Baseball's greatest pitchers, as measured by XERA (and lots of traditional stuff, as well).
Copyright © 2008, Dwight R. Gill
250+ of baseball's all-time greatest pitchers. Standard stats (in black) are from Lee Sinins' Complete Baseball Encyclopedia. www.baseball-encyclopedia.com
Current players are complete through 2008. Post-1900, minimum of 150 wins or saves.
League
Pitchers G GS CG W L Sv H HR R ER BB SO HBP IP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 AB XER XERA ERA Avg. Slg. OBA OPS Th ERA Dif.
Ed Walsh 431 315 250 195 126 34 2347 23 877 598 617 1736 54 2965.0 7.12 0.07 1.87 5.27 10747 599.5 1.82 1.82 .218 .267 .264 .531 R 2.76 0.94
Addie Joss 286 260 234 160 97 5 1888 19 729 488 364 920 60 2327.3 7.30 0.07 1.41 3.56 8445 510.7 1.97 1.89 .224 .273 .261 .534 R 2.72 0.83
Three Finger Brown 481 332 271 239 129 49 2708 43 1044 725 673 1375 63 3172.3 7.68 0.12 1.91 3.90 11642 774.3 2.20 2.06 .233 .289 .278 .567 R 2.89 0.83
Rube Waddell 395 330 251 186 140 11 2374 33 1019 679 783 2267 108 2868.3 7.45 0.10 2.46 7.11 10538 597.3 1.87 2.13 .225 .278 .286 .564 L 2.85 0.72
Christy Mathewson 635 551 434 373 188 28 4218 89 1616 1133 844 2502 59 4780.3 7.94 0.17 1.59 4.71 17717 1193.6 2.25 2.13 .238 .300 .275 .575 R 2.91 0.78
Walter Johnson 802 666 531 417 279 34 4907 97 1902 1424 1363 3509 203 5914.7 7.47 0.15 2.07 5.34 21649 1365.4 2.08 2.17 .227 .284 .279 .563 R 3.24 1.07
Cy Young 442 404 363 244 165 9 3237 51 1263 886 449 1678 81 3634.3 8.02 0.13 1.11 4.16 13486 882.3 2.19 2.19 .240 .298 .269 .567 R 2.94 0.75
Ed Reulbach 399 300 200 182 106 13 2117 33 887 668 892 1137 107 2633.0 7.24 0.11 3.05 3.89 9526 639.3 2.19 2.28 .222 .276 .296 .572 R 2.85 0.57
Eddie Plank 623 529 410 326 194 23 3958 42 1569 1174 1072 2246 196 4495.7 7.92 0.08 2.15 4.50 16633 1080.9 2.16 2.35 .238 .291 .292 .583 L 2.88 0.53
Sam Leever 332 257 204 173 77 10 2070 22 823 588 460 711 78 2248.7 8.28 0.09 1.84 2.85 8372 595.2 2.38 2.35 .247 .303 .293 .595 R 2.91 0.56
Eddie Cicotte 502 358 249 208 149 25 2897 32 1149 849 827 1374 49 3223.0 8.09 0.09 2.31 3.84 11958 822.1 2.30 2.37 .242 .297 .294 .591 R 2.94 0.57
Doc White 427 363 262 187 156 6 2743 33 1115 808 670 1384 119 3040.7 8.12 0.10 1.98 4.10 11303 763.7 2.26 2.39 .243 .298 .292 .590 L 2.78 0.39
Chief Bender 459 334 257 212 127 33 2645 40 1110 823 712 1711 102 3018.0 7.89 0.12 2.12 5.10 11172 726.0 2.17 2.45 .237 .293 .289 .582 R 2.77 0.32
Hippo Vaughn 390 331 215 178 137 5 2461 39 1039 754 817 1416 85 2730.3 8.11 0.13 2.69 4.67 10154 711.6 2.35 2.49 .242 .301 .304 .605 L 2.89 0.40
Deacon Phillippe 330 250 209 168 92 11 2187 32 899 636 299 861 53 2286.7 8.61 0.13 1.18 3.39 8610 615.1 2.42 2.50 .254 .314 .283 .598 R 3.00 0.50
Grover C Alexander 696 599 438 373 208 32 4868 164 1851 1476 951 2198 70 5189.0 8.44 0.28 1.65 3.81 19458 1552.9 2.69 2.56 .250 .326 .288 .613 R 3.39 0.83
