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1980s Franchise Wins Leaders

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In the second of a series, here are the franchise-by-franchise hits leaders for the 1980s.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves didn’t do a lot of winning in the 1980s and that shows up in their pitching totals. Rick Maher was a solid pitcher for some bad teams. 

Top 5:

  1. Rick Mahler – 78
  2. Phil Niekro – 50
  3. Rick Camp – 48
  4. Gene Garber – 43
  5. Zane Smith – 39

Baltimore Orioles

Two franchise icons are on this list while another (Jim Palmer) just misses the list. Top 5:

  1. Scott McGregor – 107
  2. Mike Boddicker – 79
  3. Mike Flanagan – 79
  4. Dennis Martinez – 62
  5. Storm Davis – 54

Boston Red Sox

Rocket at the top of the list is not surprising, especially considering he was one of multiple pitchers to win two Cy Young Awards in the decade. 

Top 5:

  1. Roger Clemens – 98
  2. Bruce Hurst – 88
  3. Bob Stanley – 76
  4. Oil Can Boyd – 60
  5. Dennis Eckersley – 47

California Angels

Maybe it was just because he pitched on the west coast, but Mike Witt was sneaky good in the 1980s. He also three a perfect game.

Ken Forsch makes the list here and his brother, Bob, makes the Astros list. They are one of two brother combos to make the list. 

Top 5:

  1. Mike Witt – 109
  2. Kirk McCaskill – 56
  3. Geoff Zahn – 52
  4. Ken Forsch – 36
  5. Ron Romanick – 31

Chicago Cubs

The 1980s were not kind to the Cubbies, save the magical 1984 season. Sutt came over in a trade and won the Cy Young to head the list for the decade. Maddux arrived a bit too late. 

Top 5:

  1. Rick Sutcliffe – 76
  2. Greg Maddux – 45
  3. Steve Trout – 43
  4. Scott Sanderson – 42
  5. Lee Smith – 40

Chicago White Sox

The 1980s were not kind to the White Sox, save the magical 1983 season. Dotson heads the list and LaMarr Hoyt won the Cy Young in 1983. Tom Seaver making the list is a surprise. 

Top 5:

  1. Richard Dotson – 95
  2. LaMarr Hoyt – 74
  3. Britt Burns – 70
  4. Floyd Bannister – 66
  5. Tom Seaver – 33

Cincinnati Reds

Soto topping the list is not a surprise and Browning at No. 2 isn’t either, but relief pitchers in the 3 and 4 slot says a lot about the state of the Reds pitching in the 1980s.   

Top 5:

  1. Mario Soto – 94
  2. Tom Browning – 78
  3. John Franco – 42
  4. Ted Power -42
  5. Frank Pastore – 39

Cleveland Indians

It was not a good decade in Cleveland. Len Barker and Tom Candiotti’s 50 wins are the lowest total for any team-leader and Bert Blyleven is one of three pitchers to crack the list to two teams. 

  1. Len Barker – 50
  2. Tom Candiotti – 50
  3. Bert Blyleven – 48
  4. Greg Swindell – 39
  5. Neal Heaton – 35

Detroit Tigers

Morris led all pitchers in wins in the 1980s Detroit’s Top 5 pitchers finished 2nd in the decade in terms of overall wins with 444..  

Top 5:

  1. Jack Morris – 162
  2. Dan Petry – 101
  3. Milt Wilcox – 66
  4. Frank Tanana – 61
  5. Walt Terrell – 54

Houston Astros

Nolan Ryan tops the list and Houston has the third-highest total from their Top 5 with 435. Joe Niekro joins his brother on the list.  

Top 5:

  1. Nolan Ryan – 106
  2. Mike Scott – 101
  3. Bob Knepper – 93
  4. Joe Niekro – 86
  5. Jim Deshaies – 49

Kansas City Royals

Bret Saberhagen’s two Cy Young Awards are enough to head the Royals list and two underrated pitchers round out the Top 5 in Larry Gura and Dennis Leonard.

Top 5:

  1. Bret Saberhagen – 92
  2. Mark Gubicza – 84
  3. Charlie Liebrandt – 76
  4. Larry Gura – 70
  5. Dennis Leonard – 57

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers Top 5 leads all others with 449 combined wins. 

Top 5:

  1. Fernando Valenzuela – 128
  2. Bob Welch – 103
  3. Orel Hershiser – 98
  4. Jerry Reuss -79
  5. Burt Hooton – 41

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers were the only team to have four players  reach 1,000 hits in the 1980s but the pitching was a bit thin. The 1982 team is well represented.

Teddy Higuera was brilliant for a short time before getting hurt.

Top 5:

  1. Teddy Higuera – 78
  2. Moose Haas – 68
  3. Mike Caldwell – 59
  4. Pete Vuckovich – 40
  5. Bob McClure – 36

Minnesota Twins

Frank Viola debuted in 1982 and won just 11 games in his first two seasons. He went 101-68 after that and won a Cy Young. Blyleven makes the list of his second team.

Top 5:

  1. Frank Viola – 112
  2. Bery Blyleven – 50
  3. Mike Smithson – 47
  4. Allan Anderson – 37
  5. Albert Williams – 35

Montreal Expos

Smith leading the list is a bit surprising and Dennis Martinez makes an appearance for the second time. 

Top 5:

  1. Bryn Smith – 81
  2. Bill Gullickson – 72
  3. Steve Rogers – 72
  4. Charlie Lea – 55
  5. Dennis Martinez – 45

New York Mets

Gooden didn’t debut until 1984 and still reached 100 wins. 

