Most starts in the first 10 years of a career, 1901-present
Posted by Andy on October 12, 2007
UPDATE: I blew away the old post because it had the wrong data. Here is the correct data.
Most starts by a pitcher in the first 10 years of his career, 1901 to present:
Cnt Player **GS** From To Ages G CG SHO GF W L W-L% SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA ERA+ HR BF IBB HBP BK WP Teams
+----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+-----+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+------+----+---+-----+---+---+---+---+-----------+
1 George Mullin 359 1902 1911 21-30 398 310 32 36 196 156 .557 6 3115.2 2939 1340 937 996 1276 2.71 103 33 11763 105 2 76 DET
2 Don Sutton 353 1966 1975 21-30 367 110 40 9 155 126 .552 3 2544.1 2170 941 855 653 1913 3.02 110 187 10365 59 47 9 65 LAD
3 Robin Roberts 352 1948 1957 21-30 398 217 30 38 189 142 .571 23 2858 2714 1144 1036 575 1428 3.26 120 288 11609 22 31 0 21 PHI
4 Bert Blyleven 350 1970 1979 19-28 353 145 39 2 148 128 .536 0 2624.2 2335 949 841 711 2082 2.88 130 186 10722 43 70 11 61 MIN-TOT-TEX-PIT
5 Tom Seaver 348 1967 1976 22-31 354 161 39 5 182 107 .630 1 2718.1 2151 816 747 733 2334 2.47 141 187 10839 62 48 6 68 NYM
6 Pete Alexander 347 1911 1920 24-33 408 275 77 56 235 114 .673 21 3116.1 2635 942 715 665 1712 2.06 147 57 12373 56 1 24 PHI-CHC
7 Walter Johnson 347 1907 1916 19-28 419 302 63 68 231 148 .609 14 3148.1 2421 854 575 629 2117 1.64 172 26 12368 113 2 111 WSH
8 Eddie Plank 346 1901 1910 25-34 372 285 37 21 202 131 .607 3 2916.1 2578 1050 772 654 1465 2.38 120 28 11867 153 2 62 PHA
9 Mickey Lolich 344 1963 1972 22-31 393 127 32 25 163 121 .574 10 2504.1 2208 998 915 793 2124 3.29 106 237 10415 37 83 5 80 DET
10 Don Drysdale 344 1956 1965 19-28 397 134 34 34 164 118 .582 6 2574.2 2264 975 846 681 1934 2.96 126 220 10590 86 115 7 65 BRO-LAD
11 Christy Mathewson 343 1901 1909 20-28 382 280 61 36 236 109 .684 15 2933 2397 916 633 620 1779 1.94 144 37 11693 46 6 88 NYG
12 Frank Viola 341 1982 1991 22-31 342 66 14 0 150 125 .545 0 2339 2336 1072 968 662 1601 3.72 111 258 9797 26 33 10 65 MIN-TOT-NYM
13 Mel Stottlemyre 341 1964 1973 22-31 344 146 40 2 158 132 .545 1 2548.1 2316 949 833 772 1217 2.94 112 164 10487 72 40 1 54 NYY
14 Catfish Hunter 340 1965 1974 19-28 363 116 31 5 161 113 .588 1 2456.1 2079 947 853 687 1520 3.13 105 261 9983 45 36 6 30 KCA-OAK
15 Rick Reuschel 336 1972 1981 23-32 347 67 17 8 133 125 .516 3 2247.2 2299 965 850 617 1337 3.40 116 136 9468 78 57 9 64 CHC-TOT
16 Mark Langston 331 1984 1993 23-32 334 75 16 1 144 126 .533 0 2329 2037 1065 955 1027 2001 3.69 113 225 9788 24 40 20 68 SEA-TOT-CAL
17 Fergie Jenkins 325 1965 1974 22-31 383 178 33 30 174 121 .590 7 2632 2301 1002 903 534 2045 3.09 123 262 10624 74 49 10 36 PHI-TOT-CHC-TEX
18 Steve Rogers 322 1973 1982 23-32 324 114 32 2 133 121 .524 2 2357.1 2139 896 798 700 1393 3.05 121 124 9666 57 36 7 69 MON
19 Paul Derringer 322 1931 1940 24-33 412 189 26 68 168 149 .530 18 2640.1 2864 1193 1012 529 1133 3.45 110 110 11153 27 2 41 STL-TOT-CIN
20 Javier Vazquez 320 1998 2007 21-30 322 22 7 1 115 113 .504 0 2062.1 2056 1056 981 543 1815 4.28 106 275 8690 42 69 4 55 MON-NYY-ARI-CHW
21 Juan Marichal 320 1960 1969 22-31 328 197 45 8 191 88 .685 2 2550 2161 861 728 503 1840 2.57 135 223 10212 57 30 13 37 SFG
