Sandy Koufax - The Greatest Pitcher Ever - Most Dominant Run in Baseball History
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ต.ค. 2024
- Greatest Pitcher Ever, Mind-Blowing Facts That Ever Dodgers Fan Needs to Know About Sandy Koufax
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I saw him pitch at Dodger stadium many times as a kid. he was something special!!!
I never missed his games at For bes
Never saw him as a kid. Only went to one game on June 25, 1962. Don Drysdale pitched. (went to numerous games from Sept. 1976 on.)
During my childhood, Sandy Koufax was my favorite Dodger. He and his pitching made the first years of being a Dodger fan special (I began in August 1960). When he lost the fourth game of the 1966 World Series, I cried. When he announced his reitrement a few days later, I bawled like a baby. To me, he'll always be the G.O.A.T.
I know that feeling. He is my favorite baseball player of all time and I'm not even a Dodgers' fan. I, too, cried the day he retired, hoping he'd change his mind. He was such a class guy. I hope I can meet him one day and shake his hand...the left one, of course.
Actually it was game 2 that Sandy lost in the 1966 World Series. But just the same he was the greatest pitcher of all time!
Except for the fact that he isn't.
@@lucasw59 When you get to quit in your PRIME, at only 30, that makes it easy to say! I'd like to have seen Koufax pitch until he was at least 37 (Marichal quit at that age), or Gibson (40), or Seaver (41), or Carlton (43), or Randy Johnson (45), etc.! I saw him pitch in the mid-'60s, and remembered his last two superb years, before he announced he quit. If Koufax pitched well into his late-30s as all the others mentioned above did, he wouldn't have been so great, even with a good elbow, nevermind the G.O.A.T, as @macchingon ridiculously exclaimed! He had no downside years, as all the others did! Unless you say his downside were his beginning years (1955-60), but all the other pitchers had their growing pains also!
Having only 5 (or 6) years pitching at his best only at the end of his pitching years 1962-66 (or 1961-66), makes him look far better than he would have been if his good seasons were at the start, instead of later when remembered how good he was at his end. At age 36+ he would have looked more how he did in 1959 (8-6, 4.05 ERA) than how he did from 1963-66.
@@freeguy77 sandy koufax numba one
The last 2 seasons (1965-66) he threw 54 complete games, 27 each season. Amazing 😮
To me that is one of his most amazing stats!!! He was an Iron Man on the mound!!!
His 54 complete games in ‘65 & ‘66 was more than his 53 wins over those 2 years. Given that his ERA for those 2 years was 2.04 (‘65) & 1.73 (‘66) and the Dodger offense was so weak in those days, I imagine Koufax pitched a few very low scoring complete game losses over those 2 years. Incredible!
Is there such a thing as a complete game anymzore?
Walter Johnson threw 16 shutouts in one season. And look up Mathewson in the 1905 WS.
@@davidbarr8394 Which year was that? Most I saw was 11 in 1913.
In 1966...his last year...with his left arm ravaged by pain from severe arthritis...he wins another Cy Young...National League pennant....won 27 games...threw 27 complete games...pitched 321 innings...317 SO...an ERA of 1.73...and .had 11 shoutouts. His WS era is 0.95...1955...1959...1963...1965...and 1966. In the 1963 WS when the Dodgers swept the Yankees 4 straight...Mickey Mantle walked back to the dugout...threw his bat...sat down...and said "How are you supposed to hit that shit?" From 1961 to 1966...there was no one better then Sandy Koufax...
This also reminds me of how lucky my generation is to have a pitcher like Kersh 💙 it always puts a smile on my face when i see a living legend like Koufax stand next to a future hall of famer like Kersh old and new but so much alike 💪 😎
Go Dodgers 💙
All due respect, Koufax is the best and no one else comes close.
Kershaw is ahead of Koufax, but Koufax had a fine peak@@victorblock3421
Sandy is the reason I am a lifelong Dodger fan... along with Vinny.
In 1966...his last year...with his left arm becoming crippled with arthritis...he won his 3rd Cy Young in 4 years...won the National League pennant again...went 27-9 with 11 shutouts...his WS era is 0.95. He was brilliant on the mound...4 no hitters...a perfect game...when he got his fastball...curve ball...and change-up under control in the spring of 1961...from 1961 to 1966...there has NEVER been a better pitcher....AND complete games...He's #1 in my book! He'd blow them away in the 1st inning...and the radio...TV...and newspaper writers would say..."I wonder if he's gonna throw a no-hitter today!" As the great Mickey Mantle said walking back to the dugout after striking out against Koufax in the 1963 World Series..."How are you supposed to hit that shit?"...
He wasn't so "brilliant" in 1961. 35 GS, only 15 CG, only 2 ShO. 3.52 ERA gave up 27 HR (always susceptible for a large number of Big Flys--in his best years), 1.205 WHIP (not that "brilliant"), only 18-13. a good (but not "brilliant") 122 ERA+. So, I wouldn't add 1961 as one of his 'brilliant" years--because he was not yet there!
