San Francisco Giants: Bonds Not Deserving Of Franchise Four Nod
By Kevin Saito
Apr 17, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of baseballs prior to a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Oakland Athletics at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Juan Marichal (1960-1973)
Unfortunately, more attention seems to be paid to Marichal’s unusual delivery off the mound than his actual accomplishments. To be fair, the Dominican Dandy, with his enormous leg kick, did have an incredibly unusual delivery that you can’t help but comment on. But still, his accomplishments on the field should merit plenty of discussion.
For a ten year period during the 1960’s, Marichal was one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers. In six of those seasons, he won more than 20 games, winning 25 in 1963, 25 in 1966, and 26 in 1968. In the other four seasons of that decade, he won 6 in his rookie year, 13 in 1961, 18 in 1962, and 14 in 1967.
Over the span of a decade, Marichal won more games than any other pitcher in the Majors. Unfortunately for him, he did it in a time when a couple of guys named Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson were tearing it up and garnering the majority of the press.
But that doesn’t change the fact that in his 14 seasons with the Giants, Marichal posted a 2.83 ERA, amassed more than 2,200 strikeouts, won 238 games while compiling a .630 winning percentage, had 244 complete games, and notched 52 shutouts.
Marichal was dominant, there is no two ways about it. And if Marichal’s accomplishments don’t merit a Franchise Four nomination, there’s no telling what does.