This was Koufax's fourth straight ERA title; I think his record
speaks for itself. His 382 strikeouts were a new record, of course,
breaking Rube Waddell's old record of 349. Eight years later, Nolan
Ryan would set a new mark with 383. This was Koufax's greatest year
as a power pitcher; not only was he impossible to hit, he had
outstanding control as well, and great endurance.
And yet, you could still make a case for Juan Marichal as the
best pitcher in the league. His ERA is only a tiny bit higher than
Koufax's; he had better control, and threw more shutouts. And
Koufax had the advantage of pitching in a great pitcher's park,
Dodger Stadium. But I'll stick with Sandy; I don't think it
mattered too much what park he pitched in (and Marichal pitched in
Candlestick Park, hardly a hitter's haven).
Marichal was a wonderful pitcher, one of the best ever. He
never won a Cy Young Award, mostly because he pitched in the same
league as Koufax, and in an era when only one award was handed out
for both leagues. He doesn't get mentioned a lot today, but his
record stands on its own. He was just as good as Koufax and Gibson,
and certainly better than Drysdale or Bunning.
Vernon Law also had a spectacular ERA, but without as many
innings as the other big pitchers, so I'll complete the list with
a couple more power pitchers. Jim Maloney had his best season, and
was harder to hit than anyone except Koufax. Some people thought
Maloney was the hardest thrower in the league, though he didn't
have Koufax's control. Maloney remained a fine pitcher till the end
of the decade, though injuries gradually reduced his effectiveness.
There isn't too much difference between the records of
Drysdale and Jim Bunning. I'll give the edge to Bunning, who set a
career high in strikeouts. Tony Cloninger also had a big year for
the Braves, though he never really pitched well in any other year
of his career.
