21. Tungsten Arm O’Doyle (1901–1936): PCL legend with a fastball so heavy it bent bats.
22. Sidd Finch (b. 1962): Threw 168 mph for the ’85 Mets, then vanished to Tibet.
23. Kenny Powers (b. 1982): Flamethrower, exile, comeback—baseball’s wild redemption arc. End 🧵
19. Carl Hubbell – Master of the screwball; two MVPs in the ’30s.
20. Satchel Paige – Negro Leagues legend; longevity, charisma, and timeless talent. 🧵
16. Juan Marichal – Style and substance; pinpoint control, dazzling delivery.
17. Justin Verlander – Power, poise, and longevity in the modern era.
18. Max Scherzer – Three Cy Youngs, 3,000 Ks, fierce competitor.🧵
13. Cy Young – The game’s iron man and namesake for the award, with 511 wins.
14. Steve Carlton – Lefty dominance and longevity; four Cy Youngs, fearsome slider.
15. Bob Feller – “Rapid Robert” lost prime years to WWII and still dominated. 🧵
10. Christy Mathewson – Early 1900s command artist; 2.13 career ERA.
11. Bob Gibson – Ferocity incarnate; his 1.12 ERA season changed the mound forever.
12. Clayton Kershaw – Modern master of consistency, command, and career ERA excellence. 🧵
7. Randy Johnson – A 6’10” lefty nightmare; five Cy Youngs, 4,875 Ks.
8. Nolan Ryan – The strikeout king; seven no-hitters, 27 years of intimidation.
9. Lefty Grove – Depression-era ace with a lifetime .680 win pct. 🧵
4. Greg Maddux – Pure artistry with movement and control; four straight Cy Youngs.
5. Pedro Martínez – Peak-adjusted for the steroid era, maybe the most dominant ever.
6. Roger Clemens – Power and longevity, 354 wins, seven Cy Youngs (with controversy). 🧵
1. Walter Johnson – The Big Train; pre-war dominance, 417 wins, unhittable fastball.
2. Sandy Koufax – Peak brilliance; five transcendent seasons that redefined pitching dominance.
3. Tom Seaver – The ultimate modern ace: mechanics, command, and consistency. 🧵
Here’s a solid consensus-style list — blending dominance, longevity, awards, and historical impact — of the 20 greatest pitchers in baseball history (no particular era bias, factoring in modern analytics and historical context): 🧵
Good comparison (I still have Montana ahead of Brady, too, by the way). Where would you put Ryan in the top pitchers of all-time? As an aside, just IMAGINE if Shaq were a win-at-all-cost psychopath like Jordan…
What’s an NBA comparison? Bird v. Shaq? Duncan v. Shaq, probably.
Wow.
Now, I’ve heard that if Jackson focused on baseball exclusively…
Agreed!
But Ryan really *was* great, just not as overall effective as Seaver. Jackson was a special *athlete*, and deserved his All-Star berth (I think it was the year Reagan joined the team in the booth for an inning in Anaheim), but he wasn’t ever one of the greatest for any sustained period.
Oh, Seaver is vastly underrated, no doubt. Ryan’s legend arises from factors beyond his effectiveness as a pitcher. Plus, there’s no more legendary beatdown ever delivered to a younger player by a pitcher than his absolute humiliation of Robin Ventura…
The ‘30’s were wild, man. The Great Depression hit hard and deep. Hey, a nickel’s a nickel…
Nolan Ryan was raw power incarnate—less precise than Seaver, less graceful than Marichal, but more terrifying than both. Seaver mastered the craft, Marichal painted with finesse, and Ryan just blew hitters away for decades. Sid Fernandez had flashes, but Ryan was the storm itself.
You are correct. It just seems weird from the distance of the decades since his retirement, given his stature in the baseball world, and legendary reputation.
Had to look it up. It’s a drag that Ryan never won a Cy Young!
The new garden disco ball makes total sense.
Back from the hack, for the info snack(s)!
Do it again, and like SNAP!, I will attack! And YOU DON'T WANT THAT!
Splash...
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