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Last time in Part 1 of this look at Clayton Kershaw's career, I reviewed his first 5 years and compared it to other Dodger starts, other pitcher's first five seasons and also looked at it by his age. This time I am looking at it slightly different, comparing his best single seasons against other pitchers, first looking at the Dodgers.
Player ERA+ WHIP SO/9 Year Age W L W-L% IP SO ERA
Sandy Koufax 190 0.985 8.83 1966 30 27 9 .750 323.0 317 1.73
Sandy Koufax 186 0.928 9.00 1964 28 19 5 .792 223.0 223 1.74
Kevin Brown 167 0.991 8.45 2000 35 13 6 .684 230.0 216 2.58
Clayton Kershaw 163 0.977 9.57 2011 23 21 5 .808 233.1 248 2.28
Sandy Koufax 160 0.855 10.24 1965 29 26 8 .765 335.2 382 2.04
Sandy Koufax 159 0.875 8.86 1963 27 25 5 .833 311.0 306 1.88
Clayton Kershaw 150 1.023 9.05 2012 24 14 9 .609 227.2 229 2.53
Hideo Nomo 149 1.056 11.10 1995 26 13 6 .684 191.1 236 2.54
Sandy Koufax 143 1.036 10.55 1962 26 14 7 .667 184.1 216 2.54
Don Drysdale 139 1.063 8.23 1960 23 15 14 .517 269.0 246 2.84
Fernando Valenzuela 135 1.045 8.42 1981 20 13 7 .650 192.1 180 2.48
Clayton Kershaw 133 1.179 9.34 2010 22 13 10 .565 204.1 212 2.91
The criteria for this chart was a 130 ERA+, 1.20 WHIP and 8 K/9. As you can see only Sandy Koufax and Clayton Kershaw have had multiple seasons with that criteria. And only Kershaw, Fernando Valenzuela and Don Drysdale have had seasons like this under age of 24. The next chart takes a look at all seasons who met that criteria for pitchers 24 and younger.
Player ERA+ WHIP SO/9 Year Age Tm W L W-L% IP SO ERA Dwight Gooden 229 0.965 8.72 1985 20 NYM 24 4 .857 276.2 268 1.53 Vida Blue 183 0.952 8.68 1971 21 OAK 24 8 .750 312.0 301 1.82 Mark Prior 179 1.103 10.43 2003 22 CHC 18 6 .750 211.1 245 2.43 Felix Hernandez 174 1.057 8.36 2010 24 SEA 13 12 .520 249.2 232 2.27 Jake Peavy 171 1.196 9.36 2004 23 SDP 15 6 .714 166.1 173 2.27 Felix Hernandez 171 1.135 8.18 2009 23 SEA 19 5 .792 238.2 217 2.49 Roger Clemens 169 0.969 8.43 1986 23 BOS 24 4 .857 254.0 238 2.48 Tim Lincecum 168 1.172 10.51 2008 24 SFG 18 5 .783 227.0 265 2.62 Kevin Millwood 167 0.996 8.09 1999 24 ATL 18 7 .720 228.0 205 2.68 Herb Score 166 1.167 9.49 1956 23 CLE 20 9 .690 249.1 263 2.53 Brandon Webb 165 1.151 8.57 2003 24 ARI 10 9 .526 180.2 172 2.84 Steve Carlton 164 1.176 8.00 1969 24 STL 17 11 .607 236.1 210 2.17 Clayton Kershaw 163 0.977 9.57 2011 23 LAD 21 5 .808 233.1 248 2.28 Sam McDowell 161 1.136 10.71 1965 22 CLE 17 11 .607 273.0 325 2.18 Roger Clemens 154 1.175 8.18 1987 24 BOS 20 9 .690 281.2 256 2.97 Jose Rijo 151 1.130 8.89 1988 23 CIN 13 8 .619 162.0 