in the top of the fourth, and that was all Passeau needed. The Tigers coaxed a walk from him in the bottom of the sixth, swiftly erased via a double play. Passeau helped out his own cause by hitting a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh to make it 3-0, Chicago.

Passeau finished the game in style, retiring the last eleven Detroit batters, giving Chicago a 3-0 lead and a 2-1 lead in the Fall Classic that year. Detroit, however, won the next two games to force Chicago to the brink of elimination.

Passeau pitched game six at Wrigley. Claude was not as effective as he'd been in game three. He allowed three runs over 6 2/3 IP. His team went on to an extra inning, 8-7 win. The joy was short-lived, however. Two days later, the visitors won 9-3 to take the 1945 World Series. The Tigers would have to wait until 1968 to return to the Fall Classic, whereas the Cubs would have to wait 71 years to return.

But the 1945 World Series, despite the lop-sided game seven, was very exciting. Passreau had to work hard in his 3-0 game, and even his own bat was needed for that effort. The World Series had started with a lot of promise, as the Cubs blanked 'em 9-0 in the first contest. Every game after that, with the exception of the sixth one, was a pretty good effort on the winning pitcher's part, despite the final score.


References


Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

Retrosheet. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.  <www.retrosheet.org>

Common Denominator: Sandy Koufax's Perfect Game And Game Seven Win

Koufax simply did it all in 1965. He dominated on the mound with a 26-8 record. Another ERA title, his fourth straight, 2.04. 8 shutouts and 382 K's. He was unhittable. And on September 9th of that year, the Chicago Cubs could not get a man to first safely against him. But for a while, neither could Sandy's own team. Sandly looked to Lou Johnson to get some offence in two important games that year.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, were giving Koufax the usual support. As in one or two runs. Actually, in this game at home, the Dodgers were going down fast at the dish. While Sandy was humming along, his mound opponent, Bob Hendley, was getting 'em out. The Dodgers were going down so quick Sandy wasn't getting the proper rest between innings.

Hendley needed just ten pitches to get 'em 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first, matching Koufax's own ten-pitch inning. In the second, Koufax needed thirteen, but Hendley needed just seven. Bottom of the third, Hendley needs just six. Bottom of the fourth, seven again. Someone should have told the Dodgers to be patient.

In the bottom of the fifth, Bob got ahead of Lou Johnson 1-2, but could not find the plate on the next three pitches. A baserunner! Ron Fairly bunted him to second, first pitch. Johnson then stole third on the first pitch to Jim Lefebvre. The throw to nail him at third was for not, and it also ended up a miss fire. Johnson scored. There had not been an at-bat on that entire sequence. When Lefebvre fanned and Wes Parker grounded back to Hendley, the inning was over. Hendley had the no-hitter intact. Koufax, though, had the perfect game.

The next inning was the easiest of the night for Hendley as it took him just five pitches to retire the side in order. Now he was through six, had a no-hitter, and was losing 1-0. Koufax looked like he was about to walk Billy Williams in the top of the seventh with two down. He was behind in the count 3-0. Koufax threw a strike. Williams fouled one off. The count was full. Billy flied to left.

Hendley got the first two batters out in the bottom of the frame to keep pace. But back at the dish was Johnson, who then doubled on an 1-0 pitch. The inning ended, however, as Ron Fairly grounded out. It was too bad for the Dodgers, as Fairly himself had gotten ahead in the count 3-1. A walk here might have knocked the red-hot Hendley out of the game.

But Koufax did not care. He had his one run lead. Top of the eight, K, K, K. Three pinch hitters came to the dish in the top of the ninth to try and stop him from perfection. No chance. They all went down, including pinch hitter Harvey Kuenn, who was batting for Hendley as the games' last batter. 1-0 Dodgers on a 113 pitches. 79 for strikes. Perfect game! Thank you Lou!



It seemed more of the same for Sandy as the Dodgers took on the Minnesota Twins in the World Series that year. The home team won the first six games, but guess where game seven was? In Minny. Koufax was up against Jim Kaat, who'd been good enough to beat Sandy 5-1 in game two.

Kaat and Koufax looked shaky early. Koufax walked a pair in the bottom of the first. In the top of the third, it was Johnny Roseboro with a double and Koufax himself with a walk to start things. But Los Angeles could not score.