Slim Sallee 476 307 189 174 143 36 2724 68 1091 804 573 836 43 2821.0 8.69 0.22 1.83 2.67 10618 863.0 2.75 2.57 .257 .326 .297 .624 L 2.96 0.39
Jack Chesbro 373 315 245 192 123 5 2477 36 1110 796 631 1237 102 2747.7 8.11 0.12 2.07 4.05 10210 705.5 2.31 2.61 .243 .300 .293 .593 R 2.81 0.20
Vic Willis 431 395 324 197 184 9 3080 55 1359 974 947 1371 97 3343.3 8.29 0.15 2.55 3.69 12467 929.6 2.50 2.62 .247 .308 .305 .614 R 2.86 0.24
Wild Bill Donovan 356 318 281 184 131 6 2508 30 1116 832 977 1505 84 2851.7 7.92 0.09 3.08 4.75 10543 717.2 2.26 2.63 .238 .292 .308 .600 R 2.79 0.16
Red Ames 533 370 209 183 167 36 2896 42 1311 934 1034 1702 64 3197.0 8.15 0.12 2.91 4.79 11903 834.9 2.35 2.63 .243 .301 .307 .608 R 2.84 0.21
Joe McGinnity 417 340 276 218 126 22 2918 49 1274 907 719 994 154 3074.7 8.54 0.14 2.10 2.91 11528 881.9 2.58 2.65 .253 .315 .306 .621 R 3.05 0.40
Whitey Ford 498 438 156 236 106 10 2766 228 1107 967 1086 1956 28 3171.0 7.85 0.65 3.08 5.55 11727 1137.6 3.23 2.74 .236 .346 .302 .648 L 3.84 1.10
Babe Adams 482 355 206 194 140 15 2841 68 1129 915 430 1036 47 2994.7 8.54 0.20 1.29 3.11 11244 861.4 2.59 2.75 .253 .320 .283 .604 R 3.23 0.48
Sandy Koufax 397 314 137 165 87 9 1754 204 806 713 817 2396 18 2325.0 6.79 0.79 3.16 9.27 8422 746.7 2.89 2.76 .208 .329 .280 .609 L 3.70 0.94
Jeff Pfeffer 347 279 194 158 112 10 2320 67 921 742 592 836 105 2408.3 8.67 0.25 2.21 3.12 9066 752.9 2.81 2.77 .256 .329 .309 .638 R 3.13 0.36
Earl Moore 388 326 230 162 154 7 2474 57 1231 856 1108 1403 106 2775.7 8.02 0.18 3.59 4.55 10282 783.0 2.54 2.78 .241 .304 .321 .625 R 3.08 0.30
Jack Coombs 355 272 188 158 110 10 2034 38 925 717 841 1052 88 2320.7 7.89 0.15 3.26 4.08 8557 628.0 2.44 2.78 .238 .297 .312 .610 R 2.79 0.01
George Mullin 488 428 353 227 196 8 3518 42 1636 1156 1238 1482 131 3686.7 8.59 0.10 3.02 3.62 13851 1046.8 2.56 2.82 .254 .312 .321 .633 R 2.81 0.01
Jim Palmer 558 521 211 268 152 4 3349 303 1395 1253 1311 2212 38 3948.0 7.63 0.69 2.99 5.04 14493 1442.2 3.29 2.86 .231 .345 .297 .641 R 3.72 0.86
Tom Seaver 656 647 231 311 205 1 3971 380 1674 1521 1390 3640 76 4782.7 7.47 0.72 2.62 6.85 17567 1641.3 3.09 2.86 .226 .341 .286 .627 R 3.65 0.79
Stan Coveleski 450 384 225 215 142 21 3055 66 1237 990 802 981 30 3093.0 8.89 0.19 2.33 2.85 11705 962.1 2.80 2.88 .261 .329 .310 .639 R 3.64 0.76
Juan Marichal 471 457 244 243 142 2 3153 320 1329 1126 709 2303 40 3506.0 8.09 0.82 1.82 5.91 13087 1346.2 3.46 2.89 .241 .368 .282 .650 R 3.56 0.67
Wilbur Cooper 517 406 279 216 178 14 3415 103 1406 1119 853 1252 100 3482.0 8.83 0.27 2.20 3.24 13169 1112.7 2.88 2.89 .259 .334 .309 .644 L 3.32 0.43
Jack Powell 460 406 322 184 212 14 3313 85 1523 1111 762 1380 81 3448.0 8.65 0.22 1.99 3.60 12991 1029.1 2.69 2.90 .255 .325 .300 .625 R 2.96 0.06
Pedro Martinez 467 400 46 214 99 3 2173 232 988 901 752 3117 137 2782.7 7.03 0.75 2.43 10.08 10180 843.5 2.73 2.91 .213 .330 .277 .607 R 4.45 1.54
Bob Gibson 528 482 255 251 174 6 3279 257 1420 1258 1336 3117 102 3885.0 7.60 0.60 3.09 7.22 14326 1258.0 2.91 2.91 .229 .332 .299 .631 R 3.58 0.67
