Posted By:
Tim NewcombI have to laugh at the statement "Wins can be a misleading stat" -- we've also seen that said in this thread about ERA and strikeouts--
what's left???
Two thoughts:
1. Winning PCT (Ryan's is .526)
No doubt someone is already typing the words "Winning PCT can be a misleading stat!"
I agree over one or two years, it can-- but over a 20-year career, I figure it's gotta even out.
2. the stat "Wins Above Team" --
Try this on: http://www.homerunweb.com/sabermetrics.html
No doubt it will not convince diehard Ryan-lovers, but at least it ought to quash the false claim that Ryan played for bad teams his whole career. The webpage shows that if you subtract Ryan's decisions from the overall W-L record of his teams, you get a team PCT of .503. That's right, guys, Ryan played for WINNING teams (barely, anyway).
And he is way below most HOF pitchers in this key stat, Wins Above Team.
Ryan was 14 wins above team for his career
Grove was 52 WAT, Johnson 96.