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Chris Sale-- the fastest ever in the AL to reach 200 K's (141 1/3 IP)

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MisterT

Well-known member
Mar 7, 2011
2,609
36
Virginia
He has been amazing to watch. The old time Red Sox fan in me cannot help but wonder if he will burn out as we watch the other half of the trade soar. Hopefully that is just an empty fear.

For now, he is must see TV.
 

djmilhaus

Member
Sep 8, 2014
142
0
Seattle
Trying to figure where he ranks overall. It doesn't mention any NL fastest to 200 K's in the article. With no DH, it's easier to rack up K's in the NL, so I'm sure there's a handful on the senior circuit. Anyone know?
 

bmp1971

Active member
Jun 8, 2010
5,712
1
New Hampshire
Trying to figure where he ranks overall. It doesn't mention any NL fastest to 200 K's in the article. With no DH, it's easier to rack up K's in the NL, so I'm sure there's a handful on the senior circuit. Anyone know?

Randy Johnson and Jose Fernandez are top 2 in NL with 200 K in 130 2/3 IP and 200 K in 139 2/3 IP, respectively.

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/1076272-fernandez-becomes-2nd-fastest-ever-to-200-ks

Seeing how Sale has bested Johnson when Johnson was in the AL, we might assume he'd best him if he were in the NL.
 

bstanwood

Well-known member
Sep 24, 2016
3,666
332
Mystic, CT
He has been terrific to watch, all the worries I had about him not fitting in in Boston, particularly with the media we're for not. He has handled himself great and pitched even better. Granted everything seems to come easier when the team wins consistently but I'm glad they made the trade regardless of where the prospects end up.
 

djmilhaus

Member
Sep 8, 2014
142
0
Seattle
Randy Johnson and Jose Fernandez are top 2 in NL with 200 K in 130 2/3 IP and 200 K in 139 2/3 IP, respectively.

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/1076272-fernandez-becomes-2nd-fastest-ever-to-200-ks

Seeing how Sale has bested Johnson when Johnson was in the AL, we might assume he'd best him if he were in the NL.

Great stuff, thanks for digging that up! First guess was Nolan Ryan making that list, but looked at his IP totals those early years. I forgot how much he threw.
 

AnthonyCorona

Well-known member
Oct 6, 2014
9,600
68
Modesto, CA
He has been amazing to watch. The old time Red Sox fan in me cannot help but wonder if he will burn out as we watch the other half of the trade soar. Hopefully that is just an empty fear.

For now, he is must see TV.
Crossing fingers that happens

Bring me your Bickford, Ryan McMahon, Senzatela and Peter Lambert cards
 

smapdi

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
4,397
221
I wondered where Koufax is on the list. He actually didn't reach 200 at all until 1961 when he turned into SANDY KOUFAX, though he did have 197 in 1960. Even after that, by modern metrics like SO/9, he was, well, great but not like a Johnson or Martinez or Sale. His highest rate was actually only 10.5, good for 16th on the all-time NL list. But a quick look at 1965, his 382 year, shows he reached 204 on July 16 after 178 IP. His rate that year was 10.2, 20th NL best all-time, but he did throw 335 IP that year, obviously a total no current pitch will touch.
 

bmp1971

Active member
Jun 8, 2010
5,712
1
New Hampshire
[MENTION=4674]bmp1971[/MENTION] Amen!

Feel better now? :)

I wondered where Koufax is on the list. He actually didn't reach 200 at all until 1961 when he turned into SANDY KOUFAX, though he did have 197 in 1960. Even after that, by modern metrics like SO/9, he was, well, great but not like a Johnson or Martinez or Sale. His highest rate was actually only 10.5, good for 16th on the all-time NL list. But a quick look at 1965, his 382 year, shows he reached 204 on July 16 after 178 IP. His rate that year was 10.2, 20th NL best all-time, but he did throw 335 IP that year, obviously a total no current pitch will touch.

Great info-- thanks for posting. Just further proves how dominant Sale has been!!
 

Topnotchsy

Featured Contributor, The best players in history?
Aug 7, 2008
9,446
168
I wondered where Koufax is on the list. He actually didn't reach 200 at all until 1961 when he turned into SANDY KOUFAX, though he did have 197 in 1960. Even after that, by modern metrics like SO/9, he was, well, great but not like a Johnson or Martinez or Sale. His highest rate was actually only 10.5, good for 16th on the all-time NL list. But a quick look at 1965, his 382 year, shows he reached 204 on July 16 after 178 IP. His rate that year was 10.2, 20th NL best all-time, but he did throw 335 IP that year, obviously a total no current pitch will touch.

It's tough to compare eras since strikeouts are up across the board.

Here is the top 20 in K/9. It includes legends such as Oliver Perez and Gio Gonzalez. What jumps off the page is how always every single one played after 1990.


Rank Player (yrs, age) Strikeouts per 9 IP Throws
1. Randy Johnson+ (22) 10.6098 L
2. Stephen Strasburg (8, 28) 10.5402 R
3. Chris Sale (8, 28) 10.3857 L
4. Kerry Wood (14) 10.3174 R
5. Max Scherzer (10, 32) 10.1636 R
6. Pedro Martinez+ (18) 10.0398 R
7. Clayton Kershaw (10, 29) 9.8741 L
8. Nolan Ryan+ (27) 9.5481 R
9. Oliver Perez (15, 35) 9.4517 L
10. Trevor Hoffman (18) 9.3608 R
11. Tim Lincecum (10) 9.2889 R
12. Sandy Koufax+ (12) 9.2775 L
13. Francisco Liriano (12, 33) 9.2114 L
14. Joaquin Benoit (16, 39) 8.9490 R
15. Madison Bumgarner (9, 27) 8.8753 L
16. Sam McDowell (15) 8.8580 L
17. Johan Santana (12) 8.8326 L
18. Gio Gonzalez (10, 31) 8.7802 L
19. Dan Plesac (18) 8.7397 L
20. Hideo Nomo (12) 8.7344 R
 

Topnotchsy

Featured Contributor, The best players in history?
Aug 7, 2008
9,446
168

Trying to compare players from this era to a guy like Koufax based on K rate is tricky because nowadays players strike out far more than they ever did. Which is why eminently forgettable players like Oliver Perez are on the list. What Sale is doing now is very impressive, but it is at least partially a product of the current era.
 

smapdi

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
4,397
221
Every single one except for 2, I believe (Koufax and McDowell). I was looking at looking at yearly numbers not career. But yes, I did notice that on the list of best seasons, I think the top 20 seasons had a couple by Koufax, one or two by Ryan, Gooden's 1984(?), then all the rest came in the 90s-00s, with none in the 70s, IIRC.
 

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