160 2.39 Clayton Kershaw 150 1.023 9.05 2012 24 LAD 14 9 .609 227.2 229 2.53 Gary Nolan 147 1.125 8.18 1967 19 CIN 14 8 .636 226.2 206 2.58 Roy Oswalt 144 1.189 8.03 2002 24 HOU 19 9 .679 233.0 208 3.01 David Price 144 1.193 8.11 2010 24 TBR 19 6 .760 208.2 188 2.72 Oliver Perez 143 1.153 10.97 2004 22 PIT 12 10 .545 196.0 239 2.98 Chris Sale 142 1.135 9.00 2012 23 CHW 17 8 .680 192.0 192 3.05 Don Drysdale 139 1.063 8.23 1960 23 LAD 15 14 .517 269.0 246 2.84 Al Downing 138 1.104 8.76 1963 22 NYY 13 5 .722 175.2 171 2.56 Dwight Gooden 137 1.073 11.39 1984 19 NYM 17 9 .654 218.0 276 2.60 Frank Tanana 136 0.988 8.15 1976 22 CAL 19 10 .655 288.1 261 2.43 Fernando Valenzuela 135 1.045 8.42 1981 20 LAD 13 7 .650 192.1 180 2.48 Cole Hamels 135 1.124 8.69 2007 23 PHI 15 5 .750 183.1 177 3.39 Carlos Zambrano 135 1.146 8.14 2005 24 CHC 14 6 .700 223.1 202 3.26 Frank Tanana 135 1.104 9.41 1975 21 CAL 16 9 .640 257.1 269 2.62 Jake Peavy 134 1.044 9.58 2005 24 SDP 13 7 .650 203.0 216 2.88 Jim Maloney 133 1.194 8.92 1964 24 CIN 15 10 .600 216.0 214 2.71 Clayton Kershaw 133 1.179 9.34 2010 22 LAD 13 10 .565 204.1 212 2.91 Javier Vazquez 130 1.077 8.37 2001 24 MON 16 11 .593 223.2 208 3.42
This list looks long but it is only 34 individual seasons in baseball history. Of course looking at this list, there always those names that may cause concern, as high strikeout rates and young pitching arms may not be an ideal combination. Kershaw, Frank Tanana, Jake Peavy, Felix Hernandez, Dwight Gooden and Roger Clemens are the only pitchers to have multiple seasons with this ERA+, WHIP and K/9 rate.
Player ERA+ WHIP SO/9 Year Age Lg W L W-L% SO ERA Dwight Gooden 229 0.965 8.72 1985 20 NL 24 4 .857 268 1.53 Ron Guidry 208 0.946 8.16 1978 27 AL 25 3 .893 248 1.74 Tom Seaver 194 0.946 9.08 1971 26 NL 20 10 .667 289 1.76 Luis Tiant 186 0.871 9.20 1968 27 AL 21 9 .700 264 1.60 Vida Blue 183 0.952 8.68 1971 21 AL 24 8 .750 301 1.82 Johan Santana 182 0.921 10.46 2004 25 AL 20 6 .769 265 2.61 Mark Prior 179 1.103 10.43 2003 22 NL 18 6 .750 245 2.43 Tim Lincecum 171 1.047 10.42 2009 25 NL 15 7 .682 261 2.48 Jake Peavy 171 1.196 9.36 2004 23 NL 15 6 .714 173 2.27 Felix Hernandez 171 1.135 8.18 2009 23 AL 19 5 .792 217 2.49 Roger Clemens 169 0.969 8.43 1986 23 AL 24 4 .857 238 2.48 Tim Lincecum 168 1.172 10.51 2008 24 NL 18 5 .783 265 2.62 Kevin Millwood 167 0.996 8.09 1999 24 NL 18 7 .720 205 2.68 Herb Score 166 1.167 9.49 1956 23 AL 20 9 .690 263 2.53 Brandon Webb 165 1.151 8.57 2003 24 NL 10 9 .526 172 2.84 Steve Carlton 164 1.176 8.00 1969 24 NL 17 11 .607 210 2.17 Clayton Kershaw 163 0.977 9.57 2011 23 NL 21 5 .808 248 2.28 