Baseball's Best Decade (32 page)

Who almost made the list?
Roger Clemens at 3.34, Roy Halladay at 3.40, Tim Hudson at 3.50.

The Be
st Team ERAs for Each Decade (1920s-1940s)

The Pittsburgh Pirates posted the major leagues’ best team ERA during the 1920s, led by outstanding starting pitchers like Wilbur Cooper (left) and Ray Kremer.

Dolf Luque led the National League twice in ERA. He was 27-8 with a 1.93 earned run average in 1923 for the Cincinnati Reds.

  Mort Cooper                                   Max Lanier

   Howie Pollett                                  Harry Brecheen

The St. Louis Cardinals posted the best ERA among major league teams in the 1940s, leading the National League 6 times during the decade. The Cardinals had 4 individual
ERA champions during the 1940s.

From 1944-1946, Hal Newhouser was the most dominating pitcher in baseball, winning 80 games and posting a combined 1.99 ERA for those 3 years.

1920s –
Half of the major league teams in the 1920s posted ERAs under 4.00, led by the Pittsburgh Pirates. As a team, the Pirates had the National League’s lowest season ERA only in 1921, while the Cincinnati Red and Brooklyn Dodgers each led the league in ERA 3 times during the decade. In the American League, the New York Yankees led in ERA 4 times, while the Philadelphia Athletics closed out the decade by leading the league 3 consecutive years.

Who almost made the list?
Chicago Cubs at 3.85, St. Louis Cardinals at 3.91, Washington Senators at 3.95.

1930s –
The major leagues’ earned run average for the 1930s was 4.28 – tied with the 1990s for the highest in the century. Only 6 teams finished the decade with ERAs under 4.00. The New York Yankees were the only American League club to finish under 4.00, leading the junior circuit in ERA 7 times. In the National League, the New York Giants were the ERA leaders 4 times, while the Chicago Cubs posted the best team ERA 3 times.

Who almost made the list?
New York Yankee at 3.98, Cincinnati Reds at 4.02, Brooklyn Dodgers at 4.04.

1940s –
Earned run averages were one of the few areas of improved statistical performance during the 1940s, as the major leagues’ ERA dipped to 3.73 for the decade. In all, 12 different teams finished the decade with ERAs under 4.00, with the St. Louis Cardinals leading the National League in that category 6 different seasons. The New York Yankees posted the American League’s best ERA 3 times, as did the Cleveland Indians.