6. Mike Marshall, RHP
Career Stats: 724 G (24 GS), 188 SV, 1,386 2/3 IP, 3.14 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 8.8 BB%, 15.06 K%
Arguably the smartest man to ever toss a ball, especially when it comes to understanding the “art” of pitching, Marshall was originally signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1960 after a collegiate career at Michigan State. This would begin an odyssey that saw Marshall play for 10 organizations at some level, technically 11 as he played for the Seattle Pilots and then moved with the team to Milwaukee. He was traded three times over the course of his career as well.
That vagabond lifestyle was not terribly uncommon for a reliever in the 1960s and 1970s, but it belied the brillians that Marshall was showing on the mound at the time. His methods may have been quirky and unique, but he was able to pitch nearly on a daily basis at times in his career. His run from 1972-1974 with the Expos and Dodgers is brilliant, only to be matched with a tremendous pair of seasons in 1978-1979 with the Twins after many thought his arm was long gone.
In that 1972-1974 run, Marshall did some incredible things for a reliever that have not been equaled. In 1974, he threw in 106 games and tossed 208 1/3 innings, all in relief, an absolutely incredible number to consider in the modern game. Over that three-year period, Marshall averaged 88 games pitched and 168 innings per season, with a sterling 2.36 ERA.
As was the case for many relievers used so heavily in the 1970s, Marshall’s arm did not agree with the heavy usage, and he ended up missing a significant portion of the 1977 season with arm issues. However, his unique training methods allowed him to return to the mound in 1978 for the Twins and over the next two seasons, he would compile 144 games, 241 2/3 innings, 53 saves, and post a 2.57 ERA while doing it.
His arm issues crept up again in 1980, costing him much of the season, and though he threw well in his return to the mound with the Mets in 1981, Marshall’s methods were seen as too quirky for most teams, and he couldn’t find another deal at 39 years old.
Marshall finished his career with 2 All-Star selections, the 1974 Cy YOung Award, 4 appearances on the MVP ballot, and 5 seasons receiving votes for the Cy Young Award. However, when his time for Hall of Fame voting came, writers were persuaded much more by the quirkiness of how he did it than the final result, and he mustered only 1.5% of the vote, falling off future ballots.
Next: 5. Billy the Kid