Quiz – Puzzling Pitchers

Here is a list of pitchers representing 3 distinct eras: before 1920; the 1960s; and the past 20 years.

What is it that pitchers have achieved only in these periods, and that only these pitchers have accomplished in a qualifying season (min. 162 IP) since 1901?

Hint: Three of these pitchers accomplished this feat in multiple seasons, including one who did so in consecutive seasons.

Congratulations to Artie Z! He correctly identified (in just 59 minutes) that these are the only pitchers since 1901 with a season (min. 162 IP) of double-digit wild pitches and hit batters, combined with a K/BB ratio of 3.0 or better (in fact, nobody has done that in fewer than 162 IP, either). Here are those seasons.

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oneblankspace
oneblankspace
11 years ago

More batters struck out than hits allowed?

oneblankspace
oneblankspace
11 years ago
Reply to  oneblankspace

That’s not it…492 such seasons found.

James Smyth
11 years ago

At first glance, I figure it’s about high K total and/or K rate…maybe with K/BB better than 3, HR/9 lower than 1 and double-digit HBP?

Doug
Doug
11 years ago
Reply to  James Smyth

That’s on the right track.

Hartvig
Hartvig
11 years ago

I thought I was onto something with seasons with more than 200 strikeouts but fewer than 0.4 home runs per 9 until I got to Haren.

Artie Z
Artie Z
11 years ago

It looks like it has something to do with double digit WP and HBP.

Josh
Josh
11 years ago
Reply to  Artie Z

Has to be more to it though. AJ Burnett has done that twice.

Artie Z
Artie Z
11 years ago
Reply to  Josh

It’s 10+ WP, 10+ HBP and a K/BB ratio of 3.0 or better.

Artie Z
Artie Z
11 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Just lucky that some of the regular solvers didn’t happen to be online 🙂

And that Liriano only had one qualifying season of 162 or more innings.

Timmy Pea
Timmy Pea
11 years ago

Speaking of Quiz, I just put down $1000 bucks on the Royals to win the world series in 2013. After yesterday’s powerball drawing, it might be their year.

John Autin
Editor
11 years ago
Reply to  Timmy Pea

Timmy, I’d love to see you win that bet!

Unfortunately, I think Jeremy Guthrie winds up the only KCR Powerball winner this year.

Timmy Pea
Timmy Pea
11 years ago
Reply to  John Autin

For those that didn’t hear, the POWERBALL winning numbers were all Royals HoF uniform numbers with the exception of 16, and that number was worn by the great Bo Jackson when he played in KC. One of the tickets was purchased in Missouri and I’ll bet the guy is a Royals fan in his 50’s.