1962 was qualitatively better, although fewer starts 26 GS, a mere 11 CG, same 2 ShO, but he dropped the ERA to an NL-leading 2.54 (and higher 143 ERA+), but pitched only 184.1 IP (down from 255.2 in 1961), but he did have an NL-leading 1.036 WHIP, finally controlling his stuff (fastball, curve) to an elite level, but a smaller 14-7 W-L record (for some reason--injury?), but he Walked 2.8 per 9 IP (down from the hideous prior years, 3.4 in 1961).
Only starting in 1963, did he finally put it all together, and THAT is the start of his brilliant pitching, counting that 1962 he pitched only 184.1 IP.
In 1964, he dropped from 40 GS (1963) to only 28, and from 311 IP to only 223. His 19-5 and NL-leading 1.74 ERA were excellent for his still-developing as a pitcher instead of only a thrower (1955-60 hideous years, to put it nicely).
Only those final 4 years would anyone say he was really 'brilliant' not adding in 1961-62, as a young developing good (but not close as a "brilliant") pitcher. And 4 peak years is nothing compared to others (Greg Maddux, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, etc.) who had far longer, and just as superb quality and quantity years at their peak, pitching thousands of innings more than the 2,324 Koufax threw in his entire 12 years. He could have been dropped in 1960, that's how bad he was after 6 years! The only thing that saved him from being dropped was everybody saw how fast he was--but was so wild (5.1 Walks per 9 IP), was that strong, but uncontrollable arm. Give him his due: 4 outstanding years, but nowhere near "Greatest Pitcher Ever" which is a joke! Greg Maddux and the other earlier pitchers were stronger for a longer number of seasons, games, and innings pitched. "Greatest Pitcher Ever" is as a misleading headline I've ever seen about baseball!
The most beautiful iconic wind up you’ll ever see… Not to mention a winning personality, and a wonderful smile. Can you imagine pitching back to back complete game shut outs in the World Series the second on two days rest!
Another thing that people forget about Koufax is how much even more dominant he would have been had he the opportunity to have learned to pitch before being thrown to the major leagues. Because of the bonus baby rule, the dodgers had to keep him on the major league roster for two full years or risk losing him in the rule 5 draft. Before he pitched for the dodgers, he pitched in a grand total of 12 competitive games in his whole life - that’s college, high school and sandlot ball combined. Only 12 total games he ever pitched in before itching in the majors.
I was fortunate enough to see Koufax at Dodger Stadium, Chavez Ravine at least a dozen times. In those days Dodgers Giants were televised but only an occasional other game other than the series. He was unbelievably good. And never anything but a gentleman to anyone who asked for his autograph.
No doubt about it. THE GREATEST!!!
Totally agree.
Nah. It was a pitchers era. Pedro peak was better and it was in a steroid era...Just look at the numbers that adjust for that stuff.
Warren span won 200.more games then sandy and served 4 yrs in military....sandy was great 3 years just like McClain and Sam Mcdowell
@@robertmurphy440 Spahn was great for sure.
@@ericpantalone5229 A pitchers era meant that he had tougher pitching opponents. And the steroid era extended at least into the 90s.
If he never developed arm issues he'd have set records they'd still be chasing today.
"If" doesn't matter. What actually happened matters.
@@ron88303 I bet you sat up all day coming up with that one. Wanker.
Best left-hander in baseball history!
Gene Mauch: "Sandy threw what you would call a 'radio' ball. You heard it but you didnt see it."
Yogi Berra: "I can understand how he won 25 games, what i don't understand is how he lost five!"
Whitey Herzog: "We need just two players to be a contender. Babe Ruth and Sandy Koufax."
Don Sutton: "A foul ball was a moral victory."
Willie Stargell: “Trying to hit Sandy Koufax is like trying to drink coffee with a fork!”
Warren Spahn, Lefty Grove, Eddie Plank, and Randy Johnson (all lefties) were as good, lasted far longer, and dominated hitters. Rube Waddell, another Lefty, held the season strikeout record, in 1904 (349) in 383 IP, 1,496 BF, w/1.62 ERA and 167 ERA+ before Koufax broke it 61 years later, with his 382 in 335.2 IP, 1,297 BF, w/2.04 ERA and 160 ERA+. Close in quality with the season's in comparison. Nolan Ryan beat that by only 1 strikeout (1973) in 326 IP, 1,355 BF, w/2.87 ERA and only 123 ERA+. His 162 BB led the AL, not good!
@@freeguy77 Maybe we should rely on the opinions of those who actually played with and against him, or managed for and against him.
