or just in a game 7 in general - who would be your top 5 pitchers to go for game 7

Well, any warm body for 7 innings with Mariano Rivera for the last two over Pedro Martinez any day, especially if it is game 7 of the 2003 LCS. 

Pedro was the greatest pitcher in baseball for several years for 6 innings. The Yankees just took a lot of pitches and waited for him to get tired. 

They tried the same thing in 2001 in the WS against Randy Johnson and Curt Shilling but those guys didn't get tired. 

Still, keeping to pitchers from my lifetime, my 1-5 would be (for a game I HAD to win): 

1. Koufax
2. Gibson
3. Seaver
4. Hunter
5. Pettitte

I am not saying these are the best pitchers ever, just as Troy Aikman was not the greatest quarterback even of his era. But if I had to win a playoff game and had to choose a quarterback in that generation he'd be the guy. 

Maddox and El Duque get honorable mention. I recognize that Randy Johnson, Curt Shilling, Josh Beckett and one or two others belong here, but hating their guts clouds my judgement. 

Limited to my lifetime, I'd have to say Gibson and then everyone else, although Koufax and Whitey Ford may constitute a second tier.

Posted by chargingryno on 8/7/2012 8:03:00 PM (view original):
bases loaded - 2 outs, full count -  the best hitter ever in your mind up to bat - 


Who you you want making that last pitch?  

1988 Milacki

In WIS maybe. But who is to say that his great stats from that year are not simply because he pitched so few innings. So having him pitch beyond those, and with everything on the line in real life ? 

I will take my chances with Mariano. Wish Buck Showalter had in 1995. 

Greg maddux. Especially '94-'95 Maddux. Closely followed by the '00-'01 Pedro, '64-'65 Koufax, '01 Randy Johnson, '12-'13 Walter Johnson, '30-'31 Grove... Feller, Spahn, Palmer...

Maddux was every bit the pitcher who pitched to the situation as pfatkatt described above, but he did it at a whole new level and was unhittable at his peak. I'm certain had he tried to just earn a paycheck he could have been even more dominant over a shorter period of time (whether career or ip/g). 

being much younger than a lot of people here - and like others wanting to keep it to my lifetime (and what I saw/remember seeing) - 

game for me has to be:

1. Schilling
2. Maddux
3. Johnson
4. Smoltz


Schilling was dominate in the WS - pure and simple, as was Maddux.  Johnson was the most dominate, but with only 1 sample its hard to judge compared to the others.  Smoltz, like Maddux was a WS stud.  

I think for that last pitch, I have to take 01 Johnson.  I don't think any pitcher (especially Mariano if you're a D-backs fan!) is better suited for a more dominate 1 pitcher...although maddux 94-95 maybe could give him a run.

I thought pedro initially, but he choked in the WS, and thats what this was about I think.   Who could sustain the pressure and win the game

Looks like Ryno and I are at least close to the same age (I'm 32) because our lists are very similar.

1. Schilling
2. Maddux 
3. Pedro
4. Johnson

The first name that came to my head when thinking about a game 7 was Schilling.  God I wish the Phillies never traded him.  Even though Pedro did choke a little bit, he was just so dominate in the late 90's/early 00's that I have to include him.  I can't think of who I would put in my 5th spot.  Smoltz is a great choice, but the Phillies fan in me wants to include Hamels from 08 when he was the only pitcher the Phils had and he carried them to their first WS since 80 or even Doc for the past 2 years in the postseason.  The no hitter in '10 in his first ever postseason game and the 1 run he gave up against St. Louis last year in the NLDS even though they lost.  I just don't think either of them have the complete body of work in the postseason to be included.  Dave Stewart was another one in the early 90's that just dominated hitters.  Either way, a great topic to debate

I'd throw Jack Morris on my list somewhere...that game against the Braves was brilliant.

Posted by Trentonjoe on 8/8/2012 8:51:00 AM (view original):
I'd throw Jack Morris on my list somewhere...that game against the Braves was brilliant.

I was just thinking the same thing as I'm reading through the lists.  Was a dominant "big game" pitcher without the stats. . .

Posted by chargingryno on 8/3/2012 11:42:00 PM (view original):
these are stats from a progressive that has ranged from 1969-1975  - The pitchers are sorted according to wins - Is this the list of pitchers you'd expect to see here?  

I was *kind of* surprised to see Carlton at #16...but relieved that Hunter was #12 since I traded Carlton for Hunter and a 1st.   It looks like I've got the better end of the deal...at least this far!  

How about that baltimore threesome??  McNally, Palmer and Cuellar are #7, #8 and #11.  

I am equally surprised at Lolich at #2 - I know wins don't necessarily point to being the best pitchers - but the fact that he's 2nd behind Seaver is saying something right???  I've never put much value in him as a pitcher in this era.  Anywho....thoughts??

In all your recent "I hate Steve Carlton" posts, you keep forgetting to mention that the trade was Carlton and a 2nd for Hunter and a 1st. .. . .. . . .. . .:>

The other GM is content with the 5 division titles Carlton has been a part of, so far. . .

From my life time.....

I'd have to start:
Gibson (And I'd have him plunk someone early)
Randy Johnson (especially if opposing team had some LH stars... For a couple of years, LH just could not hit him)
Clemens
And, in a reach, a healthy Sid Fernandez if that's not an oxymoron. 

Jack Morris is a good one we had left off TJ. 

I think Dave Stewart, who got overshadowed later by the dominant pitchers of the 90s, is under-rated. He was a kind of Whitey Ford of his era, a real championship game pitcher. Though I left Whitey off my list cause the only time I ever saw him pitch was in person - in the 1976 Yankees old-timers game, when for some reason that year they had two different Yankees teams play instead of Yankees versus old opponents, and Mickey Mantle hit a home run off him. 

If i had to win a RL game in my Era of watching Baseball from 1968-present
Im Going with

Gibson
Hunter
Palmer
Guidry
Morris
Pettitte

Posted by dh0220 on 8/8/2012 9:07:00 AM (view original):

Posted by chargingryno on 8/3/2012 11:42:00 PM (view original):
these are stats from a progressive that has ranged from 1969-1975  - The pitchers are sorted according to wins - Is this the list of pitchers you'd expect to see here?  

I was *kind of* surprised to see Carlton at #16...but relieved that Hunter was #12 since I traded Carlton for Hunter and a 1st.   It looks like I've got the better end of the deal...at least this far!  

How about that baltimore threesome??  McNally, Palmer and Cuellar are #7, #8 and #11.  

I am equally surprised at Lolich at #2 - I know wins don't necessarily point to being the best pitchers - but the fact that he's 2nd behind Seaver is saying something right???  I've never put much value in him as a pitcher in this era.  Anywho....thoughts??

In all your recent "I hate Steve Carlton" posts, you keep forgetting to mention that the trade was Carlton and a 2nd for Hunter and a 1st. .. . .. . . .. . .:>

The other GM is content with the 5 division titles Carlton has been a part of, so far. . .

I'll see your 5 division titles and raise it with 5 div. titles and 1 WC (not to mention my 2 LC titles ;-)  )  But yes, I think in the long run the trade dominates in your favor - but I knew I had a limited span on my team (I actually thought I'd be done after 74 ( and would have been had I not traded for Palmer, Cuellar, and Yaz mid-season!)