Halladay’s start
Posted by Andy on April 22, 2010
Roy Halladay has had a very impressive start. It's been a while since a pitcher won his first 4 starts of the season with at least 7 IP in each:
| Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | HBP | WP | BK | Tm | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Johnson | 2002-04-01 | 2002-04-26 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 46.0 | 28 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 61 | 2 | 1.37 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ARI |
| 2 | Pedro Martinez | 2000-04-04 | 2000-04-30 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35.1 | 22 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 50 | 2 | 1.27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | BOS |
| 3 | Roy Halladay | 2010-04-05 | 2010-04-21 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33.0 | 26 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 1 | 0.82 | 0 | 0 | 0 | PHI |
| 4 | Livan Hernandez | 2002-04-02 | 2002-04-19 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31.0 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 2.03 | 0 | 0 | 0 | SFG |
| 5 | Brad Radke | 2001-04-03 | 2001-04-20 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32.1 | 30 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 19 | 2 | 2.23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | MIN |
| 6 | Randy Johnson | 2000-04-04 | 2000-04-20 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 35.2 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 42 | 2 | 0.76 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ARI |
These are the longest such streaks since the 2000 season. Halladay has had weird run support so far--an average of 5.91 runs per start but an unusual distribution of just 2 runs twice, 8 runs, and 11 runs. It hasn't mattered, though, as he's pitched to a 0.82 ERA so far.
Also since 2000 here are the longest streaks to start the season where the pitcher won his start and allowed no more than 2 earned runs:
| Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | HBP | WP | BK | Tm | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jered Weaver | 2006-05-27 | 2006-07-23 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47.0 | 26 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 40 | 2 | 1.15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | LAA |
| 2 | Randy Johnson | 2000-04-04 | 2000-05-05 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 58.1 | 31 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 75 | 3 | 0.93 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ARI |
| 3 | Zack Greinke | 2009-04-08 | 2009-05-04 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 45.0 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 54 | 0 | 0.40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | KCR |
| 4 | Greg Maddux | 2006-04-07 | 2006-04-28 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.1 | 23 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 24 | 1 | 1.35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | CHC |
| 5 | Esteban Loaiza | 2003-04-04 | 2003-04-27 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36.0 | 19 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 35 | 2 | 1.25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | CHW |
| 6 | Pedro Martinez | 2000-04-04 | 2000-04-30 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35.1 | 22 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 50 | 2 | 1.27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | BOS |
| 7 | Roy Halladay | 2010-04-05 | 2010-04-21 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33.0 | 26 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 1 | 0.82 | 0 | 0 | 0 | PHI |
| 8 | Cliff Lee | 2008-04-06 | 2008-04-24 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31.2 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 0.28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | CLE |
| 9 | Brandon Webb | 2008-03-31 | 2008-04-16 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29.0 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 1 | 1.86 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ARI |
| 10 | Joe Saunders | 2006-07-18 | 2006-08-11 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27.0 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 18 | 1 | 1.67 | 1 | 1 | 0 | LAA |
| 11 | Curt Schilling | 2006-04-03 | 2006-04-19 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28.0 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 23 | 2 | 1.61 | 1 | 1 | 0 | BOS |
| 12 | Jeff Suppan | 2003-04-04 | 2003-04-22 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26.1 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 1.37 | 1 | 1 | 0 | PIT |
| 13 | Livan Hernandez | 2002-04-02 | 2002-04-19 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31.0 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 2.03 | 0 | 0 | 0 | SFG |
| 14 | Mark Buehrle | 2002-04-01 | 2002-04-17 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27.0 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 3 | 1.33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | CHW |
Most of these performances were quite memorable, especially Loaiza's, which was the start of his only truly excellent season in 2003. (I would argue that his 2005 season with the Nationals was also very very good despite his 12-10 record.)
April 22nd, 2010 at 3:32 pm
As an interesting comparison, Cliff Lee won his first 5 games with the Phillies last year with at least 7 IP in each
April 22nd, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Also interesting... respective stats through their first 4 starts with the phillies:
Cliff Lee - 4-0 0.82
Roy Halladay - 4-0 0.82
April 22nd, 2010 at 9:55 pm
He already has 2 CG. He led the AL with 9 last year and the NL leaders were Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain with 4. He may have that beat by end of June.
April 23rd, 2010 at 2:16 am
Halladay has been phenomenal, but I can't help but notice how ridiculous Greinke was at the beginning of last year.
April 24th, 2010 at 9:57 am
After those first 6 starts, Greinke had two outings where he let up 1ER each in 7IP and 8IP... and saw his ERA RAISE by 50% (from .40 to .60).
April 26th, 2010 at 11:44 pm
Back down to earth tonight. Halladay is almost unquestionably going to have the greatest season of his career pitching in the NL East this season, but I'm a little taken aback by certain Phillies fans - who will go nameless - saying he would topple Pedro's 2000 ERA+ and VORP... Four Starts into the season.