Ironmen on the mound

   April 1, 2022  Leave a Comment on Ironmen on the mound  Posted in Uncategorized

Steve Carlton worked with great diligence to become — and then remain — a strong and dependable pitcher.

He meditated. He practiced martial arts. He stretched his left arm in a bucket of rice. He followed a stringent two-hour exercise regimen.

All of this dedication paid off. My four-part formula ranks Carlton as the most durable pitcher of the Modern Era, covering the years from 1961 to the present.

My study focused on the 390 pitchers who worked more than 1,000 innings during the era and started at least 75% of their games.

I ranked them in these categories: (1) games started, (2) complete games, (3) innings pitched, and (4) innings pitched per game. (The latter two measures included relief appearances, though none of these men made very many.)

The top-rated pitcher in each category received 100 points, stepping down to a single point for 100th place. The maximum score, adding all four categories together, was 400.

Carlton pitched 24 seasons (1965 to 1988) for six clubs, primarily the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals. He won four Cy Young Awards, posted at least 20 victories in six seasons, and led the National League in strikeouts five times. He was welcomed to Cooperstown as a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee in 1994.

Carlton’s hallmark was his durability. He pitched more than 300 innings in 1972 and again in 1980, and he topped 250 innings in 10 other seasons — a work rate that would be unimaginable today.

His career statistics show him in third place among all Modern Era pitchers in complete games (CG), fifth in both games started (GS) and innings pitched (IP), and 10th in innings pitched per game (IP/G). You can find his actual stats by scrolling to the rundown.

Carlton piled up 381 points to win the era’s durability crown, finishing five points ahead of Bert Blyleven and Gaylord Perry, who tied for second place at 376. The top 25 pitchers are shown below, along with their career stats in all four categories (with ranks in parentheses), as well as their total games pitched (G), win-loss records (W-L), and earned run averages (ERA).

One aspect is especially striking about this list of the 25 most durable pitchers — its imbalance toward the earlier part of the era. Only three of the top 25 took the mound at any point after 1999: Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, and Randy Johnson.

The most durable pitcher who worked solely in the 21st century was CC Sabathia (2001-2019), who finished with a four-category total of 194 points. But you won’t find Sabathia on the list below, since he wound up in 37th place.

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1. Steve Carlton

  • Points: 381

  • Span: 1965-1988

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 709 GS (5), 254 CG (3), 5,217.2 IP (5), 7.04 IP/G (10)

  • Other stats: 741 G, 329-244 W-L, 3.22 ERA

2. (tie) Bert Blyleven

  • Points: 376

  • Span: 1970-1992

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 685 GS (9), 242 CG (6), 4,970.0 IP (7), 7.18 IP/G (6)

  • Other stats: 692 G, 287-250 W-L, 3.31 ERA

2. (tie) Gaylord Perry

  • Points: 376

  • Span: 1962-1983

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 690 GS (8), 303 CG (1), 5,350.0 IP (3), 6.89 IP/G (16)

  • Other stats: 777 G, 314-265 W-L, 3.11 ERA

4. Tom Seaver

  • Points: 371

  • Span: 1967-1986

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 647 GS (11), 231 CG (8), 4,783.0 IP (9), 7.29 IP/G (5)

  • Other stats: 656 G, 311-205 W-L, 2.86 ERA

5. Don Sutton

  • Points: 367

  • Span: 1966-1988

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 756 GS (2), 178 CG (14), 5,282.1 IP (4), 6.82 IP/G (17)

  • Other stats: 774 G, 324-256 W-L, 3.26 ERA

6. Nolan Ryan

  • Points: 363

  • Span: 1966-1993

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 773 GS (1), 222 CG (9), 5,386.0 IP (2), 6.67 IP/G (29)

  • Other stats: 807 G, 324-292 W-L, 3.19 ERA

7. Fergie Jenkins

  • Points: 357

  • Span: 1965-1983

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 594 GS (15), 267 CG (2), 4,500.2 IP (11), 6.78 IP/G (19)

  • Other stats: 664 G, 284-226 W-L, 3.34 ERA

8. Roger Clemens

  • Points: 347

  • Span: 1984-2007

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 707 GS (6), 118 CG (30), 4,916.2 IP (8), 6.93 IP/G (13)

