gold star for USAHOF

5. Carl Hubbell

5. Carl Hubbell
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: June 22, 1903 in Carthage, MO USA
  • Weight: 170 lbs.
  • Height: 6'0"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: L
  • Debut: July 26, 1928
  • Final Game: August 24, 1943
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1929
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1932
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1933
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1933
  • Most Valuable Player - 1933
  • TSN All-Star - 1933
  • TSN Guide MVP - 1933
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1934
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1934
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1935
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1935
  • TSN All-Star - 1935
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1936
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1936
  • Most Valuable Player - 1936
  • TSN All-Star - 1936
  • TSN Guide MVP - 1936
  • TSN Major League Player of the Year - 1936
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1937
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1937
  • TSN All-Star - 1937
  • Baseball Magazine All-Star - 1938
  • MVP - 1933
  • MVP - 1934
  • MVP - 1935
  • MVP - 1936
  • MVP - 1937
  • MVP - 1941
 
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The Detroit Tigers made a colossal error when they released Carl Hubbell, a prospect they signed when they worried he was dependent on the screwball.  Hubbell did use it a lot, but he did it so well that it landed him a spot in Cooperstown.

Hubbell’s contract was sold by Beaumont (Texas) to the New York Giants during the 1928 Season, and he wasted no time proving his worth.  Hubbell quickly ascended to an upper-tier hurler for the Giants and would begin a four-year streak of WHIP Titles in 1931 and a four-year run atop the leaderboard in SO/BB in 1932.  He was climbing to the top, and he would take that mantle in 1933.

Hubbell led the NL in Wins (23) and ERA (1.66), with the latter being a career-best.  This was also the case for his only FIP win (2.63), and of the seven WHIP Titles he had, this was the only one where he was below one.  Hubbell won the MVP that year and led the Giants to a World Series Championship.  As great as that was, Hubbell was best known for his performance in the 1934 All-Star Game, where "King Carl" fanned Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin in order.

Hubbell remained a dominant hurler in the mid-30s, winning a second ERA Title in 1934 (2.30) and a third in 1936 (2.31).  He won his second MVP that year but also began a streak that bled into the year after, where he won a record 24 straight decisions.  The Giants went to the 1936 and 1937 World Series but, despite Hubbell's skill, were overmatched both times by the cross-town New York Yankees.

Hubbell lost his effectiveness waned after '37, but he was still a better-than-average Pitcher over the next four years.  After his play fell off in 1943, Hubbell was released, but the screwball master became an influential figure to many who followed.  Hubbell finished his career with a record of 253-154, 1,677 Strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.98.

Hubbell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947.  San Francisco also retired his number 44, having done so in 1941.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Pitcher
  • Acquired: Purchased from Beaumont (Texas) for $25,000 7/12/28.
  • Departed:

    Released 12/2/43.

  • Games Played: 535
  • Notable Statistics:

    253 Wins
    154 Losses
    2.98 ERA
    433 Games Started
    260 Complete Games
    36 Shutouts
    82 Games Finished
    33 Saves
    3,590.1 Innings Pitched
    1,677 Strikeouts
    2.26 FIP
    1.166 WHIP
    2.31 SO/BB
    68.4 bWAR                     

    6 Playoff Games
    4 Wins
    2 Losses
    1.79 ERA
    6 Games Started
    4 Complete Games
    50.1 Innings Pitched
    32 Strikeouts
    1.03 WHIP
    2.67 SO/BB

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    World Series Champion (1933)
    MVP (1933 & 1936)
    Major League Player of the Year (1936)
    All-Star (1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941 & 1942)
    Highest bWAR for Pitchers (1933 & 1936)
    Lowest ERA (1933, 1934 & 1936)
    Most Wins (1933, 1936 & 1937)
    Lowest WHIP (1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936 & 1938)
    Lowest H/9 (1931, 1934 & 1936)
    Lowest BB/9 (1934)
    Highest SO/9 (1938)
    Most Saves (1934)
    Most Innings Pitched (1933)
    Most Strikeouts (1937)
    Most Complete Games (1934)
    Most Shutouts (1933)
    Highest SO/BB (1932, 1933, 1934, 1935 & 1938)
    Highest ERA+ (1933, 1934 & 1936)
    Lowest FIP (1933)
    Highest Win Probability Added (1933 & 1936)
    Highest Championship Win Probability Added (1933 & 1936)
    Most Putouts by a Pitcher (1929 & 1933)
    Most Assists by a Pitcher (1929, 1932 & 1933)
    Highest Range Factor per Game by a Pitcher (1933)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Pitcher (1938 & 1939)

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