@@ron88303 Koufax vs. Walter Johnson. No contest! Walter beats Sandy every time by any measure you want to measure them! So, this nonsense of "Koufax is the GOAT" is just poppycock, horse hockey, garbage, making recent pitchers always better than the earlier pitchers! Go by ERA+ to normalize pitchers (WJ 147, SK 131) over different eras (time); as you can do with hitters using OPS+. Also you can use WAR (WJ 165.1, SK 48.9). ERA+ for other pitchers as good/better than Koufax 131: Dizzy Dean (131), Roy Halladay (131), Greg Maddux (132), Max Scherzer (134, thru 2023), Grover C. Alexander (135), Randy Johnson (135), Christy Mathewson (136), Lefty Grove (148), Pedro Martinez (154), Jacob deGrom (155), and the best, active pitcher is Clayton Kershaw (157). Just to show the equal quality with two other superb pitchers that many desire Tom Seaver better than Bob Gibson on ERA+: GIbson 127, Seaver 127. Tied! My favorite Top 5 pitchers in a rotation would be: Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Greg Maddux, Bob Gibson, and Tom Seaver. For one game you had to win: Bob GIbson (2 Game 7 WS wins, 1 3-games won, only missed having two (3-games won) because of Curt Flood misjudging a fly ball he usually catches in '68 Game 7.
As Kareem said about basketball, the GOAT committee meets in secret..
When Yankees manager Casey Stengal was asked who's the best pitcher he ever saw he answered without hesitation, KOUFAX..
Actually, he said, “The Jewish fella."
And Connie Mack said Rube Waddell
Arthritis plagued him, notice the grimaces of pain in most photographs, his toughness is legendary. In his peak he dominated, remember this era focused upon complete games, "saving" his arm wasn't in the strategy.
Koufax was also part of something that will NEVER be matched in World Series history. The Dodgers swept the Yankees in four games using only FOUR PITCHERS- Koufax, Drysdale, Podres, and reliever Ron Perranoski. Fans will never see that happen again.
Koufax was absolutely the most dominant pitcher there was. No one since he retired comes close. You might be able to argue some pitchers like Lefty Grove, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewsen, Grover Cleveland Alexander and Cy Young had equal or better body of work but they played so long ago it is hard to tell. Pitching from a higher mound did not help Koufax's elbow and shoulder problems either. With later advances in Sports Medicine Koufax would certainly have had a longer career. It was amazing he amassed such statistics playing with the offensively anemic Dodgers. I never ever saw anyone win so many important games with dominant performances in tight pennant races and in the World Series with 2 and 3 days rest like Koufax. Koufax is to MLB pitching like Secretariat is to Horseracing.
A player can only be judged b how did against his competitors. To dismiss Lefty Grove, Walter Johnson (the greatest pitcher ever), Christy Matthews (far more dominant than Koufax), Grover Alexander an Cy Young (who won 511 games) because they played "a long time ago" is moronic. And considered as a body of work, Koufax may not make the Top 10.
@@mja91352 not fair to compare their numbers to Koufax. Those pitchers played when the league was not integrated. They were pitching to plummers, salesmen and teachers. Koufax faced some of the finest hitters that ever played when the league was open for all races.
It's about excellence in longevity, not five seasons. Don't even mention this guy in the presence of pitchers who dominated for 20 years, or in the case of Ryan, 26 years with seven no hitters. And over 5,000 strikeouts. Ask a round table of Rose, Bench and Morgan who threw the hardest for a generation: Randy Johnson and Ryan.
Here is the thing; Sandy Koufax had a 53.1 WAR as a pitcher in 2324.1 innings in his career; Lefty Grove had a 53.1 WAR as a pitcher in1683.2 and for the rest of his career he had a 60.2 WAR in 2257 innings. Grove had two distinct periods in his career where he was much better than Sandy Koufax. Grove had two peaks for WR of over 40,( 46.0 and 42.6)
Casey Stengal said that Koufas was the greatest pitcher he ever saw. And Stengal saw all the greats including Walter Johnson in his prime. If Stenal said Koufax was the greatest, that pretty much is the end of the discussion. Koufax from 1961 forward was the greatest pitcher who ever lived.
I am a Giants fan for life. I am from the Bay; Orange and Black forever. Sandy Koufax is my favorite pitcher of all time.
Shouldn't even be a question, nor should anyone even be trying to argue that Sandy Koufax is not the greatest pitcher of all time. His career was basically over with when I was still just a kid (I turned 5 in 1966), but I was raised as a Dodgers fan (the whole Jackie Robinson thing so the Dodgers were the only team my grampa was interested in) and we got zillions of stories about Koufax on the mound. This guy might have every statistical pitching record had it not been injuries cutting his career short. If ever there was someone deserving of a statue in front of Dodgers Stadium it has to be Koufax.
I remember listening to the perfect game pacing up and down in my families living room. Not only a perfect game, but a perfect call of the game by Vin Scully
To bad medical science hadn’t invented the Tommy John procedure for elbow injury in the sixties. They blamed his injury on arthritis because that’s what medical science had available at that point in time .
Koufax, the one and only! Damn, if only the Dodgers could have hit back then….
Koufax had a stretch where he went 18-2 when the Dodgers scored 2 or less runs. Ponder that.
I grew up in Sandy’s neighborhood in Brooklyn, where he was known as ‘ Gods left arm’ !
