Presidents’ Day look at El Presidente |

Dennis Martinez / Icon SMI

On this holiday, I always think of Dennis Martinez, because he’s the obvious player to consider when thinking of baseball “presidents”.

It has been well-documented that Martinez struggled with alcohol in the early part of his career and apparently it significantly affected his performance. For the first half of his career (1976-1986), he had a 92 ERA+ over 1873 innings. From when he joined the Expos onward (1987-1998) he had a 122 ERA+ over 2126 innings.

Think how good he would have been if he’d been better during his prime years.

Here’s on quick way of showing how marked his career age split is.

Here are pitchers (1901-present) with the most innings pitched and an ERA+ between 90 and 95 in their first 10 years:

Rk	Player	IP	ERA+	From	To	Age
1	Bob Groom	2336.1	95	1909	1918	24-33
2	Tom Hughes	2074.1	94	1901	1909	22-30
3	Bob Harmon	2054.0	90	1909	1918	21-30
4	Ross Grimsley	1979.1	93	1971	1980	21-30
5	Sid Hudson	1953.2	93	1940	1952	25-37
6	Jack Fisher	1862.2	90	1959	1968	20-29
7	Jaime Navarro	1862.1	94	1989	1998	22-31
8	Walt Terrell	1850.0	95	1982	1991	24-33
9	Jack Billingham	1840.0	93	1968	1977	25-34
10	Jeff Weaver	1793.2	94	1999	2009	22-32
11	Kevin Gross	1789.2	95	1983	1992	22-31
12	Ray Sadecki	1777.2	95	1960	1969	19-28
13	Ed Willett	1773.1	95	1906	1915	22-31
14	Dennis Martinez	1768.1	93	1976	1985	21-30
15	Woodie Fryman	1715.2	94	1966	1975	26-35
16	Dick Ruthven	1701.1	95	1973	1982	22-31
17	Bobby Witt	1700.2	92	1986	1995	22-31
18	Alex Kellner	1696.2	93	1948	1957	23-32
19	Bill Duggleby	1687.1	95	1901	1907	27-33
20	Jack Scott	1672.2	93	1916	1927	24-35

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 2/20/2012.

El Presidente is #14 on a list of decent pitchers. Most of these guys are pretty well known and had a least a few high quality seasons as a starting pitcher, but it’s certainly not a list of really good players.

Now, only 22 non-active pitchers have had an ERA+ between 120 and 125 over their final 10 years:

