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Twins Starting Pitching Stats That Will Never be Surpassed

arby58

Entry posted by arby58 in Baseball ·

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Awhile back, I was working on a post (still working on it) to identify the greatest season by a Twins starting pitcher. I still haven't entirely decided on that one, but after going through the starting pitching stats for every year since the Washington Senators became the Minnesota Twins (in other words, since 1961) there were a couple of fascinating finds - stats that I doubt will ever be surpassed.

Combined Wins and Losses in a Season

The Twins record for most wins in a season was Jim Kaat's 25 in 1965. Back then, there was only one Cy Young for all of MLB, and Sandy Koufax was the unanimous winner after compiling a phenomenal set of stats: 26-8 record, 2.04 ERA, 160 ERA+, 9 shutouts, and 382 strikeouts in 335.2 innings pitched. Wow. Kaat also set another mark that I doubt will be surpassed, particularly in today's baseball: along with the 25 wins, he also accumulated 13 losses, and those 38 combined results should stand the test of time. It's notable that close behind was Bert Blyleven, with 37, and Jim Perry with 36.

Innings Pitched and Shutouts in a Season

These records are also safe, given the specialized nature of pitching these days. For innings pitched, these days 200 is considered a full season - but the Twins have had three pitchers surpass 300 innings - Bert Blyleven had 325 in the 1973 season, Jim Kaat had 304.2 in 1966, and Dave Goltz had 303 in 1977. Nowadays, pitchers get huzzahs for just a handful of complete games, let alone shutouts, but in that 1973 season, Blyleven had 9 shutouts, far and away the best ever for a Twins pitcher. 

Workhorse Pitcher Season for the Ages

Bert's 1973 season was phenomenal in many respects. On a 81-81 team, he went 20-17, but the other stats are eye openers (including innings pitched and shutouts, already mentioned). His 2.52 season ERA was third best ever among Twins starting pitchers (and those who knew that Camilo Pascual is first with 2.46 take a bow. Yes, Jim Kaat was 2.06 in 1972, but he only started 15 games so that doesn't count - same with strike or pandemic-shortened seasons). Speaking of complete games, Bert also had 25 that year, which is also far and away the best by a Twins pitcher. His 258 strikeouts are also the second most, trailing only Johan Santana's 265 in 2004. On top of that, his ERA+ of 156 was fifth best all time for a Twins starting pitcher. Quite a year!

Best Two Combined Seasons

This one could someday be overcome (give it your best shot, Pablo) but I doubt it. It is also debatable, as Frank Viola and Jim Perry both won a Cy Young and also put together another strong year. Still, this one belongs to Johan Santana. Not only did he win the Cy Young in both 2004 and 2006, he also had the two best ERA+ years, at 182(!) in 2004 and 162 in 2006. As previously mentioned, he put up the biggest strikeout total in 2004 and had an ERA of 2.61 and 2.71 in 2004 and 2006 respectively. Besides that, 20-6 and 19-6 win-loss records weren't too shabby either.

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Karbo

Karbo 5,472

Posted

Its a little hard to compare when some of the guys that are mentioned were in the era of 4 starters in the rotation so they got a lot more starts. Also I'll add in that I feel (as many others) that Santana should have won 3 straight Cy Youngs!

arby58

arby58 3,615

Posted

24 minutes ago, Karbo said:

Its a little hard to compare when some of the guys that are mentioned were in the era of 4 starters in the rotation so they got a lot more starts. Also I'll add in that I feel (as many others) that Santana should have won 3 straight Cy Youngs!

Absolutely. That said, 9 shut outs in one year? That's impressive, and, even adjusting for number of starts, is something current pitchers will never approach.

Fire Dan Gladden

Fire Dan Gladden 4,454

Posted

On 10/18/2023 at 7:13 AM, Karbo said:

Its a little hard to compare when some of the guys that are mentioned were in the era of 4 starters in the rotation so they got a lot more starts. 

I think that is kind of the point.  The changing game means they will not be broken.

Monkeypaws

Monkeypaws 3,358

Posted

pish posh

In 1892 Cy Young threw 453 innings, had a 1.93 ERA, went 36-12, threw 48 complete games and 9 shutouts,

As a 25 year old.

For the Cleveland Spiders of the NL.

TopGunn#22

TopGunn#22 4,214

Posted

Great article arby58!  I will stick my neck out and say that despite the two CY Young seasons for Santana (and yes, he should have won in 2005 as well) the greatest pitching season ever for a Twin (and Walter Johnson doesn't count) was Blyleven's 1973.  My memory as a 15 year old kid was that the Twins just couldn't score any runs for him.  The 1970's were a pitching dominated decade, but as good as Bert's stats were he couldn't beat Jim Palmer out for the CY Young award.  On top of that, 1973 was the year Nolan Ryan broke Sandy Koufax's 1965 strikeout record with 383 while winning 21 games and having an ERA under 3.  1973 was a tough year to try to win the CY Young in the A.L. and I'm convinced Palmer won it because the Orioles won the A.L. East.