Don’t forget his final season 27-9 1.73 era 317 strikeouts
I saw Koufax pitch against the Mets at the Polo Grounds in '63. Bottom of the first, Mets are up- 9 pitches, 9 strikes. At his peak he was unhittable, and finished what he started. Can you imagine how many wins he would have as a 5 or 6 inning pitcher today?
I was at that game. He struck out 14 and beat the Mets 9-0 on a 3 hitter. It was june.
What a great era for pitchers. Don Sutton, Juan Marichal, Warren Spahn. No pitch counts. Pitching full games. No pitch clocks.
Definitely Koufaax the greatest picture all time. Agree with video, if had to pick one picture to give the ball to in history to pitch, sandy Koufax
Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, Bob Gibson, in that order for the best one-game you have to win pitcher! And then Pete Alexander and Lefty Grove in their prime would be my Top 5, with Greg Maddux #6.
Koufax is the greatest pitcher I have ever seen. I grew up watching and idolizing him. There have been many other great pitchers, but Koufax was something else. It's a shame his career was cut short.
Greatest Dodger pitcher of all time.
The only one with a stretch like this I’ve seen was Pedro Martínez. His last year with the Expos and first four years with the Red Sox were more dominant over a period in my lifetime.
Pedro Martinez may have been the best I ever saw over a 5-7 year period
Yes, Pedro compares to Koufax in that regard. And since he did last a long time, was terrific even independent of that ungodly period, was special from his early days, he might well deserve the title of best ever. Even when he was on the Mets, you could see how smart he was, still with great stuff. He was a chess champion, the batters were brutes with sticks. @@garygoodin1426
I don't think people understand - the legend includes walking away in his prime!
Thanks to his almost ruined elbow, which is why he quit at only 30! Three months from 31. Any pitcher you know who has to quit at his prime at 30? No downside years, if he tried to pitch in '67, his arm could have blown up on him in ST. Too much pain and not worth losing his arm for life!
@@freeguy77 your making my point! Of course, he had injury issues! He wasn't going to pitch to anything less than his remarkable excellence. He could have remained the highest paid player in the game.
@@mikeyposs3132 If his arm/elbow did not cause him so much agony, icing it down for hours after he pitched. Did you recall or know he and Drysdale held out in a famous non-signing stance in Spring Training '66, unless they got larger salaries? They finally agreed to get the princely sum of $125,000 so Drysdale also was the co-highest paid pitcher with Koufax!
@@freeguy77 Drysdale got 110; Koufax received 130! Imagine today?
@@mikeyposs3132 But those were the years when the 'dollar' was convertible into GOLD, which ended after Aug. 15, 1971. That's when the "dollar" started collapsing in value, with more emissions by the Federal Reserve, now with no limit on their counterfeiting instead of silver/gold coin, as the Constitution commands the government mint. Silver coins stopped after 1964, and the increasing deficits were more "financed' by the Central Bank's printing press machinery (Federal Open Market Committee) that increases/decreases its rate of paper emitting.
Always the class
I'm 68 years old i lived in so cal my whole life i saw koufax pitch his perfect game with my l.l. team i wanted to see home runs hit but what i saw was a pitching performance like not other the cubs losing pitcher threw a one hitter. What a game. A great pitcher throws against great hitters and koufax pitched to the likes of Aaron, mays,mantle and more what else can you say about him
Doug, Mckain…first off excellent mini doc on the immortal Sanford Koufax. You asked for opinions. Not only have I been a huge fan of the game for 50 years, it’s also a game that I (believe) I understand to a level where I could even question manager decisions. Just trying to express my true love for not just the players but the game itself. So, first off, I believe that for those 5 + years, Sandy was the greatest pitcher the game has ever seen. And while everything can be argued, I believe that is unarguable. As to the greatest of all time period….im aware of The Big Train & his accomplishments are mind blowing and outstanding….and obviously are those 5+ by Sandy great enough to go against Walter’s entire career!?!?! They really might as Sandy can not be blamed for having to retire at 30…but what ifs and what occurred are not the same thing. But to answer your question, and like Sandy, this also involves a “what if” out of this person’s control….IMO, I honestly have to imagine that if I had to choose 1 person for the greatest pitcher of all time….im going with Satchel. Unfair that he didn’t get to play against All the greatest hitters in the world for much of his career. And remember, it is quite possible that Paige was much older than believed when he finally was “allowed” (what a travesty) to play in MLB. Not to hijack Sandy with Satchel, but the instance that puts it over the top for me is the famous and GREAT story about when Satchel finally gets to face Josh Gibson…the black Babe Ruth but many people say that Ruth was the white Josh Gibson….god how do u not love this game and its history!?! If u don’t know the full story, PLEASE look it up as it’s one of the great ones. But the bottom line is satchel deliberately walks 2 guys to bring up Josh late in a very close game and proceeds to strike him out on 3 belt high fastballs, each time letting Josh know exactly what type and where he was gonna throw the pitches. I don’t believe striking out Ruth, Williams, or Gehrig would be any different with the kind of hitter Gibson was. That just puts it over the top for me. So Sandy…greatest lefty EVER….greatest 5 years EVER….but the greatest pitcher of all time period, I must go with Satchel Paige. And I understand that my heart plays a huge roll in that choice for a number of reasons, some quite obvious…but as the best line in Moneyball says, “How can you not get romantic over baseball?” Thank you again for those wonderful 10 mins where u really encapsulated Sandy’s greatness! Oh and my 4 man World Series rotation all time…Paige, Koufax, Johnson, B Gibson…..and Mariano to close. Just had to put that in there as I never saw any of those starters live….so the greatest pitcher I ever saw was Rivera. I don’t care about the only 1 inning thing because A) that’s what his job was to do, and B) he did it so well, for so long he transcended the game. And that he was virtually…and that really means about 90+….he was virtually just as good in his final year at 43 yrs old as he was in any!
