Don’t let the losing record of 191-204 fool you.

Jim Whitney's rookie season showed that, as in 1881 with the Boston Red Stockings, he led the National League in both Wins (31) and Losses (33), and his 552.1 Innings also was a first-place finish.  Whitney would later win the Strikeout title with 345, and that would begin a three-year streak of leading the NL in SO/BB and BB/9, as well as two straight years of finishing atop the leaderboard in FIP.  

Whitney, who was nicknamed the "Grasshopper Jim" for the way he appeared to jump while pitching, was with Boston for five seasons, which was his career's best run.  However, he would lead the NL in BB/9 twice more (extending that streak to five) in a season, each with the Kansas City Cowboys and the original Washington Nationals.  In his first four seasons in baseball, he was in the top five in bWAR for Pitchers, top seven in WHIP, top seven in Wins, and top six in Strikeouts.

Whitney was also capable of playing in the Outfield, and he was a decent hitter.  In 1882, he was fifth in Batting Average (.323) and third in OPS (.892).  He would overall bat .261 with 559 Hits.

We return back to the 1880’s (we seem to be in the 1800’s a lot on this franchise list) with Righthander, Jim Whitney who had a 133 and 121 record over his five seasons with the Boston Red Caps/Beaneaters and as a rookie (1881) he was first in both Wins (33) and Losses and would later have two seasons where he was first in FIP (1883 & 1884) and three straight where he was first in SO/BB (1883-85), a stat in which he is still first all-time in the franchise.  Whitney never finished with an Earned Run Average over 3.00 and was in the top ten four times with Boston.

Interestingly, Whitney would finish first in BB/9 three times and first in Wild Pitches, yet his overall control numbers were quite good.

What really helps his ranking is that Whitney was a good hitter for a Pitcher, and he had a batting average of .270 for Boston with 406 Hits.  That can’t be discounted.