[Carter08]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Add me to the chorus of those who think Randy Johnson does not get the requisite hobby love for his achievements. In that vein, he reminds me of this guy:



Per Wikipedia: "With 363 career wins, Spahn holds the major league record for a left-handed pitcher and has the most by a pitcher who played his entire career in the post-1920 live-ball era. He was a 17-time All-Star who won 20 games or more in 13 seasons, including a 23–7 win–loss record when he was age 42. Spahn won the 1957 Cy Young Award and was a three-time runner-up during the period when only one award was given for both leagues. At the time of his retirement in 1965, Spahn held the Major League record for career strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher. ... The Warren Spahn Award, given annually to the major leagues' best left-handed pitcher, is named in his honor." And he lost 4 seasons to WWII. Yet when we discuss GOAT LHPs, Spahn (100.1 WAR) usually is not considered in the same breath as Grove (106.8), Randy Johnson (101.1), and Koufax. Why: because speed kills. A crafty guy whose philosophy of pitching was "Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing," he doesn't capture the fancy the same way as the fireballers do. Plus the coolest wind-up ever.

Count me in for thinking Spahn is underappreciated.