Did You Know? – Best Southpaws In Red Sox History

fenfan — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0000

With the trade of Jon Lester to Oakland this past week, so departs one of the best left-handed starting pitchers in Red Sox team history, with 110 wins, a no-hitter, and two World Series championships to his credit. Among southpaws in team history, his 110 wins is second-most behind the legendary Mel Parnell and his 1386 strikeouts leads all others.

There is no question from anyone who has watched him over his eight-plus seasons with Boston that he has been an invaluable contributor to its recent success and there’s a possibility that we have not seen him pitch for the last time in a Red Sox uniform. So how does he compare to others greats who have pitched for this franchise?

In franchise history, there have been 133 lefties who have started at least one game for the Red Sox. We looked at Baseball-Reference.com‘s Play Index and narrowed the search to those pitchers who toed the rubber for at least 100 games with Boston as a starter.

Top Career ERA+

Rk	Player	ERA+	GS	G	CG	SHO	GF	W	L	W-L%	IP	SO	ERA
1	Lefty Grove	143	190	214	119	15	17	105	62	.629	1539.2	743	3.34
2	Dutch Leonard	129	161	211	96	25	40	90	64	.584	1361.1	771	2.13
3	Babe Ruth	125	143	158	105	17	11	89	46	.659	1190.1	483	2.19
4	Mel Parnell	125	232	289	113	20	36	123	75	.621	1752.2	732	3.50
5	Jon Lester	120	241	242	10	3	0	110	63	.636	1519.1	1386	3.64
6	Ray Collins	116	151	199	90	19	36	84	62	.575	1336.0	511	2.51

Top Career WAR

Rk	Player	WAR	GS	G	CG	SHO	W	L	W-L%	IP	SO	ERA
1	Lefty Grove	44.7	190	214	119	15	105	62	.629	1539.2	743	3.34
2	Jon Lester	31.0	241	242	10	3	110	63	.636	1519.1	1386	3.64
3	Mel Parnell	27.4	232	289	113	20	123	75	.621	1752.2	732	3.50
4	Dutch Leonard	27.2	161	211	96	25	90	64	.584	1361.1	771	2.13
5	Ray Collins	23.1	151	199	90	19	84	62	.575	1336.0	511	2.51
6	Babe Ruth	20.8	143	158	105	17	89	46	.659	1190.1	483	2.19

Top Career WHIP

Rk	Player	WHIP	GS	G	CG	SHO	W	L	W-L%	IP	SO	ERA
1	Jesse Tannehill	1.118	106	116	85	14	62	38	.620	885.2	342	2.50
2	Ray Collins	1.134	151	199	90	19	84	62	.575	1336.0	511	2.51
3	Dutch Leonard	1.136	161	211	96	25	90	64	.584	1361.1	771	2.13
4	Babe Ruth	1.142	143	158	105	17	89	46	.659	1190.1	483	2.19
5	Jon Lester	1.287	241	242	10	3	110	63	.636	1519.1	1386	3.64
6	Lefty Grove	1.321	190	214	119	15	105	62	.629	1539.2	743	3.34

Grove, who is the only pitcher to notch his 300th victory in a Red Sox uniform, pitched eight seasons between 1934 and 1941. His ERA+ of 134 and WAR of 44.7 leads the franchise in both categories for left-handed pitchers. He is also sixth all-time in WHIP. Leonard, who pitched six seasons between 1913 and 1918 and was part of three World Series championships, has the second-best ERA+ in franchise history (134), is fourth in WAR (27.2), and third in WHIP (1.136), putting him very close to Grove.

Also showing up on all three lists is Ruth who, while better known for changing the game of baseball with his bat, was part of the same three world championships as Leonard and has the third-best ERA+ in franchise history for southpaws. Collins, while perhaps not as well-known to casual Red Sox fans, is also on all three lists, playing for two world champions in 1912 and 1915 and currently sitting at number two in franchise history for WHIP (1.134).

Lester, upon close examination, certainly matches well in all three categories. His ERA+ of 120 places him fifth behind Ruth, his WAR of 31.0 places him second only to Grove, and his WHIP puts him fifth in that category. Also consider that, save for Collins and Tannehill, every other player listed here is a member of the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame, and it’s probably a safe bet to say that he will someday be there, too.

ray collins – fenwayfanatics.com

Did You Know? – Best Southpaws In Red Sox History