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1978 Major League Pitching Leaders

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Other Leagues: AL, NL

World Series Champion: New York Yankees

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Major League Pitching Leaders

Wins Above Replacement--all

Wins Above Replacement A single number that presents the number of wins the player added to the team above what a replacement player (think AAA or AAAA) would add. Scale for a single-season: 8+ MVP Quality, 5+ All-Star Quality, 2+ Starter, 0-2 Reserve, < 0 Replacement Level Developed by Sean Smith of BaseballProjection.com

1. Niekro • ATL 10.4

2. Guidry • NYY 9.6

3. Caldwell • MIL 8.2

4. Rice • BOS 7.6

5. Otis • KCR 7.4

6. Eckersley • BOS 7.3

7. Parker • PIT 7.0

8. DeCinces • BAL 6.8

9. Goltz • MIN 6.6

10. Palmer • BAL 6.4

WAR for Pitchers

Wins Above Replacement for Pitchers A single number that presents the number of wins the player added to the team above what a replacement player (think AAA or AAAA) would add. This value includes defensive support and includes additional value for high leverage situations. Scale: 8+ MVP Quality, 5+ All-Star Quality, 2+ Starter, 0-2 Reserve, < 0 Replacement Level Developed by Sean Smith of BaseballProjection.com

1. Niekro • ATL 10.0

2. Guidry • NYY 9.6

3. Caldwell • MIL 8.2

4. Eckersley • BOS 7.3

5. Goltz • MIN 6.6

6. Palmer • BAL 6.4

7. Knepper • SFG 6.3

8. Matlack • TEX 6.2

9. Blue • SFG 5.8

10. Swan • NYM 5.6

Earned Run Average

9 * ER / IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played. Bold indicates lowest ERA using current stats Gold means awarded ERA title at end of year.

1. Guidry • NYY 1.74

2. Matlack • TEX 2.27

3. Caldwell • MIL 2.36

4. Swan • NYM 2.43

5. Palmer • BAL 2.46

6. Rogers • MON 2.47

7. Goltz • MIN 2.49

8. Vuckovich • STL 2.54

9. Knepper • SFG 2.63

10. Hooton • LAD 2.71

Wins

1. Guidry • NYY 25

2. Caldwell • MIL 22

3. Leonard • KCR 21

Palmer • BAL 21

Perry • SDP 21

6. Eckersley • BOS 20

Figueroa • NYY 20

Grimsley • MON 20

9. Flanagan • BAL 19

Splittorff • KCR 19

Hooton • LAD 19

Niekro • ATL 19

Win-Loss %

Win-Loss Percentage W / (W + L) For players, leaders need one decision for every ten team games. For managers, minimum to qualify for leading is 320 games.

