Thursday, February 14, 2008

Top 40 Seasons by a Yankee Starting Pitcher

Comparing pitchers across seasons and eras is a little bit trickier than comparing hitters. Changes in the game have changed the distribution of innings. So while the list that follows is based on accrued value, it should be tempered with the fact that more modern pitchers just didn't pitch as often as the Jack Chesbro types did.

So how did I figure out RSAA (runs saved above average)? The first thing is to get a league average RA (Runs divided by nine times inning pitched). Then I divide that number by one plus the run factor for Yankee Stadium and divide by two. That gives us the expected league average ERA in Yankee Stadium for the season in question.

Next, I just subtract the pitcher's RA from the league average RA and divide by nine. This gives us a runs saved per inning rate. Lastly, I multiply by innings pitched and we can see how many total runs the pitcher saved compared to a league average pitcher over the same number of innings.

I also calculated ERSAA(earned runs saved above average) and FRSAA (FIP runs saved above average). FIP is a way to calculate a pitcher's skill independent of his BABIP which can be impacted by their defense and/or random noise. The bigger the difference between RSAA and FRSAA, the more the pitcher was reliant on their defense for their success.

Due to the aforementioned innings differences, I've also added a rate version of RSAA, which looks at the runs saved above average per 200 innings.

So with that fascinating description out of the way, on to the list:

