Most wins by a starter over the last several years
Posted by Andy on August 1, 2007
Peter Abraham points out that Chien-Ming Wang has the most wins in baseball since the start of the 2006 season. A quick PI Pitching Season Finder, using cumulative totals, confirms it:
Cnt Player **W** From To Ages G GS CG SHO GF L W-L% SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA ERA+ HR BF IBB HBP BK WP Teams BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ SH SF 2B 3B GDP SB CS Pk +----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+-----+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+------+----+---+-----+---+---+---+---+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+----+---+---+ 1 Chien-Ming Wang 31 2006 2007 26-27 53 52 3 1 1 11 .738 1 347.2 361 144 140 85 137 3.62 120 18 1428 5 8 1 11 NYY .272 .319 .373 .692 84 5 4 67 6 54 15 17 1 2 Johan Santana 30 2006 2007 27-28 56 56 2 1 0 14 .682 0 381.2 301 131 120 82 401 2.83 157 47 1509 0 7 2 9 MIN .214 .260 .370 .630 64 10 6 64 7 17 8 9 3 3 Carlos Zambrano 30 2006 2007 25-26 56 56 1 0 0 14 .682 0 364.1 282 153 139 180 338 3.43 133 37 1543 6 18 1 12 CHC .213 .314 .355 .669 75 14 7 63 7 35 3 3 2 4 Josh Beckett 29 2006 2007 26-27 53 53 1 0 0 16 .644 0 336.2 310 172 164 101 281 4.38 104 45 1407 1 13 1 12 BOS .241 .302 .416 .718 84 4 4 80 5 27 24 3 0 5 Brad Penny 29 2006 2007 28-29 56 55 0 0 0 11 .725 0 331 332 137 132 101 247 3.59 126 23 1391 6 11 0 11 LAD .263 .322 .387 .709 86 11 8 83 2 40 30 11 2
Man, Zambrano's hits/9 is incredible, although it is offsetby his much higher walk rate than rest of this group.
How about most wins going back to 2005 (up to present):
Cnt Player **W** From To Ages G GS CG SHO GF L W-L% SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA ERA+ HR BF IBB HBP BK WP Teams BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ SH SF 2B 3B GDP SB CS Pk +----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+-----+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+------+----+---+-----+---+---+---+---+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+----+---+---+ 1 Johan Santana 46 2005 2007 26-28 89 89 5 3 0 21 .687 0 613.1 481 208 194 127 639 2.85 155 69 2419 1 8 2 17 MIN .213 .256 .361 .617 61 16 8 106 11 27 12 14 3 2 Roy Oswalt 45 2005 2007 27-29 92 90 7 1 1 26 .634 0 616 625 226 214 133 464 3.13 139 48 2563 9 18 3 7 HOU .264 .306 .396 .702 86 28 13 143 14 57 10 10 2 3 Josh Beckett 44 2005 2007 25-27 82 82 3 1 0 24 .647 0 515.1 463 247 231 159 447 4.03 109 59 2136 3 20 1 17 FLA-BOS .239 .302 .400 .702 84 12 6 114 11 44 30 10 1 4 Jon Garland 44 2005 2007 25-27 86 85 4 4 0 24 .647 0 572 600 273 256 132 288 4.03 113 63 2387 10 14 0 7 CHW .272 .315 .425 .740 90 17 20 123 12 63 10 17 0 5 Carlos Zambrano 44 2005 2007 24-26 89 89 3 0 0 20 .688 0 587.2 452 241 220 266 540 3.37 132 58 2452 9 26 1 19 CHC .213 .306 .349 .655 73 23 12 99 8 53 4 12 5
Interesting what a difference a year makes. Wang had only 8 wins in 17 starts in 2005, which is why he disappears. Garland's winning % has dropped off considerably this year, although his pitching stats are pretty similar to 2005 and especially 2006. Oswalt's walk rate is up considerably in 2007. He's 10-6, a similar win percentage, but he won't get enough decisions to have a legitimate shot at 20 wins.
