Hall of Stats

Wes Ferrell

Position

Pitcher

Years

1927-1941

Hall Rating

112

Hall of Stats

Inductee

Hall of Merit

Inductee

Next Ballot

Wes Ferrell is next eligible for the Hall of Fame via the Early Baseball Era Committee in 2021.

Peak

57%

Longevity

43%

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 11.8 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.

Articles Mentioning Wes Ferrell

• An Exploration: Taking WAR Out of Hall Rating • Jan 1, 2017
• Hall of Fame Announces Changes to Era Committees • Jul 23, 2016
• Vote: 25 Best Players Not in the Hall of Fame • Dec 15, 2015
• 2016 Pre-Integration Ballot Released • Oct 6, 2015
• First Look: The 2016 Pre-Integration Ballot • Jun 2, 2015
• Introducing the Hall of Consensus • Sep 27, 2013
• Who’s in the Hall of Stats (but not the Hall of Fame)? • Jun 18, 2013
• Personal Hall of Fame, Part 2: Spending Time on the Borderline • Feb 16, 2013
• 50 Best Players Not in the Hall of Fame—and the 8 Best Not in the Hall of Stats • Jan 14, 2013
• Vote: 50 Best Players Not in the Hall of Fame • Dec 2, 2012
• Show all 10 articles

Rankings by Hall Rating

• 193rd All Time (Top 1.0%)
• 174th among Eligible Players
• 62nd among Pitchers

Franchise Contributions by Hall Rating

• CLE 68 (19th)
• BOS 42 (46th)
• MIN 3 (397th)
• ATL 0 (1,025th)
• LAD 0 (1,222nd)
• NYY -1 (1,654th)

Career Statistics