Top Ten MLB Pitchers of All Time

I love talking about this subject because there is always some calculated formula that the so called experts come up with to decide who is #1 and who is #10. Then of course people like you and me get irritated at some of the choices and wonder why other pitching greats never make the list. What do you look for in the best pitcher of all-time? Is it career strikeouts, career wins, career era, world series championships, record in the playoffs. Its so hard to take everything into account and that's why this is an absolute blast! Let the debates begin.

#10 Lefty Grove (1900-1975): Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove started his career in the Baltimore Orioles organization in the minor leagues in 1920 and stayed there through 1924 until Jack Dunn sold him to the Philadelphia Athletics for $100,500 which was the highest amount ever paid for a player at that time. Between 1929-1931 the Athletics won the pennant all three years and the World Series twice in which Grove had a combined record of 79-15 over that span. He won a record of 9 E.R.A. (earned run average titles) over the course of his career and 1 MVP award in 1931. Over his career he recorded a 300-141 record with a 68% winning percentage which is 8th all-time. He finally retired in 1941 and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1947.

#9 Nolan Ryan (1947-present): Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr. signed a minor league deal with the Marion Mets in 1965 and was the second youngest player in the major leagues when he was called up, but was sent back down until 1968 when he was here to stay. However he was not the greatest pitcher during the early stages of his career and actually considered retiring after going 10-14 in 1971. However he asked to be traded and in 1972 was sent to the California Angels. In 1973 he had 383 strikeouts which surpassed Sandy Koufax's old mark. Between 1973-1975 he threw 4 no-hitters, and struck out 19 batters twice which both feats tied the league records. Ryan's career was full of ups and downs that would move him from the Angels to the Houston Astros and then finally the Texas Rangers where he ended his career in 1993. At the ripe old age of 46 he became the all-time league leader in strikeouts (5,714), no-hitters (7), and hits per 9 innings (6.56). He recorded 324 wins over his career and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999 six votes shy of a 100% percent vote.

#8 Warren Spahn (1921-2003): Warren Edward Spahn began his career in 1940 signing a minor league deal with the Boston Braves. It wasn't until 1942 he would begin his career in the major leagues. Playing all but his final season with the Braves, Spahn wound up becoming the winningest left-handed pitcher of all-time recording 363 wins, he won 3 World Series Championships (1948,1957,1958), was an All-Star 14 years and won his first and only Cy Young Award in 1957. Six years in a row and 13 years overall Spahn won 20 games in which 8 times he was the league leader in wins, and 9 times with complete games. He had two no-hitters during his career and a couple of awards that no one can ever debate in which he was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for serving in WWII where he saw action at the Battle of the Bulge. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1973.

#7 Randy Johnson (1963-present): Randall David "The Big Unit" Johnson is one of two pitchers on the top 10 list that is still playing as of 2007. Johnson began his career in the Montreal Expos organization (now the Washington Nationals) in 1988. He had a brief stint there before teaming up with Ken Griffey Jr. and the Seattle Mariners in 1989 where his lack of control would hinder him in several situations as he led the American League in walks for 3 consecutive seasons during 1990-1992 and hits batsmen in 1992 and 1993. It was until a training session he had with Nolan Ryan did he begin to really become dominant although throwing his first no-hitter in 1990 against Detroit. After the session with Ryan he fixed his delivery and struck out 18 batters against Texas. He won the Cy Young Award in 1995 with an 18-2 mark which is the second in American League history. He played half a season with the Astros posting a 10-1 mark and a 1.29 E.R.A. before signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998. The huge contract paid off as he won the Cy Young Award each of the 4 seasons winning the World Series in 2001 behind the arm of not only Johnson but newly acquired Curt Schilling in which they shared the World Series MVP Award. Johnson threw a perfect game in 2004 becoming the 17th player ever to do so. He currently pitches with Arizona again and over his career has 10 All-Star appearances, first player to ever record 3 wins in the World Series (2001), led the league in ERA 4 times, won Triple Crown in 2002 (led league in era, wins, strikeouts), struck out 20 batters in one game (against Cincinnati Reds 2001), 4,614 career strikeouts 2nd to only Nolan Ryan, record for strikeouts per 9 innings (10.86), and has accumulated 284 wins.

#6 Grover Cleveland Alexander (1887-1950): Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander began his career at the ripe age of 20 in getting paid a measly $50 per month. However it wasn't until 1910 when he was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies for $750 did he begin his major league career. His first year as a Philly was amazing posting a 28 win season, 31 complete games, and 7 shutouts. Between 1915-1917 he won the Triple Crown all three years becoming the most dominant pitcher in baseball where they won the first pennant for the Phillies in 1915. His career changed dramatically when the United States entered WWI and the fear of losing him the Phillies sold him to the Chicago Cubs in 1917. The "Lovable Losers" lost out as he was stationed in France for 1918 and when he returned he became a heavy drinker suffering from seizures and partial hearing loss. In 1920 he won the Triple Crown for the fourth time in his career, but that is the best the Cubs would get from Alexander until he was finally sold to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1926. Fortunately for Pete he had his glorious moments on the mound in the World Series that year against the New York Yankees as he won games 2 and 6 with complete games and came in to save gave seven which eventually handed the Cardinals the World Series. Alexander still holds the National League record for shutouts with 90, he's 3rd all-time in wins (373, but tied for 1st in the American League) and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1938.

