In my lifetime, MLB pitchers I've seen pitch! How about you?

[LemonEars]

Saw Nolan Ryan pitch and was at Bob Gibson's no hitter at 3-Rivers Stadium.

My most unforgettable baseball experience was seeing Koufax pitch at Shea Stadium. I will never forget seeing him pitch. His fastball and curve were beyond belief. Totally unhittable until he tired.

 

[Mike W 31]

Now, my list is honest-to-goodness factual.

I may not remember all the greats (to me anyway) I've seen pitch in person with this posting, but I will add those later that escape me now.

In no particular order:

1. Nolan Ryan
2. Tom Seaver
3. Bob Gibson.
4. JR Richards
5. Don Drysdale
6. Sandy Koufax
7. Juan Marichal
8. Greg Maddox
9. Steve Avery
10. Gary Gentry
11. Steve Carlton
12. Phil Neikro
13. John Candelaria
14. Jim Bibby
15. Don Gullet
15. Tug McGraw
16. Ferguson Jenkins
17. The BIG Unit - (name escapes me) Randy ? Johnson is it??
18. Don Sutton
19. John Tudor
20. Bruce Kison (The Kid)
21. Bert Blyleven
22. Bob Veal


I'll stop/pause here for now and do some more reflecting.

Maybe some of you will post names of pitchers that I did see but did not list here initially.

Take it away folks!

when pitchers were pitchers and not throwers. The Seavers, Gibsons, Koufaxs, Drysdales, Marichals of the day could throw as hard in the 9th inning on pitch number 140 as they did on pitch 3 in the first inning.

 

[Connorpozlee]

I saw Aroldis Chapman pitch in Cincinnati once and everything about him was different than any other pitcher I ever saw. It sounded different when the ball popped the catcher’s mitt. His fastball was noticeably faster than anybody else I ever saw from the stands.

 

[wbcincy]

I saw Kip Wells a lot.

 

[bdgan]

I remember when starters pitched every 4 days instead of every 5 days. League leaders like McClain, Perry, and Hunter had 30 complete games. Today the league leaders might have 2 complete games.

Are there any great pitchers today?

 

[bdgan]

I saw Aroldis Chapman pitch in Cincinnati once and everything about him was different than any other pitcher I ever saw. It sounded different when the ball popped the catcher’s mitt. His fastball was noticeably faster than anybody else I ever saw from the stands.

How many wild pitches and walks? I can't remember a more out of control pitcher but I agree he's hard to hit if he can throw strikes.

 

[Connorpozlee]

How many wild pitches and walks? I can't remember a more out of control pitcher but I agree he's hard to hit if he can throw strikes.

Chapman? None. He was locked while he was with the Reds, for the most part. I haven’t really followed him much since he left

 

[bdgan]

Chapman? None. He was locked while he was with the Reds, for the most part. I haven’t really followed him much since he left

28 walks in 39 innings so far this year. 4 wild pitches and 2 hit batters. He doesn't give up many hits but his ERA is 3.7 because of his control issues. Even the hits he gives up are often due to falling behind in the count.

 

[1995PSUgrad]

One name that I haven't seen was Jim Abbott. Saw him opening day for the Yankees pitching against David Cone, who a that time pitched for the Royals. Jim Abbott isn't one of the best ever, but it's amazing that he could do what he did.

 

[PhilaNit]

Glov,

I can't believe you left Steve Blass, Bob Moose and Ken Brett off the list.

Oh the good ole days

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

In addition, Ralph Terry

Thank you! Pedro... Holy hell that took too long.

He put up Koufax-like numbers in the middle of the highest scoring era in the history of the sport.

 

[TheGLOV]

Glov,

I can't believe you left Steve Blass, Bob Moose and Ken Brett off the list.

Oh the good ole days

Yes, I was at games where Steve, Bob and Ken(ner) pitched.

I am going over more listings now.

Saw Goose Gossage throw as well.

 

[Cosmos]

Now, my list is honest-to-goodness factual.

I may not remember all the greats (to me anyway) I've seen pitch in person with this posting, but I will add those later that escape me now.

