Pitcher’s Homerun/Walk Rating

 

The ranking below was generated using the Lee Sinins Complete Baseball encyclopedia. It includes all pitchers from 1920-2006 with 2000+ IP. There were 277 pitchers. REL BB means relative walks. For Eppa Rixey below, the 1.455 means that the average pitcher walked 45.5% more batters per 9 IP than he did in his career (2.78 vs. 1.91). REL HR means relative HRs. The 2.013 for Rixey means that average pitcher allowed 101.3% more HRs than he did (155 vs. 77).  If a pitcher has a number below 1, he was worse than the average pitcher.

 

HR*BB is just the previous 2 multiplied by each other. Greg Maddux ranks very high. Only Rixey is ahead of him. But he pitched almost all of his post 1920 time with the Reds (1920 with Philadelphia and 1921-33 with the Reds). Their park was extremely difficult to hit HRs in. From 1920-29, it allowed only 22% as many HRs as the average park in the NL! (that is according to the STATS, INC. All-Time BASEBALL SOURCEBOOK) That helps explain why Rixey does so well. The only other pitcher besides Maddux to have a score of 1.50 or more for both HRs and BBs is Pete Donohue. But Donohue also spent almost all of his career (which lasted from 1921-32) with the Reds. So, for all practical purposes, Maddux is the only pitcher to best the league average by at least 50% in both HRs and BBs! I think it is amazing that a guy who put the ball in the strike zone so much would give up so few HRs.

 

Maddux allowed 318 HRs while the average guy allowed 483 (483/318 = 1.519). He walked 1.84 per 9 IP while the average walked 3.34 (so 3.34/1.84 = 1.815).

 

 