1. Guidry • NYY .893

2. Stanley • BOS .882

3. Gura • KCR .800

4. Perry • SDP .778

5. Eckersley • BOS .714

6. Caldwell • MIL .710

7. Robinson • PIT .700

8. Jenkins • TEX .692

9. Figueroa • NYY .690

10. Comer • TEX .688

Bonham • CIN .688

Walks & Hits per IP

(BB + H)/IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played

1. Guidry • NYY 0.946

2. Halicki • SFG 1.060

3. Caldwell • MIL 1.064

4. Swan • NYM 1.071

5. Jenkins • TEX 1.080

6. Hooton • LAD 1.089

7. Gura • KCR 1.096

8. Matlack • TEX 1.122

9. Christenson • PHI 1.123

10. McGregor • BAL 1.133

Hits per 9 IP

9 x H / IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played

1. Guidry • NYY 6.150

2. Richard • HOU 6.276

3. Ryan • CAL 7.018

4. Swan • NYM 7.119

5. Gura • KCR 7.430

6. Hooton • LAD 7.475

7. Palmer • BAL 7.480

8. Halicki • SFG 7.508

9. Knepper • SFG 7.546

10. Seaver • CIN 7.556

Bases On Balls per 9 IP

9 x BB / IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played

1. Jenkins • TEX 1.482

2. Sorensen • MIL 1.603

3. Caldwell • MIL 1.657

4. Matlack • TEX 1.700

5. Rozema • DET 1.763

6. McGregor • BAL 1.815

7. Christenson • PHI 1.855

8. Barr • SFG 1.933

9. Reuschel • CHC 2.003

10. Halicki • SFG 2.035

Strikeouts per 9 IP

9 x SO / IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played

1. Ryan • CAL 9.972

2. Richard • HOU 9.904

3. Guidry • NYY 8.156

4. Seaver • CIN 7.833

5. Kravec • CHW 6.828

6. Vuckovich • STL 6.761

7. Blyleven • PIT 6.722

8. Niekro • ATL 6.676

9. Montefusco • SFG 6.675

10. Underwood • TOR 6.329

Games Played

Games Played or Pitched

1. Tekulve • PIT 91

2. Lacey • OAK 74

3. Littell • STL 72

4. Moore • CHC 71

5. Bair • CIN 70

Moffitt • SFG 70

7. Heaverlo • OAK 69

8. Sosa • OAK 68

Murray • 2TM 68

10. Fingers • SDP 67

Lavelle • SFG 67

Saves

1. Fingers • SDP 37

2. Tekulve • PIT 31

3. Bair • CIN 28

4. Gossage • NYY 27

Sutter • CHC 27

6. LaRoche • CAL 25

Garber • 2TM 25

8. Stanhouse • BAL 24

9. Forster • LAD 22

10. Marshall • MIN 21

Innings Pitched

1. Niekro • ATL 334.1

2. Palmer • BAL 296.0

3. Leonard • KCR 294.2

4. Caldwell • MIL 293.1

5. Flanagan • BAL 281.1

6. Sorensen • MIL 280.2

7. Martínez • BAL 276.1

8. Richard • HOU 275.1

9. Guidry • NYY 273.2

10. Matlack • TEX 270.0

Strikeouts

1. Richard • HOU 303

2. Ryan • CAL 260

3. Guidry • NYY 248

Niekro • ATL 248

5. Seaver • CIN 226

6. Leonard • KCR 183

7. Blyleven • PIT 182

8. Montefusco • SFG 177

9. Blue • SFG 171

10. Flanagan • BAL 167

Games Started

1. Niekro • ATL 42

2. Flanagan • BAL 40

Leonard • KCR 40

4. Martínez • BAL 38

Palmer • BAL 38

Splittorff • KCR 38

7. Erickson • MIN 37

Perry • SDP 37

9. Sorensen • MIL 36

Torrez • BOS 36

Grimsley • MON 36

Jones • SDP 36

Lamp • CHC 36

Montefusco • SFG 36

Richard • HOU 36

Seaver • CIN 36

Complete Games

Complete Game

1. Caldwell • MIL 23

2. Niekro • ATL 22

3. Leonard • KCR 20

4. Palmer • BAL 19

Grimsley • MON 19

6. Matlack • TEX 18

7. Flanagan • BAL 17

Sorensen • MIL 17

9. Eckersley • BOS 16

Guidry • NYY 16

Jenkins • TEX 16

Wilcox • DET 16

Knepper • SFG 16

Richard • HOU 16

Shutouts

Shutouts No runs allowed and a complete game.

1. Guidry • NYY 9

2. Caldwell • MIL 6

Palmer • BAL 6

Knepper • SFG 6

5. Tiant • BOS 5

6. Billingham • DET 4

Jenkins • TEX 4

Leonard • KCR 4

McGregor • BAL 4

Tanana • CAL 4

Blue • SFG 4

Blyleven • PIT 4

Halicki • SFG 4

Niekro • ATL 4

Home Runs

Home Runs Hit/Allowed

1. Eckersley • BOS 30

Carlton • PHI 30

3. Sutton • LAD 29

4. Jefferson • TOR 28

5. Leonard • KCR 27

Slaton • DET 27

7. Tanana • CAL 26

Tiant • BOS 26

Seaver • CIN 26

10. Knapp • CAL 25

Montefusco • SFG 25

Colborn • 2TM 25

Bases on Balls

Bases on Balls/Walks

1. Ryan • CAL 148

2. Richard • HOU 141

3. Niekro • ATL 102

4. Gale • KCR 100

5. Torrez • BOS 99

6. Palmer • BAL 97

Forsch • STL 97

8. Kravec • CHW 95

9. Martínez • BAL 93

Hanna • ATL 93

Hits

Hits/Hits Allowed

1. Niekro • ATL 295

2. Leonard • KCR 283

3. Sorensen • MIL 277

4. Torrez • BOS 272

5. Flanagan • BAL 271

6. Erickson • MIN 268

7. Jones • SDP 263

8. Zahn • MIN 260

9. Caldwell • MIL 258

Eckersley • BOS 258

Strikeouts / Base On Balls

SO/W or SO/BB For recent years, pitching leaders need 1 IP per team game played. No batting leaders computed.

