I’ve lived a life thats full. I’ve traveled each and every highway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way. -Frank Sinatra
Public Service Announcement: Ok here we go! Here goes Greg Maddux. Here goes one of the best pitchers we’ve ever seen. One of the best pitchers there’s ever been. Better than Andy Sonnanstine.
Control. That was Greg Maddux’ game. Like my main men the Beastie Boys always say, “Who is the man making diamonds out of coal? The man pushing buttons on the remote control? Remote, I want control. Remote, I want control.” That man is Greg Maddux. So much control Joe Morgan once said, “Greg Maddux could put a baseball through a life saver.” Now that my friends, is control.
Enough control to have had ten seasons in which he both won at least fifteen games and recorded an ERA below 3.00. Yowza! That ties Tom Seaver for the most such seasons for any major-league pitcher in the live-ball era.
Enough control for Maddux to rank among his league’s top ten in victories in each of seventeen consecutive seasons from 1988 to 2004. That ties the longest such streak in MLB history. Ties it with a guy like Warren Spahn. Puts him ahead of guys like Cy Young (14). Ahead of guys like Christy Mathewson (12) and Early Wynn (11). Guys like that there. Hall of Fame guys. Fabled guys. Mythical guys. Legendary guys.
Just one more. One more so you know the score. In his last 512 career starts, Greg Maddux walked 512 men. Just one man a game for 512 games. Are you kidding me? Maddux may never have led the league in strikeouts, but by golly, he never walked anybody either.
In an era that saw steroid scandals soil the reputations of Roger Clemens and many others, Greg Maddux rose above. Greg Maddux didn’t need that junk. Bobby Cox: “With Greg, you really felt that you were going to win every time he toed the rubber.” And isn’t that what it’s all about?
Public Spectacle:
Peace out homies. Six two and Even!
Need More? Atlanta Braves, Greg Maddux, MLB
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