If there is a “Michael Jordan of Baseball” it would be this dude. I wasn’t even born until the 1970’s and I figured out he was the greatest very quickly
Has age brought greater wisdom?
Actually, Michael Jordan is the Sandy Koufax of basketball.
@@helmuthare Fyi - Dodger Stadium was completed in 1962 and Koufax retired in 1966. He only pitched in Dodger Stadium 5 of his 12 seasons. From 1955-1957 Koufax pitched home games at Ebbetts Field in Brooklyn. From 1958-1962 Koufax pitched
home games at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. For the 5 years he pitched at Dodger Stadium Koufax’s splits were:
1962:
Home: 7 - 4, 1.75 ERA, 7 CG
Away: 7 - 3, 3.53 ERA, 4 C
1963:
Home: 11 - 1, 1.38 ERA, 10 CG
Away: 14 - 4, 2.31 ERA, 10 CG
1964:
Home: 12 - 2, 0.85 ERA, 12 CG
9Away: 7 - 3, 2.93 ERA, 3 CG
1965:
Home: 14 - 3, 1.38 ERA, 14 CG
Away: 12 - 5, 2.72 ERA, 13 CG
1966:
Home: 13 - 5, 1.52 ERA, 13 CG
Away: 14 - 4, 1.96 ERA, 14 CG
Who said Jordan is the best basketball player ever? You?
@@davidbarr8394 I would bet most people; including many former players and coaches who competed with and against him.
I had a crush on him growing up. There will never be another like him. Greatest pitcher ever.
Went to a game in 1963, Koufax was awesome
I'm 70 years old, grew up in Chicago and the Cubs and the Yankees were my favorite teams. NEVERTHELESS, Sandy Koufax was the greatest pitcher I ever laid eyes on; and I hated the Dodgers!!! God Bless You Sandy, you were tops in my league!!🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Ditto. I'm 70; grew up in STL and a lifelong Cards fan. Sandy Koufax and Gibson are my two all-time favorite pitchers.
Sandy is, and always will be, in my personal hall of fame. Not just for baseball, but for being a mensch.
Sandy Koufax is the greatest pitcher of all time, IMHO.
He and Sam Mcdowall were both phenomenal God bless
So, why isn't Sudden Sam in the Hall of Fame? Only 141 Wins, vs. 134 Losses, 3.17 ERA (112 ERA+), and a 1.31 WHIP,, and 8.9 K/9, but that isn't enough! Not even close to being a HOF pitcher, or good enough for a "phenomenal" pitcher" I guess! People constantly over-rate pitchers who can K a lot of batters, but get hit (and HRs) + Walks more often also. Koufax gave up 26 dingers in his celebrated 1965 season with 382 K's.
He sure is one of the greatest!
Sandy Koufax is the greatest pitcher in MLB history. I am thankful that i was born and raised in Southern California as a dodger fan. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the best team in the history of the game😊
that Dodger team could have easily had Clemente. Koufax might have had a couple 30 win years.
He was SCARY good.
Koufax is my favorite, however I think you could make the case that Walter Johnson was the greatest of all time, another to consider would Christy Mathewson,
Amazing video.
I am a lifelong Dodgers fan, and agree Koufax is one of the greatest ever. He is in my all time five man rotation, and had the best five year run ever. For all time greatest however, I think I would have to put Walter Johnson and Lefty Grove ahead of Koufax. (My others in the five man rotation would be Satchel Paige and Greg Maddux; honorable mentions to Bob Feller, Tom Seaver, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson and Christy Mathewson).
I have a friend that played for the Mets and hit against Koufax several times. He struck out every time and never made contact.
The man was unreal. As a Giant fan with Mays, McCovey, Jim Ray Hart, I believed Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Tom Seaver were from another planet.
If you were a Giants' fan, how could you omit Juan Marichal? He was right there with the other pitchers you named in the NL!
@@freeguy77 Marichal at his best didn't match Koufax, Gibson, or Seaver. But he was good.
Probably the 5 greatest consecutive seasons by a pitcher. But others put together longer careers of outstanding years. Warren Spahn, for instance, won 20 games 13 times, which is more than the number of years Sandy pitched. And Lefty Grove was amazing from 1928-1933. Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson also amazing. And Greg Maddux put up eye popping numbers during the steroid era.
