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tcochran wrote:Interesting. I thought Koufax would go in the top 4 and I might have a shot at Banks at #6.
It is only by the 'luck' of how the season ranges fell. He really should be a two Lasso season player. He was a bonus baby (old rules) that the Dodgers had to keep on the major league roster from day 1 (18 years old). He never played in the minors and he really needed to be down. He retired when he was 30 and having a Cy Young season in '67. His arm / shoulder couldn't handle the stress of his curve and he couldn't handle the prospect of not being the 'best' in the league. He was in a ton of pain and after an injury prone '66, he retired out of pure fear of failure.
Ryan was a totally different personality and pitched effectively into his 40s. Ryan's and Koufax' strike out numbers very similar at 30 years old. If Koufax had pitched as long as Ryan, his last year would have been '82. His physical and mental health weren't up to the task.
Koufax is not unusual back then. Mental health was not understood like it is today. And the anti-trust exemption gave the league and ownership the right to treat their talent like disposable cattle. How does a modern business come up with things like the reserve clause and 'bonus baby' leading to players who need to develop being treated like prized property? And if a player tries to defend themselves, they get colluded against and blackballed. Bauer is a creep, but another example of how MLB is in the dark ages. Bauer isn't dumb enough for their BS and he's got a huge lawsuit brewing once they've collected enough evidence. It really isn't any better today - and a stark contrast to the NBA.
I really don't have anything against Koufax. I feel sorry for his having that state of mind at 30 years old and on top of the world. Living in fear to the point of being crippled by it. It took him 20+ years just to admit it.
This is also another exhibit of how unique Bob Feller really was. The command of a seasoned professional while still a high school junior. Check out this line score from his seventh appearance and 1st start at 17 yrs old, a complete game.
9 IP 6 H 1 ER 4 BB 15 SO
First in line to volunteer for WWII the morning after congress declared war. He knew how to make adjustments when his arm wasn't the same anymore.