Rank	Player	Year	Team	G	IP	RA	ERA	W	L	H	HR	R	ER	BB	K	RSAA	ERSAA	FRSAA	RSAA/200
1	Jack Chesbro	1904	NYA	55	454.7	2.53	1.82	41	12	338	4	128	92	88	239	68.3	45.2	22.4	30.0
2	Lefty Gomez	1934	NYA	38	281.7	2.75	2.33	26	5	223	12	86	73	96	158	62.7	55.1	20.6	44.5
3	Russ Ford	1910	NYA	36	299.7	2.07	1.65	26	6	194	4	69	55	70	209	62.5	39.5	25.9	41.7
4	Ron Guidry	1978	NYA	35	273.7	2.01	1.74	25	3	187	13	61	53	72	248	62.4	56.6	43.6	45.6
5	Lefty Gomez	1937	NYA	34	278.3	2.85	2.33	21	11	233	10	88	72	93	194	62.3	57.2	33.9	44.8
6	Bob Shawkey	1922	NYA	39	299.7	3.36	2.91	20	12	286	16	112	97	98	130	50.8	37.8	5.5	33.9
7	Herb Pennock	1924	NYA	40	286.3	3.27	2.83	21	9	302	13	104	90	64	101	47.5	37.5	11.7	33.2
8	Spud Chandler	1943	NYA	30	253.0	2.21	1.64	20	4	197	5	62	46	54	134	46.4	46.8	27.9	36.7
9	Catfish Hunter	1975	NYA	39	328.0	2.94	2.58	23	14	248	25	107	94	83	177	45.4	39.4	12.4	27.7
10	Spud Chandler	1946	NYA	34	257.3	2.48	2.10	20	8	200	7	71	60	90	138	44.1	38.4	19.7	34.3
11	Whitey Ford	1964	NYA	39	244.7	2.46	2.13	17	6	212	10	67	58	57	172	43.2	39.4	28.7	35.3
12	Bob Shawkey	1920	NYA	38	267.7	2.96	2.45	20	13	246	10	88	73	85	126	42.1	30.5	3.8	31.4
13	Waite Hoyt	1927	NYA	36	256.3	3.16	2.63	22	7	242	10	90	75	54	86	42.0	35.7	11.9	32.8
14	Herb Pennock	1923	NYA	35	238.3	3.25	3.13	19	6	235	11	86	83	68	93	41.5	22.2	7.2	34.8
15	Whitey Ford	1955	NYA	39	253.7	2.94	2.63	18	7	188	20	83	74	113	137	41.4	35.7	7.6	32.6
16	Andy Pettitte	1997	NYA	35	240.3	3.22	2.88	18	7	233	7	86	77	65	166	41.1	39.1	35.4	34.2
17	Herb Pennock	1925	NYA	47	277.0	3.80	2.96	16	17	267	11	117	91	71	88	40.5	40.2	14.8	29.2
18	Whitey Ford	1958	NYA	30	219.3	2.54	2.01	14	7	174	14	62	49	62	145	40.1	42.3	22.4	36.6
19	Ray Caldwell	1914	NYA	31	213.0	2.24	1.94	17	9	153	5	53	46	51	92	39.9	23.2	3.9	37.4
20	Allie Reynolds	1952	NYA	35	244.3	2.58	2.06	20	8	194	10	70	56	97	160	38.8	40.0	20.3	31.7
21	Whitey Ford	1956	NYA	31	225.7	2.79	2.47	19	6	187	13	70	62	84	141	38.7	34.0	21.6	34.3
22	Bill Bevens	1946	NYA	31	249.7	2.63	2.23	16	13	213	11	73	62	78	120	38.7	33.6	13.0	31.0
23	Lefty Gomez	1931	NYA	40	243.0	3.26	2.67	21	9	206	7	88	72	85	150	37.5	34.2	19.4	30.9
24	Red Ruffing	1937	NYA	31	256.3	3.55	2.98	20	7	242	17	101	85	68	131	37.4	34.2	15.2	29.2
25	Herb Pennock	1928	NYA	28	211.0	3.03	2.56	17	6	215	2	71	60	40	53	36.8	30.8	20.1	34.9
26	Carl Mays	1921	NYA	49	336.7	3.88	3.05	27	9	332	11	145	114	76	70	36.7	35.9	3.2	21.8
27	David Cone	1997	NYA	29	195.0	3.09	2.82	12	6	155	17	67	61	86	222	36.1	33.0	20.2	37.0
28	Mike Mussina	2001	NYA	34	228.7	3.42	3.15	17	11	202	20	87	80	42	214	35.5	32.0	34.8	31.1
29	Jimmy Key	1993	NYA	34	236.7	3.19	3.00	18	6	219	26	84	79	43	173	35.5	28.8	15.5	30.0
30	Whitey Ford	1962	NYA	38	257.7	3.14	2.90	17	8	243	22	90	83	69	160	35.3	27.4	15.7	27.4
31	Red Ruffing	1939	NYA	28	233.3	3.39	2.93	21	7	211	15	88	76	75	95	35.2	31.3	6.1	30.2
32	Tiny Bonham	1942	NYA	28	226.0	2.59	2.27	21	5	199	11	65	57	24	71	34.8	27.9	17.2	30.8
33	Tiny Bonham	1943	NYA	28	225.7	2.51	2.27	15	8	197	13	63	57	52	71	33.7	25.9	1.4	29.9
34	Red Ruffing	1932	NYA	35	259.0	3.54	3.09	18	7	219	16	102	89	115	190	33.5	25.9	11.7	25.8
35	Ron Guidry	1979	NYA	33	236.3	3.16	2.78	18	8	203	20	83	73	71	201	32.7	29.7	23.9	27.6
36	Joe Bush	1923	NYA	37	275.7	3.75	3.43	19	15	263	7	115	105	117	125	32.5	16.5	6.8	23.6
37	Bob Shawkey	1916	NYA	53	276.7	2.54	2.21	24	14	204	4	78	68	81	122	32.4	16.5	2.2	23.4
38	Bob Turley	1958	NYA	33	245.3	3.01	2.97	21	7	178	24	82	81	128	168	32.2	21.1	-6.8	26.2
39	Waite Hoyt	1921	NYA	43	282.3	3.86	3.09	19	13	301	3	121	97	81	102	31.4	28.8	16.4	22.3
40	Ron Guidry	1977	NYA	31	210.7	3.08	2.82	16	7	174	12	72	66	65	176	31.4	26.0	28.2	29.8

Jack Chesbro - 1904
The honor for most valuable pitching performance by a Yankee goes to Jack Chesbro's amazing 1904 season. Of course throwing 455 innings was a big part of Chesbro's value. On a rate basis looking at runs saved above average per 200 innings pitched, Chesbro's season would only rank 26th.

Lefty Gomez - 1934
Although still benefitting from the era a little as far as being able to pitch more often, Gomez's 1934 is the third best season by a Yankee starter on a rate basis.

Russ Ford - 1910
Russ Ford is best known for throwing the emery ball. This was his first full season in the majors at age 27 and he handcuffed hitters with this illegal pitch.

Ron Guidry - 1978
In my mind, this is the best season by a Yankee pitcher ever. 273.7 innings, a 1.74 ERA, a 25-3 record, and 62.4 RSAA. This also happens to be the top season by a Yankee starter on a rate basis. Jim Rice may have won the '78 MVP with his 35 BRAA, but Gator was the more valuable player. Plus Gator is one of only two pitchers I was able to throw a no-hitter with in Microleague baseball.

Lefty Gomez - 1937
Lefty's second season in the top forty.

