Greg Maddux retires

[DHonks]

According to ESPN and the AP wire. He was such a treat to watch for all those years, too

[True CryM]

Probably the best pitcher I will ever have the pleasure of watching. Simply a magician with the ball.

[Invader3K]

I'm slightly surprised...I thought maybe he'd stick around for one more year.

[endaround]

Might have if San Diego wasn't focused on reducing their payroll to $20m and the Dodgers weren't focused on dealing out huge amounts to everybody.

[BrewCrewForever]

No one could work the corners of the plate like him. No one. And man what movement on his pitches.

[schmidty]

We know he's a first ballot hall of famer, but do you think he's all time top 5 pitcher

[BrewCrewForever]

We know he's a first ballot hall of famer, but do you think he's all time top 5 pitcher

No I don't think so. I'm not sure who the top 5 pitchers of all time would be, but I don't think Maddux would be in that list.

 

Edit: One guy I know would be in my top 5: Nolan Ryan. The other 4, not sure.

[recte44]

Nolan Ryan would be in your top 5 but not Maddux? It's incredible how we overrate "stuff" and strikeouts sometimes.

 

Maddux has more wins, less losses (in 63 less career games, mind you). Almost 2000 less walks than Ryan. Chew on that number for a minute, please. Ryan does have 2400 more K's, but again, the value of a strikeout over a regular out isn't as great as we think.

 

WHIP: Maddux (1.143), Ryan (1.247).

 

The only possible way you could even make a case for Ryan is based on strikeouts and his no-hitters. Overall, Maddux was the better pitcher, and it's not even close.

[razzzorsharp]

I loved to hate this guy.

[BrewCrewForever]

Maddux has more wins, less losses (in 63 less career games, mind you). Almost 2000 less walks than Ryan. Chew on that number for a minute, please. Ryan does have 2400 more K's, but again, the value of a strikeout over a regular out isn't as great as we think.

 

WHIP: Maddux (1.143), Ryan (1.247).

Those are great point. I did not closely examine their stats before I wrote that. I'm totally a WHIP guy to, didn't know Maddux had that much better of one then Ryan. Maybe I do overate Ryan's K's and no-hitters.

[Invader3K]

I remember a while ago, some guys on the radio were talking about "Who would you rather have in one game starting, with all the marbles on the line? Ryan or Maddux?" It was a pretty interesting discussion.

 

I don't like ranking players too much, but I could see Maddux being in the top 10 of all time, if not top 5.

[PlayerHader]

Maddux was pretty decent the last few years, but wasn't even close to what he he was 10 years ago. He truly was a stud. Top 10 all-time for sure. Probably top 5.

[recte44]

He's the best pitcher of our generation, edging out Roger Clemens based on his control and consistency.

How does he compare to players such as Spahn, Young, Alexander, etc? I'd be willing to wager that in a batter equivilant study, Maddux ranks right up there.

[berniebrewer4life]

He's the best pitcher of our generation, edging out Roger Clemens based on his control and consistency.

How does he compare to players such as Spahn, Young, Alexander, etc? I'd be willing to wager that in a batter equivilant study, Maddux ranks right up there.

I Agree. I was lucky enough to watch him pitch in the mid 90s, and boy, was he a treat to watch. That guy put on a clinic every time he pitched.

[crewcrazy]

It'd be nice to see Glavine and Smoltz retire this winter so they can all go in together, but I bet Smoltz tries to stick around another year or two as a bullpen guy. Maddux should break the record for highest first-ballot vote percentage, but knowing the writers who vote for the HOF, more than a few are going to leave him off completely just because they believe no one should get 100%. Maddux was the best pitcher in the past 40 years or so, and you could argue the best right-handed pitcher since the deadball era...he's pretty much the most open-and-shut HOF case in recent memory.

[sbrylski]

Maddux might very well be in my top 5. Ryan most definitely not.

[owbc]

I would really like him as a pitching coach. Many of the Cubs' pitchers (Zambrano/Dempster in particular) give Maddux credit for their projection-defying success.

[Fatter than Joey]

Tom Seaver would be in my top 5.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I wish I could find career numbers for OPS+ against, but in lieu of that, Maddux's career ERA+ of 132 is clearly superior to Ryan's 111. I know there's a lot of noise in ERA, but given the body of work for each, I think the law of averages should tell a pretty good story over time.

[RU Rah Rah]

IIRC, we had an extended Nolan Ryan discussion in another thread, and I came away from that less impressed with his overall numbers. Lots of K's, but soooooooo many walks .....

[ELCABALLO45]

I would take Pedro over Maddux.

 

Sad to see Maddux go however, it was awesome to watch him pitch and work the corners.