Initially, there seemed to be little need for ponderous deliberation.
The best two pitchers of my lifetime? Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax.
It had been stated so reflexively over the years, the period of mulling had long been forgotten.
Then Roger Clemens stopped into town last week and his presence brought pause.
What if my opinion about Gibby as the greatest right-hander and Sandy as the all-time best lefty was born from the naiveté of youth, or a stubbornness flaw commonly associated with us baby boomers?
Begrudgingly, perhaps it is worth considering whether the greatest pitchers of my lifetime are Clemens and Randy Johnson.
“How many years did Sandy Koufax pitch?” Clemens said last week at Coors Field.
This was a setup. Passing all those greats on the all-time victory and strikeout lists in recent years obviously had enhanced Clemens’ knowledge of baseball history. Koufax had six good years, four great ones.
“Out of my first 14, I guarantee I could have thrown my best six up against his,” the “Rocket” said.
It’s funny how us contemporaries treat baseball. Sports fans agree Michael Jordan was a better basketball player than Bob Pettit. The famed Green Bay Packers’ sweep of the 1960s looks like a prehistoric plod when imagined next to the high-speed, full-blitzing packages employed by today’s NFL defenses.
But dare mention Larry Walker was a better right fielder than Roberto Clemente, or Andruw Jones makes six plays a year better than Willie Mays’ “Catch” in 1954, and people think you’re a dunderhead. Or listen to too much talk radio.
The memory says Gibson threw blazing fastballs while falling spectacularly off the mound. Koufax was almost mythical. Yes, he only had the four great years, but those were Roy Hobbs years – 25-5, 1.88 ERA; 19-5, 1.74 ERA; 26-8, 2.04 ERA, 382 strikeouts; 27-9, 1.73 ERA.
Beat that, Randy Johnson. What’s that? Oh. Johnson has five Cy Youngs. Five dominant seasons beats four every time. He’s had seasons of 18-2, 20-4, 24-5 and 21-6. He has more strikeouts than any lefty in history and is still going.
Indeed, it can be argued Johnson was a better left-handed pitcher in my lifetime than Koufax.
Apparently, a similar debate exists on the right side.
When Clemens put off retirement two years ago, there was concern for his legacy. Why come back and pitch in the ballplayers’ league at 41 when he could go out on top?
A funny thing about Clemens’ legacy, though. These past two seasons have brought him greater reverence. He won the Cy Young at 42 and he has a 1.50 ERA as he approaches 43.
“It has nothing to do with my legacy, it has to do with my commitment,” Clemens said. “I mean, if I listened to people try to explain my legacy, I would have been done a long time ago.”
He has 334 wins and 4,421 strikeouts. And is still going. Gibson had 251 wins and 3,117 strikeouts.
So does that mean Clemens and Johnson are the best pitchers in my lifetime? Sorry, but no. After studious calculation, I’m more confident than ever.
Gibson and Koufax were the best because of their performances in the World Series. Gibson won the World Series for St. Louis in 1964 and 1967 and was gallant in 1968.
Koufax pitched two complete games to beat the Yankees in 1963 and beat the Twins 2-0 on two days’ rest, in Game 7 of the 1965 World Series.
Johnson has a seven-game losing streak in the playoffs’ first round, and Clemens is a mediocre 7-7 through the first two rounds.
Gibson and Koufax are the best in my lifetime. Juan Marichal was the next best.
Clemens and Johnson are the best of my kids’ lifetime.
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