1. Jenkins • TEX 3.829

2. Guidry • NYY 3.444

3. Matlack • TEX 3.078

4. Sutton • LAD 2.852

5. Christenson • PHI 2.787

6. Blyleven • PIT 2.758

7. Montefusco • SFG 2.603

8. Carlton • PHI 2.556

9. Seaver • CIN 2.539

10. Vuckovich • STL 2.525

Home Runs per 9 IP

9 x HR / IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played

1. Jones • SDP 0.213

2. Perry • SDP 0.311

3. Knepper • SFG 0.346

4. Barr • SFG 0.387

5. Richard • HOU 0.392

6. Vuckovich • STL 0.408

7. Keough • OAK 0.410

8. Blue • SFG 0.419

9. Guidry • NYY 0.428

10. Caldwell • MIL 0.430

Losses

1. Wise • CLE 19

2. Niekro • ATL 18

3. Leonard • KCR 17

Forsch • STL 17

5. Jefferson • TOR 16

Kravec • CHW 16

7. Abbott • SEA 15

Barrios • CHW 15

Flanagan • BAL 15

Keough • OAK 15

Waits • CLE 15

Espinosa • NYM 15

Koosman • NYM 15

Lamp • CHC 15

Reuschel • CHC 15

Rasmussen • 2TM 15

Earned Runs

Earned Runs Allowed

1. Flanagan • BAL 126

2. Erickson • MIN 117

3. Torrez • BOS 110

4. Leonard • KCR 109

5. Martínez • BAL 108

6. Slaton • DET 107

Espinosa • NYM 107

Niekro • ATL 107

9. Burris • CHC 105

10. Jefferson • TOR 103

Stone • CHW 103

Wild Pitches

1. Richard • HOU 16

2. Ryan • CAL 13

Reuschel • CHC 13

4. Keough • OAK 12

Leonard • KCR 12

Mahler • ATL 12

7. Clyde • CLE 11

Hanna • ATL 11

Niekro • ATL 11

Twitchell • MON 11

Hit By Pitch

Times Hit by a Pitch.

1. Niekro • ATL 13

2. Kravec • CHW 10

Burris • CHC 10

4. Leonard • KCR 9

Tanana • CAL 9

Lemongello • HOU 9

Niekro • HOU 9

8. Beattie • NYY 8

Billingham • DET 8

Erickson • MIN 8

Paxton • CLE 8

Slaton • DET 8

Wilcox • DET 8

Koosman • NYM 8

Colborn • 2TM 8

Batters Faced

1. Niekro • ATL 1,389

2. Leonard • KCR 1,218

3. Palmer • BAL 1,197

4. Caldwell • MIL 1,176

5. Flanagan • BAL 1,160

6. Sorensen • MIL 1,150

7. Martínez • BAL 1,140

8. Richard • HOU 1,139

9. Eckersley • BOS 1,121

10. Erickson • MIN 1,120

Games Finished

Games Finished Credited to the last pitcher to appear for a team in a game. Complete Games are not counted as Games Finished.

1. Tekulve • PIT 65

2. Fingers • SDP 62

3. Bair • CIN 56

4. Gossage • NYY 55

5. Marshall • MIN 51

Littell • STL 51

7. Garber • 2TM 50

8. Hrabosky • KCR 47

Stanhouse • BAL 47

Willoughby • CHW 47

Sutter • CHC 47

Adjusted ERA+

ERA+ 100*[lgERA/ERA] Adjusted to the player’s ballpark(s).

1. Guidry • NYY 208

2. Matlack • TEX 165

3. Caldwell • MIL 160

4. Goltz • MIN 155

5. Swan • NYM 143

6. Palmer • BAL 143

7. Rogers • MON 143

8. Niekro • ATL 142

9. Gura • KCR 141

10. Vuckovich • STL 140

Fielding Independent Pitching

Fielding Independent Pitching this stat measures a pitcher's effectiveness at preventing HR, BB, HBP and causing SO <tt>(13*HR + 3*(BB+HBP) - 2*SO)/IP + Constantlg</tt> The constant is set so that each season major-league average FIP is the same as the major-league avg ERA

1. Guidry • NYY 2.19

2. Richard • HOU 2.51

3. Vuckovich • STL 2.60

4. Perry • SDP 2.63

5. Blue • SFG 2.68

6. Matlack • TEX 2.71

7. Niekro • ATL 2.76

8. Blyleven • PIT 2.88

9. John • LAD 2.91

10. Caldwell • MIL 2.94

Adj. Pitching Runs

Adjusted Pitching Runs A set of formulas developed by Gary Gillette, Pete Palmer and others that estimates a pitcher’s total contributions to a team’s runs total via linear weights. 0.0 is an avg performance, <0 is worse than avg and >0 is better than avg

