The Greatest Pitcher EVER – 1 Season!
Yesterday, it was said that Sandy Koufax was the greatest pitcher ever…. and I agree with that IF YOU JUST LOOK AT HIS LAST 5 SEASONS! However, in his first 7 seasons, he was really bad, then bad, then pretty good. Then, in his last 5 seasons, he became GREAT! However, what if…
Yesterday, it was said that Sandy Koufax was the greatest pitcher ever…. and I agree with that IF YOU JUST LOOK AT HIS LAST 5 SEASONS! However, in his first 7 seasons, he was really bad, then bad, then pretty good. Then, in his last 5 seasons, he became GREAT! However, what if we narrowed it down to the GREATEST SEASON EVER by a starting pitcher? As great as Koufax was, he is only #5 on the All-Time Best Season List, and Clayton Kershaw is #9. Here’s the AI-generated list (at least I admit to using it):
Top 10 Pitching Seasons (Modern Era)
1. Bob Gibson — 1968
- 1.12 ERA, 304.2 IP, 13 SHO, 258 ERA+
- So overpowering MLB literally changed the rules after the season.
The benchmark. The monolith.
2. Pedro Martínez — 2000
- 1.74 ERA, 291 ERA+, peak steroid era, AL East
- Arguably, the hardest environment any pitcher has ever dominated.
The modern apex predator.
3. Greg Maddux — 1995
- 1.63 ERA, 260 ERA+, 209 IP in a normalized offensive era
- Precision so sharp it bent reality.
Pitching as architecture.
4. Dwight Gooden — 1985
- 1.53 ERA, 276 K, 229 ERA+, age 20
- Velocity + command + fearlessness.
A comet that hit the strike zone.
5. Sandy Koufax — 1965
- 2.04 ERA, 382 IP, 317 K, Cy + MVP
- Pain, power, perfection.
The left arm of destiny or God.
6. Roger Clemens — 1997
- 2.05 ERA, 292 K, 226 ERA+, Cy Young
- Peak power pitching before the storm fully broke.
Controlled violence on the mound.
7. Randy Johnson — 2002
- 2.32 ERA, 334 K, 225 ERA+
- A skyscraper throwing sliders from the clouds.
Unhittable geometry.
8. Lefty Grove — 1931
- 2.06 ERA, 31 wins, 217 ERA+
- Transition-era dominance with brutal workloads.
Old-school thunder.
9. Clayton Kershaw — 2014
- 1.77 ERA, 239 ERA+, MVP + Cy
- Peak modern efficiency in a high-offense league.
Elegance with teeth.
10. Zack Greinke — 2009
- 2.16 ERA, 229 ERA+, Cy Young
- Outsized dominance on a bad team.
A virtuoso solo recital.
A few notes that matter
- Workload penalty applied: Strike-shortened seasons (Maddux ’94) downgraded slightly.
- Context boost: Steroid era, DH leagues, and offensive environments weighed heavily.
- Postseason impact matters, but this list is primarily about regular-season supremacy.
More from Dodger Talk
Dodgers Food Trailer
I did this interview a couple of weeks ago with Chef Mike, who runs the Dodgers Food Trailer for the Great Lakes Loons. They are there for every home and road regular season and playoff game. They prepare three meals a day for approximately 50 people (players and coaches). Since games end late most evenings, they do not prepare breakfast. Many of their hotels have a complimentary breakfast anyway. However,…
Meet LAD 2026 Draft Picks 1-12
3 picks were High School players (2 SS and 1 OF). There was a college OF, college catcher, college SS, and 10 college pitchers. Of all the talk for a need for a catcher, the only catcher the Dodgers selected was Luke Bard, son of LAD bullpen coach Josh Bard. Bard was a 4th year senior from Houston Christian University. He is not a prospect, so the Dodgers are still…
Interview with Paul Beachy – Team Bus Driver For The Great Lakes Loons (LA Dodgers Minor League Team)
It’s been a few days since I did this interview. We have evidently been working my son-in-law (the video guy) like a rented mule at US Water Systems. However, I am taking him to London with me in a few days, so maybe Watford will buy him a pint as a tip, but he’s a dang Red Sox fan, so there is that! I thought that it would be interesting…
Thanks for Your Service: Chris Taylor
I was going to do this post when Chris announced he was retiring, then he changed his mind, but since the chances of him ever playing for the Dodgers again are slim and non-existent, I will go ahead with this post. He unretired, went on the IL, then decided to call it quits on May 24th. Taylor was born in Virginia Beach VA on August 29th, 1990. He attended Great…
Discussion (35)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I just watched that video of the Toronto fan’s account of Game 7. Pretty good. “Story I didn’t want to tell” or something. That catch gutted them.
If that’s the case, they need to trade Rushing immediately. They’re not going to play him in the outfield. He’s not likely to catch more than 2 games a week. Shohei’s contract makes him the DH through 2033. So, if you’re right Mark (and I don’t think you are), Rushing will be a depreciating asset for every game he’s still here. I personally think the plan is to make him Freddie’s successor at 1B although Freddie might stick around for an additional couple of years which would take him through 2029. I think they should trade Rushing while they can still get something for him. Tucker might have to battle DePaula for the future first baseman’s job.
Gracias…. I remember when it happened. Just mindboggling that a team so bad could have a pitcher that good.
Speaking of eras…. Where would Satchel Paige rate? Or others who were denied the opportunity to pitch in MLB in their primes?
That makes a lot of sense to me.
Does Tucker have experience at 1B? He’d probably be fine–better than Joc was, certainly– but I’m guessing the prediction is based largely on the hope that at least two of the top OF prospects will succeed. Perhaps an OF of Hope-Quintero-Pages, with Sirota as 4th OF? I still want de Paula to learn 1B, just in case they all blossom. Should Rushing be traded? Well, for whom? The Dodgers are so loaded that it’s difficult to propose plausible trades that can improve the team. Except for Skubal, that is. Dark horse to succeed Freddie: Shohei.
STB – hope you’re good. I think I’d keep Rushing as things stand. Will is not getting any younger, and possibly another concussion or two away from seriously having to step back from catching at the level he is now. You state that Shohei will be out DH through 2033 but if I’m being honest, I don’t see him pitching more than 2 or 3 more years. I know we’ve touched on it before, but I see a move to LF for him at some point as I don’t see him wanting to ride the pine if he’s not pitching. Just my opinion of course. Would give us even more flexibility.
I don’t think he has, but he has a quick glove, and his defensive metrics are getting pretty bad. He’s better than Teoscar, but he’s sinking…
I think Dalton will play 1B this year for Freddie, but when Freddie retired, I think Tuck is the guy. Rush will catch once or twice a week and play 1B once a week. He could see some action in LF if they wanted to stack LH hitters. I would not trade Rushing with Smith’s history.
I agree that Shohei will not pitch much longer and he could play LF… or RF. I’m sure he could handle 1B, too.