Good points on the others, who were just as superb, over LONGER periods of time than Koufax's best (and only on his final) 6 seasons, after finally learning HOW to pitch to get batters OUT, and NOT only by Ks!
You are the only poster here (besides me) knowing and mentioning the other pitchers far better and pitched many more superb years than the over-rated Koufax! Thank you!
Yes, yes, and yes. No big fastball from Spahn: he just won all the time for over 20 years. And Grove? Koufax doesn't approach him.
Would have liked to see him pitch in the year of the pitcher, 1968.
Nolan Ryan was the greatest pitcher ever. Got his 7th no hitter in his mid 40's. His strikeout record will never be broken. Sadly, he played for teams that sucked and never got a Cy Young because of it. Being great for 6 years is wonderful, being great for 26 years is amazing.
Nolan Ryan doesn’t make the list of top 25 pitchers of all time. Ryan was great, and I loved to see him pitch. On any day he could potentially go out and throw an absolute gem, maybe a no hitter. But Ryan simply didn’t do it with the consistency that so many other great pitchers did. Ryan’s greatness was in his longevity, and that he was consistent from year to year. He was probably the greatest number 2 or 3 starter ever, but look back at his career and he was only the ace of his own team for really 2-3 years of his career (Seaver, Tanana, JR Richard, Joe Niekro, Don Sutton, Mike Scott, Kevin Brown, Kenny Rogers, Witt). For no p period of 4 years in his career was he among the top three pitchers in the game, really not in the top 5 or so (Gibson, Marichal, Seaver, Carlton, Palmer, Perry, Phil Niekro, Sutton, Jenkins, Scott, Gooden, Soto, Valenzuela, Hershiser, Clemens,etc). That’s not saying that those pitchers had better careers than Ryan, but Ryan simply never was that dominant from game to game during the course of the season. His all time ERA plus is only 112, meaning only 12 percent better than the league average. While I feel Ryan is certainly better than that all time, and while that stat favors relief pitchers to some extent, as well as guys who threw fewer innings, among all hall of fame pitchers (84 total); only 12 or 13 have a lower ERA plus than Ryan.
Also, Ryan wasn’t as dominant as frequently as people remember either. Among 30 contemporary pitchers (not stats for all time starters), 10 of which are hall of fame pitchers, only 3 got shelled more frequently than Ryan did. Ryan allowed 6 or more runs in 8.5 percent of his starts during his career, with only Gaylord Perry, Phil Niekro and Fergie Jenkins allowing 6 or more runs more often than Ryan did (9.0, 9.1 and 9.9 percent for those three). Further, of the sake thirty pitchers, Ryan ranked only 10th in quality starts (6 or more innings pitched with 3 or fewer runs allowed), Ryan doing so in 62.2 percent of his starts. The leader for contemporaries among those 30 was Seaver at 70.2, follows by Gaylord Perry, Steve Rogers, Jim Palmer, Rick Reuschel, Don Sutton, Steve Carlton, Bert Blyleven and Koosman being all ahead of Ryan.
Going further among contemporaries, in starts with 7 or more innings pitched and 2 or fewer runs allowed, Ryan ranks 13th among the same contemporaries, with the same pitchers as above all ahead of him score for Reuschel and Blyleven, but also Catfish Hunter, Phil Niekro, Mike Cueller, Fergie Jenkins and Mickey Lolich doing it more frequently than Ryan did. Then in truly dominating starts, games where the starter went at least 8 innings and game up 1 run or fewer, where one might think Ryan would be at or near the top, he still wasn’t close to the top of the list, Ryan doing so in 20.1 percent of his starts, as Palmer led the way, doing so in 28.4 percent of his starts, with Seaver, Perry,Cueller, Jenkins, Carlton, Rogers, Hunter, Tiant, Blyleven,Lolich, Vida Blue, Sutton, Koosman, Phil Niekro and Jerry Reuss all also ahead of Ryan.
Has anyone other than Sandy Koufax registered 96 wins over a four season stretch?
Also note that Koufax great ERA was in spite of being used after the 7th inning of games where many runs were scored against him. Something that would not happen later when pitchers got pulled late in games and replaced by ace relievers. Can you imagine that his great ERA would have been even lower while his W / L record may have been better. He was something special!
SANDY KOUFAX won WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIPS and completed games and shut outs clayton Kershaw !
I have been a Dodger fan for my 70 years living on this Earth watch Colfax pitch many games at Dodger Stadium, I know he's great but if you look at the statistics really look at all the statistics strikeouts etc etc Kershaw has got Colfax beat sounds a little unbelievable but take a look you'll see it, Happy Trails, still have season tickets since 1963, not boasting but I've seen plenty of Colfax and Kershaw they're both tremendous pictures
Damn good pitcher!
Yeah He was the greatest pitcher ever without a doubt
was that the first 6 years or the last six years? You have to include the first 6 years when you consider the best of all time
Imagine how much better he would have been so much sooner if he'd been pitching regularly in the minors for a couple years instead of sitting on the bench, etc
My father loves talking about "Sandy Koufax".