Koufax himself gave up a single in the bottom of the frame, but in the top of the fourth, he was primed for some support. Up came Lou Johnson. On a 1-1 from Kaat, he took him deep to left for a solo home run. It was just fair. As it turns out, that's all Sandy needed.

Unlike the perfect game, the Dodgers added a run as Ron Fairly followed the home run with a double and Wes Parker hit a single. Each of that on the first pitch. The Dodgers were up 2-0 in the sequence of three pitches.

And Sandy held it up, of course. He gave up a one-out single to Harmon Killebrew in the bottom of the ninth, but then fanned Earl Battey and Bob Allison to complete the shutout (His second, as he'd gotten one in game five, too), give him ten K's and be the hero.



Koufax didn't get much offence from the Dodgers, even when he really needed it. But Lou sure helped Sandy win two (games) in '65, eh?


References

Retrosheet (Retrosheet) http://www.retrosheet.org/

Baseball Reference (Baseball-Reference.com) http://www.baseball-reference.com/

(YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/

(ESPN)
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/108965/stats-to-remember-sandy-koufaxs-perfect-game

World Series Did You Know?

The 1906 World Series was an all Chicago affair.

Yep, the White Sox and Cubs took care of their respected leagues to make for the first World Series to be held in one city. The White Sox's 93 wins paled in comparison to Cubbies' 116, however.

A terrific pitcher's duel was game 1. That saw the White Sox's Nick Altrock and Three Finger Brown end up with a 4-hitter each. But Altrock and the Sox ended up winning, 2-1.

The Cubs almost got a no-no in game 2. Athough their starter, Ed Reulbach walked 6 batters, he gave up only a Jiggs Donahue single in the bottom of the 7th to finish with a 1-hitter. 50 years later it was Don Larsen who became the only pitcher to toss a no-hitter in the World Series. This game was also a bit of a laugher, however. The Cubs won, 7-1.

If you can believe it, Ed Walsh of the White Sox, went out in game 3 and did some no-hitting of his own. He allowed a pair of hits in the bottom of the 1st. But the Cubs did not get another hit the rest of the way. The Cubs' Jack Pfiester finished with a fine 4-hitter of his own, but it was not enough. The White Sox won 3-0. They were also ahead ahead 2-1 in the Fall Classic.

For the 4th straight game of this Series, the losing team scored one or no runs in game 4. And for the 2nd time in 3 games, a Cub pitcher tossed a 2-hitter. Brown, back from game 1, tossed a 2-hit gem. Altrock pitched another gem, but the Cubs won 1-0. This all Chicago World Series had been a great pitcher's Series so far! The Series was also now deadlocked at 2. It was down to a best-of-three affair.

The White Sox's Walsh beat Pfiester in game 5. But this time, neither starting pitcher fared too well. The White Sox took it, 8-6, and were now only 1 win away for the World Series Championship. The White Sox had to survive the six errors they made in the game. But the Cubs' six runs meant that Doc White was summoned in from the bullpen to finish the game for the White Sox. In doing so, Doc became the first pitcher to record a save in the World Series!

And Doc was not done. Neither were the Sox.

White took the hill in game 6, looking to put the Cubs away for good in 1906. Three Finger Brown tried to stop the White Sox. But this time, it was a hill too steep to climb. And Although the Cubs scored a run in the top of the 1st, the White Sox answered with 3 in the bottom of the inning. The White Sox then knocked Brown out of the game in the bottom of the second. They scored three more runs off him before Orval Overall got the Cubs out of there. The final score would be 8-3, Chicago White Sox.

Half of the city of Chicago must have been ecstatic. The other half must have been disappointed.

References

Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.

Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.

Retrosheet. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. <www.retrosheet.org>

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.

How Jim Maloney Nearly Had 4 No-No's In 1965, Part 1: Jim Overcomes A Brave New World!

Jim Maloney was known as a hard thrower. Some claimed he even threw harder than Koufax.

The big righthander was born in Fresno in 1940, and in 1959, The Cincinnati Redlegs (Their name from 1954 to 1959) signed him. By 1963 he was a twenty game winner (actually 23), and he went on to top that mark again in his famed 1965 season.

