Conclusion
Only one pitcher – Lefty Grove – ranks ahead of Tom Seaver in all five of the categories we’ve examined. Four others rank ahead of Seaver in four of the five categories, and that quartet – Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, and Roger Clemens — are all considered among the best pitchers in history.
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Four other pitchers – Kid Nichols, Christy Mathewson, Randy Johnson, and Pedro Martinez – rank ahead of Seaver on three of the five lists.
Again, we’re talking out the elite of the elite pitchers in baseball history.
It’s fair to consider the nine pitchers mentioned above as generally ranking better than Seaver. But it’s also fair to consider Seaver at least on a par, if not ahead of, all of the game’s remaining greats.
On that basis, Seaver’s considered among the 10 best pitchers in baseball history is not an exaggeration.
He is at least on a par with stars of the magnitude of Maddux, Rivera, Carlton, Koufax, and Spahn for that designation.
Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the Hall of Fame, recognized Seaver’s status in remarks upon hearing of his death. “Tom Seaver’s life exemplified greatness in the game, as well as integrity, character, and sportsmanship — the ideals of a Hall of Fame career,” she said simply.