I've still never seen better.
Bob Gibson, 1968, better, and best season after 1919! MLB lowered the damn mound from 15" to 10" mostly because Hoot had an incredible O-OPS 0.469 overall (0.184/.233/.236)! Koufax 0.507 (0.179/.227/.280) in his arguably '65 best year! 0.501 in '63 (with 0.189/.230/.271), .545 in '66, 0.551 in '62, 0.647 in '61, before then was ugly!😮
If Koufax had a long career then without a doubt he would have been the greatest pitcher of all time.
Pete Rose said he had only 10 hits over 57 at bats against him (.175), and Willie Stargell did even worse. Had Tommy
John Surgery been available at the time, it was said that it would have cured his condition and he could have pitched
at his high level of excellence for many more years.
If I had to go into World Series and pick two pitchers. it would be Sandy Koufax left-hander and Bob Gibson right-hander. Sandy Koufax is the most dominant left-handed pitcher in playoff season history. I wouldn't call him the greatest picther ever. That would have to cover the entirety of a career.
Don’t forget Mariano Rivera in case they needed help.
Loved Koufax and the Dodger players for 60+ years, sadly they are no longer a team I care about. It's not so much the players, it's the organization.
They have decided to spit on the fans who have followed them for decades by embracing a degenerate group who mock the Living God. I will pray for them to return to their senses.
Sandy is the GOAT. He is a great gentleman, too.
He is my favorite sports player along with Bobby Orr.
Sandy Koufax 5 years, 1960 to 65 vs Dizzy Dean's 5 years 1932 to 36. Koufax pitched in a pitchers time, Dizzy Dean pitched in a hitters time.
Looking at NL, the difference between ERAs in '32-'33 vs. '62-'63 are negligible. Comparing '34-'36 with '64-'66 shows latter with .5, .5, and .4 lower ERAs. If you adjust either pitcher's ERA for those difference Koufax comes out on top. Also, if you compare each pitcher's ERA with NL average for same year, Koufax comes out on top. Not intended to diminish Dean's run, which is still one of best in the game's history.
Dean pitched with no Black or Latino players in MLB..
Koufax pitched in an integrated MLB against the best talent.
Pedro Martinez Triple Crowned in 1999.
You FORGOT to mention that!!!
LITTLE KNOWN FACT, KOUFAX TOOK TOMMY LASORDAS SPOT AS A ROOKIE!!!
Yes.
Bob Gibson was insanely great with a 1.12 era..
Best individual season (post-1919) I ever saw or anyone will ever do again! Better than Koufax (or anyone else) in ANY of his seasons; better than the K-man's celebrated 1965 season with 382 K's, but only a 2.04 ERA and a mere 160 ERA+, giving up 26 HRs in 335 IP. Gibby had that outrageous 1.12 (258 ERA+) and beat Koufax on WHIP by a hair: 0.853 to Koufax's 0.855. A remarkable 1968 season, giving up NO TRIPLES (Greg Maddux repeated that insane feat of 0 Triples in '95), and only 11 HR in 304.2 IP, far ahead with his 258 ERA+ despite many other pitchers having outstanding seasons in "The Year of the Pitcher." In his 34 starts, he was never "knocked out of the box!" Many didn't like the numerous 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 scores, but it reminded younger fans of the exciting early years 1900-1919, when teams played for one run, and did whatever they could to manufacture a run without having to depend on some big strongboy to launch one into the seats!
Koufax didn't pitch that year. He was better than Gibson. Imagine had he pitched that year? 33-1? Sub 1.00 era? 400 ks. I've thought of that possibility my entire after that season
@@johnniepalacios9381 We know he did not pitch after '66. He was NOT better than Gibson was in '68! NOBODY was better than Gibson in '68 in any year after 1920. 33-1? < 1 ERA? Ridiculous! Nobody would have done that, and neither would have the K-man with his sore elbow. That's why he had to quit in '66, remember? He could have blown out his elbow in the first pitch in '67, never mind getting through '68. Hoot's 258 ERA+ was supreme over any of the K-man's years! NEVER did the K-man get to even a 200 ERA+, while Hoot got to over 250! 258, to be precise! For that one year, Hoot was better--far better! Hoot WHIPed the K-man in WHIP .853 for Hoot in '68, .855 for K-man in '65.
For the Opp-batting splits, Hoot wins the O-OPS and BABiP
Hoot .184/.233/.236 .469 O-OPS and .234 BABiP
Koufax .179/.227/.280 .507 O-OPS and .238 BABiP,
One more amazing statistic on Hoot's '68 campaign:
1,161 Batters faced. Only 23 Doubles, 0 Triples, 11 HRs allowed, with the other 164 hits of his 198 H allowed, as merely Singles. Walked 62, HBP 7. So, only 267 batters reached base out of his 1,161 faced!
