There are several pitchers that have played in MLB for a substantial period of time, that are highly accomplished, but are not in Cooperstown. The following list includes multiple time All-Stars, Cy Young winners, World Series champions, and overwhelmingly elite numbers and production. The following list also includes hurlers from different eras of Major League Baseball and no career lasted no less than 13 years. To note, this article does not discuss the pitchers that are currently on the ballot, such as Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling. Only pitchers that were not selected for Cooperstown will be mentioned in this analysis.
Jim Kaat (1959-1983): A career that spans 25 seasons, five different franchises, and four separate decades, Kaat is one of the most underrated pitchers in the history of baseball and for his era. He won 16 Gold Glove awards in his career, which is the 2nd most amongst pitchers in the history of the sport (Greg Maddux has more with 18), and became known as a viable rotational starter well into his early 40s. A three-time All-Star (1962, 1966, 1975) and World Series champion in 1982 with the St. Louis Cardinals, he is the definition of a durable rotational starter.
His career highlights include leading the AL in BB/9 (1.6), SO/BB ratio (3.73) and complete games (19) in 1966 while finishing 5th in the MVP voting and then leading the AL in FIP with an impressive 2.55 the following season. We believe that the reason why Kaat is not in the Hall of Fame is because he didn't exert a supreme level of pitching dominance for a sustained period of time in his 25-year career. He is a highly serviceable starter for a team that looking to fill a third or fourth spot in the rotation, that showed flashes of greatness here and there. However, his longevity, combined with his defense and consistent production, should garner him Hall of Fame status.
Sam McDowell (1961-1975): A 15-year career pitching with four organizations, McDowell gets overlooked in the baseball history books as one of the better strikeout creators in the game. Leading MLB in strikeouts from 1968 to 1970, McDowell surpassed 300 strikeouts twice in his career (1965, 1970) and led baseball in SO/9 on four separate occasions (1964, 1965, 1966,1968). Nominated to six All-Star games, McDowell became effective in preventing negative outcomes as a starter, leading the AL in FIP twice (1965, 1970) and in MLB once (1969). McDowell is one of the most undervalued players of his time.
While his strikeout abilities were frustrating for opposing batters, McDowell's detractors argued that he had little control, leading the Majors in walks issued on six separate occasions in 15 years, and has an unimpressive career BB/9 of 4.7. Traditional baseball writers will argue that he also does not have a reputable W-L record as a starter, which is 141-134. The reasons why this should not be held against McDowell is because the pitcher win and loss is arbitrary and should not be any base of criteria for evaluating a pitcher's Hall of Fame candidacy, and McDowell played for some subpar teams in his career. Playing for the Cleveland Indians from 1961 to 1971, the team only finished with a record of 0.500 or better three times in those 11 years (1965, 1966, 1968). This left McDowell little chance to accumulate those "coveted wins" over his career and impress voters. Instead, we should focus on McDowell's strikeout abilities as a pitcher and his underrated dominance in his era.
Ron Guidry (1975-1988): A Cy Young winner in 1978, Guidry is an underappreciated pitcher, in both Yankees history and MLB lore. Spending his entire 14-year career in pinstripes, Guidry is lost in the shuffle of great Yankees players throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Winning two World Series in 1977 and 1978, Guidry became a steady force in Yankees history. In his Cy Young year, he led baseball in ERA (1.74), ERA+ (208), FIP (2.19) and WHIP (0.946) and finished it off by maneuvering a Los Angeles Dodgers team in the World Series with a complete game effort. Having pitched in three World Series, Guidry flashed brilliance, pitching 32.0 combined innings with two complete games and a SO/9 of 7.3.
Guidry also bodes well amongst his contemporaries statistically. Amongst starting pitchers from 1975 to 1988 and have pitched at least 2,000 innings, ranks 4th in SO/9 (6.63), 2nd in LOB% (74.9%), and 5th in FIP (3.31). A four-time All-Star and Major League Player of the Year Award winner in 1978, Guidry is overlooked by voters in his time on the ballot.
Fernando Valenzuela (1980-1997): Having one of the greatest rookie seasons in the history of Major League pitching, Valenzuela became a household name rather quickly. In his rookie campaign in 1981, he led baseball in strikeouts (180) and the NL in complete games (11), where eight of them where shutouts. His performance led to his first All-Star selection, a Rookie of the Year award, Cy Young honors, a Major League Player of the Year accolade, a top-five finish in the NL MVP voting, and a World Series ring over the prolific New York Yankees. After 1981, he reached five more All-Star games and finished no lower than 5th in the Cy Young voting in 1982, 1985, and 1986.
While those who argue against Valenzuela's Hall of Fame candidacy will cite his performance outside of his Dodgers tenure (he had a FIP of 3.28 in 11 seasons in Los Angeles and a FIP of 4.92 everywhere else), along with his perceived decline at the end of the 1980s, Valenzuela's dominance early on rivals that of several of his contemporaries. There is also precedent for pitchers who accomplish a lot in a short time period and make Cooperstown exists, as another LA Dodger in Sandy Koufax is highly decorated, specifically in the final six years of his career.