Rk	Player	IP	ERA+	From	To	Age	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	W	L	W-L%	SV	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA	HR	BF	IBB	HBP	BK	WP	Tm
1	Hippo Vaughn	2360.1	123	1912	1921	24-33	332	288	186	36	38	157	116	.575	4	2112	870	637	701	1233	2.43	36	9728		68	6	52	TOT-CHC
2	Urban Shocker	2359.2	125	1919	1928	28-37	360	286	182	27	58	169	104	.619	22	2449	1021	860	539	839	3.28	120	9870		30	2	12	SLB-NYY
3	Dean Chance	2129.0	120	1962	1971	21-30	401	290	83	33	60	128	113	.531	23	1831	817	683	734	1523	2.89	122	8818	74	64	9	69	LAA-CAL-MIN-TOT-DET
4	Carl Hubbell	2116.0	124	1934	1943	31-40	318	257	151	17	47	153	90	.630	19	2081	830	726	425	969	3.09	152	8760		22	0	35	NYG
5	Jim Palmer	2081.1	124	1975	1984	29-38	290	278	113	27	6	139	83	.626	2	1819	768	689	622	1035	2.98	170	8461	14	23	4	32	BAL
6	Pete Alexander	2073.2	124	1921	1930	34-43	288	253	162	13	24	138	94	.595	11	2233	910	761	286	486	3.30	107	8555		14	0	15	CHC-TOT-STL-PHI
7	Eddie Lopat	2030.0	122	1946	1955	28-37	287	269	134	25	10	145	89	.620	2	2021	811	702	535	710	3.11	159	8426	5	35	5	11	CHW-NYY-TOT
8	Sam Leever	2016.0	122	1901	1910	29-38	302	228	179	32	61	157	64	.710	10	1834	721	518	412	627	2.31	20	8016		68	3	28	PIT
9	Jim Scott	1892.0	121	1909	1917	21-29	317	226	123	26	63	107	114	.484	9	1624	686	483	609	945	2.30	21	7487		53	3	32	CHW
10	Bucky Walters	1872.1	121	1940	1950	31-41	247	238	153	28	6	122	90	.575	3	1729	728	618	633	677	2.97	91	7797		24	3	29	CIN-BSN
11	Dizzy Trout	1841.2	123	1944	1957	29-42	339	213	114	21	92	117	105	.527	23	1786	767	648	644	830	3.17	75	7775	0	21	4	24	DET-TOT-BAL
12	Mort Cooper	1817.0	124	1939	1949	26-36	291	236	127	33	38	126	74	.630	13	1649	692	599	559	902	2.97	84	7546		27	7	28	STL-BSN-TOT-CHC
13	Eddie Rommel	1803.1	120	1923	1932	25-34	370	172	97	13	136	121	76	.614	23	1958	862	719	531	431	3.59	91	7751		23	2	22	PHA
14	Mel Parnell	1752.2	125	1947	1956	25-34	289	232	113	20	36	123	75	.621	10	1715	797	682	758	732	3.50	104	7548	3	28	3	41	BOS
15	Dennis Martinez	1746.2	121	1989	1998	34-43	298	248	41	16	13	108	77	.584	3	1624	731	649	459	1024	3.34	144	7227	38	68	10	22	MON-CLE-SEA-ATL
16	Frank Viola	1746.1	125	1987	1996	27-36	256	256	41	10	0	113	86	.568	0	1689	712	645	510	1158	3.32	147	7282	26	31	6	52	MIN-TOT-NYM-BOS-CIN-TOR
17	Ted Lyons	1711.1	125	1934	1946	33-45	214	205	160	12	7	110	86	.561	1	1844	823	687	399	514	3.61	131	7291		16	2	21	CHW
18	Joe Dobson	1675.0	120	1943	1954	26-37	282	222	93	17	39	109	79	.580	14	1569	722	634	617	767	3.41	109	7020		5	7	41	CHW-BOS
19	David Cone	1631.2	125	1993	2003	30-40	249	247	22	7	0	110	75	.595	0	1445	733	678	677	1441	3.74	166	6929	17	74	8	81	KCR-TOT-NYY-BOS-NYM
20	Tiny Bonham	1551.0	120	1940	1949	26-35	231	193	110	21	27	103	72	.589	9	1501	580	528	287	478	3.06	117	6284		9	2	4	NYY-PIT
21	Orval Overall	1535.1	123	1905	1913	24-32	218	182	133	30	30	108	71	.603	12	1232	520	381	551	935	2.23	16	6145		45	0	57	CIN-TOT-CHC
22	Dutch Leonard	1532.2	124	1944	1953	35-44	354	172	81	14	119	96	88	.522	29	1527	642	512	365	620	3.01	71	6380		30	3	39	WSH-PHI-CHC

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 2/20/2012.

There’s Martinez again–truly amazing for one guy to make both lists. And right away we see that this is a list of much, much better pitchers–most were All-Stars and a few are Hall of Famers.

Alcoholism and other addictions are serious problems. It’s wonderful that Dennis Martinez was able to overcome his addiction, but he’s the exception. It is our duty to help our fellow men and women who struggle with such issues.

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Dr. Doom

12 years ago

Hey – this guy pitched from the 1970s into the 1990s. He has a cool nickname. He won about 250 games, lost about 190. His ERA+ is just a bit better than average. Let’s build a narrative that says he’s a “winner,” he “pitched to the score” and then let’s try to get him in the Hall of Fame! That’d be fun, right? Because nobody would take that seriously. Wait what? There are people doing that for someone else who fits those criteria? Oh. My bad.

Chris A.

Reply to Dr. Doom

Well played!

Nice post Andy. I would actually divide Martinez’ career into three phases. He pitched decently from 78-81, twice having an OPS+ of 100, and twice 110. Those years were bookended by a 94 in ’77 and a ’96 in 82. While not as good as his later years, that was a pretty nice 6 year stretch. The period from 83-86 though was quite brutal as he posted ERA+ of 72, 77, 78, and 80.

BTW, when he was in Baltimore he was teammates with Tippy Martinez which is???? Funny??? Ironic???? Probably shouldn’t be mentioned???

Doug

Martinez ranks 8th since 1901 in ERA+ in the 12th through 21st (or fewer) seasons of a career (min. 1500 IP during that period). The top 10.

1. Randy Johnson, 146
2. Cy Young, 141
3. Roger Clemens, 134
4. Greg Maddux, 133
4. Curt Schilling, 133
6. Walter Johnson, 131
7. Red Ruffing, 130
8. Dennis Martinez, 128
9. Pete Alexander, 126
10. Ted Lyons, 125
10. Steve Carlton, 125

Reply to Doug

Martinez still makes the top 10 if the criterion is changed to age 32-41.

