Fueled by the recent article, A (not yet) comprehensive list of A&C and A&B starters through history, Pastor Rich Zawadzki came up with yet another idea. Rich, who put together the data for that piece, wondered which starting pitchers throughout history have put together successive seasons of A&C or better grades.
As with the first list, this is not comprehensive but a great start! Not surprisingly, the deadball era dominates the list. Eight pitchers accomplished the feat before 1920. Both Cy Young (1901-1903) and Grover Cleveland Alexander (1915-1917) were rated A&C three years in a row. Just as impressively, Christy Mathewson was awarded an A&C or better grade in successive years on two separate occasions (1904-1905 and 1908-1909).
Cy Young
1901 (A&C)
1902 (A&C)
1903 (A&C)
Christy Mathewson
1904 (A&C)
1905 (A&B)
Rube Waddell
1904 (A&C)
1905 (A&C)
Mordecai Brown
1908 (A&C)
1909 (A&C)
Red Camnitz
1908 (A&C)
1909 (A&C) Original GTOP
Christy Mathewson
1908 (A&C)
1909 (A&C)
Ed Walsh
1908 (A&B)
1909 (A&C)
Grover Cleveland Alexander
1915 (A&C)
1916 (A&C)
1917 (A&C)
Lefty Grove
1930 (A&C)
1931 (A&C)
Hal Newhouser
1944 (A&C)
1945 (A&C)
Sandy Koufax
1963 (A&C) Original GTOP
1964 (A&C)
Greg Maddux
1994 (A&C)
1995 (A&C)
Pedro Martinez
1999 (A&C)
2000 (A&C)
Jake Arrieta ??
2015 (A&C)
2016 (???)
As with the comprehensive A&C and A&B list, if you know of others, let me know. I can add them. Scott Fennessy may know of a few more, I’m sure.
While I am a Cubs fan, it was Rich’s idea to add Jake Arrieta to provoke some discussion (and probably to jinx the Cubs). My two cents? I’m a little surprised there weren’t more in the pitching-rich era of the 1960s. No, Juan Marichal?
thanks to Pastor Rich!!
Hi Tom,
I don’t have enough sets to add anything to your list at present, but am wondering if Pastor Rich or someone else can verify Jack Chesbro, who was an A&B the year he won 40 games but I don’t know his ratings before or after.
Most of the deaball era guys were straight A’s, and other than Cy Young, Christy Mathewson and perhaps Rube Waddell did anyone else get the A&C rating. Also would not be surprised to se Rube on the list too at some point. Perhaps Joe McGinnity?
The A&B is in the OFAS (A&C in the BATS # 2)
I am guessing you are limiting this discussion to just Starting Pitchers and not including Relievers?
Would like to see relievers too.
Not sure if he was more than once but Ron Guidry from 1978. I don’t have many sets. My cousin had that set. Would love to see all pitchers that had ab ac grades. Also Kershaw from 2014.
Relievers I think would be an endless list. Sure, there’s Hoffman, Rivera, Kimbrel as well as others that have stringed together dominant season out of the bullpen, however, you do have the fluke relievers that have that one remarkable season that defines them. I have the 2011 set and there’s guys there like Jonny Venters (A&C) and David Robertson (A&B) who had that dominant season. Every season, especially in more recent years will have those relievers. Not every season do you get a starter with those grades.
That jusifies why a list of relievers with successive years of an A&C or A&B rating would be helpful, especially for players in leagues using retro seasons. Going through all the cards or disks takes a while and it could be a very useful reference tool.