The K+ metric tells us how a pitcher's strikeout total compared to league average. For example, Justin Verlander had a 147 K+ in 2009 which means his strikeout rate was 47% better than league average. His Adjusted K total that year was 187 which is an estimate of his strikeout total assuming that the league average strikeouts per inning was .531 (the all-time MLB rate). The Adjusted K number doesn't tell us a lot about Verlander in 2009, but it's useful in comparing pitchers across years.
As shown in Table 1 below, the Tigers single-season K+ leader is Hall of Fame left hander Hal Newhouser at 199 in 1946. That means his strikeout rate was about twice as high as the league average that year. Newhouser's 1943 and 1945 seasons rank second and third and his 1944 season was also in the top 15. Other pitchers appearing multiple times are Tommy Bridges (six times between 1931-1943) and Bob Newsom (1941 and 1939).
Table 1: Tigers Single-Season K+ Leaders
Year
|
IP
|
Actual
K
|
Expected
K
|
K+
|
|
Hal
Newhouser
|
1946
|
293
|
275
|
138
|
199
|
Hal
Newhouser
|
1943
|
196
|
144
|
78
|
183
|
Hal
Newhouser
|
1945
|
313
|
212
|
120
|
177
|
Bobo
Newsom
|
1941
|
250
|
175
|
100
|
175
|
Bobo
Newsom
|
1939
|
246
|
164
|
98
|
168
|
Tommy
Bridges
|
1931
|
173
|
105
|
63
|
165
|
Tommy
Bridges
|
1935
|
274
|
163
|
99
|
164
|
Tommy
Bridges
|
1939
|
198
|
129
|
79
|
164
|
Tommy
Bridges
|
1943
|
192
|
124
|
77
|
161
|
Syl
Johnson
|
1923
|
176
|
93
|
58
|
161
|
Tommy
Bridges
|
1936
|
295
|
175
|
109
|
161
|
Ted
Gray
|
1951
|
197
|
131
|
82
|
160
|
Hal
Newhouser
|
1944
|
312
|
187
|
119
|
158
|
Tommy Bridges
|
1940
|
198
|
133
|
85
|
156
|
Mickey
Lolich
|
1969
|
281
|
271
|
174
|
156
|
Table 2 shows that Newhouser also leads with 309 Adjusted K in 1946 and 294 Adjusted K in 1945. Mickey Lolich's 271 Adjusted K in 1971 ranks third. Looking at the entire top 15, Newhouser appears four times and Bridges, Lolich and Newsom two times apiece.
Table 2: Tigers Single-Season Adjusted Strikeout Leaders
Pitcher
|
Year
|
IP
|
Actual
K
|
Expected
K
|
Adjusted
K
|
Hal
Newhouser
|
1946
|
293
|
275
|
138
|
309
|
Hal
Newhouser
|
1945
|
313
|
212
|
120
|
294
|
Mickey
Lolich
|
1971
|
376
|
308
|
226
|
271
|
Hal
Newhouser
|
1944
|
312
|
187
|
119
|
261
|
Tommy
Bridges
|
1936
|
295
|
175
|
109
|
252
|
Tommy
Bridges
|
1935
|
274
|
163
|
99
|
239
|
Bobo
Newsom
|
1941
|
250
|
175
|
100
|
233
|
Mickey
Lolich
|
1969
|
281
|
271
|
174
|
232
|
Bill
Donovan
|
1903
|
307
|
187
|
132
|
231
|
Jack
Morris
|
1983
|
294
|
232
|
159
|
228
|
Denny
McLain
|
1968
|
336
|
280
|
223
|
224
|
Hal
Newhouser
|
1947
|
285
|
176
|
119
|
223
|
Bobo
Newsom
|
1939
|
246
|
164
|
98
|
219
|
Mickey Lolich
|
1972
|
327
|
250
|
200
|
217
|
George
Mullin
|
1903
|
321
|
170
|
138
|
210
|
No comments:
Post a Comment