June Pickups

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by begsu1013

Bob, that's a gorgeous Herb Score!

I am always a little sad when I look at his cards. I can't help but feel that a cruel twist of fate deprived baseball fans of one of the great pitching careers.

As his Baseball Reference page already notes, he would have had the lowest hits allowed per 9 innings pitched in history if he'd only thrown another 141 innings. Over 858 1/3 IP, he allowed only 6.4 hits per 9. And what's odd is that, even though he never regained his form after getting hit, he still didn't allow that many hits. In 1959, two years after being hit by the line drive, he led the league with 6.9 hits allowed per 9, and 8.2 Ks per 9. He just didn't have the command, which is understandable.

In his first two years, though, he allowed 6 hits per 9 inning pitched (6.04 to be exact). Compare that to Clayton Kershaw's last five seasons (not including 2015, which thus far isn't up to his normal standards). As great as he's pitched, he still allowed 6.6 hits per 9 IP. Score allowed 6.04!

Between 1956 and 1957, Score's 6.04 hits per 9 IP was by far the best in the Majors. There were 86 pitchers to throw over 200 innings combined across those two years. Sam Jones, at 6.90 hits per 9 IP, was next best, almost a full hit behind Score.

He had 36 wins, and 508 strikeouts before age 24. Who knows what he might have accomplished.