22 Fritz Peterson 319 1966 1975 24-33 342 90 20 9 132 128 .508 1 2156.1 2137 909 778 409 992 3.25 103 170 8830 75 42 6 32 NYY-TOT-CLE
23 Brad Radke 318 1995 2004 22-31 319 34 9 0 127 118 .518 0 2088 2232 1048 982 390 1267 4.23 114 269 8724 8 54 3 24 MIN
24 Mike Moore 318 1982 1991 22-31 328 68 13 6 115 130 .469 2 2108 2071 1053 951 807 1335 4.06 101 185 8968 35 39 11 86 SEA-OAK
25 Dave Stieb 316 1979 1988 21-30 324 96 26 4 131 109 .546 1 2251.1 1994 941 844 797 1331 3.37 126 182 9367 30 95 13 39 TOR
+----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+-----+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+------+----+---+-----+---+---+---+---+-----------+
Cnt Player **GS** From To Ages G CG SHO GF W L W-L% SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA ERA+ HR BF IBB HBP BK WP Teams
+----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+-----+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+------+----+---+-----+---+---+---+---+-----------+
26 Carl Hubbell 311 1928 1937 25-34 389 201 32 64 192 102 .653 29 2655.2 2506 964 823 498 1258 2.79 140 144 10854 44 1 37 NYG
27 Stan Coveleski 307 1912 1924 22-34 365 196 32 49 174 124 .584 20 2523.1 2468 981 787 620 865 2.81 128 53 10366 28 1 30 PHA-CLE
28 Doc White 307 1901 1910 22-31 342 235 40 32 169 128 .569 3 2551.2 2246 887 635 549 1216 2.24 116 28 7440 98 5 54 PHI-CHW
29 Scott Erickson 306 1990 1999 22-31 310 47 16 2 130 108 .546 0 2013.2 2154 1045 956 697 1111 4.27 106 177 8677 28 83 3 57 MIN-TOT-BAL
30 Doug Drabek 305 1986 1995 23-32 314 51 21 3 130 103 .558 0 2081.2 1932 840 767 546 1317 3.32 111 175 8517 44 37 4 58 NYY-PIT-HOU
31 Lee Meadows 304 1915 1924 20-29 374 158 21 50 129 150 .462 6 2368.2 2419 1095 858 765 835 3.26 104 52 9990 70 5 51 STL-TOT-PHI-PIT
32 Ed Walsh 303 1904 1913 23-32 413 243 55 98 190 121 .611 34 2871.1 2268 842 572 578 1702 1.79 147 23 11324 52 13 82 CHW
33 Joe McGinnity 303 1901 1908 30-37 373 244 27 59 190 118 .617 22 2732 2568 1095 795 606 901 2.62 115 44 11424 113 2 22 BLA-TOT-NYG
34 Dennis Eckersley 302 1975 1984 20-29 318 93 18 8 134 110 .549 3 2125.2 2030 931 858 562 1373 3.63 112 232 8872 58 50 6 22 CLE-BOS-TOT
35 Warren Spahn 302 1942 1954 21-33 336 189 33 28 166 110 .601 15 2433 2159 913 798 743 1284 2.95 128 166 10015 16 4 43 BSN-MLN
36 John Smoltz 301 1988 1997 21-30 301 44 11 0 129 102 .558 0 2060.1 1779 858 778 690 1769 3.40 118 171 8520 51 30 13 114 ATL
37 Roger Clemens 301 1984 1993 21-30 302 91 35 0 163 86 .655 0 2222.2 1878 807 726 619 2033 2.94 145 145 9037 40 64 17 51 BOS
38 Bob Feller 301 1936 1948 17-29 348 198 34 36 177 98 .644 20 2471 1961 911 822 1246 2000 2.99 134 108 10407 37 9 59 CLE
39 Bill Lee 301 1934 1943 24-33 363 155 25 37 140 126 .526 12 2308 2361 1032 904 711 882 3.53 107 114 9777 19 5 46 CHC-TOT
40 Hideo Nomo 299 1995 2004 26-35 301 16 9 0 118 101 .539 0 1871.1 1631 902 842 853 1856 4.05 102 232 7963 29 36 17 105 LAD-TOT-MIL-DET-BOS-LAD
41 Stan Bahnsen 299 1966 1976 21-31 344 70 15 27 124 124 .500 2 2047 1974 891 800 732 1075 3.52 98 171 8660 40 32 3 72 NYY-CHW-TOT-OAK
42 Bob Friend 299 1951 1960 20-29 380 105 20 39 121 139 .465 8 2251.2 2349 1083 943 630 1084 3.77 105 194 9546 60 23 6 33 PIT
43 Tom Glavine 298 1987 1996 21-30 298 34 13 0 139 92 .602 0 1956.1 1871 842 751 664 1212 3.45 116 127 8246 61 26 7 47 ATL
