Ranking Franchise All-Time Pitching Staffs

What if you could pick a starting rotation for your favorite team from all the pitchers who have ever played for them? A Franchise All-Time Staff, if you will?

We decided to do just that, and rank them from first to worst. We weighed several factors: effectiveness, years with the team, honors, championships, and so on. We chose to pick pitchers who played primarily after 1900, so you won’t see the old-timey 1870s or 1890s pitchers.

For the most part, I think we got it right. Now, let’s see the five-man pitching staffs for each franchise.

1. Boston Red Sox

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100	WITH THIS TEAM
Pedro Martinez	RH	Yes	#6	117-37, 190 ERA+, Triple Crown, 2x Cy Young
Roger Clemens	RH		#14	192 wins, 3x Cy Young, MVP, 144 ERA+, 2,590 K's
Cy Young	RH	Yes	#16	192 wins, 147 ERA+, two no-hitters
Lefty Grove	LH	Yes	#5	105-62, 4x ERA champion, 143 ERA+
Luis Tiant	RH		#40	122-81, 118 ERA+

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2. LA & Brooklyn Dodgers

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Sandy Koufax	LH	Yes	#35
Clayton Kershaw	LH		#22
Don Drysdale	RH	Yes	#41
Don Sutton	RH	Yes	#55
Orel Hershiser	RH		#58

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3. Philadelphia Phillies

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Pete Alexander	RH	Yes	#10
Steve Carlton	LH	Yes	#13
Robin Roberts	RH	Yes	#17
Curt Schilling	RH		#19
Cole Hamels	LH		#69

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4. Atlanta Braves (Boston, Milwaukee, Atlanta)

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Greg Maddux	RH	Yes	#1
Phil Niekro	RH	Yes	#8
Warren Spahn	LH	Yes	#11
Tom Glavine	LH	Yes	#33
John Smoltz	RH	Yes	#45

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5. Giants (San Francisco & New York)

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Christy Mathewson	RH	Yes	#18
Juan Marichal	RH	Yes	#29
Carl Hubbell	LH	Yes	#34
Gaylord Perry	RH	Yes	#15
Madison Bumgarner	LH		NR

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6. Cleveland

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Bob Feller	RH	Yes	#9
CC Sabathia	LH		#42
Stan Coveleski	RH	Yes	#52
Wes Ferrell	RH		#53
Sam McDowell	LH		#87

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7. Chicago White Sox

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Big Ed Walsh	RH	Yes	#44
Ted Lyons	RH	Yes	#48
Wilbur Wood	LH		#49
Mark Buehrle	LH		#59
Billy Pierce	LH		#82

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8. Oakland A's (Philadelphia & Kansas City)

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Lefty Grove	LH	Yes	#5
Eddie Plank	LH	Yes	#50
Tim Hudson	RH		#63
Vida Blue	LH		#75
Rube Waddell	LH	Yes	#76

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9. Chicago Cubs

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Pete Alexander	RH	Yes	#10
Fergie Jenkins	RH	Yes	#20
Greg Maddux	RH	Yes	#1
Rick Reuschel	RH		#57
Mordecai Brown	RH	Yes	#86

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10. Minnesota Twins (Washington Senators 1901-1960)

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Walter Johnson	RH	Yes	#1
Bert Blyleven	RH	Yes	#12
Johan Santana	LH		#39
Frank Viola	LH		#65
Brad Radke	RH		#83

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11. Detroit Tigers

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Justin Verlander	RH		#21
Hal Newhouser	LH	Yes	#36
Max Scherzer	RH		#24
Mickey Lolich	LH		#66
Jack Morris	RH		NR

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12. New York Yankees

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Mike Mussina	RH	Yes	#23
Ron Guidry	LH		#64
Whitey Ford	LH	Yes	#80
Red Ruffing	RH	Yes	#94
CC Sabathia	LH		#42

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13. Baltimore Orioles (St. Louis Browns)

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Jim Palmer	RH	Yes	#30
Mike Mussina	RH	Yes	#23
Mike Cuellar	LH		NR
Urban Shocker	RH		NR
Mike Flanagan	LH		NR

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14. St. Louis Cardinals

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Bob Gibson	RH	Yes	#7
Dizzy Dean	RH	Yes	#62
Adam Wainwright	RH		#84
Larry Jackson	RH		#97
Harry Brecheen	LH		NR

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15. Cincinnati Reds

PITCHER	ARM	HOF	TOP 100
Bucky Walters	RH		#95
Eppa Rixey	LH	Yes	NR
Joe Rijo	RH		NR
Dolf Luque	RH		NR
Johnny Vander Meer	LH		NR

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16. Pittsburgh Pirates

PITCHER	ARM	TOP 100
Babe Adams	RH	NR
Wilbur Cooper	LH	NR
John Candelaria	LH	NR
Sam Leever	RH	NR
Bob Friend	RH	NR

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