Game 7: Who's your starter- Maddux or Johnson?

Tomi · October 27, 2013 8:35AM

So it's game 7 of the World Series and you have 2 100% healthy pitchers to choose from. Randy Johnson or Greg Maddux. Who gets the start and why.

MrSnuffleupagus · October 27, 2013 8:55AM

Who's the home plate umpire?

Time4aGansett · October 27, 2013 8:58AM

<< Who's the home plate umpire? >>

With Maddux, I don't think it matters.

1985fan · October 27, 2013 9:01AM

Randy Johnson, and I don't think it's even close. Maddux had a great career, but he didn't have the pure stuff that Johnson did. He relied so much on painting the corners where Johnson would just overpower you.

otwcards · October 27, 2013 9:11AM

<< Randy Johnson, and I don't think it's even close. Maddux had a great career, but he didn't have the pure stuff that Johnson did. He relied so much on painting the corners where Johnson would just overpower you. >>

Amazing how quickly people forget that Maddux had an above average fastball and while he relied primarily upon location and pitching the corners, he was not adverse to going up the ladder with a 94 MPH fastball with some sick movement.

1985fan · October 27, 2013 9:20AM

<< 

<< Randy Johnson, and I don't think it's even close. Maddux had a great career, but he didn't have the pure stuff that Johnson did. He relied so much on painting the corners where Johnson would just overpower you. >>

Amazing how quickly people forget that Maddux had an above average fastball and while he relied primarily upon location and pitching the corners, he was not adverse to going up the ladder with a 94 MPH fastball with some sick movement. >>

I'm not forgetting it. But Randy Johnson's stuff was unbelievable. 100+ was readily available and was devastating, and that's not even talking about his slider aka Mr. Snappy.

Skin2 · October 27, 2013 9:25AM

<< 

<< Who's the home plate umpire? >>

With Maddux, I don't think it matters. >>

Ha, actually, I think it does matter with Maddux. Without the wide zone, he can be night and day.

That is why I like Johnson, he has the results, and with the stuff and ability to get the ball past hitters, he is more umpire resistant and defensive resistant.

MiniDuff · October 27, 2013 9:31AM

John Kruk in the AS game...

Bostockfan10 · October 27, 2013 10:19AM

I will go with Livan Hernandez as long as Eric Gregg is the home plate umpire. I was a Marlins fan in 1997 and I had a hard time watching that game.

TheMick6 · October 27, 2013 10:40AM

I'd go with Johnson, for whatever reason Maddux wasn't the same in the postseason.

mygotta · October 27, 2013 10:44AM

I would go with Maddux for his precision.

jmmiller777 · October 27, 2013 10:53AM

I'll go with Maddux as well

MrSnuffleupagus · October 27, 2013 11:04AM

I was looking up the WS records of Maddux and Johnson and came across this. This guy had a pretty good World Series record! I love his debut performance: 14 inning complete game! Not really a strike out king though.

Carew29 · October 27, 2013 11:24AM

<< I would go with Maddux for his precision. >>

Uh...who killed not just one bird but two??? If we are talking precision...Johnson hit a moving target twice.

bobbybakeriv · October 27, 2013 11:56AM

Johnson. Second best LHP ever behind Koufax.

Mickey71 · October 27, 2013 12:34PM

Johnson

JoeBanzai · October 27, 2013 4:11PM

Johnson

VitoCo1972 · October 27, 2013 4:17PM

<< Johnson. Second best LHP ever behind Koufax. >>

That's a tough thing to say. I always have a hard time putting Koufax up against guys that played 10+ more seasons than him. Would you rather have Terrell Davis' career or Emmitt Smith's? Clearly one of the most dominant 6 year stretches of all time but outside of those years he's 36-40 4.10 ERA, 1.42 WHIP 5.3 BB/GM.

If you're having best lefthander ever conversations, I'd probably take Carl Hubbell's career before Sandy's and Randy Johnson's for sure. One game or on season, I'm taking Koufax.

rtimmer · October 27, 2013 6:51PM

Definitely Maddux. I still don't understand how the braves only own World Series though.

MintMoondog · October 27, 2013 8:04PM

If it is me: Gotta go with Johnson for 1 game.

If it was Jim Leyland it doesn't matter because he is waiting to go to his bullpen Valverde, Veras, or Benoit - KAPOW!

Yankees001 · October 27, 2013 8:31PM

<< Johnson. Second best LHP ever behind Koufax. >>

Koufax is not even close. He had a couple good seasons, and should not be in the HOF. Many players have had a few good seasons, and they are not in. Koufax is over rated. If he had a career it could have been different, but it was too short.

I'd go with Johnson. But, you could go with Maddux or Johnson and probably win the game.

Dave

TheMick6 · October 27, 2013 10:23PM

I'd like to know how Koufax was over rated? The man won 26 games with arthritis in his arm for HOF's sake!

wrestlingcardking · October 27, 2013 10:30PM

Schilling, Smoltz, Carpenter.....out of those two, Johnson..........

miwlvrn · October 27, 2013 11:01PM

Might not be popular here, but in the playoffs, I'd start Verlander over Maddux

aconte · October 28, 2013 12:14AM

Out of those two choices, I think it is an easy one. I'd go with Johnson.

The Phillies owned Maddux and he was less than a five hundred pitcher. The Phillies took care of him in a key game in 1993. Granted his run support wasn't great either, he just did not get it
done when it counted.

aconte

UnwoundSage · October 28, 2013 3:42AM

Should probably check postseason stats before jumping on the Big Unit

Johnson was on 8 different playoff teams. 5 out of 8 of those seasons, he was hammered in the playoffs. Only reason he is remembered as a dominant postseason pitcher is because of one season (2001) where he was almost unhittable for entire playoffs.

Maddux had 6 postseasons with an ERA under 3

aconte · October 28, 2013 4:16AM

<< 

Maddux had 6 postseasons with an ERA under 3 >>

11-14 was Maddux's record. Both had losing ones.

And I do not disagree with you on Johnson. I just remember a couple playoff years he was awesome. Meanwhile, as a Phillies fan I remember Atlanta winning like a dozen divisions in a row with
all this great pitching and only one World Series ring to show for. Plus my memory is fresh from watching an old replay game of the 1993 Playoffs where the Phils took care of Maddux and the Braves.

Out of those two pictures I'd take Johnson for the two great years he had in the post season on Arizona.

aconte

Tabe · October 28, 2013 8:15AM

<< I'd like to know how Koufax was over rated? The man won 26 games with arthritis in his arm for HOF's sake! >>

What does having arthritis have to do with whether he's overrated or not?

I tend to agree that Koufax is overrated. He had a REALLY short stretch as a good pitcher (relatively speaking). Yeah, his good stretch was maybe the best 5-6 years stretch by a lefty ever but it was still just 5-6 years. He's in the top 5 all-time among lefties, just don't think he's #1.

Tabe · October 28, 2013 8:18AM

To answer the question:

Randy Johnson

Maddux was good in the World Series (2.09 ERA in 38 innings) but mediocre in the NLDS and NLCS.

Johnson was lights out in the Series (1.04 ERA).

Randy's margin for error, because of his ridiculous stuff, was a lot bigger than Maddux's. Also, because it's game 7, we're talking about guys that the teams have hit off of at least once or twice before in that series. In that case, the advantage goes to the guy who throws harder (Randy). Finally, I am just a big believer that "stuff" wins in the postseason. You've gotta have guys that throw hard - really hard - to win. And Randy Johnson does just that.