You can't be Juan Marichal, you can't be Bob Gibson and you can't be Sandy Koufax.

Yet there were four games in the 1965 season where Jim was every bit as good as them all combined!

He first start of that season was on April 19, 1965, ten days after the Houston Astros opened their brand new indoor stadium, the Astrodome. It was the Reds (now and forever their name) 6th game of the season.

He was opposed by the Milwakee Braves.

Maloney started out fast as he fanned Mack Jones and Ty Cline. Then the dangerous Eddie Mathews was retired on a fly ball to center field.

The Reds, meanwhile, wasted no time in getting him something to work with as they touched home twice in the top of the second. Could Jim make it stand up? It would be the only two runs the Reds would score.

Making the task somewhat easier, at least now, was that Hank Aaron was not in the lineup.

With that, Jimmy mowed 'em down in the second and third, although he managed just one strikeout in that time.

In the fourth, he faltered.

Jones was k'd and Cline went out on a fly to center.

Two away.

But then Mathews was walked and the batter was Joe Torre. Yes, that Joe Torre!

Wild pitch, Mathews to second.

Torre walked.

Lee Maye ended the inning by hitting a fly to left.

So the perfect game is gone, but the no-hitter is still intact!

The fifth inning was no problem, but then came the sixth.

It started out with Wade Blasingame, the opposing pitcher (himself an 8 inning 5-hitter on this day), striking out. However, back to the top of the order and back to another walk, this time to Mack Jones.

Further trouble was diverted when both Cline and Mathews were retired on a fly to right and a pop up to first.

Blasingame, despite some troubles of his own in the top of that inning, induced three grounders to third, short and second in the top of the 7th as this game was now a full fledged pitcher's duel.

In the bottom of the 7th, Torre popped out to second, Maye fanned and Felipe Alou fouled to the catcher.

Six more outs to go.

In the top of the eight, the Reds had a chance to put this game away. Pete Rose singled, and then with one out, Vada Pinson walked. However, Frank Robinson flied out and Deron Johnson forced Rose at third. So the score was still 2-0 Reds.

Dennis Menke led off the bottom of the eighth with a single. There goes the no-hitter at last!

Maloney, calmed down and perhaps a bit relieved, focused now on winning the game.

Pinch hitter!

Hank Aaron.

Aaron was the all-time leader in homeruns.

Now he's second to Bonds.

He was also the all time leader in grounding into double play.

Now he is third behind Ripken and Rodriguez.

Which would he do?

Grounder to Rose. Rose steps on second and fires to first. Double play!

Lou Klimchock batted for Blasingame and flew out to center.

In the top of the 9th, Dan Osinski took over on the mound. The Reds had a shot at him.

Tony Perez led off with a single, but was caught stealing. Don Pavletich, the team's second string catcher, then doubled. Maloney came to bat and no doubt got a standing ovation from the 2, 804 fans.

He couldn't help his own cause, however, as he grounded out to first. Still just 2-0.

Three outs to go, to still get the shutout.

Maloney wasted no time. Jones went down on strikes, as did Cline.

The Braves last hope was Mathews.

Rose took his grounder and fired to Perez at first to end the game.


References


Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 25 April 2011.

Total Baseball. 1994 Edition. CD-ROM. Chicago, Ill: Creative Media. 1994.

"Jim Maloney." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2011.

Sandy Koufax Before The Immortality, Part 4: 1960, Almost There

Almost There With A Lot Of K’s Along The Way

Koufax came out smoking in 1960, but his control was not always there when he needed it.

After pitching primarily in relief in April (earning one save in his first relief stint), May brought about a regular spot in the rotation.

His strikeouts were there, but so were too many walks. To be fair, Sandy wasn’t getting the run support he needed either.

In his 5 starts that month, the Dodgers scored 12 runs. And walks aside, Koufax was far from bad. In fact, his one win was almost his first ever no-hitter.

But he walked 30 batters in 48 innings in that month. He only gave up 28 hits and 15 earned runs in that stretch, however. As mentioned he tossed a 1-hitter (but six walks!) and 10 strikeouts in a 1-0 win over Pittsburgh on May 23.

