Comments on: Most Wins, non-HoFr

By: David in Toledo

David in Toledo — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:11:22 +0000

Yeah, I sure did. Blyleven, 339 win shares. Putting aside Clemens and Maddux, there is no pitcher higher than 339 who is not in the Hall.* There are at least 40 pitchers in the Hall with win shares totals fewer than Blyleven’s.

*Well, Tony Mullane is credited with 348 win shares as a pitcher, but whatever reasons have to do with his being on the HoF outside are 19th century reasons.

By: vonhayes

vonhayes — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:09:31 +0000

Yeah looks like you skipped him.

By: wellspr

wellspr — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:38:09 +0000

Where is Blyleven on the Win Share list?

By: David in Toledo

David in Toledo — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 02:41:31 +0000

For what the information is worth, here are Bill James win shares for the top ten on the winningest non-HoFers ever. So you don’t have to go back and forth, wins are listed first (and win shares in parentheses).

Clemens 354 (440)
Maddux 347 (389)
Glavine 303 (314)
B. Mathews 297 (158)
John 288 (289)
Johnson 284 (315)
Mullane 284 (399; he played in the field, too)
Kaat 283 (268)
McCormick 315 (265)
and John Smoltz 207 (284, credit given to his relief work)

For pitchers after 1900, the numbers correspond pretty well to wins, with differences corresponding roughly to how “overpowering” the pitcher’s stuff was.

By: whiz

whiz — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:03:36 +0000

Wow, back in the 19th century fielding was really bad. Bobby Mathews (#4 on the non-HoF list) had more unearned runs than runs!

By: Johnny Twisto

Johnny Twisto — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:06:54 +0000

I guessed Jimmie Foxx.

By: vonhayes

vonhayes — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:27:48 +0000

I guessed Wade Boggs.