Bob Shawkey - 1922
Shawkey led the AL pennant winning Yankees in ERA in 1922, although Joe Bush finished with the gaudier W/L record (26-7).

Herb Pennock - 1924
Pennock led the '24 Yankes in wins, innings and ERA. He also completed 25 of the 34 games he started.

Spud Chandler - 1943
This happens to be the only season that a Yankee pitcher has won an MVP.

Catfish Hunter - 1975
The late Catfish Hunter came to the Yankees as a free agent in 1975 after winning 21+ games for four straight seasons in Oakland. His five year, $3.5 million contract was condidered obscene at the time. He may have been overrated during his career, but he was a fine pitcher, durable as hell. In this season he pitched 328 innings with a 144 ERA+ and finished second in the Cy Young vote to Jim Palmer.

Spud Chandler - 1946
After two years off to serve in WWII, Chandler returned with a season very similar to his 1943.

Whitey Ford - 1964
The Chairman of the Board makes his first appearance in the top forty. Ford's probably the best pitcher who spent his entire career on the Yankees. His 1961 was more famous because of the Mantle/Maris chase but this was his best season.

Bob Shawkey - 1920
One thing we see here is just how reliant pitchers in the early 1900s were on their defense.

Waite Hoyt - 1927
Hoyt was the ace of one of the top teams ever, the '27 Yankees. His name's not as cool as Urban Shocker's though.

Herb Pennock - 1923
Pennock was traded to the Yankees from the Red Sox before this season after going 10-17 and putting an ERA+ of 95 in 1922. Quite a rebound.

Whitey Ford - 1955
The 1955 Yankees allowed just 569 runs while taking the AL pennant, and Whitey was the biggest reason

Andy Pettitte - 1997
Before he was an HGH taking cheater!!!1!!, Pettitte had a remarkable 1997. Pettitte played on one of the best group of teams ever, which boosted his win totals and made him overrated, but his 1997 really was a wonderful season. Much better than his 21-8 1996. Pettitte finished fifth in the AL Cy Young voting that season behind Roger Clemens (75 RSAA), Randy Johnson(53 RSAA), Brad Radke(15 RSAA), and Randy Myers(19 RSAA).

Herb Pennock - 1925
Pennock is one of just three pitchers to win games in the majors in both their teens and their forties. Can anyone guess the other two?

Whitey Ford - 1958
Did you know that Whitey Ford gave Pete Rose the nickname Charlie Hustle?

Ray Caldwell - 1914
Caldwell pitched in 31 games this year, but only 23 were starts. He completed 22 of those 23 games.

Allie Reynolds - 1952
Reynolds came to the Yankees in 1947 and a key pitcher on six World Series winners.

I'm not going to write about all of the remaining 40 seasons, but I'll comment on some of them.

Red Ruffing - 1937
Looks like Ruffing wasn't just a bat, but could pitch a bit too.

David Cone - 1997
In his prime, Coney was a great pitcher to watch work. Despite only being a Yankee for 4.5 seasons, he won three rings with them.

Mike Mussina - 2001
Moose's first season as a Yankee was his best. That 214 K/ 42 BB ratio was a beautiful think to see.

Jimmy Key - 1993
Jimmy Key is on my list of favorite Yankees. During the 1992-1993 offseason the Yankees were trying to sign Greg Maddux but he went to the Braves. Jimmy Key was the consolation prize, but had three solid seasons for the Yanks. I was at Key's debut as a Yankee which happened to also be Opening Day and he was masterful, shutting down an Indians offense with Albert Bell and Kenny Lofton to just three hits in eight shutout innings.

Ron Guidry - 1979
Gator couldn't follow up his 1978, although '79 was a very good season.

Ron Guidry - 1977
Guidry's 1977 was a sneak peak at what was to come. It's a shame that Guidry was not in the majors full-time until age 26, or he'd probably be a Hall of Famer.

And here are the top 40 appearances broken down by starting pitcher:

Whitey Ford : 5
Herb Pennock : 4
Bob Shawkey : 3
Lefty Gomez : 3
Red Ruffing : 3
Ron Guidry : 3
Spud Chandler : 2
Tiny Bonham : 2
Waite Hoyt : 2
Allie Reynolds : 1
Andy Pettitte : 1
Bill Bevens : 1
Bob Turley : 1
Carl Mays : 1
Catfish Hunter : 1
David Cone : 1
Jack Chesbro : 1
Jimmy Key : 1
Joe Bush : 1
Mike Mussina : 1
Ray Caldwell : 1
Russ Ford : 1

Oh, and Yankee pitchers and catchers report today. The offseason is just about over.

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