Greatest Pitcher(s) of All Time

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thejumper5

Well-Known Member
Who would you guys say is the greatest MLB pitcher of all time? Who's in the top 5?

Here's my top 5:
1. Walter Johnson (The most dominant pitcher in the most dominant era of pitching.)
2. Roger Clemens (Unbelievably dominant for two decades. Yes, he was aided by PEDs, but so was his competition.)
3. Sandy Koufax (Had the highest peak of all.)
4. Mariano Rivera (Greatest reliever of all time. Greatest pitcher of all on a per inning basis.)
5. Lefty Grove (Hurt by "low" strike out numbers, but he led the AL in Ks 7 times in an era that didn't see many Ks.)

Just missed: Nolan Ryan, Cy Young, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Bob Gibson

Active guys that could be in the conversation some day: Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander
 
thejumper5 said:
Who would you guys say is the greatest MLB pitcher of all time? Who's in the top 5?

Here's my top 5:
1. Walter Johnson (The most dominant pitcher in the most dominant era of pitching.)
2. Roger Clemens (Unbelievably dominant for two decades. Yes, he was aided by PEDs, but so was his competition.)
3. Sandy Koufax (Had the highest peak of all.)
4. Mariano Rivera (Greatest reliever of all time. Greatest pitcher of all on a per inning basis.)
5. Lefty Grove (Hurt by "low" strike out numbers, but he led the AL in Ks 7 times in an era that didn't see many Ks.)

Just missed: Nolan Ryan, Cy Young, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Bob Gibson

Active guys that could be in the conversation some day: Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander Felix Hernandez
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Jon Rocker

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Im going to throw out the dead ball era here:
  1. Sandy Koufax
  2. Nolan Ryan
  3. Tom Seaver
  4. Randy Johnson
  5. Mariano Rivera
  6. Greg Maddux
  7. Roger Clemens
 
Last edited:
Warren Spahn would make my Top 10. Twenty game winner 13 times and most career wins by any left handed pitcher.
 
twinlaker said:
Walter Johnson
Christy Mathewson
Bob Gibson
Sandy Koufax
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Cy Young
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^^^ Pretty good List ^^^

One could argue against Koufax because his career was cut so short, but when he was at his peak, he was as dominant as anyone.

Best pitchers I can recall seeing in my days are Maddux, Clemens (despite PED implications) Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez.

Doc Gooden probably tops my "what should have been" list, but the guy still managed to win over 200 games despite his issues.
 
The pitching mound was lowered in 1968 you have to divide this category into pre-68 and post-68. there are only a few guys that could make the list that would be caught in the transition, Nolan Ryan being the obvious one.


Pre-1968

Walter Johnson
Satchel Paige
Bob Gibson
Cy Young
Sandy Koufax

Post 1968

Nolan Ryan
Steve Carlton
Roger Clemens
Greg Maddux
Mariano Riviera
 
Warren Spahn has to be on my list. You have to include a pitcher who won 23 games when he was 42 and had a poem made up about his dominance. Also enjoyed watching Greg Maddox and hated the day he left the Cubs. Absolutely hated watching Steve Carlton, because he always seemed to beat my Cubs. In '72, Carlton won 27 games for a lousy Phillie team that won a total of 59. I agree that Gooden could have been among the greats if he hadn't gotten sidetracked by drugs.
 
No love for Iowa's own Bob Feller? Were it not for WWII, probably would have had close to 350 wins.
 
twinlaker said:
Walter Johnson
Christy Mathewson
Bob Gibson
Sandy Koufax
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Cy Young
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Hard to argue.

Remember, Cy Young holds one of the most unbreakable records in all of baseball. Of course, he was in an era where the rules favored pitchers.
 
enmaster said:
Hard to argue.

Remember, Cy Young holds one of the most unbreakable records in all of baseball. Of course, he was in an era where the rules favored pitchers.
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And remember, Cy also holds the records for losses. 511 Wins 316 Losses. :)
 
1. Walter Johnson.
2. Christy Mathewson
3. Cy Young
4. Sandy Kofax
5. Warren Spahn
6. Bob Gibson
7. Grover Alexander
8. Greg Maddox
9. Tom Seaver
10. Bob Feller


I'm sorry OP but your list is quite interesting to me and IMO way to much present day influence IMO.
 
Agree with you guys on Warren Spahn. I'm not sure how I left him completely off the list. Not much love for Pedro from you guys? Of the guys in my lifetime, I think his ceiling was the highest.
 
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