Whether you like the much maligned WAR stats or do not care for WAR, it is here to stay. The standard definition of WAR raises more questions than it answers, but here it is for your perusal. “WAR measures a player’s value in all the facets of the game by deciphering how many more wins he is worth than a replacement-level player of the same position. (e.g. a minor league replacement or a readily available fill-in free agent.)” What? To me, it simply means, “Based upon a pitcher’s annual statistics, (wins/losses, ERA, innings pitched, etc.), how many more games would this pitcher win than a (fictitious) good AAA or a readily available free agent replacement would win.” To determine a pitcher’s career WAR, simply add up his annual WAR scores.
So, here are the top 40 or 50 MLB pitchers according to WAR, plus a few other pitchers of interest thrown in even though they did not qualify for the top 40 or 50 pitchers. Let’s break it down to 5 pitchers per team and let you decide which group of 5 you would like on your team. Cy Young, who pitched for 22 years between 1890 and 1911, primarily for Cleveland of the National League–yes, National League, and Boston of the newly founded American League before ending with Cleveland of the American League, won a scant 511 games in 7,356 innings. In all due respect to ole Cy, who was born just 2 years after Lincoln’s assassination, his nickname should not have been “CY”/ “CLONE”; it should have been “RUBBER” / “ARM”! His WAR score was an incredible 166! The baseball rules were so different prior to the 20th Century that his statistics should be disregarded.
Walter Johnson, undoubtedly the greatest pitcher of all time, pitched 21 years (1907-1927) for the Washington Senators and had a career WAR of 154. The 3 remaining top 5 WAR pitchers were Roger “Juicer” Clemens (139 in 24 years), G.C. Alexander (117 in 20 years), and Lefty Grove (113 in 17 years). Next were:
Seaver 106 in 20 years, Maddux 105 in 23 years, lefty Randy Johnson 104 in 22 years, Christy Mathewson 101 17 years, and Phil Niekro 97 in 24 years.
Blyleven 96, 20 years, G. Perry 93 in 22, Spahn (perhaps the most underrated of all the great pitchers), 92 in 21, Eddie Plank, the little lefty who pitched for Connie Mack’s Athletics for most of his 17 years (1901-1917) and is also grossly underrated, 88, and Pedro Martinez 86 in 18 years.
Lefty Steve Carlton, 84 in 24 years, N. Ryan 83 in an amazing 27 years, Robin Roberts 83 in 19 unappreciated years, Mussina 82.8 in 18 years, and Fergie J. 82 in 19.
Globetrotter Robert Gibson 81.7 in 17, Verlander 81 in 19, Schilling 80 in 20 years, Kershaw 76 in 17 years, and Scherzer 75 in 17 years.
Glavine 74 in 22, Old Hoss Charley Radbourn, born 7 years before the American Civil War started, 73 in 12 years, Greinke 72 in 20 years, Hubbell 69 in 20, and Sutton 68 in 23.
Others of interest included Reuschel 68 in 19, Palmer 67 in 19, Smoltz 66 in 21, Tiant 65.6 in 19, Bullet Bob Feller 65.2 in 18, and starter/reliever Eckersley 62 in 24 years.
Marichal 61.8 in 16 years, Drysdale 61.3 in 14 years (why only 14 years?), Rube Waddell 60.9 in 13, Mariano Rivera 56 in 19, Ford 53 in 16, and Koufax 53 in 12 years.
A few others of interest were Gooden 48 in 16 years, Fernando V. 37 in 17 years, Antonelli 31 in only 12 years, Newcombe 30 in 12 years (How come such great pitchers had such low WAR scores?), Parnell 27 in 10 years, Burdette 28 in 18 years, Bob Turley 14 in 12 years, Vinegar Bend 17 in 9 years, and Joey Jay 15 in 13 years. (Perhaps Joey should have stayed in the Little League.)
If you find that any of my stats are incorrect, please let me know. Feel free to pass this onto anyone you wish. Have a healthy and happy 2025.