FourZeroSix uses statistics to explain why Pedro is a lot better than Sandy Koufax. Read on…
Pedro is a Sandy Koufax right NOW… Sabermetrics = Pedro Justice. Unless complete games (one of the most incomparable statistics in history for comparing pitchers in different eras) is the most important statistic, then sure, Koufax was better. If you’d rather go with Wins, WPCT, ERA, ERA+, RSAA, WHIP, K, K/BB, K/9, H/9, BB/9, BR/9, Opp. OBP, SLG and OPS, then Pedro is better. But that is just up to you.
Not to discredit Koufax, if I had to pick one lefty and one righty starter in history on my team in their PRIMES, I’d take Koufax along with Pedro. Let’s review here:
Koufax ERA: 2.76
Pedro ERA: 2.58
Koufax ERA+: 131
Pedro ERA+: 174
Koufax best ERA: 1.73 (League AVG that year: 3.61)
Pedro best ERA: 1.74 (League AVG that year: 4.92)
Koufax best ERA+: 190
Pedro best ERA+: 285
Koufax WHIP: 1.11
Pedro WHIP: 1.01
Koufax best WHIP: 0.85
Pedro best WHIP: 0.74
Koufax Runs Saved Above Average: 220
Pedro Runs Saved Above Average: 453
Koufax best RSAA: 58
Pedro best RSAA: 77
Koufax K/BB: 2.93
Pedro K/BB: 4.38
Koufax best K/BB: 5.38
Pedro best K/BB: 8.88
Koufax homepark: Dodger Stadium
Pedro homepark: Fenway Park
Koufax opponents: ’60’s NL hitters
Pedro opponents: ’90-’00s AL hitters
Koufax Lg. ERA: 3.70
Pedro Lg. ERA: 4.46
Pedro 2ND best ERA+: 245
Pedro 3RD best ERA+: 221
Pedro 4TH best ERA+: 212
Pedro 5TH best ERA+: 196
Pedro 6TH best ERA+: 189
And a little follow up…
Koufax: 2,325 IP
Pedro: 2,079 IP
Woopee Doo! He has 246 innings on him… Pedro still hasn’t made as many starts as Koufax yet so the fact that the difference between the MIGHTY Koufax and “6 inning Pedro” is really, really weak. However, here’s something that isn’t:
Koufax: 137 CG
Pedro: 41 CG
But like I said… unless Complete Games have suddenly turned into the most important pitching statistic, then sure, Koufax is a lot better than Pedro. If you’d rather look at basically EVERY other stat out there, then Pedro is your guy.
Here’s why complete games are ridiculous:
Cy Young: 749 CG
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