1951 National League Pitching Leaders

Previous Season Next Season

Other Leagues: Major Leagues, AL

Pennant Winner: New York Giants

NL Most Valuable Player: Roy Campanella

NL Rookie of the Year: Willie Mays

Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free.

1951 NL Menu

National 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. Robinson • BRO 9.6

2. Musial • STL 8.8

3. Roberts • PHI 8.7

4. Kiner • PIT 8.0

5. Spahn • BSN 7.9

6. Irvin • NYG 6.9

7. Campanella • BRO 6.9

8. Ashburn • PHI 6.7

9. Dark • NYG 6.3

10. Maglie • NYG 5.9

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. Roberts • PHI 8.0

2. Spahn • BSN 7.7

3. Maglie • NYG 6.6

4. Jansen • NYG 5.5

5. Raffensberger • CIN 5.2

6. Roe • BRO 5.1

7. Fox • CIN 4.2

8. Church • PHI 4.0

9. Blackwell • CIN 3.9

10. Newcombe • BRO 3.7

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. Nichols • BSN 2.88

2. Maglie • NYG 2.93

3. Spahn • BSN 2.98

4. Roberts • PHI 3.03

5. Jansen • NYG 3.04

6. Roe • BRO 3.04

7. Brazle • STL 3.09

8. Bickford • BSN 3.12

9. Lanier • STL 3.26

10. Branca • BRO 3.26

Wins

1. Maglie • NYG 23

Jansen • NYG 23

3. Roe • BRO 22

Spahn • BSN 22

5. Roberts • PHI 21

6. Newcombe • BRO 20

Dickson • PIT 20

8. Staley • STL 19

9. Hearn • NYG 17

10. Blackwell • CIN 16

Erskine • BRO 16

Raffensberger • CIN 16

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. Roe • BRO .880

2. Maglie • NYG .793

3. Newcombe • BRO .690

4. Jansen • NYG .676

5. King • BRO .667

6. Hearn • NYG .654

7. Leonard • CHC .625

8. Spahn • BSN .611

9. Staley • STL .594

10. Roberts • PHI .583

Walks & Hits per IP

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

1. Raffensberger • CIN 1.086

2. Roberts • PHI 1.105

3. Jansen • NYG 1.112

4. Maglie • NYG 1.141

5. Newcombe • BRO 1.199

6. Roe • BRO 1.207

7. Lanier • STL 1.244

8. Spahn • BSN 1.246

9. Brazle • STL 1.289

10. Blackwell • CIN 1.294

Hits per 9 IP

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

1. Maglie • NYG 7.671

2. Newcombe • BRO 7.776

3. Blackwell • CIN 7.891

4. Branca • BRO 7.941

5. Queen • PIT 7.966

6. Bickford • BSN 7.980

7. Spahn • BSN 8.054

8. Brazle • STL 8.106

9. Roberts • PHI 8.114

10. Wehmeier • CIN 8.139

Bases On Balls per 9 IP

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

1. Raffensberger • CIN 1.375

2. Jansen • NYG 1.809

3. Roberts • PHI 1.829

4. Roe • BRO 2.235

5. Sain • BSN 2.526

6. Maglie • NYG 2.597

7. Fox • CIN 2.724

8. Lanier • STL 2.813

9. Minner • CHC 2.856

10. Rush • CHC 2.896

Strikeouts per 9 IP

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

1. Queen • PIT 6.576

2. Rush • CHC 5.494

3. Newcombe • BRO 5.426

4. Branca • BRO 5.206

5. Spahn • BSN 4.751

6. Jansen • NYG 4.683

7. Blackwell • CIN 4.642

8. Wehmeier • CIN 4.532

9. Erskine • BRO 4.508

10. Maglie • NYG 4.409

Games Played

Games Played or Pitched

1. Wilks • 2TM 65

2. Werle • PIT 59

3. Konstanty • PHI 58

4. Spencer • NYG 57

5. Brazle • STL 56

6. Smith • CIN 50

7. King • BRO 48

8. Erskine • BRO 46

9. Dickson • PIT 45

10. Roberts • PHI 44

Saves

1. Wilks • 2TM 13

2. Smith • CIN 11

3. Konstanty • PHI 9

4. Werle • PIT 6

Brazle • STL 6

Spencer • NYG 6

King • BRO 6

8. Raffensberger • CIN 5

9. Chipman • BSN 4

Maglie • NYG 4

Erskine • BRO 4

Jones • NYG 4

