Most Wins, non-HoFr
Posted by Chris J. on February 20, 2008
One fun quirk to the sort is dividing searches based on HoF-itivity. Here's the winningest non-HoFers ever. Or, can you guess which HoF has the most K's per 9-innings. Believe me, you won't guess correctly.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I guessed Wade Boggs.
February 20th, 2008 at 11:06 am
I guessed Jimmie Foxx.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Wow, back in the 19th century fielding was really bad. Bobby Mathews (#4 on the non-HoF list) had more unearned runs than runs!
February 20th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
For what the information is worth, here are Bill James win shares for the top ten on the winningest non-HoFers ever. So you don't have to go back and forth, wins are listed first (and win shares in parentheses).
Clemens 354 (440)
Maddux 347 (389)
Glavine 303 (314)
B. Mathews 297 (158)
John 288 (289)
Johnson 284 (315)
Mullane 284 (399; he played in the field, too)
Kaat 283 (268)
McCormick 315 (265)
and John Smoltz 207 (284, credit given to his relief work)
For pitchers after 1900, the numbers correspond pretty well to wins, with differences corresponding roughly to how "overpowering" the pitcher's stuff was.
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:38 am
Where is Blyleven on the Win Share list?
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:09 am
Yeah looks like you skipped him.
February 22nd, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Yeah, I sure did. Blyleven, 339 win shares. Putting aside Clemens and Maddux, there is no pitcher higher than 339 who is not in the Hall.* There are at least 40 pitchers in the Hall with win shares totals fewer than Blyleven's.
*Well, Tony Mullane is credited with 348 win shares as a pitcher, but whatever reasons have to do with his being on the HoF outside are 19th century reasons.