Ben Sheets 162 0.983 10.03 2004 25 NL 12 14 .462 264 2.70 Ubaldo Jimenez 161 1.155 8.69 2010 26 NL 19 8 .704 214 2.88 Sam McDowell 161 1.136 10.71 1965 22 AL 17 11 .607 325 2.18 Juan Guzman 154 1.146 8.22 1992 25 AL 16 5 .762 165 2.64 Roger Clemens 154 1.175 8.18 1987 24 AL 20 9 .690 256 2.97 Bob Gibson 151 1.151 8.01 1962 26 NL 15 13 .536 208 2.85 Jose Rijo 151 1.130 8.89 1988 23 NL 13 8 .619 160 2.39 Clayton Kershaw 150 1.023 9.05 2012 24 NL 14 9 .609 229 2.53 David Price 149 1.100 8.74 2012 26 AL 20 5 .800 205 2.56 Hideo Nomo 149 1.056 11.10 1995 26 NL 13 6 .684 236 2.54 Gary Nolan 147 1.125 8.18 1967 19 NL 14 8 .636 206 2.58 Erik Bedard 146 1.088 10.93 2007 28 AL 13 5 .722 221 3.16 David Cone 145 1.115 8.29 1988 25 NL 20 3 .870 213 2.22 Sonny Siebert 144 0.981 9.11 1965 28 AL 16 8 .667 191 2.43 Roy Oswalt 144 1.189 8.03 2002 24 NL 19 9 .679 208 3.01 David Price 144 1.193 8.11 2010 24 AL 19 6 .760 188 2.72 Oliver Perez 143 1.153 10.97 2004 22 NL 12 10 .545 239 2.98 Tom Seaver 143 1.077 8.76 1970 25 NL 18 12 .600 283 2.82 Chris Sale 142 1.135 9.00 2012 23 AL 17 8 .680 192 3.05 Roger Clemens 141 1.057 9.92 1988 25 AL 18 12 .600 291 2.93 Don Drysdale 139 1.063 8.23 1960 23 NL 15 14 .517 246 2.84 Ian Kennedy 138 1.086 8.03 2011 26 NL 21 4 .840 198 2.88 Al Downing 138 1.104 8.76 1963 22 AL 13 5 .722 171 2.56 Dwight Gooden 137 1.073 11.39 1984 19 NL 17 9 .654 276 2.60 Gio Gonzalez 137 1.129 9.35 2012 26 NL 21 8 .724 207 2.89 Frank Tanana 136 0.988 8.15 1976 22 AL 19 10 .655 261 2.43 Kerry Wood 136 1.194 11.35 2003 26 NL 14 11 .560 266 3.20 Fernando Valenzuela 135 1.045 8.42 1981 20 NL 13 7 .650 180 2.48 Cole Hamels 135 1.124 8.69 2007 23 NL 15 5 .750 177 3.39 Carlos Zambrano 135 1.146 8.14 2005 24 NL 14 6 .700 202 3.26 Frank Tanana 135 1.104 9.41 1975 21 AL 16 9 .640 269 2.62 Jake Peavy 134 1.044 9.58 2005 24 NL 13 7 .650 216 2.88 Jim Maloney 133 1.194 8.92 1964 24 NL 15 10 .600 214 2.71 Clayton Kershaw 133 1.179 9.34 2010 22 NL 13 10 .565 212 2.91 Cole Hamels 133 1.179 9.10 2010 26 NL 12 11 .522 211 3.06 Josh Johnson 133 1.158 8.22 2009 25 NL 15 5 .750 191 3.23 Jered Weaver 132 1.074 9.35 2010 27 AL 13 12 .520 233 3.01 Justin Verlander 131 1.175 10.09 2009 26 AL 19 9 .679 269 3.45 Javier Vazquez 130 1.077 8.37 2001 24 NL 16 11 .593 208 3.42
When I used a pitcher's first five seasons (as opposed to age), another 22 seasons was added to the mix. And while you have your single season of greatness scattered amongst them, you do see HOF like Seaver, Carlton and Gibson. What happens to this list if I was to just use the stat line that Kershaw did the last two seasons (150 ERA+, 1.1 WHIP and 9 K/9).
