What do you think is the greatest year ever by a player way under the radar?

packs · #1 10-23-2019, 08:15 AM

Babe Herman's 1930 season:

Hit 393, 35 homers, 138 rbi's, 241 hits, 28 doubles and scored 143 runs.

Might have gone down as an all time season if not for Bill Terry hitting 400.

Also Earl Webb's 1931 season:

Webb hit 333, scored 96 runs, had 103 rbi's but set the all time single season record with 67 doubles.

KCRfan1 · #2 10-23-2019, 11:02 AM

I'll toss in a couple of arms from the 1960's that fly under the radar.

Jim Maloney who had a fine but short career. He had a couple of standout seasons with 1963 being his best.

23 -7 with a 2.77 ERA. He finished with 250 IP, 183 Hits allowed and 265 K's.

For the season he finished 19 in MVP voting. No All - Star or Cy Young placement.

The next name is Sam McDowell.

In 1965, he finished at 17 - 11 and a 2.18 ERA. Additional numbers of import are 273 IP, 178 Hits allowed and 325 K's.

For the season he finished 17 in MVP voting. No All - Star or Cy Young placement.

packs · #3 10-23-2019, 11:11 AM

Speaking of arms, how about some of the seasons old Hoyt Wilhelm was able to put together? I know he's a HOFer, but who ever has anything to say about him?

Between 1964 and 1968 he was 41 to 45 years old, pitched over 500 innings while maintaining an average ERA of 1.74....in his 40s! He surrendered almost 200 less hits than innings pitched over that time.

1965 was probably his masterpiece. He threw 144 innings as a 42 year old giving up only 88 hits, while pitching to the tune of a 1.81 ERA.

Peter_Spaeth · #4 10-23-2019, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packs

Speaking of arms, how about some of the seasons old Hoyt Wilhelm was able to put together? I know he's a HOFer, but who ever has anything to say about him?

Between 1964 and 1968 he was 41 to 45 years old, pitched over 500 innings while maintaining an average ERA of 1.74....in his 40s! He surrendered almost 200 less hits than innings pitched over that time.

1965 was probably his masterpiece. He threw 144 innings as a 42 year old giving up only 88 hits, while pitching to the tune of a 1.81 ERA.

Man that seems like a lot of innings for a reliever, even in the pre-closer days? He pitched until he was 49, how great is that? He was 29 when he made his debut.

Peter_Spaeth · #5 10-23-2019, 11:46 AM

Not sure if mentioned yet, Darrell Evans 1973. 9.0 WAR 18th in MVP.

the-illini · #6 10-23-2019, 01:11 PM

Bret Boone, 2001

.331 BA 37 HR 141 RBI 9.4 WAR

Aquarian Sports Cards · #7 10-23-2019, 01:59 PM

Roid heads need not apply

Aquarian Sports Cards · #8 10-23-2019, 11:12 AM

I've also always been a fan of fluke seasons like Davey Johsnon's and Rico Petrocelli's 40 Home Run years or Bert Campaneris's 20 HR year etc. THen you have guys like Dave Stapleton who has a very good rookie season and literally gets worse every year from there on out. Wonder what the record is for longest career with a batting average that dropped every season? Stapleton made 7.

rats60 · #9 10-23-2019, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I've also always been a fan of fluke seasons like Davey Johsnon's and Rico Petrocelli's 40 Home Run years or Bert Campaneris's 20 HR year etc. THen you have guys like Dave Stapleton who has a very good rookie season and literally gets worse every year from there on out. Wonder what the record is for longest career with a batting average that dropped every season? Stapleton made 7.

Petrocelli is a good one. He had a 10 WAR season leading the AL. It totally went under the radar until advanced metrics. He finished 7th in MVP voting behind 5 guys with more RBIs and Cy Young winner Denny McClain.

darwinbulldog · #10 10-30-2019, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rats60

Petrocelli is a good one. He had a 10 WAR season leading the AL. It totally went under the radar until advanced metrics. He finished 7th in MVP voting behind 5 guys with more RBIs and Cy Young winner Denny McClain.

Petrocelli in '69 gets my vote. Extraordinarily good season and totally under the radar.

howard38 · #11 10-23-2019, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

I'll toss in a couple of arms from the 1960's that fly under the radar.

Jim Maloney who had a fine but short career. He had a couple of standout seasons with 1963 being his best.

23 -7 with a 2.77 ERA. He finished with 250 IP, 183 Hits allowed and 265 K's.

For the season he finished 19 in MVP voting. No All - Star or Cy Young placement.

The next name is Sam McDowell.

In 1965, he finished at 17 - 11 and a 2.18 ERA. Additional numbers of import are 273 IP, 178 Hits allowed and 325 K's.

For the season he finished 17 in MVP voting. No All - Star or Cy Young placement.

Had Maloney's arm not given out in the late 60s he would have been the ace of the Big Red Machine and probably in the Hall of Fame.

Tabe · #12 10-23-2019, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

The next name is Sam McDowell.

In 1965, he finished at 17 - 11 and a 2.18 ERA. Additional numbers of import are 273 IP, 178 Hits allowed and 325 K's.

For the season he finished 17 in MVP voting. No All - Star or Cy Young placement.

No Cy Young votes because they only picked one for both leagues in '65 and Sandy Koufax was the unanimous pick in 1965.

McDowell was almost as good in 1968 - 1.81 ERA, 6.1 H/9.

And then he finished 3rd in the CYA in 1970, too.

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