How does the saying go? Professional athletes are bigger, faster, and stronger than ever before...right? Even taking PEDs out of the equation, better conditioning programs, nutritional habits, legal supplements and evolution have combined to create a new breed of athlete that is far superior to those of the past. This is basically accepted as an axiom in sports. Linebackers hit harder, basketball players tower above 7ft (even when they are from China), and baseball players throw harder and hit farther than ever. Why then is it newsworthy that Joe Girardi plans to use a three-man rotation in the ALCS?
A pitcher from the distant, inferior past like Christy Mathewson can pitch 3 shutouts in 6 days in the 1905 World Series. Bob Gibson — from the the less-distant, less-inferior past — can pitch his way to a World Series MVP award by winning three games in the 1967 Fall Classic. It seems obvious then, that the modern day — bigger, faster, and stronger — pitcher should easily be able to handle the added workload of a reduced rotation, especially if an ancient, noddle-armed, historical shadow like Mathewson could.
In that World Series season of 1905 the aforementioned Mathewson threw 336 2/3 innings for the New York Giants (going 31-9 with 1.28 ERA). He had thrown over 300 innings three out of his four previous seasons and he would go on to top the mark seven more times (throwing 390 2/3 in 1908, the only time he led the league in the category). In total, Mathewson would accumulate 4780 2/3 innings over a 17 year career (roughly an avg. of 281 innings per season), with an incredible 373-188 record and a 2.13 ERA. For all those years Mathewson was able to handle the work load of an essentially three-man rotation without breaking down, either at the end of any season or at the end of his career (and this was before pitch counts and bullpens).
In total, Mathewson pitched in 4 World Series and finished 5-5 with a 0.97 ERA in 11 games totaling 101 2/3 innings. While his Giants won only one of these contests (the 1905 series against the Philadelphia Athletics), Mathewson was consistently stellar in postseason play. His regular season innings pitched were juxtaposed to his postseason success.
Article comments
1 - Nick
Go Yankees!