Innings Pitched

1. Roberts • PHI 315.0

2. Spahn • BSN 310.2

3. Maglie • NYG 298.0

4. Dickson • PIT 288.2

5. Jansen • NYG 278.2

6. Newcombe • BRO 272.0

7. Roe • BRO 257.2

8. Raffensberger • CIN 248.2

9. Church • PHI 247.0

10. Surkont • BSN 237.0

Strikeouts

1. Newcombe • BRO 164

Spahn • BSN 164

3. Maglie • NYG 146

4. Jansen • NYG 145

5. Rush • CHC 129

6. Roberts • PHI 127

7. Queen • PIT 123

8. Blackwell • CIN 120

9. Branca • BRO 118

10. Roe • BRO 113

Games Started

1. Roberts • PHI 39

2. Maglie • NYG 37

3. Newcombe • BRO 36

Spahn • BSN 36

5. Dickson • PIT 35

6. Jansen • NYG 34

Hearn • NYG 34

8. Raffensberger • CIN 33

Church • PHI 33

Surkont • BSN 33

Roe • BRO 33

Complete Games

Complete Game

1. Spahn • BSN 26

2. Roberts • PHI 22

Maglie • NYG 22

4. Roe • BRO 19

Dickson • PIT 19

6. Jansen • NYG 18

Newcombe • BRO 18

8. Church • PHI 15

9. Raffensberger • CIN 14

Minner • CHC 14

Shutouts

Shutouts No runs allowed and a complete game.

1. Spahn • BSN 7

2. Roberts • PHI 6

3. Raffensberger • CIN 5

4. Church • PHI 4

Fox • CIN 4

Staley • STL 4

7. Johnson • PHI 3

Minner • CHC 3

Maglie • NYG 3

Newcombe • BRO 3

Nichols • BSN 3

Jansen • NYG 3

Dickson • PIT 3

Branca • BRO 3

Bickford • BSN 3

Home Runs

Home Runs Hit/Allowed

1. Dickson • PIT 32

2. Roe • BRO 30

3. Raffensberger • CIN 29

4. Maglie • NYG 27

5. Jansen • NYG 26

6. Pollet • 2TM 25

7. Erskine • BRO 23

8. Hearn • NYG 21

Spencer • NYG 21

Surkont • BSN 21

Queen • PIT 21

Bases on Balls

Bases on Balls/Walks

1. Spahn • BSN 109

2. Dickson • PIT 101

3. Queen • PIT 99

4. Blackwell • CIN 97

5. Newcombe • BRO 91

6. Church • PHI 90

Lown • CHC 90

8. Surkont • BSN 89

Wehmeier • CIN 89

10. Chambers • 2TM 87

Hits

Hits/Hits Allowed

1. Dickson • PIT 294

2. Roberts • PHI 284

3. Spahn • BSN 278

4. Jansen • NYG 254

Maglie • NYG 254

6. Roe • BRO 247

7. Church • PHI 246

8. Staley • STL 244

9. Fox • CIN 239

10. Newcombe • BRO 235

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. Jansen • NYG 2.589

2. Raffensberger • CIN 2.132

3. Roberts • PHI 1.984

4. Rush • CHC 1.897

5. Newcombe • BRO 1.802

6. Roe • BRO 1.766

7. Maglie • NYG 1.698

8. Spahn • BSN 1.505

9. Sain • BSN 1.400

10. Branca • BRO 1.388

Home Runs per 9 IP

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

1. Nichols • BSN 0.231

2. Bickford • BSN 0.383

3. Staley • STL 0.555

4. Roberts • PHI 0.571

5. Spahn • BSN 0.579

6. Blackwell • CIN 0.619

7. Church • PHI 0.619

8. Newcombe • BRO 0.629

9. Fox • CIN 0.632

10. Rush • CHC 0.681

Losses

1. Ramsdell • CIN 17

Minner • CHC 17

Raffensberger • CIN 17

4. Dickson • PIT 16

Surkont • BSN 16

6. Roberts • PHI 15

Blackwell • CIN 15

8. Spahn • BSN 14

Fox • CIN 14

10. Pollet • 2TM 13

Sain • BSN 13

Poholsky • STL 13

Staley • STL 13

Earned Runs

Earned Runs Allowed

1. Dickson • PIT 129

2. Roberts • PHI 106

3. Surkont • BSN 105

4. Spahn • BSN 103

5. Newcombe • BRO 99

6. Church • PHI 97

Fox • CIN 97

Maglie • NYG 97

9. Poholsky • STL 96

Staley • STL 96

Wild Pitches

1. Meyer • PHI 9

Ramsdell • CIN 9

3. Jones • NYG 8

Nichols • BSN 8

5. Kelly • CHC 7

Lown • CHC 7

Spahn • BSN 7

Rush • CHC 7

Newcombe • BRO 7

10. Queen • PIT 6

Hearn • NYG 6

King • BRO 6

Branca • BRO 6

Hatten • 2TM 6

Hit By Pitch

Times Hit by a Pitch.

