What is the baseball record for fewest pitches required by a pitcher to throw a complete game?
This record is not officially kept as is subject to debate. Figures around 40-50 pitches for a 9-inning game have been floated about. However, accurate pitch counts have been kept only in the past 20 or so years.
If that is so (and I believe it is), then we are likely to never know, as pitch counts have increased greatly in recent decades. The average game is probably a shade over three hours now, a good half hour longer than in the early '70s, and maybe an hour (?) longer than in the dead ball era.
That may be a more answerable question – what is the shortest time for a nine-inning game. More likely than not, that game would also hold (or be near) the record for lowest pitch count.
“The dawn of a new era is felt and not measured.” Walter Lord
The shortest major league game (that went nine innings) finished in less than an hour. One of the teams was the NY Giants and I believe the teams had to catch a train and just went through the motions to get the game finished.
I’m not sure what the record for fewest pitches in a game is, but I know that Greg Maddux used just 78 pitches against the Cubs a couple years ago. He went nine innings and the final score was like 4-0 or something. Anyone hear of anything lower?
My fault. I just looked up a viable answer. It is Andy Ashby of the Padres using just 75 pitches to take out Colorado two years ago. Maddux’s 78 pitch outing came three years ago and is second for fewest pitches in a complete game. Pitch counts have only been done recently and were not taken accurately before the '94 season.
Thank you all for your help. I’m glad the answer wasn’t too obvious. Makes me feel less inadequate.
Well, my 1999 edition of Baseball Scoreboard (a STATS publication) publishes “awards” near the end. Their award for fewest pitches in a 9-inning game is called the Red Barrett Trophy. Here’s what they have to say:
"In 1944 Red Barrett thew a complete game using only 58 pitches, or so it’s been said. It might have been a case of a control artist throwing a soggy wartime baseball to a bunch of 4F hitters, but that’s still pretty impressive. We don’t expect to see anything close to that in today’s game. Nevertheless, the pitcher who throws the fewest pitches in a nine-inning game each season receives the Red Barrett trophy as a testament to his efficiency:
1989 Frank Viola 85
1990 Bob Tewksbury 76
1991 Chris Bosio 82
1992 John Smiley 80
1993 Tom Glavine 79
1994 Bobby Munoz 80
1995 Greg Maddux 88
1996 Bob Wolcott 79
1997 Greg Maddux 78
1998 Andy Ashby 75 "
Anyway, check this book out if you’re a rabid baseball fan. The 2000 edition is available at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1884064779/o/qid=955098847/sr=2-1/102-4209521-0746461
Which reminds me, I need to order this now.
Hrm. Did a google search on red barrett and came up with this from http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/baseball/bol/ballplayers/B/Barrett_Red.html
With the Braves and Cardinals in 1945, Barrett led the NL in wins (23), complete games (24), innings pitched (284.2), and most hits allowed (287). On August 10, 1944, he threw just 58 pitches in defeating the Reds, 2-0. In 1947, Pirate slugger Ralph Kiner had hit seven homers in three games and faced Barrett the next day. “Barrett predicted that I wouldn’t hit one off him,” recalled Kiner. “I did, which made it eight homers in four games.” (RTM)
But like others have said, who knows how accurate pitch count stats are from that era…
In The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, James writes:
‘I figure the absolute, theoretical minimum number of batters that a pitcher can face and be credited with pitching a complete game is 13. That can come about if a pitcher loses a 4 1/2 inning games by a score of 1-0 and doesn’t allow any other runner to reach base.’
James then cites a game in Baltimore on July 30, 1971, when Dick Drago of KC faced 13 batters and got them all out except Frank Robinson, who homered. Jim Palmer got the win with a 5-inning 2-hitter.
Accepting James’ criteria sets the limit at 13 pitches.
With a rain shortened game, the winning pitcher can throw a complete gam with 15 pitches.
Assuming the home team is ahead, the losing pither can pitch only 12 pitches (4 innings).
http://hometown.aol.com/jpapa823/myhomepageindex.html
JoeP: 4 innings equal 12 pitches but to be the losing pitcher, he has to give up a run, so 1 more pitch is required. See my post immediately preceding yours.
Theoretically, you could retire the side in one inning in baseball on only one pitch. The first batter would have to triple on the first pitch.
Then, once he got to third he would have to try to steal home. The pitcher would then have to step off the rubber to try to retire the runner.
While this goes on, the batter interferes with either the pitcher or catcher attempting to make the play. The batter would be declared out for interference.
You would then have to repeat this two more times to complete the inning.
Needless to say, such a series of events is extremely unlikely.
Well, why waste the one pitch? The pitcher could balk him to first. He could go to third on a botched pickoff attempt. Then your interference thing could kick in. So technically I suppose a pitcher could throw a complete game with 0 pitches.
Zuma: A pitcher cannot balk without men on base.
One way for a pitcher to theoretically pitch a complete game is for him to refuse to throw a pitch to the batter. The umpire will ask the pitcher to throw, and if he doesn’t, it is ball 1. He could refuse three more times and walk the guy. Then the throw away situation happens to get the runner to third. The runner breaks for home, the pitcher steps off, the batter is called out for interference and the runner is tagged out. This process could be repeated until the game is over. Zero pitches, complete game.