Rank

Pitcher

REL BB

REL HR

HR*BB

1

Eppa Rixey

1.455

2.013

2.930

2

Greg Maddux

1.815

1.519

2.757

3

Pete Donohue

1.589

1.603

2.547

4

Bret Saberhagen

2.018

1.225

2.472

5

Kevin Brown

1.402

1.721

2.412

6

Dutch Leonard

1.709

1.380

2.358

7

Jack Quinn

1.645

1.403

2.307

8

Pedro Martinez

1.420

1.469

2.087

9

Fritz Peterson

1.902

1.092

2.078

10

Grover C Alexander

2.107

0.965

2.034

11

Brad Radke

2.110

0.945

1.994

12

Paul Derringer

1.585

1.247

1.976

13

Tommy John

1.365

1.427

1.948

14

Mike Mussina

1.718

1.122

1.927

15

Mike Garcia

1.310

1.459

1.911

16

Lefty Grove

1.325

1.432

1.897

17

Lew Burdette

1.755

1.073

1.883

18

Jack Russell

1.367

1.373

1.877

19

Jon Lieber

2.023

0.918

1.857

20

David Wells

1.860

0.997

1.855

21

Claude Passeau

1.324

1.400

1.853

22

Red Lucas

1.770

1.037

1.835

23

Andy Pettitte

1.242

1.477

1.834

24

Roger Clemens

1.187

1.545

1.834

25

Herb Pennock

1.590

1.147

1.824

26

Red Faber

1.274

1.430

1.822

27

Robin Roberts

1.948

0.931

1.813

28

Curt Schilling

1.693

1.064

1.803

29

Schoolboy Rowe

1.637

1.098

1.798

30

Bob Friend

1.435

1.252

1.796

31

Rick Reuschel

1.380

1.276

1.761

32

Dean Chance

1.042

1.656

1.725

33

Steve Rogers

1.173

1.424

1.670

34

Jim Barr

1.623

1.025

1.663

35

Joe Horlen

1.309

1.269

1.661

36

Ken Raffensberger

1.851

0.895

1.656

37

Mark Gubicza

1.079

1.529

1.649

38

Mel Harder

1.252

1.317

1.648

39

Jon Matlack

1.358

1.211

1.645

40

Jimmy Key

1.491

1.102

1.644

41

Mel Stottlemyre

1.197

1.368

1.638

42

Charlie Leibrandt

1.277

1.273

1.626

43

Dick Donovan

1.602

1.005

1.610

44

Hoyt Wilhelm

1.084

1.473

1.597

45

Willis Hudlin

1.220

1.305

1.592

46

John Burkett

1.403

1.128

1.584

47

Bob Rush

1.169

1.350

1.579

48

Kevin Tapani

1.618

0.973

1.575

49

Bob Purkey

1.461

1.077

1.573

50

Ted Lyons

1.475

1.063

1.568

51

Juan Marichal

1.665

0.941

1.566

52

Warren Spahn

1.362

1.150

1.566

53

Claude Osteen

1.290

1.213

1.564

54

Jim Kaat

1.535

1.018

1.562

55

Larry Jackson

1.330

1.174

1.562

56

Dizzy Trout

1.078

1.446

1.560

57

Vern Law

1.582

0.985

1.558

58

John Smoltz

1.240

1.257

1.558

59

Whitey Ford

1.153

1.329

1.532

60

Dolf Luque

1.108

1.373

1.520

61

Don Drysdale

1.339

1.129

1.511

62

Tom Glavine

1.106

1.363

1.507

63

Gaylord Perry

1.353

1.110

1.503

64

Waite Hoyt

1.307

1.144

1.495

65

Orel Hershiser

1.155

1.289

1.489

66

Ron Reed

1.404

1.060

1.489

67

Curt Davis

1.649

0.901

1.486

68

Ken Forsch

1.306

1.135

1.483

69

Danny MacFayden

1.103

1.339

1.478

70

Ed Lopat

1.621

0.911

1.476

71

Frank Lary

1.391

1.061

1.475

72

Wilbur Wood

1.350

1.081

1.460

73

Carl Hubbell

1.604

0.907

1.456

74

Don Newcombe

1.668

0.865

1.443

75

Tom Zachary

1.188

1.210

1.437

76

Greg Swindell

1.653

0.866

1.433

77

Curt Simmons

1.136

1.259

1.430

78

Thornton Lee

1.160

1.231

1.429

79

Jerry Reuss

1.185

1.204

1.427

80

Dock Ellis

1.147

1.243

1.426

81

George Uhle

1.201

1.186

1.425

82

Ron Guidry

1.370

1.040

1.424

83

Dennis Eckersley

1.634

0.870

1.422

84

Mike Caldwell

1.466

0.968

1.419

85

Kevin Appier

1.093

1.297

1.418

86

Bert Blyleven

1.372

1.033

1.417

87

Lindy McDaniel

1.210

1.169

1.414

88

Danny Jackson

0.915

1.519

1.390

89

Dazzy Vance

1.139

1.206

1.374

90

Paul Splittorff

1.185

1.156

1.371

91

Larry French

1.239

1.104

1.368

92

Dave Roberts

1.250

1.090

1.363

93

Dwight Gooden

1.081

1.257

1.360

94

Denny Galehouse