Carl Mays 490 325 231 207 126 31 2912 73 1211 979 734 862 89 3020.7 8.68 0.22 2.19 2.57 11358 939.4 2.80 2.92 .256 .326 .307 .633 R 3.56 0.64
Don Drysdale 518 465 167 209 166 6 3084 280 1292 1124 855 2486 154 3432.0 8.09 0.73 2.24 6.52 12822 1251.1 3.28 2.95 .241 .359 .296 .655 R 3.65 0.70
Mel Stottlemyre 360 356 152 164 139 1 2435 171 1003 878 809 1257 44 2662.0 8.23 0.58 2.74 4.25 9922 969.6 3.28 2.97 .245 .349 .305 .655 R 3.45 0.48
Bill Doak 453 368 162 169 157 15 2676 71 1184 920 851 1014 65 2782.0 8.66 0.23 2.75 3.28 10467 870.7 2.82 2.98 .256 .327 .316 .642 R 3.23 0.25
Carl Hubbell 535 431 260 253 154 33 3461 227 1380 1188 725 1677 53 3591.0 8.67 0.57 1.82 4.20 13564 1310.0 3.28 2.98 .255 .359 .296 .655 L 3.96 0.98
Dizzy Dean 317 230 154 150 83 30 1919 95 774 661 453 1163 27 1967.3 8.78 0.43 2.07 5.32 7472 652.5 2.99 3.02 .257 .348 .302 .650 R 3.87 0.85
Hal Newhouser 488 374 212 207 150 26 2674 137 1197 1016 1249 1796 19 2993.0 8.04 0.41 3.76 5.40 11115 971.1 2.92 3.06 .241 .327 .318 .646 L 3.83 0.77
Lefty Grove 616 457 300 300 141 55 3849 162 1594 1339 1187 2266 42 3940.0 8.79 0.37 2.71 5.18 14952 1291.1 2.95 3.06 .257 .342 .314 .656 L 4.42 1.36
Rube Marquard 536 403 197 201 177 19 3233 107 1443 1130 858 1593 39 3307.7 8.80 0.29 2.33 4.33 12533 1041.0 2.83 3.07 .258 .335 .308 .643 L 3.21 0.14
Warren Spahn 750 665 382 363 245 28 4830 434 2016 1798 1434 2583 42 5245.7 8.29 0.74 2.46 4.43 19597 2077.2 3.56 3.08 .246 .367 .299 .666 L 3.89 0.81
Rube Benton 437 304 145 154 145 21 2472 52 1115 863 712 950 95 2517.7 8.84 0.19 2.55 3.40 9525 769.0 2.75 3.08 .260 .327 .317 .644 L 3.19 0.11
Bob Shawkey 488 333 194 196 150 28 2722 114 1200 1008 1018 1360 48 2937.0 8.34 0.35 3.12 4.17 10973 953.3 2.92 3.09 .248 .330 .315 .644 R 3.55 0.46
Gaylord Perry 777 690 303 314 265 11 4938 399 2128 1846 1379 3534 108 5350.3 8.31 0.67 2.32 5.94 20081 1949.7 3.28 3.11 .246 .359 .298 .657 R 3.64 0.53
Roger Clemens 709 707 118 354 184 0 4185 363 1885 1707 1580 4672 159 4916.7 7.66 0.66 2.89 8.55 18231 1597.0 2.92 3.12 .230 .340 .297 .636 R 4.38 1.26
Mike Cuellar 453 379 172 185 130 11 2538 222 1130 979 822 1632 12 2807.0 8.14 0.71 2.64 5.23 10462 1063.3 3.41 3.14 .243 .360 .299 .658 L 3.54 0.40
Eppa Rixey 692 552 290 266 251 14 4633 92 1986 1572 1082 1350 76 4494.0 9.28 0.18 2.17 2.70 17188 1441.0 2.89 3.15 .270 .338 .316 .654 L 3.65 0.50
Red Faber 669 484 274 254 213 28 4106 111 1813 1430 1213 1471 103 4087.0 9.04 0.24 2.67 3.24 15541 1337.2 2.94 3.15 .264 .338 .322 .660 R 3.79 0.64
Greg Maddux 744 740 109 355 227 0 4726 353 1981 1756 999 3371 137 5008.3 8.49 0.63 1.80 6.06 18912 1776.3 3.19 3.16 .250 .360 .292 .652 R 4.12 0.96
Urban Shocker 411 319 202 187 117 25 2709 126 1127 941 657 983 37 2681.3 9.09 0.42 2.21 3.30 10218 965.9 3.24 3.16 .265 .356 .312 .668 R 3.87 0.71
Steve Rogers 399 393 129 158 152 2 2619 151 1122 1001 876