WHY I THINK BABE ADAMS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK BABE ADAMS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Babe Adams simply did not make mistakes on the mound. Opposing batters might sometimes beat him, but he never beat himself, and because of this he was able to pitch in the Majors until he was 44 years old. The batters never got any smarter, but he did. Adams was one of the greatest control pitchers of all time, issuing only 430 walks in nearly 3,000 innings - a ratio of 1.3 per nine innings, the second lowest in history since four balls constituted a walk (minimum 1,500 innings). Adams also had only two career balks, and only one in his 18 years with the Pirates. Babe Adams started his career with the Cardinals in 1906, pitching one game and taking home the loss. He struggled early in 1907 for the Pirates and was banished to the minor leagues. Adams returned to Pittsburg in 1909 and became one of the game’s top rookies, recording a 1.11 ERA in 130 innings. He beat Ty Cobb’s Tigers in the World Series three times that year, including a six-hitter in Game 7. Adams soon became a big winner, as he won 18 games in 1910 and 22 in 1911. He had an excellent season in 1913 (22-10, 2.15), but came to a crashing halt in 1916 (2-9). Adams was already 34 at the time, so the Pirates figured he was through and sent him back down. Instead, Adams tore up the minor leagues, and earned himself three starts with the big club again in 1918. Adams posted a 1.19 ERA in those three starts, and earned his spot in the rotation again in 1919. He turned in three great seasons in succession, tossing eight shutouts in 1920 and leading the NL in winning percentage in 1921. In 1920, Adams walked only 18 batters in 263 innings, making him the only player of the 20th century (and so far in the 21st) to pitch 250 innings in a season while allowing fewer than 20 walks. Adams posted a 3.57 ERA (115 ERA+) in 1922 and went 13-7 in 1923. Adams was moved to the bullpen in 1924, but took on his new role with success, producing a 1.13 ERA in just under 40 innings. He helped the Pirates to another World Series victory in 1925. In 1926, however, Adams finally ran out of steam, pitching to a 6.14 ERA, which marked the end of his career. Babe Adams was a great pitcher with control, guile, and wonderful longevity. If he’d gotten started a little earlier (he was 27 years old in 1909), then he certainly would have won 200 games, maybe 250. I think he belongs in the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 482 season high: 43 in 1913 

Starts career: 354 season high: 37 in 1911 and 1913 

Complete Games career: 205 season high: 24 in 1911 and 1913 

Shutouts career: 44 season high: 8 in 1920 led NL: 8 in 1920 

Games Finished career: 90 season high: 14 in 1926 

Wins career: 194 season high: 22 in 1911 

Losses career: 140 season high: 16 in 1914 

Winning Percentage career: .581 season high: .737 in 1921 led NL: .737 in 1921 

ERA career: 2.76 season low: 1.98 in 1919 

WHIP career: 1.092 season low: 0.896 in 1919 led NL: 1.006 in 1911, 1.032 in 1914, 0.896 in 1919, 0.981 in 1920, 1.081 in 1921 

Innings Pitched career: 2,995 ⅓ season high: 313 ⅔ in 1913 

Strikeouts career: 1,036 season high: 144 in 1913 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 3.1 season high: 4.1 in 1911 and 1913 

Walks career: 430 (0 intentional) season high: 60 in 1910 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 2.41 season high: 4.67 in 1920 led NL: 4.00 in 1919, 4.67 in 1920, 3.06 in 1921, 2.60 in 1922 

Saves career: 16 season high: 3 in 1925 and 1926 

Fielding Percentage career: .976 season high: 1.000 in 1912, 1914, 1915, 1919, and 1921 led NL P: 1.000 in 1912, 1914, 1915, 1919, and 1921 

Double Plays career: 17 season high: 5 in 1915 

Putouts career: 58 season high: 13 in 1914 

Assists career: 648 season high: 74 in 1913 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .479 season high: .536 in 1920 (Adams’s CS information prior to 1916 is unavailable) 

Pickoffs career: 10 season high: 3 in 1920 and 1922 (Adams’s pickoff information prior to 1916 is unavailable) 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-finished 22nd in the NL MVP Award voting in 1913 and 27th in 1911 

-allowed the fewest walks per nine innings in the NL four times and the fewest homers per nine once 

-threw 18 complete games and allowed only 18 walks in 1920 

-pitched 21 innings without allowing a walk on July 17, 1914 

-had a career ERA of 1.29 in World Series play 

-was the only member of the 1909 Pirates who would later play for the 1925 team 

-batted .289 in 1913, .286 in 1922, and .273 in 1923 

-homered off of Hall of Famer Rube Marquard in 1914 

-had a career fielding percentage 24 points above the league average
-ranks 21st in career WHIP and 19th in the fewest walks per nine innings 

-served as a foreign correspondent during World War II