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Teen Idyll

2005-08-04 18:39

by Mike Carminati

Felix Hernandez made his major-league debut today for the Mariners at the ripe young age of 19. He got hit with the loss but pitched well going five innings and giving up three hits, two runs (just one earned), and two walks whiled striking out four. He was pulled after 81 pitches—the Indians had said he wanted go more than 85.

As a tribute, I thought it would be interesting to look at other teenage pitchers and how they fared.

Here are all the pitchers from the last 25 years who made it to the majors before turning twenty with their teenage totals:

Name	First Yr	Debut Age	G	W	L	PCT	IP	Win Shares	ERA	WHIP	K/9 IP	K:BB
Edwin Jackson	2003	19	4	2	1	.667	22.0	2	2.45	1.27	7.77	1.73
Rick Ankiel	1999	19	9	0	1	.000	33.0	3	3.27	1.21	10.64	2.79
Matt Riley	1999	19	3	0	0	.000	11.0	0	7.36	2.73	4.91	0.46
Todd Van Poppel	1991	19	1	0	0	.000	4.7	0	9.64	1.93	11.57	3.00
Rich Garces	1990	19	5	0	0	.000	5.7	1	1.59	1.41	1.59	0.25
Rosario Rodriguez	1989	19	7	1	1	.500	4.3	0	4.15	1.38	-	-
Wilson Alvarez	1989	19	1	0	1	.000	0.0	0	-	-	-	-
Ed Correa	1985	19	5	1	0	1.000	10.3	0	6.97	2.13	8.71	0.91
Dwight Gooden	1984	19	31	17	9	.654	218.0	18	2.60	1.07	11.39	3.78
Jose Rijo	1984	19	24	2	8	.200	62.3	1	4.76	1.72	6.79	1.42
Edwin Nunez	1982	19	8	1	2	.333	35.3	2	4.58	1.47	6.88	1.69
Fernando Valenzuela	1980	19	10	2	0	1.000	17.7	3	-	0.74	8.15	3.20
Mark Davis	1980	19	2	0	0	.000	7.0	0	2.57	1.29	6.43	1.00

There are a lot of famous flameouts on that list.

Now, here are the pitchers with the most games pitched in their teen years:

Name	First Yr	Debut Age	G	W	L	PCT	IP	Win Shares	ERA	WHIP	K/9 IP	K:BB
Willie McGill	1890	16	109	50	43	.538	817.3	54	4.03	1.58	3.89	0.78
John Ward	1878	18	107	69	32	.683	921.0	75	1.92	1.03	3.47	5.07
Amos Rusie	1889	18	100	41	44	.482	773.7	50	3.36	1.40	5.23	1.11
Tommy Bond	1874	18	95	41	48	.461	849.0		2.51	1.10	0.20	0.95
Larry McKeon	1884	18	94	38	54	.413	802.0	39	3.27	1.13	4.77	2.95
Jim Britt	1872	16	91	26	64	.289	816.7		4.38	1.61	0.31	0.47
Jumbo McGinnis	1882	18	90	53	34	.609	771.0	68	2.46	1.09	3.06	2.15
Bob Feller	1936	17	79	31	21	.596	488.3	41	3.78	1.54	8.59	1.29
Pete Schneider	1914	18	77	19	32	.373	420.0	25	2.59	1.33	3.64	1.06
Mike McCormick	1956	17	69	14	10	.583	259.7	11	4.58	1.46	4.71	1.33

There are some bigger names on that list. Now, here are the leaders by Win Shares in their teens:

Name	First Yr	Debut Age	G	W	L	PCT	IP	Win Shares	ERA	WHIP	K/9 IP	K:BB
John Ward	1878	18	107	69	32	.683	921.0	75	1.92	1.03	3.47	5.07
Jumbo McGinnis	1882	18	90	53	34	.609	771.0	68	2.46	1.09	3.06	2.15
Elmer Smith	1886	18	61	38	21	.644	520.0	59	3.05	1.21	3.74	1.27
Willie McGill	1890	16	109	50	43	.538	817.3	54	4.03	1.58	3.89	0.78
Amos Rusie	1889	18	100	41	44	.482	773.7	50	3.36	1.40	5.23	1.11
Bob Feller	1936	17	79	31	21	.596	488.3	41	3.78	1.54	8.59	1.29
Larry McKeon	1884	18	94	38	54	.413	802.0	39	3.27	1.13	4.77	2.95
Silver King	1886	18	51	33	15	.688	429.0	38	3.88	1.31	3.17	1.28
Adonis Terry	1884	19	56	19	35	.352	476.0	29	3.55	1.17	4.35	3.19
Pete Schneider	1914	18	77	19	32	.373	420.0	25	2.59	1.33	3.64	1.06

OK, how about wins?