But his other starts all resulted in losses, pushing his record to 1-5 on the season (he had lost a game earlier in relief). Most puzzling was his last May start. A good one. Koufax went 13 innings, and did walk 9, but gave up just 3 hits and fanned 15 in a 4-3 loss to the Chi Sox National League counterparts, the Cubs.

June, though, brought Koufax down even further. He lost his first three starts, although the run support was better. Sandy’s pitching was not, as he was shelled in those outings. His strikeouts remained.

He tossed a 5-hitter for a win in the middle of the month (the Dodgers even scored him 14 runs), then got rocked two more times before finishing the month on a good note with a 7 inning, 3-hitter (plus 10 Ks) for a win. But now his win-losses record was just 3-8.

July was not noteworthy as Koufax started just one game, but August is where I believe Koufax found it.

For good.

He had 6 starts and was good to great in half of them, plus he picked up a strong relief win. Among them were a 4-hitter, a 2-hit shutout, a six-hitter. The bad news is he got rocked in the other three. But suddenly the Ks are back in high gear, AND the walks are suddenly down for good. He fanned 11 in one game, 13 in another, plus 4 in his 2 1/3 relief outing. While he was knocked out early in some of his other games, his walk totals were low. In fact, the rest of the season (15 games) he would only walk more than three batters in a game once.

September was a month of more good pitching, although it would not always show up in the results column. He would get some relief work as well. The run support wasn’t always there.

Amazing thing? Koufax didn’t have one bad performance.

After losing 1-0 in his first start of the month, Sandy had a September 8th start against Cincinnati, which was a win. 8 hits, 3 walks over nine innings, with 10 Ks. Koufax walked just 2 batters his next start and gave up 5 hits and fanned another 11. Then he fanned 8 more in a loss to the Cubs again. That’s the 5 walk game. But in 7 1/3 innings, he gave up just 3 hits and whiffed 8 batters. His final start saw him walk 3 more over seven innings but surrender just 6 hits and fan 7 more. A no decision.

In the last two months of the season, Koufax made 15 appearances, 11 starts. Granted he was 5-5 in them, and one relief appearance resulted in a blown save.

But here’s the good part.

In those last 80 1/3 innings on the season he surrendered just 62 hits and 31 walks, 90 strikeouts, 3.14 ERA, and batters have hit just .211 against him. The opponent’s On Base Average is only .287.

The bad part?

The Dodgers only scored 38 runs for him in those 11 starts.

Maybe I should look more at Sandy’s 1960 overall season statistics, too. Indeed, it is better than it appears. For starters, he’s still pitching in a terrible ballpark. Secondly he gave up just 6.8 hits against per 9 innings, just behind Ernie Broglio for the National league lead in that category. Furthermore, three Dodger pitchers topped the league in K/9 innings. Here we go:

1. Koufax (LAD) 10.1

2. Drysdale (LAD) 8.2

3. Williams (LAD) 7.6

On top of that, Koufax, in just 175 innings, has fanned almost 200 batters (197). That’s second in the league behind Drysdale who has 246 strikeouts. Put it this way, the second highest strikeout total for a pitcher that season, with less than 200 innings, is Jim O’Toole, who is 15th (!) in the league in strikeouts with 124 K in 196 1/3 inning. And Drysdale needed 269 innings to accumulate HIS league leading strikeout total! Leveling the playing field and Koufax is ahead of everyone in Ks. As mentioned earlier, opponents didn’t hit Sandy much that year. He led the league lowest batting average against again with .207! With such a bad ballpark, is an ERA of 3.91 that bad? If it matters, the league ERA in the NL that year was 3.76. So Koufax is only a little worse for wear ERA wise than the average pitcher. Drysdale, despite an ERA of 2.84 was just 15-14 and gave up 7.2 H/9.

The downside is that he walked 100 batters for third most in the league. He tied Broglio. He also had 5.1 BB/9 to league the lead. Furthermore, Koufax was tied for forth in wild pitches with 9. But imagine those other kind of numbers despite all that? Pretty good, actually!

Want still more? Sandy had a K to BB ration of 1.97. 14 eligible pitchers (154 IP) topped that, but also, 14 eligible pitchers were below that!


References


Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 30 March 2011.

Total Baseball. 1994 Edition. CD-ROM. Chicago, Ill: Creative Media. 1994.