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Two southern strikeout kings with brief careers, colorful nicknames and monosyllabic last names ending in n. Dean is a Hall of Famer and perhaps the greatest post-career celebrity ever. If they'd had late night TV then, he'd've been inescapable. Hahn is remembered, if at all, for his nickname. Anticipating an early end to his career, he trained as a veterinarian and became a government inspector. http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/6e62ca7d
Both were intelligent people and probably intelligent pitchers, but Hahn strikes one as thoughtful, Dean more as crafty.
Both were far and away the best players on their teams, but Dean's team was the 30s Cardinals, Hahn's the oughties Reds. But the Reds had some good players, not in their best years, but good: McPhee, Beckley, young Sam Crawford, Mike Donlin. And the Cards had aging gashousers, Ducky Wucky Medwick, and John Mize for one year. On both teams, good years and bad, pitchers' WAR regularly topped position players.'
Dean is one of two pitchers with under 2000 innings and over 40 WAR; the other is Mariano Rivera. Hahn pitched 52 more innings and had a few more WAR. Both had an ERA+ of 134. Both led the league in strikeouts throughout their healthy phase. Dean won a few more, as he was playing for a better team. Hahn had great peripherals even in losing seasons.
I have no idea which was the more outstanding pitcher. Dean played 30 years later, but he also had more help. If a tie automatically goes to the guy born later, that settles it. But with respect to their own eras, what do you think? I can see a "both" or a "neither" vote, but it's hard for me to see putting in one and not both.
If anyone has more about Hahn, I'd love to see it. Or Dean, since so much of the storied lore is, really, not too interesting any more.
Both were intelligent people and probably intelligent pitchers, but Hahn strikes one as thoughtful, Dean more as crafty.
Both were far and away the best players on their teams, but Dean's team was the 30s Cardinals, Hahn's the oughties Reds. But the Reds had some good players, not in their best years, but good: McPhee, Beckley, young Sam Crawford, Mike Donlin. And the Cards had aging gashousers, Ducky Wucky Medwick, and John Mize for one year. On both teams, good years and bad, pitchers' WAR regularly topped position players.'
Dean is one of two pitchers with under 2000 innings and over 40 WAR; the other is Mariano Rivera. Hahn pitched 52 more innings and had a few more WAR. Both had an ERA+ of 134. Both led the league in strikeouts throughout their healthy phase. Dean won a few more, as he was playing for a better team. Hahn had great peripherals even in losing seasons.
I have no idea which was the more outstanding pitcher. Dean played 30 years later, but he also had more help. If a tie automatically goes to the guy born later, that settles it. But with respect to their own eras, what do you think? I can see a "both" or a "neither" vote, but it's hard for me to see putting in one and not both.
If anyone has more about Hahn, I'd love to see it. Or Dean, since so much of the storied lore is, really, not too interesting any more.
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