WHY I THINK JIM McCORMICK SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JIM McCORMICK SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Jim McCormick pitched for only ten years in the Major Leagues, but considering how much he accomplished in such a short time period makes his pitching legendary. In ten years with five clubs from 1878 through 1887, McCormick won 265 games with a 2.43 ERA and 33 shutouts. He led his league in almost every pitching category, including fielding percentage, at least once. He won 40 or more games twice, won a pair of ERA titles, and tossed 343 strikeouts in 1884 by virtue of his blazing fastball, his early curveball, and his “drop ball”. Jim McCormick started his career in 1878 with a 5-8 record, despite a 1.69 ERA. He was limited to 117 innings that year on account of two broken arm bones. He went 20-40 in 1879 but turned it around in 1880 with a 45-28 ledger. He soon became a big winner, as he won no fewer than 21 games in any season until 1887. In 1884, McCormick won 19 games with the Cleveland Blues, moved over to the UA in midseason, and became its best pitcher with a 21-3 mark and a league leading 1.54 ERA. McCormick continued his dominant ways until 1887 when, plagued by rheumatism, he slumped to 13-23. He also likely blew out his arm, as he pitched as many as 657 2/3 innings in 1880, and over 500 in five separate seasons. Jim McCormick was a dominant pitcher, a consistent winner, and an absolute workhorse. He was great enough long enough to earn an induction into the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games Pitched career: 492 season high: 74 in 1880 led NL: 74 in 1880, 68 in 1882

Starts career: 485 season high: 74 in 1880 led NL: 74 in 1880, 67 in 1882

Complete Games career: 466 season high: 72 in 1880 led NL: 72 in 1880, 57 in 1881, 65 in 1882

Shutouts career: 33 season high: 10 in 1884 led UA: 7 in 1884 

Games Finished career: 7 season high: 2 in 1883 and 1884

Wins career: 265 season high: 45 in 1880 led NL: 45 in 1880, 36 in 1882

Losses career: 214 season high: 40 in 1879 led NL: 40 in 1879

Winning Percentage career: .553 season high: .700 in 1883 led NL: .700 in 1883

ERA career: 2.43 season low: 1.84 in 1883 led NL: 1.84 in 1883 led UA: 1.54 in 1884

WHIP career: 1.132 season low: 1.004 in 1880 led UA: 0.786 in 1884

Innings Pitched career: 4,275 ⅔ season high: 657 ⅔ in 1880 led NL: 657 ⅔ in 1880, 595 ⅔ in 1882

Strikeouts career: 1,704 season high: 343 in 1884 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 3.6 season high: 5.4 in 1884

Walks career: 749 season high: 103 in 1882 led NL: 74 in 1879, 103 in 1882

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 2.28 season high: 3.47 in 1880 

Saves career: 1 season high: 1 in 1883

Fielding Percentage career: .916 season high: .951 in 1884 and 1885 led NL P: 1.000 in 1884*, .951 in 1885 (the league fielding percentage was .898) 

Double Plays career: 33 season high: 6 in 1884

Putouts career: 384 season high: 97 in 1879 led NL P: 39 in 1879, 43 in 1882 

Assists career: 938 season high: 135 in 1880 led NL P: 100 in 1882 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: N/A

Pickoffs career: N/A

*McCormick also played eight games in the outfield in 1884 UA, fielding .905.

DID YOU KNOW?

-had a career winning percentage over .550 despite the fact that 940 of his 2,095 career runs allowed were unearned

-had career totals of 246 runs scored, 491 hits, 66 doubles, 22 triples, four home runs, 178 RBI’s, 22 walks, and a .236 batting average as a batter 

-hit one of his home runs off of Hall of Famer Tim Keefe

-was the hardest batter in the NL to strike out in 1880 

-went 74-96-1 (.435) as a manager

-was the first Scottish born player to play in the MLB

-went 3-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 23 strikeouts in “World Series” play in 1885 and 1886 

-ranked 34th in career ERA and innings pitched, 39th in wins, 28th in the fewest walks allowed per nine innings, 36th in batters faced, 11th in complete games, 32nd in putouts by a pitcher, and 35th in assists by a pitcher 

-allowed the fewest home runs per nine innings in the NL in 1878 and 1883 

-led the NL in batters faced in 1880 (2,669) and 1882 (2,412) 

-struck out 260 batters in 1880, 200 in 1882, 197 in 1879, and 178 in 1881 

-owns the fourth, 21st, 31st, and 34th highest season totals for batters faced in MLB history

-also played 52 games in the outfield, five at first base, and one each at second base and third base