Baseball's Best Decade (34 page)

Pitching for the first-year expansion Washington Senators in 1961, Dick Donovan managed only a 10-10 record despite a career low 2.40 ERA … that was the best in the American league.

In his first 7 big league seasons, with the Cleveland Indians and the Detroit Tigers, Hank Aguirre worked almost exclusively as a reliever. In 1962, his first season as a starter, the 31-year-old Aguirre won 16 games … 2 fewer than he won in
the previous 7 seasons combined. He also led the American league with a 2.21 ERA.

1950s –
Major league ERA climbed back to 4.00 for the 1950s, with 6 teams posting decade ERAs under that. The New York Yankees staff posted the decade’s best ERA in leading the Bronx Bombers to 8 American League pennants throughout the decade, leading the league in ERA 5 times (while the Cleveland Indians led the league 4 times). In the National League, the New York/San Francisco Giants and the Boston/Milwaukee Braves each led the league 3 times.

Who almost made the list?
Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies at 3.89, Boston Red Sox at 4.03.

1960s –
The major leagues’ combined ERA of 3.79 for the 1960s was only .01 higher than for the 1940s – and with many the game’s best hitters not off fighting a war. Pitching dominance was characteristic of nearly every team, 17 of which posted ERAs under 4.00 for the decade. The Los Angeles Dodgers were the class of the category, leading the National League in ERA 5 times during the decade. In the American League, the Baltimore Orioles posted the league’s best season ERA 6 times.

Who almost made the list?
Pittsburgh Pirates at 3.38, Washington Senators at 3.43, Los Angeles/California Angeles at 3.48.  

1970s –
Major league earned run average dropped to its lowest level in the century (3.72) as 16 teams recorded ERAs under 4.00 for the decade. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles were again the best in both leagues. The Dodgers had the National League’s best ERA 6 times in the 1970s, while the Orioles led the American League in ERA 6 times.

Who almost made the list?
Cincinnati Reds at 3.55, California Angels at 3.56, Kansas City Royals at 3.61.

The Be
st Team ERAs for Each Decade (1980s-2000s)

1980s –
The first increase in ERA for a decade occurred in the 1980s as the combined earned run average for the major leagues rose to 3.93. Again the pitching wealth was spread throughout both leagues, as 17 teams finished the 1980s with ERAs under 4.00. The San Francisco Giants dethroned the Los Angeles Dodgers as baseball’s most run-stingy staff, though leading the National League in ERA only once compared to 4 times by the Dodgers. In the American League, the Oakland Athletics were ERA champs 3 times.

Who almost made the list?
St. Louis Cardinals at 3.55, San Diego Padres at 3.63, Pittsburgh Pirates at 3.68.

1990s –
As the big bats came back to life in the 1990s, the combined earned run average for the major leagues soared to 4.28. Only 5 teams managed to post ERAs under 4.00 for the decade. The Atlanta Braves won 8 division championships with an outstanding pitching staff that led the league in ERA 6 times during the decade. In the American League, the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians each posted the league’s best ERA twice.

Who almost made the list?
San Diego Padres at 4.00, Cincinnati Reds at 4.02, St. Louis Cardinals at 4.10.

2000s –
The major league scoring binge accelerated in the 2000s, with the highest combined ERA (4.42) in history. Only 2 teams managed to post earned run averages for the decade of less than 4.00. And the Dodgers’ major-league leading 3.91 ERA wouldn’t have landed that team among the top five teams in any previous decade.

Who almost made the list?
New York Mets at 4.14, Los Angeles Angels and Chicago Cubs at 4.19.

Since 1920, Sandy Koufax is the only
3-time winner of the pitching Triple Crown (league leader in victories, strikeouts and ERA). Lefty Grove, Lefty Gomez and Roger Clemens each did it twice. Grover Alexander won 4 pitching Triple Crowns, but 3 of them predated 1920.