Quote:
Originally Posted by John1941
Getting no run support doesn't make you a bad pitcher.
And pitchers who lose 20 games are frequently the best pitcher on a bad team - they lose so many because they pitch so much for a team with terrible offense. Take Hall of Famer Red Ruffing - he lost 25 and 22 games for the Red Sox in 1928 and 1929 before being traded to the Yankees. Paul Derringer lost 27 and 21 games in 1933 and 1934 while being an above average pitcher - he went on to win 20 games four times.
Some twenty win losers are guys like Jack Nabors going 1-20 for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1916; but I think if you studied it, more 20 game losers would be good pitchers than bad.
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One of my favorite hard luck seasons is when Will White won 18 games and lost 42 - but posted a 2.14 ERA, 114 ERA+. White, of course, was an excellent pitcher but bad luck and a bad offense led to one of the worst W-L seasons in MLB history. Jim McCormick had a similar season.