One nit pick:  I'm a huge Sandy Koufax fan, so as soon as I read the stats you listed for his 1966 CY young award I knew you were listing his 1965 stats by mistake.  In 1966 Koufax won 27 games (losing 9) and had an ERA of 1.73.  He struck out 317 that year and threw 5 shutouts.  That's from years of reading the backs of baseball cards, what can say.  Sadly, that was his last year and in 1972 he became the youngest player ever elected to the Hall of Fame.  

arby58

arby58 3,615

Posted

12 hours ago, TopGunn#22 said:

Great article arby58!  I will stick my neck out and say that despite the two CY Young seasons for Santana (and yes, he should have won in 2005 as well) the greatest pitching season ever for a Twin (and Walter Johnson doesn't count) was Blyleven's 1973.  My memory as a 15 year old kid was that the Twins just couldn't score any runs for him.  The 1970's were a pitching dominated decade, but as good as Bert's stats were he couldn't beat Jim Palmer out for the CY Young award.  On top of that, 1973 was the year Nolan Ryan broke Sandy Koufax's 1965 strikeout record with 383 while winning 21 games and having an ERA under 3.  1973 was a tough year to try to win the CY Young in the A.L. and I'm convinced Palmer won it because the Orioles won the A.L. East.

One nit pick:  I'm a huge Sandy Koufax fan, so as soon as I read the stats you listed for his 1966 CY young award I knew you were listing his 1965 stats by mistake.  In 1966 Koufax won 27 games (losing 9) and had an ERA of 1.73.  He struck out 317 that year and threw 5 shutouts.  That's from years of reading the backs of baseball cards, what can say.  Sadly, that was his last year and in 1972 he became the youngest player ever elected to the Hall of Fame.  

thanks for the correction, you are, of course correct. Koufax was incredible.

saviking

saviking 1,094

Posted

On 10/18/2023 at 7:13 AM, Karbo said:

Its a little hard to compare when some of the guys that are mentioned were in the era of 4 starters in the rotation so they got a lot more starts. Also I'll add in that I feel (as many others) that Santana should have won 3 straight Cy Youngs!

Well getting to start every 4 games I sure is a big part of while they will never be beaten. Not only did they pitch every 4 days they through a whole lot more pitches in a game. Makes you wonder if all that work built their arm strength and allowed them to perform at a high level with that kind of workload. 

JD-TWINS

JD-TWINS 6,163

Posted

On 10/18/2023 at 8:13 AM, Karbo said:

Its a little hard to compare when some of the guys that are mentioned were in the era of 4 starters in the rotation so they got a lot more starts. Also I'll add in that I feel (as many others) that Santana should have won 3 straight Cy Youngs!

I agree - Santana probably deserved the 3 Awards in a row!!

He’s my favorite Twins pitcher to watch of All-times.

Some pretty fun guys over the years, not necessarily great careers or long years of success……..some very successful!!

Rick Aguilera - Joe Nathan - Jeff Reardon - Johann Duran - Juan Berringuer 

Kaat - Perry - Blyleven - Erickson - Viola - Morris - Gray - Lopez  and a bunch of lesser or less remembered names.

The stats of one guy that are not only influenced by the fact that there were only 4 starters but by the fact that he was an absolute horse of an athlete!

Bert Blyleven (brief review):

- First SEVEN OF seasons (other than ‘70, he was 19 years old) pitched for  mostly weak Twins teams

- ERA sub 3.00 over 7 years

- 249 starts (after ‘70) averaged 37.33 starts per year for 6 years & (after ‘70, his Rookie year)……. 291 innings per year 

- 115 complete games!!! ER

- 30 Shutouts!

- He was 103-97……..pitched for bad teams!!

- Age 21, 22, & 23 he went 17-17, 20-17, 17–17 with associated ERA’s of 2.73, 2.52, & 2.66.

Don’t know of any pitcher in history with his stats through Age 25……..

-1979 World Series Champ with Pittsburgh

- 1985 in blended season with Cleveland & back with Twins he was 17-14 with a 3.16 ERA. At age 34 he lead league in Starts with 37 - Complete Games with 24 - Shutouts with 5 - Innings with 294 - Strikeouts with 206. PHENOMINAL

- 1987 World Series Champ with Minnesota

- 1989 in age 38 season he went 17-5 with the Angels. 33 starts & 241 innings with 8 complete games & lead league with 5 Shutouts

GREAT CAREER - vastly overlooked even though he finally made HOF a few years ago.

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