Most Career Starts – Game 1 In Post-Season Series
Posted by Steve Lombardi on October 6, 2010
CC Sabathia, this evening, will make his 6th career post-season start where he's opening up a post-season series for his team. Which pitcher has the most "Game 1" starts of a post-season series in baseball history?
Here's the list of those with 5+ "Game 1" starts coming into this post-season:
| Rk | Player | #Matching | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greg Maddux | 11 | Ind. Games | 3 | 6 | .333 | 3.21 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 73.0 | 70 | 26 | 6 | 23 | 44 | 1.27 |
| 2 | Whitey Ford | 8 | Ind. Games | 4 | 3 | .571 | 3.90 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 55.1 | 54 | 24 | 6 | 17 | 36 | 1.28 |
| 3 | Roger Clemens | 8 | Ind. Games | 1 | 3 | .250 | 5.00 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45.0 | 48 | 25 | 4 | 24 | 33 | 1.60 |
| 4 | Dave Stewart | 7 | Ind. Games | 3 | 1 | .750 | 2.47 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 51.0 | 35 | 14 | 6 | 17 | 31 | 1.02 |
| 5 | Mike Mussina | 7 | Ind. Games | 3 | 4 | .429 | 3.86 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42.0 | 42 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 42 | 1.17 |
| 6 | Don Gullett | 7 | Ind. Games | 3 | 3 | .500 | 4.05 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 46.2 | 40 | 21 | 2 | 20 | 25 | 1.29 |
| 7 | John Smoltz | 6 | Ind. Games | 5 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.58 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45.2 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 34 | 0.90 |
| 8 | Curt Schilling | 6 | Ind. Games | 3 | 2 | .600 | 3.83 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 40.0 | 36 | 17 | 4 | 10 | 35 | 1.15 |
| 9 | Red Ruffing | 6 | Ind. Games | 5 | 1 | .833 | 2.39 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 52.2 | 43 | 14 | 1 | 20 | 37 | 1.20 |
| 10 | Andy Pettitte | 6 | Ind. Games | 2 | 2 | .500 | 5.59 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37.0 | 36 | 23 | 6 | 11 | 24 | 1.27 |
| 11 | Jack Morris | 6 | Ind. Games | 4 | 2 | .667 | 3.32 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 43.1 | 36 | 16 | 4 | 17 | 31 | 1.22 |
| 12 | David Wells | 5 | Ind. Games | 4 | 1 | .800 | 3.41 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37.0 | 31 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 24 | 1.03 |
| 13 | CC Sabathia | 5 | Ind. Games | 3 | 2 | .600 | 4.35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31.0 | 27 | 15 | 4 | 15 | 29 | 1.35 |
| 14 | Randy Johnson | 5 | Ind. Games | 1 | 4 | .200 | 4.71 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 36.1 | 37 | 19 | 6 | 11 | 38 | 1.32 |
| 15 | Cole Hamels | 5 | Ind. Games | 4 | 1 | .800 | 2.91 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34.0 | 24 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 33 | 1.00 |
| 16 | Tom Glavine | 5 | Ind. Games | 2 | 2 | .500 | 3.18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 34.0 | 31 | 12 | 2 | 9 | 20 | 1.18 |
| 17 | Steve Carlton | 5 | Ind. Games | 2 | 2 | .500 | 3.41 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34.1 | 38 | 13 | 2 | 18 | 24 | 1.63 |
| 18 | Josh Beckett | 5 | Ind. Games | 3 | 1 | .750 | 2.55 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 35.1 | 24 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 38 | 0.88 |
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The first thing that jumps out at me here: Note the ERA for Roger Clemens in his "Game 1" starts. Now, that's not exactly what his teams would be looking for, eh?
October 6th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
The great Whitey Ford wasn't much better than Clemens, with a 3.90 ERA. He allowed 5 runs in 4 of his 8 WS openers (2 unearned runs in his first one). Whitey had a 1.99 ERA in his other 14 WS starts, but oddly, just a 6-5 record.
Then there's Randy Johnson -- 1-4, 4.71 in 5 openers. In 1999 (the first of his 4 straight NL Cy Young Awards), he allowed 7 runs just once in the regular season, but yielded 7 to the Mets to lose the NLDS opener.
Even Curt Schilling, who had a 2.23 ERA in 19 postseason starts, was not at his best in openers, going 3-2, 3.83 in 6 games. In his other 13 postseason starts, he was 8-0 with a 1.54 ERA.
Is it possible that series openers tend to have more scoring? I'm just speculating.
Of course, the name that really stands out on this list is John Smoltz: 6 starts in openers, 5-0, 1.58 ERA, 44 Ks in 45.2 IP, almost 7-2/3 IP per game, no more than 2 runs or 5 hits in any game. (And still some folks don't want him in the Hall of Fame....)
October 6th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Look at Mike Mussina: 7 starts, 42 IP, 42 Ks, 7 walks -- looks dominant, right?
You would gladly take 6 IP, 6 Ks and 1 walk from your opening starter, and let the chips fall where they may.
But he also allowed 42 hits and 8 HRs, leading to a 3.86 ERA. (Mussina had a 3.23 ERA in his other postseason games.)
October 6th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Suggestion for another blog: Pitcher performance in potential clincher or elimination games in the postseason.
October 6th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Whitey Ford and Red Ruffing's Game 1's were ONLY in the World Series.
October 6th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
These are complete stats.
The list changes a heap if you list it by IP=>5
October 6th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Roger just needed a day to let it sink in. He must have been "extra pumped" for Game 1s. His non-Game 1 stats: 11-5 3.39.
October 7th, 2010 at 6:35 am
wow check out john smoltz....talk about dominant performances. 6 series opening starts. 8 earned runs total....5-0 record. he went head to head with an opposing teams best pitcher and nearly won every single time.