  • Other stats: 709 G, 354-184 W-L, 3.12 ERA

9. Jim Palmer

  • Points: 344

  • Span: 1965-1984

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 521 GS (24), 211 CG (10), 3,948.0 IP (17), 7.08 IP/G (9)

  • Other stats: 558 G, 268-152 W-L, 2.86 ERA

10. Bob Gibson

  • Points: 339

  • Span: 1961-1975

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 461 GS (40), 251 CG (4), 3,722.0 IP (20), 7.63 IP/G (1)

  • Other stats: 488 G, 245-163 W-L, 2.84 ERA

11. Greg Maddux

  • Points: 337

  • Span: 1986-2008

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 740 GS (3), 109 CG (34), 5,008.1 IP (6), 6.73 IP/G (24)

  • Other stats: 744 G, 355-227 W-L, 3.16 ERA

12. Jack Morris

  • Points: 336

  • Span: 1977-1994

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 527 GS (22), 175 CG (15), 3,824.0 IP (19), 6.97 IP/G (12)

  • Other stats: 549 G, 254-186 W-L, 3.90 ERA

13. Juan Marichal

  • Points: 321

  • Span: 1961-1975

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 446 GS (45), 238 CG (7), 3,425.2 IP (29), 7.45 IP/G (2)

  • Other stats: 460 G, 237-140 W-L, 2.90 ERA

14. Frank Tanana

  • Points: 319

  • Span: 1973-1993

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 616 GS (13), 143 CG (19), 4,188.1 IP (13), 6.56 IP/G (40)

  • Other stats: 638 G, 240-236 W-L, 3.66 ERA

15. Catfish Hunter

  • Points: 316

  • Span: 1965-1979

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 476 GS (32), 181 CG (13), 3,449.1 IP (28), 6.90 IP/G (15)

  • Other stats: 500 G, 224-166 W-L, 3.26 ERA

16. Randy Johnson

  • Points: 305

  • Span: 1988-2009

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 603 GS (14), 100 CG (44), 4,135.1 IP (14), 6.69 IP/G (27)

  • Other stats: 618 G, 303-166 W-L, 3.29 ERA

17. Phil Niekro

  • Points: 299

  • Span: 1964-1987

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 716 GS (4), 245 CG (5), 5,404.0 IP (1), 6.25 IP/G (95)

  • Other stats: 864 G, 318-274 W-L, 3.35 ERA

18. Claude Osteen

  • Points: 289

  • Span: 1961-1975

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 485 GS (29), 140 CG (21), 3,400.2 IP (30), 6.59 IP/G (35)

  • Other stats: 516 G, 196-194 W-L, 3.27 ERA

19. Vida Blue

  • Points: 288

  • Span: 1969-1986

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 473 GS (35), 143 CG (19), 3,343.1 IP (32), 6.66 IP/G (30)

  • Other stats: 502 G, 209-161 W-L, 3.27 ERA

20. Tommy John

  • Points: 269

  • Span: 1963-1989

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 700 GS (7), 162 CG (17), 4,710.1 IP (10), 6.20 IP/G (110)

  • Other stats: 760 G, 288-231 W-L, 3.34 ERA

21. Jerry Koosman

  • Points: 251

  • Span: 1967-1985

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 527 GS (22), 140 CG (21), 3,839.1 IP (18), 6.27 IP/G (92)

  • Other stats: 612 G, 222-209 W-L, 3.36 ERA

22. Rick Reuschel

  • Points: 245

  • Span: 1972-1991

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 529 GS (21), 102 CG (41), 3,548.1 IP (25), 6.37 IP/G (72)

  • Other stats: 557 G, 214-191 W-L, 3.37 ERA

23. (tie) Mickey Lolich

  • Points: 244

  • Span: 1963-1979

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 496 GS (26), 195 CG (11), 3,638.1 IP (22), 6.21 IP/G (107)

  • Other stats: 586 G, 217-191 W-L, 3.44 ERA

23. (tie) Dennis Martinez

  • Points: 244

  • Span: 1976-1998

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 562 GS (16), 122 CG (27), 3,999.2 IP (16), 5.78 IP/G (222)

  • Other stats: 692 G, 245-193 W-L, 3.70 ERA

25. Steve Rogers

  • Points: 242

  • Span: 1973-1985

  • Durability stats (and ranks): 393 GS (77), 129 CG (24), 2,837.2 IP (53), 7.11 IP/G (8)

  • Other stats: 399 G, 158-152 W-L, 3.17 ERA

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