1. Guidry • NYY 59

2. Caldwell • MIL 45

3. Matlack • TEX 37

4. Palmer • BAL 36

5. Niekro • ATL 36

6. Eckersley • BOS 32

7. Goltz • MIN 31

8. Gura • KCR 28

9. Rogers • MON 28

10. Swan • NYM 25

Adj. Pitching Wins

Adjusted Pitching Wins A set of formulas developed by Gary Gillette, Pete Palmer and others that estimates a pitcher’s total contributions to a team’s wins with his arm. 0.0 is an avg performance, <0 is worse than avg and >0 is better than avg

1. Guidry • NYY 6.8

2. Caldwell • MIL 5.0

3. Matlack • TEX 4.1

4. Niekro • ATL 4.0

5. Palmer • BAL 3.9

6. Eckersley • BOS 3.5

7. Goltz • MIN 3.5

8. Rogers • MON 3.1

9. Gura • KCR 3.0

10. Swan • NYM 2.8

Base-Out Runs Saved (RE24)

Base-Out Runs Saved Given the bases occupied/out situation, how many runs did the pitcher save in the resulting play. Compared to average, so 0 is average, and above 0 is better than average

1. Guidry • NYY 64.05

2. Caldwell • MIL 46.35

3. Palmer • BAL 38.90

4. Matlack • TEX 33.47

5. Eckersley • BOS 32.67

6. Rogers • MON 32.53

7. Swan • NYM 30.86

8. Goltz • MIN 30.12

9. Gossage • NYY 29.76

10. Niekro • ATL 29.37

Win Probability Added (WPA)

Win Probability Added by Pitcher Given average teams, this is the change in probability. A change of +/- 1 would indicate one win added or lost.

1. Caldwell • MIL 6.1

2. Guidry • NYY 5.2

3. Knepper • SFG 4.1

4. Palmer • BAL 4.0

5. Swan • NYM 3.9

6. Gossage • NYY 3.9

7. Hiller • DET 3.8

8. Matlack • TEX 3.7

9. Bair • CIN 3.6

10. Jenkins • TEX 3.6

Sit. Wins Saved (WPA/LI)

Situational Wins (WPA/LI) It is the sum of WPA divided by the leverage index for each play. WPA depends greatly on the context of the at bats. This stat does not.

1. Guidry • NYY 6.5

2. Caldwell • MIL 4.9

3. Palmer • BAL 4.4

4. Knepper • SFG 3.8

5. Matlack • TEX 3.7

6. Niekro • ATL 3.6

7. Jenkins • TEX 3.4

8. Swan • NYM 3.3

9. Rogers • MON 3.2

10. Sorensen • MIL 3.2

Championship WPA (cWPA)

Championship Win Probability Added by Pitcher Given average teams, this is the change in probability, displayed in percentage points. A change of +/- 100% would indicate one world series win added or lost.

1. Gossage • NYY 10.3

2. Guidry • NYY 9.8

3. Tiant • BOS 8.0

4. Hooton • LAD 7.0

5. Eckersley • BOS 5.6

6. Drago • BOS 5.4

7. Ruthven • 2TM 5.3

8. Forster • LAD 5.0

9. Christenson • PHI 4.8

10. Blue • SFG 4.7

Base-Out Wins Saved (REW)

Base-Out Wins Saved This is the number of wins above average the player was worth by their performance measured by the 24 base-out situations.

1. Guidry • NYY 7.6

2. Caldwell • MIL 5.2

3. Palmer • BAL 4.5

4. Rogers • MON 3.7

5. Matlack • TEX 3.7

6. Swan • NYM 3.6

7. Eckersley • BOS 3.4

8. Knepper • SFG 3.3

9. Goltz • MIN 3.3

10. Gossage • NYY 3.2

A ** by the stat's value indicates the player had fewer than the required number of at bats or plate appearances for the BA, OBP, SLG or OPS title that year. In order to rank the player, the necessary number of hitless at bats were added to the player's season total. The value printed here is their actual value and not the value used to rank them, therefore some numbers may appear out of order.

For rate stats, generally a minimum of 3.1 Plate Appearances/Team Game (batting), 1.0 IP/Team Game (pitching), 0.67 Gm and Chances/Team Game (fielding), 0.2 SB att/Team Game (catchers), 0.1 SB att/Team Game (baserunners only since 1951), and 0.1 decision/Team Game (W-L%) is needed for single-season leaderboards. For pitcher fielding the minimums are reduced by a third. For LF, CF, RF fielding stats, we only have reliable data since 1898, so all leaders are since 1898. Explanation of min. requirements