World Series: Scherzer vs. Cole and the best matchups ever
By Bill Felber
Three-Finger Brown vs. Nick Altrock, Games 1 and 4,1906, 376 ERA+
Much has been written about the strategic brilliance of White Sox manager Fielder Jones withholding his best pitcher, Ed Walsh. From a direct collision with Cubs ace Brown, opting instead to pit Walsh against lesser Cub hurlers.
It worked out because Jones actually had a plethora of quality options on the staff of his ‘Hitless Wonders.’ Nick Altrock, viewed today largely as a clown but a 20-game winner in 1906, rated a very acceptable 123.
Jones pitted Altrock against Brown twice in that Series, and Altrock proved the equal of the Cubs ace.
It was an achievement because Brown that year was as good as advertised. The right-hander with the deformed right hand-delivered a 26-6 record, a league-leading 1.04 ERA and a 253 ERA+ in 277 innings.
But his opponent, Altrock, was had gone 20-13 for the White Sox, with a 2.06 ERA in 30 starts.
In their Game 1 meeting, Altrock proved his mettle by beating Brown 2-1, both pitchers allowing just four hits.
Three days later, with the White Sox holding a two-games-to-one advantage, Brown and Altrock squared off again, Brown winning this time 1-0.
Two days after that, his favorites having lost the fifth game, Cubs manager Frank Chance was forced to send Brown out again, this time on just one day’s rest. More on that presently.