He led the NL with that 258 ERA+, but also FIP 1.77, WHIP .853, and 5.8 H/9. He led in K's 4 years, but Hoot was better in getting TOTAL OUTS (and fewer HR/9 at 0.3 in '68, with K-man 0.7 in '65 with 26 HRs allowed; 15 more than Hoot in 31 more IP (335.2 to 304.2).; 11 for Hoot, and 0 Triples, 23 Doubles!), and that Total Outs ratio + ERA+ is the bottom line!
Also, if some batter just happened to hit a homer off Gibson, you @@freeguy77 had to take pity on the next batter.
Yes
Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. Bob Gibson too are in my top 10
Isn't it true that if the Dodgers scored a first inning run when he was pitching, his teammates would say "There's your run, you do the rest."?
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At the 7:25 mark narrator forgot Carl Yazstremski as a triple crown winner the year after Koufax retired. 1967. So four since Sandy retired not just the three mentioned.
He was talking about the Triple Crown for pitchers. Wins, ERA and strikeouts.
@@scottodonnell7121 He was still wrong. Kersh did the Triple Crown in 2011.
To say the best ever, you'd have to set his lack of longevity aside. But in his salad days, 1960 - 1967, he was the best I've ever seen. He did it with two plus-plus pitches, the fastball and the curve. That was enough. He was exceptionally hard to square up. And remember that was in an era of tough outs like Mays, Aaron, Clemente and Stargell, White, Banks, Billie Williams. These guys were power guys with .300 BA's. And he made the fearsome Yankees look like nothing at all in the WS.
What is WRONG with you people who keep saying 1960? He was AWFUL in 1960 (5.1 Walks per 9 IP, for example), only 7 CG (of 26 GS) and only 2 ShO pitching only 175 IP. Only an excellent pitcher overall from 1963-66. No more, no less! And he did NOT pitch in 1967, proving you don't know what you are talking about!
22 wins a season for 5 consecutive seasons! Unbelievable!
No; three out of four - 63, 65, 66. But he would had had and exceeded 25 wins for four years in a row had he not been injured in 1964.
How many more wins might he have amassed if the Dodgers could actually hit?
Being a Giants fan, I believe Juan Marichal was better winning 191 games in the 1960’s, more than any other pitcher. He was far more durable than Koufax as his career lasted to 1975. I saw Koufax many times and yes, he was very good but, having to ice his arm regularly after games was never a good sign for the long run.
Love his statute in front of dodger stadium ,well deserved!
He is.
Nolan Ryan is the greatest pitcher that ever pitch 7 no hitters almost 6thousand k
Countless 1 hitters and did this as a right hander which is harder to do
He is the greatest ever
If Koufax could have had Tommy John surgery, he would have been the best of all time ⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾⚾
T.J got his surgery in '74. So, Koufax would have been 38 in the Fall of '74, 39 in missing all of '75, and 40 pitching in '76, if still in shape. But none of that was possible when needed after his '66 season when forced to quit from the awful pain and fearing for having a useless arm if he kept straining that weak elbow.
He was the best. Never saw stuff like that...threw two pitches.
The best of all time!
As a Giants fan I still had to agree to his greatness, and of course hate Drysdale.
most games vlue only scored 3 or less runs for sandy and drysdale. jyst imagine . . . .
No one even close, every game he pitched was important because they were always close to the top and they never scored for him. In his perfect game, they only got one hit and scored on a throwing error by the catcher
He's the greatest dodgers pitcher, and Pedro Martinez would have been the second greatest if they didn't trade Padreo
Sandy was a great pitcher indeed, however GOAT is Walter.
Christy Mathewson, Lefty Grove, Pete Alexander were better than Koufax! Bob Gibson and later Tom Seaver were also the best in that era mid-'60s to mid-'70s! Koufax only had 4 big years out of 12! Hardly a large, dominant pitcher with only 1/3rd of his career!
Koufax Gibson Grove
Koufax stands alone at the top. No one even comes close.
Sandy and Nolan Ryan, but for 5 years he was the greatest ever!
Nolan not even close. ERA and a spectacular number of walks, which accounts for the higher ERA than you’d expect, given his stuff.
No doubt and no argument. Sandy Koufax is the greatest pitcher of all time. Given the way the game has changed with emphasis in pitch counts and quality starts, there is likely never going to be a better pitcher.
Disgusting to say anything like he was "greatest pitcher of all time." You have no depth as a baseball fan, no sense of its history BEFORE Koufax ever started pitching in the majors (1955) or his AWFUL years (1955-60), before finally learning to CONTROL his fastball and curve (1961-62). Greg Maddux was a better pitcher, so was many others before 1955 or between 1955-62. ARGUMENT, and DOUBT on your blind and shallow analysis, only looking at Strikeouts or K / 9 IP!
Best curveball ever..
Love Sandy Koufax greatest pitcher ever! Love Clayton Kershaw living Legend Go DODGERS!
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The greatest ever. The left arm of God.
Why did 14% of the voters not vote for HOF induction??????? Butt hurt fans of the teams he dominated in the post season??
Baseball writers aren't the sharpest tools in the shed.
Pedro during steroid era is comparable.
No, he is not.