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7. Bucky Walters

7. Bucky Walters
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: April 19, 1909 in Philadelphia, PA USA
  • Weight: 180 lbs.
  • Height: 6'1"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: September 17, 1931
  • Final Game: July 23, 1950
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1939
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1939
  • Most Valuable Player - 1939
  • Pitching Triple Crown - 1939
  • TSN All-Star - 1939
  • TSN Guide MVP - 1939
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1940
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1940
  • TSN All-Star - 1940
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1944
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1944
  • MVP - 1939
  • MVP - 1940
  • MVP - 1941
  • MVP - 1943
  • MVP - 1944
 
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Considered by some to be a significant Hall of Fame snub, Bucky Walters was a dominating Pitcher for the Reds in the late 30’s and early 40’s. 

A converted Third Baseman, Walters came into his own on the mound in 1937 as a Philadelphia Phillie and was traded to Cincinnati where he took his game to a higher level.  He would go to five All Star Games as a Red, but would also become one of the rare hurlers to win the MVP, an accolade he won in 1939.  That season, Walters would post a career high 27 Wins and would also lead the National League in WHIP, ERA, ERA+ and H/9.  He would actually repeat that feat the next year, though he would not have an MVP title to add as he finished third in the voting.

While he may not have been named the MVP that year, Walters would pitch his Reds to a World Series win, the second in franchise history.  Not only did Walters go 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA, he smacked a Home Run in the Series.  Walters would bat .235 with 207 Hits over his Reds career, pretty good numbers for a Pitcher, though the 160 Wins he accrued was far more valuable.  The Reds chose Walters for their first Hall of Fame Class in 1958

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Pitcher
  • Acquired: Traded from the Philadelphia Phillies for Spud Davis, Al Hollingsworth and $50,000.
  • Departed: Released 9/21/48.
  • Games Played: 312
  • Notable Statistics: 160 Wins
    107 Losses
    2.93 ERA
    296 Games Started
    195 Complete Games
    33 Shutouts
    18 Games Finished
    4 Saves
    2,355.2 Innings Pitched
    879 Strikeouts
    3.58 FIP
    1.251 WHIP
    1.09 SO/BB
    43.8 bWAR

    4 Playoff Games
    2 Wins
    2 Losses
    2.79 ERA
    3 Games Started
    3 Complete Games 
    1 Shutout
    1 Game FInished
    29 Innings Pitched
    12 Strikeouts
    0.97 WHIP
    1.71 SO/BB
  • Major Accolades and Awards: World Series Champion (1940)
    MVP (1939)
    Highest WAR for Pitchers (1939)
    Lowest ERA (1939 & 1940)
    Most Wins (1939, 1904 & 1944)
    Lowest WHIP (1939 & 1940)
    Lowest H/9 (1939, 1940 & 1944)
    Most Innings Pitched (1939, 1940 & 1941)
    Most Strikeouts (1939)
    Most Games Started (1937 & 1939)
    Most Complete Games (1939, 1940 & 1941)
    Most Shutouts (1936)
    Highest ERA+ (1939 & 1940)
    Highest Win Probability Added (1939, 1940 & 1944)
    Highest Championship Win Probability Added (1939 & 1944)
    Most Putouts by a Pitcher (1943)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Pitcher (1944)

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