1.139

1.192

1.359

95

Rick Wise

1.377

0.985

1.356

96

Hal Newhouser

1.016

1.314

1.335

97

Harvey Haddix

1.368

0.975

1.334

98

Mike Hampton

0.969

1.373

1.331

99

Scott McGregor

1.495

0.889

1.330

100

Don Sutton

1.406

0.945

1.329

101

Fritz Ostermueller

1.017

1.305

1.326

102

Esteban Loaiza

1.316

1.000

1.316

103

Dave Goltz

1.140

1.154

1.316

104

John Candelaria

1.540

0.853

1.314

105

Milt Pappas

1.335

0.983

1.312

106

Gary Peters

1.066

1.229

1.310

107

Kenny Rogers

1.091

1.188

1.296

108

Terry Mulholland

1.412

0.918

1.296

109

Dave Stieb

1.022

1.267

1.294

110

Burt Hooton

1.207

1.073

1.294

111

Wes Ferrell

1.028

1.258

1.293

112

Mike Cuellar

1.216

1.063

1.293

113

Bob Gibson

1.000

1.292

1.292

114

Scott Erickson

1.079

1.197

1.292

115

Rick Honeycutt

1.201

1.070

1.285

116

Sid Hudson

1.142

1.125

1.285

117

Dennis Martinez

1.256

1.019

1.279

118

Bill Singer

0.981

1.303

1.279

119

Firpo Marberry

1.154

1.104

1.274

120

Tom Candiotti

1.140

1.116

1.273

121

Johnny Sain

1.385

0.917

1.270

122

Howie Pollet

1.110

1.144

1.269

123

Tom Seaver

1.237

1.026

1.269

124

Urban Shocker

1.626

0.781

1.269

125

Doug Drabek

1.300

0.976

1.268

126

John Denny

1.003

1.263

1.267

127

Mike Witt

1.082

1.169

1.266

128

Bill Lee

1.103

1.145

1.263

129

Rick Rhoden

1.173

1.076

1.261

130

Jamie Moyer

1.339

0.942

1.261

131

Burleigh Grimes

1.004

1.255

1.260

132

Dave McNally

1.202

1.048

1.260

133

Jim Palmer

1.100

1.142

1.256

134

Jerry Koosman

1.157

1.086

1.256

135

Jim Bunning

1.347

0.930

1.253

136

Randy Johnson

1.042

1.199

1.250

137

Aaron Sele

1.045

1.191

1.245

138

Dennis Leonard

1.277

0.970

1.239

139

Bob Forsch

1.216

1.014

1.233

140

Mike Boddicker

1.088

1.133

1.233

141

Bob Lemon

1.013

1.215

1.231

142

Ferguson Jenkins

1.593

0.771

1.228

143

Nelson Briles

1.335

0.919

1.227

144

Livan Hernandez

1.112

1.097

1.220

145

Dick Ellsworth

1.214

1.005

1.220

146

Larry Benton

1.059

1.147

1.214

147

Jim Perry

1.231

0.984

1.211

148

Mike Flanagan

1.128

1.060

1.195

149

Bill Gullickson

1.516

0.787

1.193

150

Danny Darwin

1.276

0.928

1.184

151

Freddie Fitzsimmons

1.229

0.962

1.183

152

Billy Pierce

1.165

1.014

1.182

153

Joe Dobson

1.116

1.058

1.181

154

Joaquin Andujar

1.056

1.116

1.178

155

Larry Dierker

1.164

1.011

1.177

156

Ned Garver

1.216

0.962

1.170

157

Bob Feller

0.949

1.232

1.170

158

Jaime Navarro

1.142

1.023

1.169

159

Joe Nuxhall

1.056

1.105

1.167

160

Red Ruffing

1.135

1.024

1.162

161

Doyle Alexander

1.245

0.932

1.161

162

Mike Scott

1.183

0.977

1.156

163

Frank Viola

1.208

0.956

1.155

164

Tom Gordon

0.837

1.373

1.150

165

Jeff Fassero

1.059

1.084

1.148

166

Camilo Pascual

1.046

1.098

1.148

167

Mike Morgan

1.092

1.048

1.144

168

Sad Sam Jones

1.063

1.075

1.143

169

Rudy May

1.006

1.131

1.138

170

Jack Billingham

1.092

1.040

1.136

171

David Cone

0.969

1.171

1.134

172

Early Wynn

1.071

1.056

1.132

173

Lefty Gomez

0.957

1.181

1.130

174

Al Leiter

0.799

1.414

1.130

175

Si Johnson

1.096

1.025

1.123

176

Larry Gura

1.231

0.912

1.122

177

Scott Sanderson

1.505

0.741

1.114

178

Bill Sherdel

1.326

0.839

1.112

179

Chuck Finley

0.939

1.181

1.108

180

Jack Sanford

0.963

1.149

1.107

181

Charlie Root

1.164

0.941

1.096

182

Mickey Lolich

1.206

0.908

1.095

183

Jesse Haines

1.135

0.964

1.094

184

Harry Gumbert

1.066

1.025

1.093

185

Bucky Walters

0.978

1.117

1.093

