Who has the best single season ever for a pitcher? What year?

Question

In your opinion.

Answer 1

Orel Hershiser in 1988

23-8, 2.26 ERA, he had 8 complete game shutouts including a total of 15 complete games.  I think this was the year he threw like 50 innings consecutive of shutout baseball.  And i think teh Dodgers won the Worlds Series this year too.

Answer 2

Stats can be misleading for this because of the eras they played. Pre 1900 pitchers had ridiculous numbers because of the odd rules (pitchind distance, walks, foul balls,,etc)

I like Ed Walsh's 1908 season.(because he lead in basically everything)

40-16   66 games 49starts 42 cg, 11 shutouts, 6 saves. 464 innings pitched. 1.42 era.

Not sure how many pitcheres ever lead the league in Wins, Games, Games Started, CG, Saves, Innings, Strikeouts, Shutouts.  He finished 3rd in ERA.. winner had a 1.16..

Answer 3

bob gibson. 1968

Answer 4

Nolan Ryan, 1973

Two no-hitters in one season. Enough said.

Answer 5

Starting pitcher -- Martinez 2000 or Johnson 1913.

Reliever / closer -- Eckersley 1990.

Stats ebb and flow over the long reach of time, but the pitcher's job never has -- prevent runs, prevent baserunners.

Answer 6

any of cy young's season!

Answer 7

I would have to say Bob Gibson in 1968.

He went 22-9 with a 1.12 ERA.  I dont know how he lost 9 games with that ERA.  28 Complete games.  13 of them being shutouts. 268 K's in 304 Innings.  He struck out 17 tigers in game 1 of the World Series (still a record)  That ERA is going to be a hard record to break, also.

Answer 8

In the last fifty years, Gibson, 1968 comes to mind. 22-9, ERA 1.12.  Same year, other league, Denny Mclain won 31 games.  It's no wonder that they lowered the mound after that.

You know that your season was off the hook when they change the rules because of you.

Another incredible occurrence was 1971 when the Orioles had four twenty game winners that year.  Palmer, Dobson, Cuellar and McNally.

Answer 9

In the last 25 years,

Dwight Gooden in 1985

24 wins

16 complete games

8 shut-outs

268 strike outs

69 walks

1.53 e.r.a

If you go back further you will find pitchers  had much better stats, due to pitching more games less offensive oriented teams etc....