Jacob deGrom most Ks in first 200 games

[Mike D.]

Total aside on Cy Young...I always found it interesting that for most all-time major league records, they start counting in the 20th century with the formation of the American League.

But not with Young. Maybe it's because 500+ wins is such a cool number. Maybe it's because he had so many wins BEFORE 1900, and that his career was split fairly well between the two centuries, and it was the NL so not like he got them in a semi-major league... but it feels a bit inconsistent.

Again, not trying to take anything away from a clearly great pitcher, or question the good old days any, but it's odd.

Young won 266 games from 1890-1899, and 245 from 1900-1911.

[G1911]

I’m not a big fan of pitcher wins as a stat for modern players. I think it had some value when pitchers were expected to hurl 9 innings.

The problem with DeGrom isn’t that he has 78 wins, it’s that he is 78-53 and his record reflects his tiny career. He is not incredibly unlucky with wins, he’s 34 and has pitched less than 1,300 innings. Even with pitchers seeming to barely throw anymore, his innings count is far, far below his pears. I think it unlikely he ends up in the Hall. He’d have to pitch well beyond when most all pitchers are out of the league.