I’m going to show you the statistics of two starting pitchers from the 2014 MLB season, but not their names.
Pitcher 1:
31 starts, 2.81 ERA, 13 HR allowed, 195 K, 1.21 WHIP
Pitcher 2:
33 starts, 2.98 ERA, 21 HR allowed, 219 K, 1.09 WHIP
Pretty similar numbers, both suggesting a bunch of success. However, Pitcher 1 finished with a 13-14 record while Pitcher 2 was 18-10. If that is not a case study in how the WINS stat has become useless in evaluating the importance of a starting pitcher, I don’t know what is.
By the way, Pitcher 1 is Tyson Ross. Pitcher 2 is Madison Bumgarner. Yes, a pitcher does need to have other factors in place to have success. An offense would be nice.
So, that’s why Ross is a dark horse 20-game winner in 2015 (OK, the WINS stat is useless but that’s always going to be a cool thing to say). The Padres will score a lot more runs in 2015 than they did a year ago, so Ross might not just be in consideration for another All-Star game. He could be in the Cy Young conversation.
NBC 7’s Derek Togerson talked with Ross about how he approached this year’s Spring Training, and his dedication to a routine that would put most normal people in the chiropractor’s office.
