CC turns 32 today, with 186 wins already

[Judge Jude]

CC Sabathia turns 32 today - and his 186 Ws most wins by a pitcher his age since Catfish Hunter in 1978.

Catfish had an amazing 210 wins as of his 32nd birthday - then went 12-6 in 118 IP in 1978, then 2-9 with a 5.31 ERA in 1979 and was done.

Catfish went 111-49 from 1971-75, winning 20+ each year in an avg of 291 IP per yr (the A's also won the WS in 1972-74, with the flamboyant Hunter and his moustache at the top of the rotation. It amuses me that young fans now don't get how he made the Hall of FAME).

Then he turned 30, and was practically done. He bulldogged a 17-15 season with a 98 ERA+, then went 6-9 with an 84 ERA+ before turning 32 (See above).

Don't necessarily see a parallel for CC; just found it interesting.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last eight pitchers with at least 186 wins before turning 32 are all in the Hall of Fame: Bob Feller (208, 1950), Hal Newhouser (200, 1953), Robin Roberts (206, 1958), Don Drysdale (202, 1968), Juan Marichal (191, 1969), Ferguson Jenkins (191, 1975), Jim Palmer (194, 1977) and Hunter.

CC a bit behind them in Ws, but several didn't last much longer...

[Judge Jude]

Newhouser and probably Drysdale questionable, but the rest?

[virgonomic]

Those last 8 are like a who's who of questionable HoF inductees.

Regardless, I think CC has a real shot at chasing 300. He appears to be on a Hall of Fame track himself at this juncture.

He needs to pitch an this level for another 6 or 7 years. Will his body hold up?

[Fresno Bob]

He needs to pitch an this level for another 6 or 7 years. Will his body hold up?

He has to AVERAGE just under 17 wins a season for the next 7 years, i say no frakking way.....

[Judge Jude]

resubmitting:
"Catfish went 111-49 from 1971-75, winning 20+ all five years with an avg of 291 IP per yr (the A's also won the WS in 1972-74, with the flamboyant Hunter and his moustache at the top of the rotation. It amuses me that young fans now don't get how he made the Hall of FAME)."

I guess you had to be there?

btw, he never got a single top-15 vote from anyone for Hall of Merit, which is a different animal entirely.