In no particular order:

1. Nolan Ryan
2. Tom Seaver
3. Bob Gibson.
4. JR Richards
5. Don Drysdale
6. Sandy Koufax
7. Juan Marichal
8. Greg Maddox
9. Steve Avery
10. Gary Gentry
11. Steve Carlton
12. Phil Neikro
13. John Candelaria
14. Jim Bibby
15. Don Gullet
15. Tug McGraw
16. Ferguson Jenkins
17. The BIG Unit - (name escapes me) Randy ? Johnson is it??
18. Don Sutton
19. John Tudor
20. Bruce Kison (The Kid)
21. Bert Blyleven
22. Bob Veal


I'll stop/pause here for now and do some more reflecting.

Maybe some of you will post names of pitchers that I did see but did not list here initially.

Take it away folks!

Whitey Ford vs Sudden Sam McDowell. Cleveland Municipal Stadium late 1960s. Sorry I can't remember the details. I was in Little League.

 

[BriarwoodBash]

Now, my list is honest-to-goodness factual.

I may not remember all the greats (to me anyway) I've seen pitch in person with this posting, but I will add those later that escape me now.

In no particular order:

1. Nolan Ryan
2. Tom Seaver
3. Bob Gibson.
4. JR Richards
5. Don Drysdale
6. Sandy Koufax
7. Juan Marichal
8. Greg Maddox
9. Steve Avery
10. Gary Gentry
11. Steve Carlton
12. Phil Neikro
13. John Candelaria
14. Jim Bibby
15. Don Gullet
15. Tug McGraw
16. Ferguson Jenkins
17. The BIG Unit - (name escapes me) Randy ? Johnson is it??
18. Don Sutton
19. John Tudor
20. Bruce Kison (The Kid)
21. Bert Blyleven
22. Bob Veal


I'll stop/pause here for now and do some more reflecting.

Maybe some of you will post names of pitchers that I did see but did not list here initially.

Take it away folks!

Without going fo a whole list due to time(at work), one that stands out was a game I attended at Wrigley in 1988, Phil’s/Cubs. As Phil’s fans, didn’t pay much attention to their rookie starter. I scored the game and saved the program. Years later, I was showing it to my son when I realized that rookie was named Greg Maddux.

 

[TomPSU32]

Koufax Drysdale Marichal Perry Gibson Spahn Seaver Law Friend Blass Veale Maloney Jenkins Holtzman Gullet Nolan CandyMan Burdette Carlton Sam Mcdowell ( Pgh. Central Catholic grad) Sutton Sanford Ford Bunning 50's 60's 70's great era of pitchers and complete ballplayers

 

[RickinDayton]

Some Phillies greats and one great Athletics old timer.

Robin Roberts
Curt Simmons
Jack Sanford
Art Mahaffey
Tug McGraw
Jim Bunning
Steve Carlton
Bobby Schantz

My Uncle used to go the Athletics games while growing up in Philly. He said when the Yankees were in town, Babe Ruth would come into the stands after the game and talk to folks. Guarantee that rarely happens today.

 

[RickinDayton]

Glov,

I can't believe you left Steve Blass, Bob Moose and Ken Brett off the list.

Oh the good ole days

Was anyone @ that Phillies game in 1960s when Cookie Rojas played almost every position in one game? I remember reading about that game the next day in the newspaper but was not in attendance.

 

[androcles]

Really too many to list…I worked at Forbes Field during HS years 1946-49 and saw not only NL
pitchers like Rip Sewell and Ewell Blackwell. but many Negto League pitchers who played against the Homestead Grays - most notably Satchel Paige (Kc Monarchs)…

 

[SandyM]

Warren Spahn, Elroy Face.

I saw Warren Spahn lose both games of a double header in Pittsburgh. He started the first game and was used in relief the second game.

 

[Richmond_Nittany]

I saw Candelaria's MLB debut. The Giants had his signs.

I've seen Seaver, Rick Rueshel (AND Bruce Sutter), Ed No-Hit Halicki, Randy Johnson.

Just in Miami I got to see Dontrelle Willis, Kevin Brown, Jose Fernandez, Josh Beckett, Josh Johnson, AJ Burnett, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, and on and on...

Saw all the Braves pitchers in WPB (before it became a slum). I used to play w/ Maddux/Schmoltz/Glavine once in awhile - they were members where I worked. Avery was the only one that would go out w/ us afterwards (He was just a kid).

I saw Bruce Sutter up close and personal. Caught him while playing Legion ball at Mt Joy!

 

[fcburd]

More Forbes Field memories: Vernon Law, Bob Friend, Elroy Face and Ron Necciai(a rookie who struck out 27 batters in a minor league game... saw him fire 8 straight strikes to the first 3 batters, then a wild pitch, and then don’t think he retired another batter!)