1. Blackwell • CIN 9

Hiller • CHC 9

3. Staley • STL 8

Ramsdell • CIN 8

5. Surkont • BSN 7

6. Law • PIT 6

Werle • PIT 6

Raffensberger • CIN 6

Newcombe • BRO 6

Maglie • NYG 6

Bickford • BSN 6

Klippstein • CHC 6

Dickson • PIT 6

Batters Faced

1. Spahn • BSN 1,289

2. Roberts • PHI 1,274

3. Dickson • PIT 1,241

4. Maglie • NYG 1,210

5. Jansen • NYG 1,133

6. Newcombe • BRO 1,125

7. Church • PHI 1,046

8. Roe • BRO 1,031

9. Surkont • BSN 1,022

10. Raffensberger • CIN 1,008

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. Konstanty • PHI 45

2. Wilks • 2TM 40

3. Smith • CIN 35

4. King • BRO 31

5. Brazle • STL 28

Leonard • CHC 28

7. Werle • PIT 24

8. Chipman • BSN 22

9. Spencer • NYG 20

10. Erskine • BRO 18

Adjusted ERA+

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

1. Maglie • NYG 134

2. Jansen • NYG 129

3. Roe • BRO 129

4. Brazle • STL 128

5. Nichols • BSN 128

6. Roberts • PHI 127

7. Spahn • BSN 124

8. Lanier • STL 122

9. Branca • BRO 120

10. Newcombe • BRO 120

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. Roberts • PHI 3.14

2. Nichols • BSN 3.25

3. Rush • CHC 3.25

4. Newcombe • BRO 3.25

5. Jansen • NYG 3.29

6. Spahn • BSN 3.32

7. Bickford • BSN 3.60

8. Maglie • NYG 3.60

9. Church • PHI 3.64

10. Blackwell • CIN 3.71

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. Maglie • NYG 33

2. Roberts • PHI 32

3. Jansen • NYG 30

4. Roe • BRO 29

5. Spahn • BSN 29

6. Newcombe • BRO 18

7. Raffensberger • CIN 17

8. Branca • BRO 16

9. Lanier • STL 15

10. Brazle • STL 15

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. Maglie • NYG 3.5

2. Roberts • PHI 3.3

3. Jansen • NYG 3.1

4. Roe • BRO 3.1

5. Spahn • BSN 3.0

6. Newcombe • BRO 1.9

7. Raffensberger • CIN 1.8

8. Branca • BRO 1.7

9. Lanier • STL 1.6

10. Brazle • STL 1.5

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. Maglie • NYG 41.13

2. Spahn • BSN 38.39

3. Roe • BRO 35.19

4. Roberts • PHI 31.76

5. Jansen • NYG 29.24

6. Newcombe • BRO 23.99

7. Branca • BRO 20.90

8. Meyer • PHI 16.63

9. Labine • BRO 15.70

10. Brecheen • STL 15.64

Win Probability Added (WPA)

Win Probability Added by Pitcher Given average teams, this is the change in probability. See <a href='https://www.baseball-reference.com/about/wpa.shtml'>Win Expectancy explainer</a> for details.

1. Maglie • NYG 5.4

2. Spahn • BSN 4.4

3. Roberts • PHI 4.4

4. Roe • BRO 3.5

5. Newcombe • BRO 3.3

6. Raffensberger • CIN 2.6

7. Lanier • STL 2.4

8. Jansen • NYG 1.9

9. Branca • BRO 1.9

10. Brecheen • STL 1.7

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. Maglie • NYG 4.4

2. Roberts • PHI 3.6

3. Spahn • BSN 3.5

4. Newcombe • BRO 3.1

5. Jansen • NYG 3.0

6. Raffensberger • CIN 2.6

7. Roe • BRO 2.2

8. Branca • BRO 2.1

9. Labine • BRO 1.4

10. Lanier • STL 1.3

Championship WPA (cWPA)

Championship Win Probability Added by Pitcher Given average teams, this is the change in probability of winning the World Series, displayed in percentage points. See <a href='https://www.baseball-reference.com/about/wpa.shtml'>Win Expectancy explainer</a> for details.

1. Newcombe • BRO 19.3

2. Hearn • NYG 12.9

3. Labine • BRO 8.5

4. Jansen • NYG 7.2

5. Roe • BRO 7.0

6. Maglie • NYG 5.6

7. Spahn • BSN 3.7

8. Podbielan • BRO 3.6

9. Smith • CIN 2.0

10. Roberts • PHI 1.9

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. Maglie • NYG 4.4

2. Spahn • BSN 4.2

3. Roe • BRO 3.8

4. Roberts • PHI 3.4

5. Jansen • NYG 3.1

6. Newcombe • BRO 2.5

7. Branca • BRO 2.2

8. Meyer • PHI 1.8

9. Labine • BRO 1.7

10. Brecheen • STL 1.6

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