QUESTION: Since the era of the designated hitter was instituted in baseball, which pitchers have led the majors in innings pitched more times, the American or National League?


ANSWER: Surprisingly, it’s the American League but not by much holding a 19-18-1 edge. In eight of those seasons has AL leader topped the NL by nine innings or more.



On the surface it seems to dispel the myth that the DH has taxed the American League pitcher more than the National League hurler who has the luxury to throw to the pitcher or the ninth spot at least three times a game.

None of the season leaders are “one year wonders”. Some had injuries that derailed their careers like Cal Eldred ( 258.1 1993), or an argument could be made that they were definitely not the same after, such as “Catfish” Hunter ( 1975, 325.0), Rick Langford (290.0, 1980), Joaquin Andujar (261.1, 1984), Dennis Erikson ( 251.1, 1998) and to a lesser extent Brett Saberhagen ( 262.0, 1989)and David Cone ( 262, 1995). Brandon Webb (236.0, 2007) will be watched as he tries a renaissance with the Angels.

However, most of the pitchers that have accomplished the feat have been regarded as stud pitchers, (Clemens, Johnson, Carlton)gamers (Schilling, Valenzuela, Hershiser), surgeons ( Maddox, Blyleven, Palmer,Smoltz) or possessors of rubber arms (Ryan, Hernandez, Halladay).

Question: What does this mean to the limited innings and monitored pitch count that is in vogue in baseball?

Maybe nothing maybe it is important to preserve the most valuable resource of a ballclub: your pitching staff.

Maybe it tells a lot.

Consider that it has been thirty years since baseball has had a pitcher throw 300 innings, (Steve Carlton 1980, 304.0) and 33 seasons since baseball had multiple pitchers reach triple digits (1977 Phil Niekro, Steve Rogers, Jim Palmer and Dave Goltz). In all of the 76 potential leaders (38 yrs x two leagues) there have been 51 individuals to be league leaders. Collectively the group includes nine Hall of Fame pitchers and a number of potential ones as well.

Maybe it is not the number of innings or pitch count as much as a manager’s instinct of knowing when a pitcher should hit the showers, be it the first inning when his starter surrenders four runs or in the seventh when his pitcher has battled his way through the lineup.

Or maybe it is the individual makeup of the player on the mound. Perhaps that it is not the physical part of the game that should be monitored as much as the mental aspect being scrutinized by management.



Resource:

Baseball-Reference.com.



Year National League IP American League IP

2010 (NL AL) Roy Halladay(PHI) 214.0......Felix Hernandez(SEA) 211.1
2009 (NL AL) Adam Wainwright(STL) 233.0...Justin Verlander(DET)240.0
2008 (NL AL) Johan Santana*(NYM)234.1.....Roy Halladay(TOR) 246.0
2007 (NL AL) Brandon Webb(ARI)236.1.......CC Sabathia*(CLE)241.0
2006 (NL AL) Bronson Arroyo(CIN)240.2.....Johan Santana*(MIN)233.2
2005 (NL AL) Livan Hernandez(WSN)246.1....Mark Buehrle*(CHW)236.2
2004 (NL AL) Livan Hernandez(MON)255.0....Mark Buehrle*(CHW)245.1
2003 (NL AL) Livan Hernandez(MON)233.1....Roy Halladay(TOR)266.0
2002 (NL AL) Randy Johnson*(ARI)260.0.....Roy Halladay(TOR)239.1
2001 (NL AL) Curt Schilling(ARI)256.2.....Freddy Garcia(SEA)238.2
2000 (NL AL) Jon Lieber(CHC)251.0.........Mike Mussina(BAL)237.2
1999 (NL AL) Randy Johnson*(ARI)271.2.....David Wells*(TOR)231.2
1998 (NL AL) Curt Schilling(PHI)268.2.....Scott Erickson(BAL)251.1
1997 (NL AL) John Smoltz(ATL)256.0........R.Clemens(TOR)/Pat Hentgen(TOR)264.0
1996 (NL AL) John Smoltz(ATL)253.2........Pat Hentgen(TOR)265.2
1995 (NL AL) G. Maddux(ATL)D. Neagle*(PIT)209.2...David Cone(TOT)229.1
1994 (NL AL) Greg Maddux (ATL)202.0.......Chuck Finley*(CAL)183.1
1993 (NL AL) Greg Maddux (ATL)267.0.......Cal Eldred(MIL)258.0
1992 (NL AL) Greg Maddux (CHC)268.0.......Kevin Brown(TEX) 265.2
1991 (NL AL) Greg Maddux (CHC)263.0.......Roger Clemens (BOS)271.1
1990 (NL AL) Frank Viola*(NYM)249.2.......Dave Stewart(OAK)267.0
1989 (NL AL) Orel Hershiser(LAD)256.2.....Bret Saberhagen (KCR)262.1
1988 (NL AL) Orel Hershiser LAD)267.0.....Dave Stewart(OAK)275.2
1987 (NL AL) Orel Hershiser(LAD)264.2.....Charlie Hough TEX 285.1
1986 (NL AL) Mike Scott (HOU)275.1........Bert Blyleven(MIN)271.2
1985 (NL AL) Dwight Gooden(NYM)276.2......Bert Blyleven(TOT) 293.2
1984 (NL AL) Joaquin Andujar(STL)261.1....Dave Stieb(TOR)267.0
1983 (NL AL) Steve Carlton+*(PHI)283.2....Jack Morris(DET)293.2
1982 (NL AL) Steve Carlton+*(PHI)295.2....Dave Stieb(TOR)288.1
1981 (NL AL) Fern Valenzuela*(LAD)192.1...Dennis Leonard(KCR)201.2
1980 (NL AL) Steve Carlton+* PHI304.0.....Rick Langford(OAK)290.0
1979 (NL AL) Phil Niekro+(ATL)342.0.......Dennis Martinez (BAL) 292.1
1978 (NL AL) Phil Niekro+(ATL)334.1.......Jim Palmer+(BAL)296.0
1977 (NL AL) Phil Niekro+(ATL)330.1.......Jim Palmer+(BAL) 319.0
1976 (NL AL) Randy Jones*(SDP)315.1.......Jim Palmer+(BAL) 315.0
1975 (NL AL) Andy Messersmith(LAD)321.2...Catfish Hunter+(NYY) 328.0
1974 (NL AL) Phil Niekro+(ATL)302.1.......Nolan Ryan+ (CAL) 332.2
1973 (NL AL) J Billingham(CIN)S Carlton+*(PHI) 293.1...W Wood*(CHW)359.1
1972 (NL AL) Steve Carlton+*(PHI)346.1....Wilbur Wood*(CHW)...376.2

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