Gary Nolan, Wally Bunker, Chief Bender, Rube Bressler and Smoky Joe Wood also all had excellent seasons as teens in the 20th century.
Most pitchers are not major league ready or good in their teens. Most aren’t at 20 or 21. Most excellent pitchers ‘put it together’ at 23-25. Koufax bloomed a little late, but not very late like Randy Johnson or Early Wynn. The much bigger issue for his value to his team is that he was completely done by 30. His early years can’t be ignored, nor should they for any pitcher, but his real problem is the age he was useless by. Johnson I have as #2 and he was a true late bloomer.
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