44 Ken Holtzman 298 1965 1974 19-28 309 95 24 4 133 110 .547 1 2094.1 1985 881 768 611 1316 3.30 110 181 8738 55 33 2 69 CHC-OAK
45 Greg Maddux 297 1986 1995 20-29 301 70 20 3 150 93 .617 0 2120.2 1877 783 679 561 1471 2.88 137 108 8659 83 60 24 37 CHC-ATL
46 Vida Blue 297 1969 1978 19-28 308 114 32 2 142 96 .597 2 2203.2 1883 818 718 687 1486 2.93 118 151 8977 32 18 6 62 OAK-SFG
47 Bob Lemon 297 1946 1955 25-34 389 165 29 64 181 102 .640 19 2452 2159 997 863 1082 1130 3.17 121 146 10357 3 43 2 55 CLE
48 Bucky Walters 297 1934 1943 25-34 322 187 29 15 147 124 .542 3 2339.1 2261 1024 872 850 863 3.35 115 108 9910 40 4 54 PHI-TOT-CIN
49 Larry French 297 1929 1938 21-30 424 156 30 77 148 131 .530 14 2410.2 2626 1134 938 622 852 3.50 115 133 10329 29 2 27 PIT-CHC
50 Dwight Gooden 296 1984 1993 19-28 298 67 23 1 154 81 .655 1 2128.1 1852 791 718 636 1835 3.04 117 114 8716 30 40 32 45 NYM
As I mentioned when I wrote this post the first time, it's a huge array from many different time periods. There are 12 players on the list who had at least part of their first 10 years come after 1990.
And the top pitchers in their first 20 seasons:
Cnt Player **GS** From To Ages G CG SHO GF W L W-L% SV IP H R ER BB SO ERA ERA+ HR BF IBB HBP BK WP Teams
+----+-----------------+-------+----+----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+-----+---+------+----+----+----+----+----+------+----+---+-----+---+---+---+---+-----------+
1 Don Sutton 672 1966 1985 21-40 689 174 57 12 295 228 .564 5 4796.1 4210 1866 1690 1223 3315 3.17 109 396 19603 94 71 16 99 LAD-HOU-TOT-MIL
2 Walter Johnson 651 1907 1926 19-38 784 524 109 127 412 273 .601 34 5807 4800 1832 1363 1337 3461 2.11 149 90 23289 196 4 154 WSH
3 Tom Seaver 647 1967 1986 22-41 656 231 61 6 311 205 .603 1 4782.2 3971 1674 1521 1390 3640 2.86 127 380 19369 116 76 8 126 NYM-TOT-CIN-NYM-CHW
4 Greg Maddux 639 1986 2005 20-39 643 108 35 3 318 189 .627 0 4406.1 4082 1675 1476 907 3052 3.01 138 298 17925 162 125 26 63 CHC-ATL
5 Steve Carlton 639 1965 1984 20-39 657 251 55 7 313 207 .602 1 4787.1 4207 1837 1615 1603 3872 3.04 121 354 19743 137 48 79 166 STL-PHI
6 Bert Blyleven 638 1970 1989 19-38 644 239 60 3 271 231 .540 0 4703 4319 1868 1682 1268 3562 3.22 121 398 19345 69 143 18 105 MIN-TOT-TEX-PIT-CLE-MIN-CAL
7 Tom Glavine 635 1987 2006 21-40 635 55 24 0 290 191 .603 0 4149.2 4012 1758 1596 1399 2481 3.46 120 322 17468 139 61 7 63 ATL-NYM
8 Warren Spahn 635 1942 1964 21-43 714 374 63 65 356 229 .609 29 5046 4620 1912 1710 1378 2493 3.05 120 408 20701 58 39 5 79 BSN-MLN
9 Gaylord Perry 628 1962 1981 23-42 715 294 52 33 297 239 .554 11 4947.1 4479 1903 1644 1276 3336 2.99 120 348 20219 156 100 6 142 SFG-CLE-TOT-TEX-SDP-TOT-ATL
10 Robin Roberts 609 1948 1966 21-39 676 305 45 49 286 245 .539 25 4688.2 4582 1962 1774 902 2357 3.41 113 505 19174 69 54 3 33 PHI-BAL-TOT
11 Roger Clemens 606 1984 2003 21-40 607 117 46 0 310 160 .660 0 4278.2 3677 1672 1517 1379 4099 3.19 140 321 17653 52 141 19 125 BOS-TOR-NYY
12 Jim Kaat 606 1959 1978 20-39 675 174 30 25 261 217 .546 6 4166.1 4212 1855 1581 977 2337 3.42 108 371 17450 79 118 5 118 WSH-MIN-TOT-CHW-PHI
13 Pete Alexander 599 1911 1930 24-43 696 437 90 80 373 208 .642 32 5190 4868 1851 1476 951 2198 2.56 135 164 20928 70 1 39 PHI-CHC-TOT-STL-PHI
14 Fergie Jenkins 594 1965 1983 22-40 664 267 49 37 284 226 .557 7 4500.2 4142 1853 1669 997 3192 3.34 115 484 18400 116 84 18 62 PHI-TOT-CHC-TEX-BOS-CHC