Orel Hershiser (1983-2000): One of four pitchers in MLB history to win MVP of a League Championship Series and a World Series in the same postseason, and the only player in baseball lore to win MVP of the ALCS, NLCS and World Series in their career, Hershiser built his image on being an elite and durable starter. Leading the NL in innings pitched from 1987 to 1989, he collected a Cy Young and Major League Player of the Year honors in 1988, leading baseball in complete games (15) and shutouts (8). He then proceeded to dismantle his opponents in the 1988 postseason, pitching a combined 42.2 innings against the Mets and Athletics, including 32 strikeouts, three compete games (two of which were shutouts).
A three-time All-Star, Hershiser is viewed as a perennial ace early on in his career. However, because of his usage rate, his skills and production started to erode. In the first nine years of his career, his ERA and FIP were 2.77 and 3.00 respectfully. In the last nine years, his ERA and FIP were 4.22 and 4.40 respectfully. Although his numbers were declining, Hershiser still found postseason success with the Cleveland Indians, pitching in two World Series in 1995 and 1997 and winning ALCS MVP in 1995.
Bret Saberhagen (1984-2001): As the definitive ace of the Kansas City Royals in the 1980s, the two-time Cy Young winner (1985, 1989) is highly accomplished in his playing career. Garnering three All-Star nods, Saberhagen became one of the driving forces of the franchise's first World Series championship in 1985. Leading the AL in FIP (2.89), WHIP (1.058), BB/9 (1.5), and SO/BB ratio (4.16), he proceeded to continue his pitching prowess against the St. Louis Cardinals, pitching two complete games with 10 strikeouts and an ERA of 0.50. This performance helped Saberhagen take home WS MVP honors.
While injuries might have stunted his production and Hall of Fame level arc, Saberhagen developed into a dynamic pitcher in the back half of the 1980s. Amongst pitchers from 1985 to 1989 who pitched at least 1,000 innings, Saberhagen ranks 1st in BB% (4.7%), 1st in BB/9 (1.70), and 3rd in FIP (3.03).
Dwight Gooden (1984-2000): Joining the Mets in 1984 at the age of 19, Gooden quickly put his abilities on display. He led the Majors in several pitching categories in 1984, including strikeouts (276), FIP (1.69), WHIP (1.073), and SO/9 (11.4). Finishing 2nd in NL Cy Young voting behind Rick Sutcliffe, Gooden did take home Rookie of the Year and an All-Star selection, his first of four selections. The year following, Gooden's second act redefined “effectiveness” as a pitcher, leading baseball in ERA (1.53), strikeouts (268), ERA+ (229), and FIP (2.13). For this effort, he won the pitcher's Triple Crown and the NL Cy Young after the 1985 season. However, Gooden exhibited brilliance in his encore of 1986. Selected to his third consecutive All-Star game, he reached 200 strikeouts and finished with an ERA of 2.84 and finished it off with a World Series victory in 1986 over the Boston Red Sox.
Although personal problems derailed his career, coupled with missing the 1995 season, Gooden's production declined dramatically. With that said, the first three years of his career are, statistically, the best start to any pitcher's big-league career. From 1984 to 1986, he ranks 1st in the following categories: SO/9 (8.99), SO% (25.1%), batting average against (0.203), ERA (2.28), and FIP (2.31). Ultimately, Gooden's accomplishments in a truncated period should warrant Cooperstown consideration.
Kevin Brown (1986-2005): The first player in MLB history to sign a contract worth over $100 million in total value with the Dodgers, Brown’s electric career spanned 19 seasons with six franchises. With six All-Star selections, he finished no worse than 6th in Cy Young voting in five different seasons (1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000). The year that he finished 2nd (1996), Brown led the league in ERA (1.89), ERA+ (215), WHIP (0.944) and HR/9 (0.3). The ace on the Florida pitching staff that won the World Series in 1997, he replicated the same situation the year after in San Diego the season after, helping the organization reach its second Fall Classic appearance in its history.
The critics of Brown's career will argue that he should not have been the first player to sign a nine-figure contract, as he perceivably underachieved with the Dodgers, even though his ERA in his tenure with the team is 2.83 while collecting two All-Star selections. While nagging injuries contributed to his decline later in his career, Brown’s viability as a starter did not waver.
Johan Santana (2000-2012): The second Triple Crown winner in this analysis, Santana is one of the most dominant pitchers in the 2000s. Winning two Cy Youngs in 2004 and 2006, Santana led the league in strikeouts and FIP in back-to-back seasons in 2005 and 2006. He also led both the American League and MLB in other categories as well, including FIP, WHIP and SO/9. Amassing four All-Star selections in the 2000s, those who vote not put Santana in the Hall argue that his career is not long enough (12 years and did not pitch in the 2011 season). However, the Koufax argument is transferable to this case, as Koufax got to Cooperstown based on the last six years of his illustrious career.
Amongst his peers, Santana rates out as one of the better pitchers of his time. Amongst starters that threw at least 1,000 innings between 2000 and 2009, he ranks 2nd in SO% (25.2%), first in batting average against (0.219), and 5th in FIP (3.37).
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