Roy Oswalt … last to win 20 games in consecutive seasons.
After what was described as an impressive throwing session the (currently) first place Colorado Rockies signed 35-year-old right-handed hurler Roy Oswalt to a minor league contract – a move BBRT sees as low risk with a potentially high reward. (I really wish my Twins had been willing to take this “chance.”) While Oswalt struggled a bit with Texas last season (4-3, 5.80 ERA in 17 appearances/9 starts), his fastball reportedly remains in the 90+ range and 2012 did see him record 59 strikeouts in 59 innings, while walking only eleven.
In 12 MLB seasons, Oswalt has a .629 winning percentage (163-96), with 3.28 ERA. If he can regain his form, he could pay dividends for the Rockies either as a starter (you can be pretty sure the Rockies will need some help along the way) or in long relief.
In picking up the three-time All Star, the Rockies also gained the answer to a MLB trivia question. (BBRT loves to mix a little history into today’s news.) Oswalt is the answer to the query, “Who is the last major league hurler to win twenty games two seasons in a row?” Yep, it was Oswalt – 20-10 in 2004 and 20-12 in 2005. BBRT hopes to see Roy back in the NL sometime this season.
Here are a few other 20-game winner factoids.
– Most 20-win seasons MLB … Cy Young, as you might expect, racked up a record 15 20-win seasons (five of those were 30 or more), nine in the NL (Cleveland/St. Louis) and six in the AL (Boston). Young led his league in wins five times, losses once and was a three-time 20-game loser. In a 22-season career (1890-1911), he went 511-316, with a 2.63 ERA.
– Most 20-win seasons NL … The National League record for 20-win seasons is 13, shared by Christy Mathewson (New York Giants) and Warren Spahn (Boston/Milwaukee Braves). Mathewson pitched 17 seasons (1900-1916), lead the NL in wins four times, had three straight seasons of thirty wins or more (1903-05) and finished at 373-188, 2.13. Spahn pitched 22 seasons (1942-65, with three years lost to WWII service), led the NL in wins eight times, including four years in a row (1957-61). Spahn’s career numbers are 363-245, 3.09.
– Most 20-win seasons AL … The American League record for 20-win seasons – at 12 – belongs to the Washington Senators’ Walter Johnson. Johnson pitched 21 seasons (1907-27), led the league in wins six times, including four straight (1913-16). He finished his career at 417-279, 2.17.
– The oldest pitcher to win 20 games in a season … This honor belongs to Warren Spahn, who – at age 43 – went 23-7, 2.60, leading the NL in complete games with 22.
– The youngest 20-game winner … Dwight Gooden of the 1985 Mets won his 20th game at the age of 20 years, 9 months and 9 days – edging out Bob Feller (who won 20 as a 20-year-old in 1939) by just shy of one month. While it was Gooden’s only 20-win campaign, Feller went on to five more 20-victory seasons. Notably, both Gooden and Feller led their league in strikeouts as 20-year-olds – and, in the previous season as 19-year-olds, both were 17-game winners and league strikeout leaders. (Feller, at age 20, was in his fourth MLB season, Gooden in his second.)