#5 Sandy Koufax (1935-present): Sanford Braun Koufax began and ended his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1955-1966. In June of 1955 he began his career, but only had one start after that until August where he recorded his first victory a 7-0 shutout against the Cincinnati Reds. He only one one more game that season which was also a shutout even though the Dodgers won the pennant in 1955, Koufax never pitched during the World Series. It wasn't until 1957 that Koufax had one chance to keep his roster spot or be sent to the minors (he was paid a $4,000 signing bonus which hindered him going to the minors any earlier). He struck out 13 batters and pitched a complete game to beat the Chicago Cubs and solidify his position in the rotation. In his next 5 starts he led the league in strikeouts and e.r.a., but wasn't allowed to pitch for another 45 days and ended up being the last pitcher ever to pitch for the Brooklyn Dodgers. By the end of 1960 he wasn't getting much playing time and asked to be traded which never happened, but he decided to give it one more year before hanging it up. 1961 was brilliant and what everyone had been waiting for as Koufax led the league in strikeouts that year with 269 strikeouts and 18 wins. In 1962 he threw his first no-hitter, in 1963 he got his second no-hitter and won the Triple Crown, the Cy Young Award and the MVP Award. 1964 brought another no-hitter to his stats, and in 1965 suffering from severe arthritis Koufax won the Triple Crown again accompanied with a World Series Championship and the MVP Award also notching his first perfect game and 4th no-hitter to his career. Koufax had 165 career wins, a 2.76 era, 2,396 strikeouts, 137 complete games and 40 shutouts to his credit. He never received a Cy Young award because it was not got given out until the year after he retired. He was elected into the Hall of Fame at the age of 36 becoming the youngest player ever to receive the glorified honor.

#4 Christy Matthewson (1880-1925): Christopher "Big Six" Matthewson was shuffled around so much before he even really started his career it was hard to keep track of him. In 1900 he was purchased by the New York Giants for $1,500 only to go 0-3 and be sent back to the minors. However he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the same year, and eventually traded him to the Giants before 1901. By the time it was all said and done Matthewson had won 373 games, recorded 79 career shutouts and posted a 2.13 era over the course of his playing career. He was another player where WWI interfered with his baseball career and in 1918 he was accidentally gassed during a training exercise which led to tuberculosis. He also notched 2,502 strikeouts with a 1.05 whip (wins, hits, innings pitched) and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 as one of its inaugural members.

#3 Roger Clemens (1962-present): William Roger "The Rocket" Clemens came out of retirement to pitch for the New York Yankees in 2007. Clemens became in instant success in 1986 winning 24 games that season and taking the Babe Ruth cursed Red Sox to the World Series which of course they lost on the everlasting Bill Buckner error that even people that don't know anything about baseball know who Billy Buck is. Clemens also was awarded his first AL MVP Award and Cy Young Award at the end of the season and started the year off in fashion with a record breaking 20 strikeouts in one game which has since been tied by Randy Johnson and Kerry Wood. After leaving Boston he moved to the Toronto Blue Jays organization winning the Cy Young Award in both years he played there and winning the Triple Crown. As Clemens aged the Blue Jays decided to trade him to the Yankees for David Wells, and a few other players where he eventually won his first World Series Championship in 2000 in the "Subway Series" against the New York Mets. He then traveled and unretired to Houston to team up with Andy Pettite and post his finest year to his resume in 2005. He recorded a 1.87 era which was the lowest of his career and lowest in a decade. Eventually he retired again only to resurface for the 2007 season and a $28.5 million dollar contract for the rest of the season. He has to date 348 wins, 4,611 strikeouts, a 3.10 era, 7 Cy Young Awards, and it looks like more to come after he pitched the Yankees to a 6-3 victory in his first start back in the pinstripes uniform.

#2 Cy Young (1867-1955): Denton True Young started his career with the Cleveland Spiders in 1890 pitching 16 out of 17 complete games and going 9-7 in his first season. From 1890 to 1898 he won 232 games pitching 346 complete games and 22 shutouts. In 1899 something out of the ordinary happened as the Cleveland Spiders and St. Louis Perfectos traded their whole teams to each other. He only stayed with St. Louis through the 1900 season recording 45 wins, 72 complete games, and 8 shutouts. Young spent the next 7 seasons in the American League playing for the Boston Americans and won 192 games during which 1903 brought Boston the World Series Championship going 2-1 with a 1.83 era. The following year he pitched the first perfect game in baseball history against the Athletics and threw back to back no-hitters and 24 innings in a row without allowing a hit. He ended his career with 511 wins (record), 2,768 strikeouts, a 2.67 era, 749 complete games (record), 7,354 innings pitched (record), and 813 games started (record). He was inducted into the inaugural session of the the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

#1 Walter Johnson (1887-1946): Walter Perry "The Big Train" Johnson began his career in 1907 for the Washington Nationals (which is now the Minnesota Twins) where power was his forte being known to pitch over 100 miles per hour even though there was not equipment back then to solidify the rumors. He had twelve years of 20 game win seasons while stretching a span of 10 years in a row and even won more than 30 games two consecutive years. He won the Triple Crown 3 times, 411 games won (record), 110 shutouts (record), pitched 56 consecutive scoreless innings (later broken in 1968, and 1989), and 3,509 strikeouts which at the time was 800 more than anyone else. He ended his career in 1927 in which he had become and is still today considered one of the greatest if not the greatest pitcher of all time.