In an interesting feature for the Sports Daily, we will take a look at the top 10 starting pitchers all-time of all 30 Major League Baseball teams. In our second segment, we feature the Atlanta Braves. Statistics include the Braves’s time in Atlanta, Boston and Milwaukee.
10) Tim Hudson
The native of Columbus, Georgia pitched 244 games with the Atlanta Braves from 2005 to 2013. During 1573 innings pitched, he had a record of 113 wins and 72 losses. Hudson had nine complete games, five shutouts, 997 strikeouts, an earned run average of 3.56 and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.24. A National League All-Star in 2010, that year he had a record of 17 wins, nine losses, with 189 strikeouts and an earned run average of 2.83.
9) Jim Whitney
The native of Conklin, New York pitched 266 games with the Boston Red Caps and Boston Beaneaters from 1881 to 1885. During 2263 2/3 innings pitched, Whitney had a record of 133 wins and 121 losses, 18 shutouts, 1157 strikeouts, an earned run average of 2.49 and a WHIP of 1.08. In Whitney’s rookie season of 1881, he led the Major Leagues with 31 wins, and 57 complete games. Then in 1883, Whitney led the National League with 345 strikeouts. At 5.03 to 1, he has the best strikeout to walk ratio in Braves franchise history. Whitney died of tuberculosis in 1891 at age 33.
8) Vic Willis
The Hall of Fame righthander from Cecil County, Maryland pitched 320 games with the Boston Beaneaters from 1898 to 1905. During 2575 innings pitched, Willis had a record of 151 wins and 147 losses, with 26 shutouts, 1161 strikeouts, an earned run average of 2.82 and a WHIP of 1.26. Whitney led the Major Leagues with five shutouts in 1899, six shutouts in 1901, an earned run average in 1899 of 2.50 and strikeouts in 1902 with 225. On August 7, 1899, Willis threw a no-hitter in a 7-1 Beanneaters win over the Washington Senators. It was the last no-hitter in the 19th century.
7) Juilo Teheran
The native of Cartagena, Colombia pitched 229 games for the Braves from 2011 to 2019. During 1360 innings, Teheran had a record of 77 wins and 73 losses, with five complete games, three shutouts, 1184 strikeouts, an earned run average of 3.67, and a WHIP of 1.21. He was an All-Star with the Braves in 2014 (14-13, 186 strikeouts, 2.89 ERA), and 2016 (7-10, 167 strikeouts, 3.21 ERA). Teheran was the second Colombian to be an All-Star, following shortstop Edgar Renteria, who was selected five times, including by Atlanta in 2006.
6) Kid Nichols
The Hall of Fame pitcher from Madison, Wisconsin pitched 557 games for the Braves from 1890 to 1901. During 4549 innings, Nichols had a record of 330 wins and 183 losses, with 44 shutouts, 1680 strikeouts, an earned run average of 3.30 and a WHIP of 1.23. He led the Major Leagues in wins three straight seasons (30 in 1896, 31 in 1897 and 31 in 1898). Nichols also led the Major Leagues with seven shutouts in 1890, three shutouts in 1894, and four shutouts in 1900. From 1890 to 1899, Nichols won a minimum of 20 games each, with a career high 35 wins in 1892.
5) Phil Niekro
The Hall of Fame pitcher from Blaine, Ohi0 pitched 740 games with the Braves from 1964 to 1983 and in 1987. He had a record of 268 wins and 230 losses with 2912 strikeouts, 43 shutouts, an earned run average of 3.20 and a WHIP of 1.23. A four-time All-Star, Niekro led the National League with 20 wins in 1974 and 21 wins win 1979. He also led the Majors with a 1.87 earned run average in 1967, and 262 strikeouts in 1977. Niekro also led the National League in complete games four times. On August 5, 1973, Niekro threw a no-hitter in a 9-0 Braves win over the San Diego Padres. It was the first no-hitter in Atlanta Braves’s history. In 1984, Niekro’s number 35 was retired by the Braves.
4) John Smoltz
The Hall of Famer from Detroit, Michigan would have been higher on the list if you included his statistics as a starter and a reliever. As a starter, Smoltz won 206 games with Atlanta and had 2731 strikeouts. He was used as a starter with the Braves from 1988 to 1999, and again from 2005 to 2008. A six-time All-Star as a starter, Smoltz led the Major Leagues with 24 wins in 1996, and the National League with 16 wins in 2006. Smoltz also led the National League with 215 strikeouts in 1992, and the Major Leagues with 276 strikeouts in 1996. He was the NLCS MVP in 1992, the World Series champion in 1995, and National League Cy Young Award winner in 1996. Smoltz’s number 29 was retired by the Braves in 2012.
3) Tom Glavine
The Hall of Fame southpaw from Concord, Massachusetts could have played professional hockey as he was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings, but played baseball instead. During 17 seasons and 518 games with the Braves from 1987 to 2002, and again in 2008, Glavine had a record of 244 wins and 147 losses with 2607 strikeouts, an earned run average of 3.41 and a WHIP of 1.30. An eight-time All-Star, Glavine led the National League in wins five times, and with five shutouts in 1992. He won two Cy Young Awards (1992 and 1998), a World Series in 1995, and was the 1995 World Series MVP, as Atlanta beat Cleveland in six games. During the 1995 World Series, Glavine only gave up two earned runs in 14 innings. From 1991 to 1993, Glavine won a minimum of 20 straight games. He is the last pitcher to win 20 games three straight seasons. In 2010, Glavine’s number 47 was retired by the Braves.
2) Warren Spahn
The Hall of Fame southpaw from Buffalo, New York pitched 20 seasons and 750 games with the Boston Braves and Milwaukee Braves from 1942 to 1964. During 5046 innings, Spahn had a record of 356 wins (a Braves record) and 229 losses, with 63 shutouts, 2493 strikeouts, an earned run average of 3.05, and a WHIP of 1.19. A 14-time All-Star, Spahn led the National League in wins eight times (including 23 wins in 1953), earned run average thrice, shutouts four times, strikeouts four times, and WHIP four times. Spahn won the Cy Young Award in 1957, the year the Braves won the World Series. He also threw two no-hitters. The first on September 16, 1960 in a 4-0 Milwaukee Braves win over the Philadelphia Phillies, and the second on April 28, 1961 in a 1-0 Braves win over the San Francisco Giants. Spahn’s number 21 was retired by the Braves in 1965.
1) Greg Maddux
The Hall of Fame pitcher from San Angelo. Texas pitched 363 games with the Braves from 1993 to 2003. During 2526 2/3 innings pitched, Maddux had a record of 194 wins and 88 losses with 1828 strikeouts, 21 shutouts, an earned run average of 2.63 and a WHIP of 1.05. A six-time All-Star, Maddux won four straight Cy Young Awards from 1992 to 1995. He led the National League in wins with 16 in 1994, and with 19 in 1995. Four times Maddux led the National League in earned run average, including a sparkling ERA of 1.56 in 1994, and 1.63 in 1995. Also with the Braves, five times Maddux led the National League in shutouts, four times the Major Leagues in WHIP, and thrice the National League in complete games. Four times Maddux had a WHIP under one. When the Braves won the 1995 World Series, Maddux threw a complete game two-hitter in game one of the series, a 3-2 Atlanta win over Cleveland. Maddux’s number 31 was retired by the Braves in 2009.
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