ERA+ WHIP SO/9 Year Age Lg W L W-L% IP SO ERA
Luis Tiant 186 0.871 9.20 1968 27 AL 21 9 .700 258.1 264 1.60
Ben Sheets 162 0.983 10.03 2004 25 NL 12 14 .462 237.0 264 2.70
Tom Seaver 194 0.946 9.08 1971 26 NL 20 10 .667 286.1 289 1.76
Johan Santana 182 0.921 10.46 2004 25 AL 20 6 .769 228.0 265 2.61
Tim Lincecum 171 1.047 10.42 2009 25 NL 15 7 .682 225.1 261 2.48
Clayton Kershaw 163 0.977 9.57 2011 23 NL 21 5 .808 233.1 248 2.28
Clayton Kershaw 150 1.023 9.05 2012 24 NL 14 9 .609 227.2 229 2.53
A couple of more lists, the first shows how Kershaw's last two seasons match up with his current pitching brotherhood.
Player ERA+ WHIP SO/9 Year Age Lg W L W-L% IP SO ERA Zack Greinke 205 1.073 9.50 2009 25 AL 16 8 .667 229.1 242 2.16 Tim Lincecum 171 1.047 10.42 2009 25 NL 15 7 .682 225.1 261 2.48 Clayton Kershaw 163 0.977 9.57 2011 23 NL 21 5 .808 233.1 248 2.28 Cliff Lee 160 1.027 9.21 2011 32 NL 17 8 .680 232.2 238 2.40 Justin Verlander 158 1.057 9.03 2012 29 AL 17 8 .680 238.1 239 2.64 Clayton Kershaw 150 1.023 9.05 2012 24 NL 14 9 .609 227.2 229 2.53
Those are the only seasons for any pitcher regardless of age or experience that had a 150 ERA+, 1.1 WHIP and 9 K/9 rate from 2008-2012. The last fun one includes a little message to Dodger management, please make sure the next time one of these once in generation pitchers begins his career in Dodger Blue, he stays in Dodger Blue.
Player ERA+ WHIP SO/9 Year Age Lg W L W-L% IP SO ERA Pedro Martinez 291 0.737 11.78 2000 28 AL 18 6 .750 217.0 284 1.74 Pedro Martinez 243 0.923 13.20 1999 27 AL 23 4 .852 213.1 313 2.07 Pedro Martinez 219 0.932 11.37 1997 25 NL 17 8 .680 241.1 305 1.90 Pedro Martinez 202 0.923 10.79 2002 30 AL 20 4 .833 199.1 239 2.26 Johan Santana 182 0.921 10.46 2004 25 AL 20 6 .769 228.0 265 2.61 Randy Johnson 176 0.900 10.62 2004 40 NL 16 14 .533 245.2 290 2.60 Clayton Kershaw 163 0.977 9.57 2011 23 NL 21 5 .808 233.1 248 2.28 Ben Sheets 162 0.983 10.03 2004 25 NL 12 14 .462 237.0 264 2.70 Mike Scott 161 0.923 10.00 1986 31 NL 18 10 .643 275.1 306 2.22 Sandy Koufax 160 0.855 10.24 1965 29 NL 26 8 .765 335.2 382 2.04
This list used Kershaw's CY Young Award season (160 ERA+, 1 or less WHIP and 9.5 K/9 rate) as the criteria and reviewed all seasons in baseball history. This concludes the two part series in looking at Clayton Kershaw's first five seasons, here's to another great one in 2013.