And finally, most wins since 2000:
Cnt Player **W** From To Ages G GS CG SHO GF L W-L% SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA ERA+ HR BF IBB HBP BK WP Teams BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ SH SF 2B 3B GDP SB CS Pk +----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+-----+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+------+----+---+-----+---+---+---+---+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+----+---+---+ 1 Randy Johnson 124 2000 2007 36-43 235 234 30 12 1 62 .667 0 1605.1 1335 643 567 409 1923 3.18 142 169 6496 14 81 10 27 ARI-NYY .226 .283 .364 .647 68 54 32 265 25 92 142 90 22 2 Tim Hudson 119 2000 2007 24-31 249 249 19 9 0 63 .654 0 1666.1 1580 714 651 499 1114 3.52 127 135 6959 51 65 3 49 OAK-ATL .251 .311 .370 .681 80 64 33 276 35 172 107 42 13 3 Greg Maddux 119 2000 2007 34-41 263 263 16 7 0 85 .583 0 1678.1 1684 742 676 274 1077 3.63 121 171 6880 54 49 2 20 ATL-CHC-TOT-SDP .263 .296 .400 .696 82 96 54 308 29 137 214 61 6 4 Curt Schilling 114 2000 2007 33-40 234 212 26 7 21 59 .659 9 1512.2 1459 608 597 253 1515 3.55 130 185 6139 9 21 1 23 TOT-ARI-BOS .252 .285 .409 .694 77 48 27 301 25 90 38 31 8 5 Tom Glavine 112 2000 2007 34-41 259 259 11 7 0 81 .580 0 1627.2 1624 718 663 548 884 3.67 117 162 6879 55 28 0 10 ATL-NYM .263 .324 .403 .727 93 78 45 306 36 157 71 74 24 6 Andy Pettitte 111 2000 2007 28-35 226 223 11 3 1 65 .631 0 1406 1467 667 588 389 1080 3.76 119 119 5967 24 21 7 21 NYY-HOU .268 .317 .396 .713 87 52 33 285 30 150 62 26 28 7 Bartolo Colon 110 2000 2007 27-34 224 224 23 5 0 72 .604 0 1458.2 1442 704 660 477 1148 4.07 110 187 6152 16 27 5 25 CLE-TOT-CHW-ANA-LAA .260 .319 .420 .739 93 55 37 289 20 148 24 37 9 8 Mike Mussina 109 2000 2007 31-38 239 239 18 9 0 75 .592 0 1538.2 1512 708 660 322 1311 3.86 116 175 6329 11 32 0 30 BAL-NYY .256 .297 .401 .698 83 36 34 295 19 120 98 51 2 9 Barry Zito 109 2000 2007 22-29 243 243 9 4 0 73 .599 0 1551.1 1349 697 635 618 1177 3.68 122 163 6538 16 68 5 28 OAK-SFG .234 .314 .370 .684 80 53 44 244 24 126 97 56 20 10 Roy Oswalt 108 2001 2007 23-29 212 200 12 4 5 53 .671 0 1355 1315 508 469 310 1130 3.12 140 110 5591 20 45 4 16 HOU .256 .302 .384 .686 81 62 29 278 27 123 29 28 6
It's interesting to try to guess who on this list will end up with the most wins for the entire decade (through 2009.) RJ is disabled and some have said he may never pitch again. Maddux, Schilling, and Glavine are all over 40 already and may not pitch through 2009 (and even if they do, it's somewhat unlikely they'll be winning a lot of games in 2008 and 2009.) At just 31 years old and already in 2nd place, I think Tim Hudson is the best guess, although Pettitte, Colon, and Oswalt certainly have a strong chance. Zito's high ERA this year makes me wonder, especially since he won't be pitching for a new contract again anytime this decade.
By the way, in case you're curious, win leaders for the decade of the 1990s:
Cnt Player **W** From To Ages G GS CG SHO GF L W-L% SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA ERA+ HR BF IBB HBP BK WP Teams BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ SH SF 2B 3B GDP SB CS Pk +----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+-----+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+------+----+---+-----+---+---+---+---+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+----+---+---+ 1 Greg Maddux 176 1990 1999 24-33 331 331 75 23 0 88 .667 0 2394.2 2084 786 677 443 1764 2.54 162 111 9563 74 60 8 32 CHC-ATL .235 .274 .318 .592 61 128 46 340 36 204 229 76 16 2 Tom Glavine 164 1990 1999 24-33 327 327 38 14 0 87 .653 0 2228 2101 877 794 764 1465 3.21 129 141 9325 72 23 4 50 ATL .251 .313 .354 .667 81 110 47 380 30 215 122 64 5 3 Roger Clemens 152 1990 1999 27-36 305 305 57 24 0 89 .631 0 2177.2 1829 813 731 731 2101 3.02 152 139 8968 28 82 2 59 BOS-TOR-NYY .227 .296 .333 .629 65 54 49 357 38 160 184 111 20 4 Randy Johnson 150 1990 1999 26-35 298 290 65 25 3 75 .667 2 2063.1 1560 805 721 910 2538 3.14 140 183 8557 13 98 14 65 SEA-TOT-ARI .209 .302 .329 .631 68 46 37 301 23 134 250 122 27
Sure would be something if Maddux ended up leading the 00's as well.