15 Phil Niekro 594 1964 1983 25-44 739 226 43 81 268 230 .538 29 4619.2 4218 1917 1640 1452 2912 3.20 119 392 19218 83 108 35 200 MLN-ATL
16 Frank Tanana 584 1973 1992 19-38 606 143 34 10 233 219 .515 1 3985.2 3847 1800 1606 1200 2657 3.63 107 420 16769 108 120 25 112 CAL-BOS-TEX-TOT-DET
17 Nolan Ryan 577 1966 1986 19-39 611 203 54 13 253 226 .528 3 4114.1 2990 1643 1440 2268 4277 3.15 111 228 17317 65 113 22 209 NYM-CAL-HOU
18 Tommy John 569 1963 1983 20-40 614 154 44 15 248 184 .574 4 3944.1 3850 1598 1369 1045 1983 3.12 116 241 16340 84 75 11 150 CLE-CHW-LAD-NYY-TOT-CAL
19 Early Wynn 565 1939 1960 19-40 627 273 46 57 284 225 .558 14 4230.2 3982 1890 1656 1657 2150 3.52 107 310 18018 27 60 2 48 WSH-CLE-CHW
20 Randy Johnson 556 1988 2007 24-43 566 98 37 5 284 150 .654 2 3855.1 3065 1556 1381 1422 4616 3.22 137 368 15877 29 182 31 102 MON-TOT-SEA-ARI-NYY
21 Christy Mathewson 550 1901 1916 20-35 629 433 79 70 373 185 .668 28 4747 4181 1584 1114 824 2487 2.11 136 90 18978 55 6 113 NYG-TOT
22 Eppa Rixey 540 1912 1932 21-41 676 285 36 94 260 248 .512 14 4400.1 4515 1938 1539 1070 1340 3.15 115 91 18337 76 10 96 PHI-CIN
23 Rick Reuschel 529 1972 1991 23-42 557 102 26 16 214 191 .528 5 3548.1 3588 1494 1330 935 2015 3.37 114 221 14888 117 88 10 89 CHC-TOT-PIT-SFG
24 Eddie Plank 529 1901 1917 25-41 623 410 69 74 326 194 .627 23 4495.2 3958 1569 1174 1072 2246 2.35 122 41 18225 196 6 87 PHA-SLM-SLB
25 Dennis Martinez 528 1976 1995 21-40 610 120 28 40 231 176 .568 6 3747.2 3601 1673 1500 1080 2022 3.60 108 344 15636 63 110 30 87 BAL-TOT-MON-CLE
6 of the top had at least part of their first 20 seasons come after 1990. And a whopping 16 had at least part come after 1980. Wow.
October 12th, 2007 at 11:42 am
I'm really surprised by the spread of years, but do you think there's enough evidence there to suggest Leo Mazzone is/was onto something or is that just a terrific coincidence for Atlanta back then?
October 12th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Clemens?
October 12th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Well, that's a good point. I calculated that Clemens has 606 in his first 20 years, so he should be on the list. Then I went back and re-ran the list for the first 20 eyars, and here's what I got:
Cnt Player GS From To
+----+-----------------+---+----+----+
1 Don Sutton 672 1966 1985
2 Walter Johnson 651 1907 1926
3 Tom Seaver 647 1967 1986
4 Greg Maddux 639 1986 2005
5 Steve Carlton 639 1965 1984
6 Bert Blyleven 638 1970 1989
7 Tom Glavine 635 1987 2006
8 Warren Spahn 635 1942 1964
9 Gaylord Perry 628 1962 1981
10 Robin Roberts 609 1948 1966
11 Roger Clemens 606 1984 2003
12 Jim Kaat 606 1959 1978
13 Pete Alexander 599 1911 1930
14 Fergie Jenkins 594 1965 1983
15 Phil Niekro 594 1964 1983
16 Frank Tanana 584 1973 1992
17 Nolan Ryan 577 1966 1986
18 Tommy John 569 1963 1983
19 Early Wynn 565 1939 1960
20 Randy Johnson 556 1988 2007
21 Christy Mathewson 550 1901 1916
22 Eppa Rixey 540 1912 1932
23 Rick Reuschel 529 1972 1991
24 Eddie Plank 529 1901 1917
25 Dennis Martinez 528 1976 1995
So something is wrong with what I ran above. This is the real list.
October 12th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
The main post above was rewritten with the correct data.