Best lefty off all time? My vote is Koufax!

earlywynnfan · #1 11-14-2021, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cammb

I think Koufax has received more accolades from his contemporaries and sportswriters of this time than any pitcher I have read about. His last four years are incredible. The guy was inducted to the Hall at the age of 37!!! If that doesn't sway you, nothing will.

I guess I'd appreciate my all-time pitcher to still be pitching at a high level at age 37 instead of having 5 summers of sitting on a shelf, but maybe I'm off base??

Peter_Spaeth · #2 11-14-2021, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

I guess I'd appreciate my all-time pitcher to still be pitching at a high level at age 37 instead of having 5 summers of sitting on a shelf, but maybe I'm off base??

LOL he actually retired at 30. And he wasn't very good until he was 25. He had a phenomenal 6 year run (probably better characterized as 5, the first year was only very good) and that was it.

At his zenith, was he as good as anyone? I guess that depends how much weight you put on the disparity between his home and road stats.

But I think there are a lot of externalities that have enhanced his reputation.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #3 11-14-2021, 01:20 PM

I was coming on to point out that people act like Koufax took forever to develop when he was actually incredibly young when he started and stuck on a major league roster because of his bonus baby status, same as his 1954 classmate Harmon Killebrew. Both likely would've benefited by a couple of years in the minors instead of languishing on a major league bench, but both were still a "normal" age when they put it all together.

BobC · #4 11-15-2021, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I was coming on to point out that people act like Koufax took forever to develop when he was actually incredibly young when he started and stuck on a major league roster because of his bonus baby status, same as his 1954 classmate Harmon Killebrew. Both likely would've benefited by a couple of years in the minors instead of languishing on a major league bench, but both were still a "normal" age when they put it all together.

So forgetting whether someone is left or right handed for a minute, does what you're saying mean anything in determining who was a better overall pitcher when comparing say Koufax, who took several years to really develop as a pitcher, to Bob Feller, who literally seemed to walk off an Iowa farm and directly into into ball parks and blow away major league hitters from day one, while still a teenager?

Aquarian Sports Cards · #5 11-15-2021, 03:45 PM

I don't know how you would get that out of my post. In which I made no comparisons nor ranked Koufax. I was pointing out an interesting fact that may have kept him from becoming even greater (or greater for a longer period) Of course the minors could have also backfired, maybe he has to retire even earlier if he pitches more as a youngster, who knows?

BobC · #6 11-15-2021, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I don't know how you would get that out of my post. In which I made no comparisons nor ranked Koufax. I was pointing out an interesting fact that may have kept him from becoming even greater (or greater for a longer period) Of course the minors could have also backfired, maybe he has to retire even earlier if he pitches more as a youngster, who knows?

Hey Scott,

My apologies, wasn't meant to disparage you or as any type of a put down. Also wasn't a comment for or against Koufax, just that was who you referenced in your post, and I just continued using the same reference. Your comment just got me thinking how players can more quickly or slowly develop at different ages and times, and merely wondered if that could have some impact on how good a player may be perceived as being by others. Was hoping to hear what you and others think, that was all.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #7 11-15-2021, 05:19 PM

Ah, my bad.

Obviously the longer you are good, the better your career looks so of course someone who is a success at 19 has an advantage over a guy who struggles until he's 24 and then puts it together.

Of course in the specific case you mentioned, Feller played the vast majority of his career against little to no African American competition. Would that absence alone have made Sandy more successful right from the start? Probably not enough to make a massive difference in people's opinions of him, but I think it would have to have an impact.

Interesting topics for thought/discussion

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