Starter: Catfish Hunter
Catfish Hunter is one of the greatest pitchers in Athletics history. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame on his third ballot, earning 76.3 percent of the vote in 1987. Hunter was also an eight-time All-Star.
One of the most memorable moments in his career was on May 8, 1968. Hunter pitched the ninth perfect game in history, but also one of the most unique. In addition to preventing 27 Twins’ hitters from reaching base, he knocked in three of the A’s four runs that day.
Hunter, like most names on this list, was the recipient of a Cy Young Award. In 1974, he went 25-12 over 41 starts, earning a league-best 2.49 ERA in the process. It was one of ten strong seasons with the A’s, whom he played with from 1965-1974.
Hunter made the move from Kansas City to Oakland with the A’s, and was a key part of the Championship teams of the early 1970s. After his time as an Athletic, he spent five years with the New York Yankees. Throughout his 15-year career, Hunter maintained a 3.26 ERA and struck out 2,012 batters in over 3,449 innings. He also pitched 181 complete games, making him a very reliable starter.
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