WHY I THINK RON GUIDRY SHOULD
BE IN COOPERSTOWN
By- Damien
Ron Guidry was a great pitcher who had perhaps the greatest season that any pitcher ever had. In 1978, Guidry went 25-3 on a 1.74 ERA, tossed nine shutouts, and whiffed 248 batters, the last mark setting the Yankee season record. He set the record for the highest winning percentage (.893) by a 25 game winner, or, for that matter, a 20 time winner, beating out Preacher Roe, who went 22-3 (.880) in 1951. Guidry also had many other great pitching seasons. He had a lifetime record of 170-91 with an ERA of 3.29 and three 20 win seasons. He won two ERA titles, the 1978 Major League Player of the Year Award, three Player of the Month Awards, three Player of the Week Awards, the 1978 AL TSN Pitcher of the Year Award, five Gold Gloves (for fielding .981 when the league fielded .955), four perfect fielding titles, a Roberto Clemente Award, a 1978 Cy Young Award, and two World Series rings (you know, lots of awards). Guidry also went 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA in three World Series and won five total games in the postseason. Career long Yankee Ron Guidry started his career in 1975, going 0-1 despite a 3.45 ERA. After an 0-0 season in 1976, Guidry went 16-7 with a 2.82 ERA in 1977, setting the stage for his legendary 1978 season. Guidry went 18-8 on a league leading 2.78 ERA along with 201 strikeouts in 1979 and went 17-10 in 1980. He proceeded to go 11-5, 14-8, and 21-9 before slipping to 10-11 in 1984. Guidry regrouped and went 22-6 in 1985 and led the AL in wins and winning percentage, but fell to 9-12 in 1986. Guidry went 5-8 and 2-3 in the following two seasons before retiring. Ron Guidry was a stellar pitcher who dominated hitters with a fastball and a slider that practically nobody could touch. He pitched like a Hall of Famer, so how come he’s not one?
LIFETIME STATISTICS
Games Pitched career: 368 season high: 37 in 1980
Starts career: 323 season high: 35 in 1978
Complete Games career: 95 season high: 21 in 1983 led AL: 21 in 1983
Shutouts career: 26 season high: 9 in 1978 led AL: 9 in 1978
Games Finished career: 23 season high: 6 in 1975
Wins career: 170 season high: 25 in 1978 led AL: 25 in 1978, 22 in 1985
Losses career: 91 season high: 12 in 1986
Winning Percentage career: .651 season high: .893 in 1978 led AL: .893 in 1978, .786 in 1985
ERA career: 3.29 season low: 1.74 in 1978 led AL: 1.74 in 1978, 2.78 in 1979
WHIP career: 1.184 season low: 0.946 in 1978 led AL: 0.946 in 1978, 0.992 in 1981
Innings Pitched career: 2,392 season high: 273 ⅔ in 1978
Strikeouts career: 1,778 season high: 248 in 1978
Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 6.7 season high: 8.2 in 1978
Walks career: 633 (24 intentional) season high: 80 in 1980
Strikeouts Per Walk career: 2.81 season high: 4.00 in 1981 led AL: 4.00 in 1981
Saves career: 4 season high: 2 in 1979
Fielding Percentage career: .981 season high: 1.000 in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984 led AL P: 1.000 in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984
Double Plays career: 19 season high: 4 in 1980
Putouts career: 107 season high: 16 in 1980
Assists career: 307 season high: 44 in 1978
DID YOU KNOW
-nicknamed “Louisiana Lightning” or “Gator”
-was a four time all-star
-won three Player of the Month awards and three Player of the Month awards
-was named the Yankee captain in 1986
-his nine shutouts in 1978 are still the MLB record for a left hander (tied with Babe Ruth)
-had 15 strikeouts in the 1981 World Series
-ranks 28th all time in career winning percentage
-finished second in the AL MVP voting in 1978, 15th in 1985, 18th in 1977, 21st in 1983 and 26th in 1979
-finished second in the AL Cy Young award voting in 1985, third in 1979, fifth in 1983 and seventh in both 1977 and 1981
-coached Yankee pitchers in 2006 and 2007
-struck out 18 Angels in one game on June 17, 1978
-won the famous playoff game against the Red Sox in 1978 that sent the Yankees to the World Series
-threw an immaculate inning in the ninth inning of a game against the White Sox on August 7, 1984
-ranks 34th in career winning percentage
-his .893 winning percentage in 1978 was the sixth highest mark of all time
-also played two games in centerfield and ten as a pinch runner
-his uniform number 49 is retired by the Yankees and he has a plaque in Monument Park
(I was out of team since Monday, so I didn't see your new posts until now)
ReplyDeleteNow your talking! I think the reason that he's not in the hall is because of an absence of impressive counting statistics. 170 wins. 1778 K's. Meh. But his .651 winning percentage is one of the best figures of all-time, and the Yankees would not have been able to win World Series in 1978 without him, no question. He's a favorite of my Dad's.