The Unbeatable Record

[Camden_yardbird]

No, not Cal's consecutive game streak, rather four twenty game winners.

With the additions the Tigers and A's made during the trade deadline I was wondering if either of them would come close. As good as these super staffs are, their existence reinforces the idea that no team will ever have four twenty game winners.

The tigers are the closest and will perhaps come close to four 15 game winners, but even that shows the enormity of the task.

Scherzer 13 wins, 23 starts

Porcello 13 wins, 22 starts

Price 11 wins, 23 starts

Verlander 10 wins, 23 starts

Even if we grant another 8 starts you can see they will be far from reaching that lofty record. But still four 15 game winners bin today's baseball is an impressive feat.

[Frobby]

Unless something causes teams to go back to a four man rotation, it really can't happen.

I have a ball that was signed to me by Cuellar, McNally, Palmer and Dobson the weekend that three of the four won their twentieth game. I didn't know much about keeping the ball preserved, so the signatures are a bit faded, but still legible.

The 1998 Braves team had five sixteen game winners, which I'd consider an equivalent feat in today's game.

[OFFNY]

o

The 1920 White Sox.

The 1971 Orioles.

[Mondo Trasho]

Four 20 game winners could happen again. All you really need is two great pitchers and two guys having career years. It's not likely, but I'd say possible.

The things I'd say are never getting approached are Cy Young's 511 wins and 749 complete games, Barry Bonds 500 home runs-500 stolen bases, Old Hoss Radburn's 59 wins in a season, etc.

[Redskins Rick]

Four 20 game winners are a thing from a previous ERA and not going to happen again.

In 1969, the inning leaders had 325 innings pitched.

In 2013, the inning leader was 228.

In 1969, McLain had 41 games started, Cuellar 39, McNally 40.

in 2013, Shields, Dickey and Verlander lead with 34 games started.

[Palmoripken]

Unless we see a huge shift in how managers handle starters, it's going to be hard to do that. I think the Braves may have gotten twenty game wins out of Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine once if even at all in the same season. I think DiMaggio's hit streak is up there since the minute the guy hits 25-30 games, everyone will talk about it.

[KurtCDavidson]

The things I'd say are never getting approached are Cy Young's 511 wins and 749 complete games, Barry Bonds 500 home runs-500 stolen bases, Old Hoss Radburn's 59 wins in a season, etc.

When it comes to odds and probabilities, I take my cues from Pete Rose. He has said that the most unbreakable record is Johnny Vander Meer's two consecutive no hitters. Someone would have to throw three in a row to break that record.

[Mondo Trasho]

When it comes to odds and probabilities, I take my cues from Pete Rose. He has said that the most unbreakable record is Johnny Vander Meer's two consecutive no hitters. Someone would have to throw three in a row to break that record.

I was actually going to mention that one. Nolan Ryan's 7 career no hitters would also be up there for me.

[gmelson26]

Your points are interesting. For me the unbeatable record is 511 wins.. we not even see a 350 win again.

[Number5]

Well, it is for certain that Tippy's 3 pick-offs in an inning will never be broken.

[video=youtube;5HKeG0-nFCY]

[Redskins Rick]

Adam Dunn pitched last night and tried to break Chris Davis's performance on the mound, and failed.

[Palmoripken]

Well, it is for certain that Tippy's 3 pick-offs in an inning will never be broken.

[video=youtube;5HKeG0-nFCY]

I had never actually seen that before. Another thing that struck me was Buck Martinez's voice in the voice over. It wasn't the raspy voice he had when he did O's games and when I've seen him call nationally televised games too.

[FlipTheBird]

Your points are interesting. For me the unbeatable record is 511 wins.. we not even see a 350 win again.

True. Another record that's a testament to another era, though. Greg Maddux (740) is the closest "modern day" start to Cy Young's starts record (815), and despite only have 75 fewer starts, Maddux amassed 2,300 fewer innings pitched.

A stat that isn't quite as dictated by era that I think will remain unbroken is Joe D.'s 56-game hit streak.

[O's84]

How about Johnny Vandermeer's back to back no hitters? You'd have to have a pitcher throw 3 no hitters in a row to beat that.

[Satyr3206]

Ted Williams .406 would be hard to break. Ichiro had the speed and bat and really never came close.