Top 5:

  1. Dwight Gooden – 100
  2. Ron Darling – 87
  3. Sid Fernandez – 69
  4. Jesse Orosco – 46
  5. Bob Ojeda – 44

New York Yankees

Guidry at the top is no surprise but Phil Niekro cracking the Top 5 for his second team certainly is. 

Top 5:

  1. Ron Guidry – 111
  2. Dave Righetti – 73
  3. Tommy John – 70
  4. Dennis Rasmussen – 39
  5. Phil Niekro – 32

Oakland A's

Stew became a dominant pitched once he got to Oakland and got hooked up with Dave Duncan. Mike Norris could have won the Cy Young in 1980.  

Top 5:

  1. Dave Stewart – 71
  2. Steve McCatty – 52
  3. Curt Young – 51
  4. Rick Langford – 46
  5. Mike Norris – 45

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies list is a perfect microcosm of their rotation for years. It’s Steve Carlton and some other guys. 

Top 5:

  1. Steve Carlton – 93
  2. Kevin Gross – 60
  3. Shane Rawley – 59
  4. Don Carman – 47
  5. Dick Ruthven – 41

Pittsburgh Pirates

Perhaps the best golfer in baseball heads the Pirates list. 

Top 5:

  1. Rick Rhoden – 79
  2. John Candelaria – 54
  3. Larry McWilliams – 43
  4. Don Robinson – 43
  5. Bob Walk – 43

San Diego Padres

Eric Show topping the list is a bit of a surprise but the Pads had a lot of turnover in their rotation in the 1980s.   

Top 5:

  1. Eric Show – 94
  2. Andy Hawkins – 60
  3. Ed Whitson – 59
  4. Dave Dravecky – 53
  5. Tim Lollar – 36

San Francisco Giants

Mike Krukow came to San Francisco in a December, 1982 trade with the Phillies and won 50 games over the next four seasons, including a 20-win campaign in 1986. He also picked up save during that run.  

Top 5:

  1. Mike Krukow – 66
  2. Scott Garrelts – 56
  3. Atlee Hammaker – 54
  4. Bill Laskey – 41
  5. Rick Reuschel – 41

Seattle Mariners

Langston was fun to watch and racked up a lot of punches along the way before signing with the Angels as a free agent. Mike Moore was the overall No. 1 pick in 1981. 

 Top 5:

  1. Mark Langston – 74
  2. Mike Moore – 66
  3. Jim Beattie – 43
  4. Matt Young – 37
  5. Scott Bankhead – 30

St. Louis Cardinals

Bob Forsch was one of the unsung heroes of the Cardinals in the 1980s. The man was just solid. Andujar was brilliant for a short time before getting hurt and Tudor’s 1985 season was amazing.   

 Top 5:

  1. Bob Forsch – 91
  2. Joaquin Andujar – 68
  3. Danny Cox – 56
  4. John Tudor – 50
  5. Dave LaPoint – 35

Texas Rangers

Charlie Hough quietly toiled in the Texas heat for years after coming over from the Dodgers and being converted to a starter. Danny Darwin wasn’t drafted and spent 21 years in the big leagues. 

 Top 5:

  1. Charlie Hough – 127
  2. Danny Darwin – 48
  3. Bobby Witt – 39
  4. Jose Guzman – 37
  5. Doc Medich – 31

Toronto Blue Jays

Dave Stieb at the top is not a surprise, but Jim Clancy at No. 2 might be. He was a workhorse for the Jays.  

 Top 5:

  1. Dave Stieb – 140
  2. Jim Clancy -112
  3. Jimmy Key – 74
  4. Luis Leal – 51
  5. Doyle Alexander – 46

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Tags: Albert WilliamsAllan AndersonAndy HawkinsAtlee HammakerBert BlylevenBill GullicksonBill LaskeyBob ForschBob KnepperBob McClureBob OjedaBob StanleyBob WalkBob WelchBobby WittBret SaberhagenBritt BurnsBruce HurstBryn SmithBurt HootonCharlie HoughCharlie LeaCharlie LiebrandtCurt YounfDan PetryDann DarwinDanny CoxDave DraveckyDave LaPointDave RighettiDave StewartDave StiebDennis EckersleyDennis LeonardDennis MartinezDennis RasmussenDick RuthvenDoc MedichDon CarmanDon RobinsonDoyle AlexanderDwight GoodenEd WhitsonEric ShowFernando ValenzuelaFloyd BannisterFrank PastoreFrank TananaFrank ViolaGene GarberGeoff ZahnGreg MadduxGreg SwindellJack MorrisJerry ReussJesse OroscoJim BeattieJim ClancyJim DeshaiesJimmy KeyJoaquin AndujarJoe NiekroJohn CandelariaJohn FrancoJohn TudorJose GuzmanKen ForschKevin GrossKirk McCaskillLaMarr HoytLarry GuraLarry McWilliamsLee SmithLen BarkerLuis LealMario SotoMark GubiczaMark LangstonMatt YoungMike BoddickerMike CaldwellMike FlanaganMike KrukowMike MooreMike NorrisMike ScottMike SmithsonMike WittMilt WilcoxMoose HaasNeal HeatonNolan RyanOil Can BoydOrel HershiserPete VuckovichPhil NiekroRichard DotsonRick CampRick LangfordRick MahlerRick ReuschelRick RhodenRick SutcliffeRoger ClemensRon DarlingRon GuidryRon RomanickScott BankheadScott GarreltsScott McGregorScott SandersonShane RawleySid FernandezSteve CarltonSteve McCattySteve RogersSteve TroutStorm DavisTed PowerTeddy HigueraTim LollarTom BrowningTom CandiottiTom SeaverTommy JohnWalt TerrellZane Smith
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