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Old 11-23-2002, 11:47 AM
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Default The big three: Mathewson, Johnson, Young

Posted By: Albie O'Hanian

Obviously it is difficult to compare pitchers from different eras. Statistics can be manipulated to prove many things. Yes, they had difficulty knowing they would have to pitch nine innings, yes they were not concerned with their stats. However, it was very rare they could get beat on one bad pitch. It often took three hits to score a run. The strike zone was bigger, etc., etc. Pedro is more dominant in his era than anbody in history (at least by the numbers) and Koufax IMO would rank #2. But that is only one small criteria. Anybody could come up with a valid criteria and probably prove that any one of 15 to 20 pitchers is the best of all-time.
BTW- Ryan-I love your list. Great picks. Watching Hershisher shut down the A's completely after Clemens and Hurst (and fear for the worst) could not do it was something to behold. I agree, for a couple of months it is hard to imagine a pitcher being better than Hershisher was.

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