KidDude123

I think one of the biggest changes in the sport of major league baseball over the past century has become the role of the starting pitcher.  I'm sure managers, like they have for the past 100 years have wanted their starters to go out and pitch the whole game and bring the team to victory, but a starting pitcher in 1907 was at least 12 or times more likely to go the distance in a game than a starter in 2007.  What I decided to do to illustrate how complete games have declined over the past century, I took a look at the league leaders by team in complete games for every tenth year from 1907 to 2007.  The results are interesting

1907 - (152 games played) St. Louis AL 129 CG,    (153 games played) St. Louis NL 127 CG

1917  - (152 games played) Boston AL 115 CG,*  (153 games played) Boston Braves NL  105 CG   *=Babe Ruth led the AL with 35 CG.

1927  - (153 games) Chicago White Sox, AL 85 CG, (154 games) Pittsburgh NL 90 CG

1937  - (154 games) NY Yankees, AL 82 CG,  (152 games) Boston Braves NL 85 CG

1947  - (154 games) Detroit Tigers, AL  77 CG, (154 games) Boston Braves NL 74 CG

1957  -  (154 games) Chicago White Sox, AL 59 CG,  (154 games) Milwaukee Braves NL 60 CG

1967  - (162 games) Minnesota Twins, AL 58 CG,  (162 games) S. F. Giants NL 64 CG

1977 - (162 games) Baltimore Orioles, AL 65 CG (J. Palmer, 22), (162 games) Houston Astros, NL 37 CG

1987  - (162 games) Boston Red Sox, AL 47 CG, (162 games) LA Dodgers 29 CG

1997  - (162 games) Toronto Blue Jays, AL 19 CG (162 games) Montreal Expos 27 CG

2007  - (162 games) Toronto Blue Jays, AL 11 CG (162 games) Arizona Diamondbacks, NL 7

I'll comment about how I feel and my beliefs on this later.  I just want to let you know that of all these league leaders in complete games listed that those teams finished the season everywhere from last in the league to World Series champions, so as far as attaching importance on who throws the most complete games is sort of moot. 

Anyway, happy reading, and please discuss what you think.     

The 2008 trading frenzy has reached its deadline in historical fashion.  I say historical, because no other season in the history of baseball have more sure fire hall of famers been traded in the same year.  Ken Griffey Jr goes to the White Sox to the Reds, Manny Ramirez goes to the Dodgers from the Red Sox and Ivan Rodriguez goes to the Yankees from the Tigers.  I believe I heard that never has more than 2 hall of famers been traded in the same season.  If the futures of C. C. Sabathia and Mark Texiera are as bright as their pasts, there could be as many as 5 Hall of Famers traded this season.  A number of prospects were also involved in the trading, but it doesn't appear that any club parted with their very best prospect.  So what teams did the best to improve their chance this year or the upcoming years and which clubs went backward?  I'd like to know what you all think.  Also, let me know your assessment of how YOUR team helped or hurt themselves over the past couple of weeks on the trading front.   Of course, I'll render my opinions.

Biggest winners.   New York Yankees, Milwaukee