Top Strikeout Staff III

As the recent posts propose, the Indians staff of 1964-68 has been the top strikeout (SO) staff in the AL since WWII based on individual season SO totals and records. STRIKE ONE! They also were dominant in cumulative and average SO over that 5-year period. STRIKE TWO! Not only do these objective numbers position them uniquely ahead of other staffs, but relative comparisons to the rest of the AL over the same time period, and to notable staffs of later periods, reinforce their position. STRIKE THREE???

In averaging 1155 SO over the 5-year period, the Tribe staff SO more than 200 more batters than the rest of the AL on average (953). This 21.2% differential confirms their staff was not merely riding the crest of a league-wide SO wave. When the California Angels led the AL in SO 8 consecutive years from 1972-79, they averaged 955 per season, striking out over 1,000 only twice, and never striking out more than 1010! However, they did lead the rest of the AL by 26.5% over their best 5-year period (1972-76), suggesting a relative superiority. Of course, this single measure of dominance was hardly a staff accomplishment, when Nolan Ryan himself SO 32.5% of the batters! The Indians’ chief SO star, Sam McDowell, averaged only 21.6% of the Tribe’s SO from ’64-68. The Indians averaged 4 pitchers over 100 SO/year, while the Angels averaged 2.6, emphasizing the preeminence of the Tribe’s staff overall during those years. Once again, it goes without saying that pitching in a stadium with one of the smallest foul areas in the AL certainly contributed to the Angels’ staff totals.

The Indians also averaged 7.08 SO / 9 innings over the ’64-68 period, leading the rest of the AL by more than 1 strikeout / 9 innings, or by 14.8%. Only seven other staffs (Boston 1999-03, 2005-09; Seattle 1994-98; New York 1999-2003; Cleveland 1998-2002; Anaheim 2004-2008; Boston 2007-11) have averaged over 7 strikeouts/ 9 innings for a 5-year period, but none led the AL by more than 1 SO/ 9 innings. The Red Sox have averagedThe Tribe’s advantage over the rest of the AL was 11.5% greater than the 1999-03 Red Sox’ AL lead. The Red Sox have verged 7.5 SO the past 5 seasons, but the the AL has averaged 6.8, indicating high SO numbers achieved in a high-SO era. Once again, the Indians’ held an advantage compared to later staffs by this metric as well. Only the Angels’ ’72-76 18.7% differential keeps anyone else in the discussion on this debate regarding the top SO staff since WW II, or perhaps in AL history.

AL history? So what was happening in the National League during this period the Indians had the upper hand in the AL? Catch the next STRIKE THREE! blog for another unmatched metric of SO superiority!

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