best season ever: STARTING PITCHER EDITION

[Blackout]

pedro martinez 2000: 1.74 ERA, 217 IP, 0.737 WHIP, 284 K, 18-6 record, 291 ERA+

dutch leonard 1914: 0.96 ERA, 224.7 IP, 0.886 WHIP, 176 K, 19-5 record, 279 ERA+

greg maddux 1995: 1.63 ERA, 209.7 IP, 0.811 WHIP, 181 K, 19-2 record, 262 ERA+

walter johnson 1913: 1.14 ERA, 346 IP, 0.780 WHIP, 243 K, 36-7 record, 259 ERA+

bob gibson 1968: 1.12 ERA, 304.7 IP, 0.853 WHIP, 268 K, 22-9 record, 258 ERA+

mordecai brown 1906: 1.04 ERA, 277.3 IP, 0.934 WHIP, 144 K, 26-6 record, 253 ERA+

christy mathewson 1905 : 1.28 ERA, 338.7 IP, 0.933 WHIP, 206 K, 31-9 record, 230 ERA+

dwight gooden 1985: 1.53 ERA, 276.7 IP, 0.965 WHIP, 268 K, 24-4 record, 228 ERA+

pete alexander 1915: 1.22 ERA, 376.3 IP, 0.842 WHIP, 241 K, 31-10 record, 222 ERA+

lefty grove 1931: 2.06 ERA, 288.7 IP, 1.077 WHIP, 175 K, 31-4 record, 219 ERA+

ron guidry 1978: 1.74 ERA, 273.7 IP, 0.946 WHIP, 248 K, 25-3 record, 208 ERA+

charley radbourn 1884: 1.38 ERA, 678.7 IP, 0.922 WHIP, 441 K, 59-12 record, 205 ERA+

randy johnson 2002: 2.32 ERA, 260 IP, 1.031 WHIP, 334 K, 24-5 record, 197 ERA+

sandy koufax 1963: 1.88 ERA, 311 IP, 0.875 WHIP, 306 K, 25-5 record, 187 ERA+

roger clemens 1986: 2.48 ERA, 254 IP, 0.969 WHIP, 238K, 24-4 record, 169 ERA+

jack chesbro 1904: 1.82 ERA, 454.7 IP, 0.937 WHIP, 239 K, 41-12 record, 148 ERA+

[leecemark]

Steve Carlton 1972 ought to be on the list and there is no need for an asterisk next to Roger Clemens 1986.

[Chickazoola]

Give me Pedro or give me death. I like Walter too.

[Proctor, CF]

No doubt about it, it was Charley Radbourne's 1884 season of (at least) 59 wins, plus three more in the Series - despite being suspended for "loafing" that season.

[soberdennis]

I agree. Sure wins are not generally a great way to measure a starting pitcher. But he won 46% of his teams wins that year. For that reason, I would vote for Lefty if he was on the list.
Of the ones on the list, it is hard to pick one. I have always been partial to Gibby's 1968. But honestly, I am not sure that was really the all time best.

[bob]

I voted Pedro, Maddux, Walter Johnson, Gibson and Randy Johnson, in no particular order.

[whoisonit]

Steve Carlton 1972 ought to be on the list

Absolutely !

*1- Carlton '72
2- Gibson '68
3- Guidry '78
4- Gooden '85
5- Maddox '95

6- Kofax '63

[Blackout]

pedro, maddy, walter jay jay, gibby, guidry


looking back i might exchange Guidry for 3 Finger

[Edgartohof]

1.) Greg Maddux*
2.) Walter Johnson
3.) Pedro Martinez
4.) Bob Gibson
5.) Dwight Gooden

* I put his 1994 season ahead of hit '95. He was on pace to pitche a LOT more innings that year, and put up similar numbers outside of that. Same quality, increased quantity - I'll take '94!

[Blackout]

Absolutely !

*1- Carlton '72
2- Gibson '68
3- Guidry '78
4- Gooden '85
5- Maddox '95

6- Kofax '63

what makes Carlton's '72 better than the seasons on this list?

[Wade8813]

I'm still not completely sure how much to adjust IP for era, but I'm confident that I'd take Pedro anyway.

[Blackout]

wade you were supposed to pick 5

[bob]

what makes Carlton's '72 better than the seasons on this list?

You have to be good to win 27 games with such a poor team to back you up. His teammates had an OBP of just .301. Hell winning 27 games on a 100 win team is widely regarded as an historic season (past the deadball era at least). He also pitched 346 innings (Only Wilbur Wood in '73 has had more since), had 310 K's and an ERA+ of 187 (ERA 1.97).
He at least deserves to be on the ballot.

[Minstrel]

Pedro Martinez
Greg Maddux
Walter Johnson
Bob Gibson
Dwight Gooden

[Otis Nixon's Bodyguard]

It's worth noting that Maddux's '95 season was cut short on the front end by the strike. The schedule was only 144 games that year, thus his totals are more impressive than they look. His 209.7 innings and 19 wins both led the league.

There is no reason to put an asterisk next to Clemens in 1986.

All that said, I think Pedro, Maddux, and Walter Johnson are the top three, but I'm not sure in what order.