Fearsome Pitchers
If I were in the batter's box, these would be the top 10 guys who would likely make me think twice about digging in.
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TOP 10 FEARSOME PITCHERS
10. GOOSE GOSSAGE: With Gossage, there was no pretending, no smoke and mirrors. What you saw is what you got - heat, more heat, and even more heat. If you got him when he was a little tired, chances are you might connect with the ball. Then again, Gossage didn't tire very easily. He threw what was called a "heavy ball." You know, the kind that stings your hand because it's so fast - feels like it could rip your hand off. Gossage was the premier reliever of the 1970s and his menacing look foretold what batters could expect - misery. To me, Gossage was the epitome of a great relief pitcher. With 310 saves, Gossage gets my vote for being one of the most fearsome pitchers ever to toe the rubber.
9. EWELL BLACKWELL:Nicknamed "The Whip," Blackwell threw the ball sidearmed, underhanded, and from just about any other angle you could think of. He was very fast, too. Combine his unusual delivery with his speed and the results were some mighty frightened hitters at the plate. At 6-foot-6 and 195 pounds, Blackwell was a six-time NL all-star for the Cincinnati Reds and, in 1947, he had a dream year. He led the league with 22 wins and 193 strikeouts. He also completed a whopping 23 games and had an ERA that season of 2.47. For his career, batters only hit .235 against him.
8. LUIS TIANT:The first time I saw Tiant pitch on TV, I thought it was a joke. The way he turned his back completely away from the batter was very bizarre. But, it certainly worked for him. In his prime, Tiant was virtually unhittable. In 1968 with the Cleveland Indians, Tiant went 21-9 with 264 strikeouts and a 1.60 ERA. For his career, Tiant was 229-172 with 2,416 strikeouts and a 3.30 ERA. There are Hall of Famers with numbers not near as impressive as Tiant's.
7. WALTER JOHNSON: One of the greatest pitchers ever, Johnson was one of the first five Hall of Famers, joining Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, and Honus Wagner as one of the first inductees. "The Big Train" was the most fearsome pitcher of his day. He struck out 3,509 batters and won 417 games. Not much has been said about Johnson that hasn't already been told. Simply, I'd hate to face Johnson if I were a major league hitter.
6. J.R. RICHARD:I was so sad the day I heard about Richard having a stroke in 1980. Before that, he was the fastest pitcher of the time for the Houston Astros. He stood 6-feet-8 and weighed 225 pounds. All of him came at you when he threw a pitch. He led the NL with 303 strikeouts in 1978 (when National Leaguers hit only .196 against him) and again in '79 with 313 (when he held NL batters to a measly .209 average.) Who knows how great Richard could have been had he not been brought down by his unfortunate ailment. He was scary.
5. SAM McDOWELL:By his own accounts, McDowell could have been even better had he not partied so much. Still, "Sudden Sam" was a menace to opposing batters. A four-time AL all-star for the Indians, McDowell led the Junior Circuit five times in strikeouts, with highs of 325 whiffs in 1965 and another 304 in 1970. He struck out 2,453 hitters in his career. With a frame of 6-foot-5 and 218 pounds, McDowell was really something on the hill.
4. BOB GIBSON:It's hard to imagine that Gibson was a sickly child in his youth. But, the former Harlem Globetrotter turned his athletic talents to baseball with great results. Never afraid to throw inside when a hitter dug his spikes in, Gibson is a Hall of Famer with 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts in his career. In 1968, he won both the Cy Young Award and the MVP nod with a 22-9 record, 268 strikeouts and an unbelievable 1.12 ERA as he led the Cardinals to the World Series. Nobody was a better competitor than Gibson. Probably would have thrown at his mother if it meant the game.
3. DON DRYSDALE:Another headhunter, Drysdale was also formidable to look at on the mound as he stood 6-foot-6 and weighed 218 pounds. "Dandy Don" turned his baseball knowledge over to the broadcast booth after his pitching days. From what I remember, he was just as good behind the mic as he was on the hill. He had a 209-166 record with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was an eight-time NL all-star. Sadly, he died from a heart attack in 1993 while in his hotel room in Montreal. Baseball truly lost one of its fiercest competitors the day Drysdale passed.
2. NOLAN RYAN:With 5,714 career strikeouts and seven no-hitters to his credit, Ryan was the one pitcher everyone had trouble hitting at one time or another - even with their fists. Just ask Robin Ventura if he remembers the right hook and headlock that Ryan put on him one day at Arlington Stadium. I can't say enough about Ryan. He was awesome and one of my heroes - both as a player and a person.
1. RANDY JOHNSON: This guy is just plain scary and he sure gets the job done. He just finished winning his third Cy Young Award in 2000 and, even though he's 37, he doesn't look like he'll slow down anytime soon. He's the tallest pitcher in the game today at 6-foot-10. With four seasons of 300 or more strikeouts, nobody in his right mind would like to stare him down on the mound. If you did, you might come home a vegetable. Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks gets my vote as the most fearsome pitcher ever to throw a baseball.