Name	First Yr	Debut Age	G	W	L	PCT	IP	Win Shares	ERA	WHIP	K/9 IP	K:BB
John Ward	1878	18	107	69	32	.683	921.0	75	1.92	1.03	3.47	5.07
Jumbo McGinnis	1882	18	90	53	34	.609	771.0	68	2.46	1.09	3.06	2.15
Willie McGill	1890	16	109	50	43	.538	817.3	54	4.03	1.58	3.89	0.78
Tommy Bond	1874	18	95	41	48	.461	849.0		2.51	1.10	0.20	0.95
Amos Rusie	1889	18	100	41	44	.482	773.7	50	3.36	1.40	5.23	1.11
Elmer Smith	1886	18	61	38	21	.644	520.0	59	3.05	1.21	3.74	1.27
Larry McKeon	1884	18	94	38	54	.413	802.0	39	3.27	1.13	4.77	2.95
Silver King	1886	18	51	33	15	.688	429.0	38	3.88	1.31	3.17	1.28
Bob Feller	1936	17	79	31	21	.596	488.3	41	3.78	1.54	8.59	1.29
Jim Britt	1872	16	91	26	64	.289	816.7		4.38	1.61	0.31	0.47
Pete Conway	1885	18	61	21	37	.362	481.0	14	4.83	1.49	3.93	1.62

Now, the teen-aged ratio leaders. First, here are the ERA leaders (min. 50 IP):

Name	First Yr	Debut Age	G	W	L	PCT	IP	Win Shares	ERA	WHIP	K/9 IP	K:BB
John Weyhing	1888	19	8	3	4	.429	65.7	6	1.23	1.05	4.11	1.76
Rube Bressler	1914	19	29	10	4	.714	147.7	14	1.77	1.14	5.85	1.71
Walter Johnson	1907	19	14	5	9	.357	110.3	4	1.88	1.09	5.79	3.55
John Ward	1878	18	107	69	32	.683	921.0	75	1.92	1.03	3.47	5.07
Perry Werden	1884	18	16	12	1	.923	141.3	15	1.97	0.96	3.25	2.32
Laurie Reis	1877	18	8	4	4	.500	72.0	4	2.00	1.31	2.38	1.90
Jim St.Vrain	1902	19	12	4	6	.400	95.0	6	2.08	1.19	4.83	2.04
Ed Conley	1884	19	8	4	4	.500	71.0	4	2.15	1.20	4.18	1.50
Pud Galvin	1875	18	8	4	2	.667	62.0		2.18	0.87	1.02	7.00
Jack Bentley	1913	18	33	6	7	.462	136.3	11	2.18	1.25	3.96	1.09
Joe Wood	1908	18	30	12	8	.600	183.3	14	2.21	1.06	4.86	1.68
Bill Vinton	1884	19	21	10	10	.500	182.0	5	2.23	1.10	5.19	3.00
Will Sawyer	1883	18	17	4	10	.286	141.0	11	2.36	1.18	4.85	1.62
Billy McCool	1964	19	40	6	5	.545	89.3	10	2.42	1.06	8.76	3.00
Don Gullett	1970	19	44	5	2	.714	77.7	10	2.43	1.26	8.81	1.73

The WHIP leaders:

Name	First Yr	Debut Age	G	W	L	PCT	IP	Win Shares	ERA	WHIP	K/9 IP	K:BB
Pud Galvin	1875	18	8	4	2	.667	62.0		2.18	0.87	1.02	7.00
Perry Werden	1884	18	16	12	1	.923	141.3	15	1.97	0.96	3.25	2.32
Jim Handiboe	1886	19	14	7	7	.500	114.0	6	3.32	1.01	6.55	2.52
John Ward	1878	18	107	69	32	.683	921.0	75	1.92	1.03	3.47	5.07
John Weyhing	1888	19	8	3	4	.429	65.7	6	1.23	1.05	4.11	1.76
Joe Wood	1908	18	30	12	8	.600	183.3	14	2.21	1.06	4.86	1.68
Billy McCool	1964	19	40	6	5	.545	89.3	10	2.42	1.06	8.76	3.00
Dwight Gooden	1984	19	31	17	9	.654	218.0	18	2.60	1.07	11.39	3.78
Wally Bunker	1963	18	30	19	6	.760	218.0	19	2.89	1.08	4.00	1.49
Jumbo McGinnis	1882	18	90	53	34	.609	771.0	68	2.46	1.09	3.06	2.15
Walter Johnson	1907	19	14	5	9	.357	110.3	4	1.88	1.09	5.79	3.55

The strikeouts-per-nine-innings leaders:

Name	First Yr	Debut Age	G	W	L	PCT	IP	Win Shares	ERA	WHIP	K/9 IP	K:BB
Dwight Gooden	1984	19	31	17	9	.654	218.0	18	2.60	1.07	11.39	3.78
Don Gullett	1970	19	44	5	2	.714	77.7	10	2.43	1.26	8.81	1.73
Billy McCool	1964	19	40	6	5	.545	89.3	10	2.42	1.06	8.76	3.00
Bob Feller	1936	17	79	31	21	.596	488.3	41	3.78	1.54	8.59	1.29
Gary Nolan	1967	19	33	14	8	.636	226.7	19	2.58	1.13	8.18	3.32
Harry Harper	1913	18	27	2	1	.667	69.7	2	3.49	1.36	7.62	1.48
Mike McQueen	1969	18	23	1	5	.167	69.0	1	5.48	1.49	7.43	1.68
Bert Blyleven	1970	19	27	10	9	.526	164.0	10	3.18	1.16	7.41	2.87
Jim Palmer	1965	19	27	5	4	.556	92.0	4	3.72	1.42	7.34	1.34
Sam McDowell	1961	18	26	3	7	.300	94.0	1	5.65	1.69	7.18	1.00
Jose Rijo	1984	19	24	2	8	.200	62.3	1	4.76	1.72	6.79	1.42

You had to know Gooden would be there. Finally, strikeouts-to-walks leaders:

Name	First Yr	Debut Age	G	W	L	PCT	IP	Win Shares	ERA	WHIP	K/9 IP	K:BB
Pud Galvin	1875	18	8	4	2	.667	62.0		2.18	0.87	1.02	7.00
John Ward	1878	18	107	69	32	.683	921.0	75	1.92	1.03	3.47	5.07
Henry Luff	1875	18	10	1	6	.143	69.7		4.78	1.48	1.68	4.33
Dwight Gooden	1984	19	31	17	9	.654	218.0	18	2.60	1.07	11.39	3.78
Walter Johnson	1907	19	14	5	9	.357	110.3	4	1.88	1.09	5.79	3.55
Gary Nolan	1967	19	33	14	8	.636	226.7	19	2.58	1.13	8.18	3.32
Adonis Terry	1884	19	56	19	35	.352	476.0	29	3.55	1.17	4.35	3.19
Billy McCool	1964	19	40	6	5	.545	89.3	10	2.42	1.06	8.76	3.00
Bill Vinton	1884	19	21	10	10	.500	182.0	5	2.23	1.10	5.19	3.00
Larry McKeon	1884	18	94	38	54	.413	802.0	39	3.27	1.13	4.77	2.95
Bert Blyleven	1970	19	27	10	9	.526	164.0	10	3.18	1.16	7.41	2.87
Stump Wiedman	1880	19	17	0	9	.000	113.7	2	3.40	1.32	1.98	2.78
Larry Dierker	1964	17	58	17	17	.500	342.7	19	3.28	1.17	5.83	2.61
Jim Handiboe	1886	19	14	7	7	.500	114.0	6	3.32	1.01	6.55	2.52

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