Wes Ferrell didn’t win 200 games and had an ERA over 4.00. How is he even in a Hall of Fame discussion? He just might be the most unique pitcher in history. Ferrell’s 8-year peak took place when the league ERA was 4.50. Ferrell’s ERA during those years was 3.72. Add the fact that he played in two hitters parks (in Cleveland and Boston) and his ERA+ during that run was 128. For his entire career, his ERA+ was still an impressive 116—better than Hall of Famers Steve Carlton, Fergie Jenkins, and Nolan Ryan (among several others).
Ferrell’s peak was tremendous, as he won 20 games six times and compiled 46.0 (Baseball-Reference) WAR on the mound (the rest of his career was below replacement level). Then there’s his bat. Ferrell was the best hitting (exclusive) pitcher of all time. His 100 wRC+ led to 11.1 WAR at the plate. Ten wins came during his peak, meaning he was worth 56.0 WAR, or 7.0 WAR per season. That is a Hall of Fame-level, Koufaxian peak. It just isn’t a traditional one.
WAR | WAA | adjWAR | adjWAA |
---|---|---|---|
About the stats | |||
60.0 | 33.9 | 61.6 | 31.1 |
Bat | Run | DP | Fld | Pos | Pit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
-6 | 3 | -7 | 1 | 125 | 235 |
Year | Team | WAA | WAR |
---|---|---|---|
1927 | CLE | -0.2 | -0.1 |
1928 | CLE | 0.4 | 0.6 |
1929 | CLE | 4.1 | 6.6 |
1930 | CLE | 6.3 | 9.4 |
1931 | CLE | 5.1 | 8.0 |
1932 | CLE | 4.3 | 7.2 |
1933 | CLE | 2.1 | 4.2 |
1934 | BOS | 3.1 | 4.9 |
1935 | BOS | 7.4 | 10.6 |
1936 | BOS | 4.9 | 7.7 |
1937 | 2 teams | -0.5 | 2.1 |
1937 | BOS | -1.0 | -0.3 |
1937 | WSH (MIN) | 0.5 | 2.4 |
1938 | 2 teams | -2.8 | -1.1 |
1938 | WSH (MIN) | -1.6 | -0.3 |
1938 | NYY | -1.2 | -0.8 |
1939 | NYY | -0.1 | 0.1 |
1940 | BRO (LAD) | -0.1 | -0.1 |
1941 | BSN (ATL) | 0.0 | 0.1 |
Year | Percentage |
---|---|
1948
|
0.8% |
1949
|
0.7% |
1956
|
3.6% |
1958
|
3.4% |
1960
|
3.0% |
1962
|
0.6% |
Player (Hall Rating) | Similarity |
---|---|
Urban Shocker (107) | 168 |
Dizzy Trout (93) | 176 |
Dwight Gooden (95) | 203 |
Eddie Rommel (98) | 215 |
Orel Hershiser (100) | 223 |
Nap Rucker (98) | 232 |
Whitey Ford (103) | 236 |
Babe Adams (109) | 237 |
Eddie Cicotte (110) | 238 |
Clark Griffith (117) | 246 |
Felix Hernandez (95) | 259 |
Hippo Vaughn (96) | 263 |
Mordecai Brown (119) | 263 |
Ted Breitenstein (94) | 263 |
Rube Waddell (117) | 265 |
Tommy Bridges (95) | 270 |
Bob Lemon (75) | 270 |
Wilbur Wood (101) | 272 |
Kevin Appier (110) | 276 |
Jimmy Key (92) | 276 |