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8. Wilbur Cooper

  •  
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: February 24, 1892 in Bearsville, WV USA
  • Weight: 175 lbs.
  • Height: 5'11"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: L
  • Debut: August 29, 1912
  • Final Game: July 21, 1926
 
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Although Wilbur Cooper is considered one of the best pitchers in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates, it was so long ago, and his legacy is often forgotten. From 1917 to 1924, Cooper was at his best and regularly in the top ten in virtually every pitching category in the National League. He was the first left-hander in the NL to hit 200 wins, but his overall total in that department did not exceed much more than that. 

Advanced metrics have given Cooper a bit more of a look again, but at the very least, he should be remembered with greater fondness in the Steel City than he is currently. Had he played for a World Series team, he probably would be.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Pitcher
  • Acquired: Traded from Columbus (American Association) for two Players to be Named Later 8/25/12.
  • Departed:

    Traded to the Chicago Cubs with Charlie Grimm and Rabbit Maranville for Vic Aldridge, George Grantham, and Al Niehaus 10/27/26.
  • Games Played: 469
  • Notable Statistics:

    202 Wins
    159 Losses
    2.74 ERA
    369 Games Started
    263 Complete Games
    78 Games Finished
    14 Saves
    3,199.0 Innings Pitched
    1,191 Strikeouts
    3.04 FIP
    1.199 WHIP
    1.56 SO/BB
    52.7 bWAR                     

    No Playoff Games
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    Highest bWAR for Pitchers (1922)
    Most Wins (1921)
    Most Saves (1918)
    Most Innings Pitched (1921)
    Most Games Started (19201 & 1923)
    Most Complete Games (1919 & 1922)
    Most Shutouts (1924)
    Highest Win Probability Added (1917 & 1918)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Pitcher (1918, 1920 & 1922)
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