And leaders for the 1980s:
Cnt Player **W** From To Ages G GS CG SHO GF L W-L% SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA ERA+ HR BF IBB HBP BK WP Teams BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ SH SF 2B 3B GDP SB CS Pk +----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+-----+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+------+----+---+-----+---+---+---+---+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+----+---+---+ 1 Jack Morris 162 1980 1989 25-34 332 332 133 20 0 119 .577 0 2443.2 2212 1085 995 858 1629 3.66 109 264 10208 66 23 20 124 DET .241 .305 .379 .684 88 77 64 348 64 177 214 83 7 2 Dave Stieb 140 1980 1989 22-31 339 331 92 27 4 109 .562 1 2328.2 2019 954 859 825 1380 3.32 127 183 9654 29 104 13 39 TOR .235 .308 .351 .659 78 76 54 352 49 194 127 99 12 3 Bob Welch 137 1980 1989 23-32 313 311 47 22 0 93 .596 0 2082.1 1885 821 743 666 1457 3.21 112 155 8655 40 49 36 43 LAD-OAK .242 .303 .355 .658 89 84 55 317 51 118 161 103 16 4 Charlie Hough 128 1980 1989 32-41 331 282 93 11 22 114 .529 2 2121.2 1842 999 864 867 1363 3.67 112 218 8942 18 80 30 98 TOT-TEX .234 .314 .368 .682 87 51 57 326 41 140 216 99 51 5 Fernando Valenzue 128 1980 1989 19-28 298 287 102 27 5 103 .554 2 2144.2 1876 869 760 838 1644 3.19 111 133 8957 54 16 10 81 LAD .237 .309 .336 .645 87 135 47 327 30 151 175 120 43
Jack Morris way, way, way in the lead.
And leaders for the 1970s:
Cnt Player **W** From To Ages G GS CG SHO GF L W-L% SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA ERA+ HR BF IBB HBP BK WP Teams BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ SH SF 2B 3B GDP SB CS Pk +----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+-----+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+------+----+---+-----+---+---+---+---+-----------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+----+---+---+ 1 Jim Palmer 186 1970 1979 24-33 355 352 175 44 3 103 .644 2 2745 2275 883 787 861 1559 2.58 137 184 11105 31 26 7 55 BAL .226 .287 .326 .613 77 90 56 332 62 189 186 112 9 2 Gaylord Perry 184 1970 1979 31-40 369 368 197 36 1 133 .580 1 2905 2559 1088 942 758 1907 2.92 125 207 11759 75 51 3 68 SFG-CLE-TOT-TEX-SDP .237 .289 .346 .635 82 107 61 393 81 256 141 120 13 3 Steve Carlton 178 1970 1979 25-34 368 366 165 32 0 126 .586 0 2747 2413 1103 971 960 2097 3.18 118 238 11361 87 31 42 81 STL-PHI .237 .303 .365 .668 88 114 65 430 79 217 167 113 81 4 Fergie Jenkins 178 1970 1979 27-36 360 354 184 33 5 130 .578 0 2706.2 2507 1128 1015 518 1841 3.38 118 301 11009 55 51 9 34 CHC-TEX-BOS .244 .282 .388 .670 84 104 82 432 68 159 160 97 4 5 Tom Seaver 178 1970 1979 25-34 348 345 147 40 2 101 .638 0 2652.1 2105 843 768 741 2304 2.61 138 190 10607 65 28 6 64 NYM-TOT-CIN .217 .273 .324 .597 72 97 50 346 61 173 183 90 10
To some degree, the leaders for any given decade are really arbitrary. We shouldn't penalize a pitcher who had a great year from, say, 1995 to 2005, just because we all think in the decimal system. Furthermore, I'm not sure whether a pitcher is #1 on these lists or #8 on these lists makes much of a difference. A guy has to be a hell of a pitcher to be anywhere in the top 20, and they were all huge assets to their respective teams.