186

Woody Williams

1.202

0.909

1.092

187

Bob Welch

1.096

0.996

1.092

188

Ross Grimsley

1.312

0.832

1.091

189

Sonny Siebert

1.135

0.959

1.089

190

Bud Black

1.198

0.908

1.087

191

General Crowder

1.134

0.956

1.084

192

Joe Niekro

1.016

1.054

1.071

193

Bob Knepper

1.133

0.943

1.069

194

Vida Blue

1.025

1.042

1.068

195

Rip Sewell

1.047

1.017

1.065

196

Virgil Trucks

1.058

1.005

1.063

197

Eddie Rommel

1.298

0.819

1.063

198

Bruce Hurst

1.181

0.899

1.062

199

Lon Warneke

1.213

0.874

1.061

200

Frank Tanana

1.219

0.868

1.058

201

Andy Messersmith

1.009

1.040

1.050

202

Howard Ehmke

1.034

1.011

1.046

203

Marty Pattin

1.248

0.837

1.045

204

Sandy Koufax

0.956

1.093

1.045

205

Chris Short

0.952

1.093

1.040

206

Pat Dobson

1.170

0.888

1.040

207

Ken Holtzman

1.115

0.932

1.039

208

Tim Belcher

1.079

0.962

1.038

209

Steve Gromek

1.378

0.747

1.030

210

Steve Carlton

1.022

1.005

1.027

211

Syl Johnson

1.468

0.699

1.027

212

Fernando Valenzuela

0.924

1.111

1.026

213

Catfish Hunter

1.317

0.778

1.025

214

Bobo Newsom

0.896

1.141

1.023

215

Ed Whitson

1.146

0.891

1.021

216

Johnny Podres

1.092

0.934

1.019

217

Pat Hentgen

1.071

0.948

1.016

218

Allie Reynolds

0.848

1.195

1.014

219

Bob Smith

1.071

0.947

1.014

220

Guy Bush

1.000

1.007

1.007

221

Al Downing

0.878

1.141

1.002

222

Earl Whitehill

0.981

1.021

1.001

223

Murry Dickson

1.119

0.891

0.996

224

Phil Niekro

1.073

0.925

0.993

225

Jack Morris

1.018

0.974

0.992

226

Van Lingle Mungo

0.773

1.281

0.990

227

Darryl Kile

0.893

1.107

0.989

228

Luis Tiant

1.144

0.864

0.988

229

Ron Kline

1.028

0.959

0.986

230

Todd Stottlemyre

1.042

0.943

0.983

231

Tommy Bridges

0.987

0.994

0.981

232

Pedro Astacio

1.148

0.852

0.978

233

Jim Clancy

0.965

1.012

0.976

234

Nolan Ryan

0.694

1.383

0.960

235

Sam McDowell

0.696

1.378

0.959

236

Woodie Fryman

0.949

1.005

0.954

237

Mike Torrez

0.812

1.170

0.951

238

Dick Ruthven

0.991

0.958

0.949

239

Stan Bahnsen

1.003

0.937

0.940

240

Don Cardwell

1.077

0.871

0.938

241

Jim Lonborg

1.093

0.858

0.938

242

Dave Stewart

0.952

0.981

0.934

243

Pedro Ramos

1.260

0.737

0.928

244

Tommy Thomas

1.169

0.792

0.926

245

Mike Moore

0.924

1.000

0.924

246

Andy Benes

1.031

0.896

0.924

247

Mike Krukow

1.022

0.893

0.913

248

Mike McCormick

1.047

0.871

0.911

249

Tim Wakefield

0.969

0.940

0.910

250

Milt Gaston

0.961

0.947

0.910

251

Kevin Gross

0.924

0.983

0.908

252

Rick Sutcliffe

0.900

1.000

0.900

253

Johnny Vander Meer

0.696

1.280

0.891

254

Steve Trachsel

1.049

0.846

0.888

255

Bob Buhl

0.818

1.084

0.886

256

Hal Schumacher

0.899

0.986

0.886

257

Mark Langston

0.878

1.000

0.878

258

Bump Hadley

0.819

1.072

0.877

259

Ed Brandt

0.916

0.955

0.875

260

Joe Coleman

0.940

0.923

0.868

261

Rube Walberg

0.991

0.871

0.864

262

Ron Darling

0.968

0.887

0.859

263

Bill Dietrich

0.920

0.930

0.855

264

Mudcat Grant

1.054

0.805

0.849

265

Milt Wilcox

0.942

0.897

0.845

266

Floyd Bannister

1.028

0.814

0.837

267

Jim Slaton

0.973

0.859

0.836

268

Dan Petry

0.889

0.940

0.836

269

Ray Burris

1.041

0.801

0.834

270

Gary Bell

0.880

0.932

0.820

271

Juan Pizarro

0.832

0.985

0.820

272

Vern Kennedy

0.805

1.015

0.817

273

Ray Sadecki

0.922

0.883

0.814

274

Charlie Hough

0.835

0.948

0.791

275

Steve Renko

0.907

0.855

0.775

276

Earl Wilson

0.934

0.822

0.768

277

Bobby Witt

0.695

1.075

0.748