1. Randy Johnson, 162
2. Cy Young, 147
3. Lefty Grove, 144
4. Kevin Brown, 138
5. Roger Clemens, 134
6. Curt Schilling, 133
6. Pete Alexander, 133
8. Dazzy Vance, 132
9. Bob Gibson, 131
10. Dennis Martinez, 128

Tmckelv

Happy Presidents’ Day! Here is the “The” list presidents: 1. Ron Washington 2. Mike Adams 3. Shoeless Joe Jackson (Jefferson) 4. Madison Bumgarner 5. Craig Monroe 6. Emil Brown (John “Quincy” Adams) 7. Reggie Jackson 8. Jermaine Van Buren 9. Matt Harrison 10. Jon Lester (Tyler) 11. Keith Foulke (Polk) 12. David Price (Taylor) 13. Fillmore [minors] 14. Billy Pierce 15. Brian Buchanan 16. Brad Lincoln 17. Randy Johnson 18. Cecil Fielder (Grant) 19. Von Hayes 20. Harry Lumley (Garfield) 21. Don Mattingly (Arthur) 22. Grover Cleveland Alexander 23. Benji Molina (“Benjamin” Harrison) 24. Grover Cleveland Alexander (“Grover” Cleveland) 25.… Read more »

Reply to Tmckelv

Other possibilities. George Washington (1935-36) John Bertram (Bert) Adams (1910-19) James Madison Pearce (1949-55) Lawrence James Monroe (1976) Emil Quincy Brown (1997-2009) Andrew Jackson Reese (1927-30) Martin Van Buren Walker (1928) William Henry Harrison Geer (1874-85) Johnnie Tyler (1934-35) John Knox (1972-75) Zachary Taylor (1874) Millard (Dixie) Howell (1940-58) Monty Franklin Pierce Stratton (1934-38) Brian James Buchanan (2000-04) Abraham Lincoln Bailey (1919-21) Kelly Andrew Johnson (2005-11) Ulysses Simpson Grant Stoner (1922-31) Frankie (Blimp) Hayes (1933-47) James Garfield Durham (1902) Chester Arthur Crist (1906) Grover Cleveland Lowdermilk (1909-20) Benjamin Harrison Taylor (HOF, Negro League) William McKinley (Max) Venable (1979-91) Jackie Roosevelt… Read more »

Dr. Remulak

Otis Nixon. Though not a crook, he was caught stealing 186 times. Resigned, er, retired in 1999.

Lawrence Azrin

Reply to Dr. Remulak

There _was_ a Richard Nixon in the (Class D) minors from 1924-25.

Richard Chester

Cal McLish also makes the list of Roman rulers.

Editor

John Autin

One more for the elected president who was never inaugurated:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gorege01.shtml

Author

Andy

I’m waiting to make a post where Dr. Doom or Ed isn’t the first commenter. (Not that I don’t appreciate your loyalty as readers and contributions as commenters!)

Reply to Andy

To be fair, I follow the RSS feed for this site, plus I’m in grad school. I’m at my computer most of the day, and so I see stuff really quickly. Plus, I’m ALWAYS looking for an excuse not to be doing my homework, so I come over and visit just to check on the comments probably 25 times per day. Actually, when I read that sentence, it makes my life sound sad. But frankly, is there a better distraction than baseball?

And I’m unemployed (partially by choice) and an internet addict!

If the infamous ’48 Chicago Tribune headline had been right, our list would gain a CYA winner and a should-be(?) HOFer.

I’d call that a good return on these fellows.

I suppose I’ve waited in vain for this ex-D-leaguer … never going to be a candidate for President or Commissioner.

Funny — the only Adlai ever to play MLB also went 0-2.

(Of course, one was a governor, the other a Senator.)

The only 3-time runner-up had three namesakes in the big leagues, including a HOFer.

Reply to John Autin

And then there was five-time loser Eugene Debs and Debs Garms.

slfranklin

Can you explain why Whitey Ford isn’t on the second list. I’m missing something.

Never mind. He was higher than 125, I suppose.

If you say it fast enough, it almost works:
Brock Sain Bama.

Better yet how about Barr Aker Bama.

Reply to Richard Chester

Swap in Acker for Aker and I’m sold!

Timmy Pea

First name Dennis, problem with booze, porn ‘stache, bad hair cut. Eck?