The Greatest MLB Pitchers of Each Decade from the 1950s to the 1990s

It might seem impossible to select the greatest pitcher of each decade from the 1950s-1990s. But that shouldn't prevent one from doing it because it really is quite simple.

A problem is that the best seasons of some of the great pitchers began near the middle of a decade and ended in the middle of the following decade.

Based upon ERA, ERA+, WHIP, winning percentage and opinions based on the observations of those who saw them pitch, one pitcher from each decade will be selected as the greatest of his decade.

The Best Pitcher of the 1950s

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CIRCA 1955: (FILE PHOTO) Baseball player Warren Spahn is shown wearing the team uniform of the Milwaukee Braves in this portrait circa 1955. Spahn, a 14-time National League All-Star, died at his home November 24, 2003 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. (Photo

Starting with the 1950s, Warren Spahn is the choice. Robin Roberts, Early Wynn and Whitey Ford challenge, but Spahn was clearly the best of the 1950s.

Spahn won 202 games, had a 2.92 ERA, a 126 ERA+, a 1.195 WHIP and a .607 winning percentage. He won at least 20 games eight times during the 1950s.

Many consider Spahn to have been the greatest left-hander of all time. The choice here would be Lefty Grove.

The Best Pitcher of the 1960s

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COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 26: Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax waves to the crowd as he is introduced at Clark Sports Center during the 2009 Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 26, 2009 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The 1960s saw Sandy Koufax reach the potential predicted for him, Juan Marichal become the greatest pitcher in history to never win a Cy Young Award since its inception in 1956, Bob Gibson produce one of the greatest seasons in history in 1968 and the start of the careers of Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, Jim Palmer, Catfish Hunter and Ferguson Jenkins.

Among those mentioned above, only Gibson pitched the entire decade, but the choice is Sandy Koufax, based upon his seasons from 1962-66.

During those five seasons, he had an incredible 1.95 ERA, a 167 ERA+, a 0.926 WHIP and a .766 winning percentage. He won at least 20 games three times pitching for an offensively challenged team. Koufax won the Cy Young Award from 1963-66.

The Best Pitcher of the 1970s

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NEW YORK - APRIL 13: Former Mets pitcher Tom Seaver throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the San Diego Padres against the New York Mets during opening day at Citi Field on April 13, 2009 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New Y

The 1970s saw Steve Carlton have the greatest seasons of his career, Jim Palmer emerge into an all-time great, Catfish Hunter become a dominant force, Ferguson Jenkins win at least 20 games four times, Gaylord Perry drive teams wild with accusations of cheating and two pitchers that New York's most beloved team, the New York Mets, traded—Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver—dominate hitters.

It is a contest between Carlton, Ryan and Seaver. The biased view here is Seaver, which the numbers bear out.

Seaver won 178 games, as did Carlton. Seaver had a 2.61 ERA, while both Carlton and Ryan had ERAs above three.

Tom Terrific had a 138 ERA+ compared to Carlton's 118 and Ryan's 113. Seaver's WHIP was 1.073 and he had a winning percentage of .638.

The Best Pitchers of the 1980s

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5 Mar 1998: Pitcher Dwight Gooden #16 of the Cleveland Indians in action during a spring training game against the Boston Red Sox at the Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Florida. The Red Sox defeated the Indians 10-3.

The pitchers of the 1980s were not nearly as great as those of the 1950s, 1960 or 1970s despite the fact that Dwight Gooden and Roger Clemens made their major league debuts during the decade. It is unlikely that either will be voted into the Hall of Fame, but not for the same reasons.

Gooden might have become the greatest pitcher of all time. Until it was alleged that Clemens helped his effectiveness with performance-enhancing substances, he was a certain Hall of Famer.

A case could be made that Jack Morris was the best pitcher of the 1980s, but both Gooden and Clemens were better, despite the fact that neither was around until 1984.

Gooden's ERA during the 1980s was 2.64 compared to Clemens' 3.06. His ERA+ was 132 compared to Clemens' 139.

Gooden had a better WHIP (1.109 to 1.136). Gooden was 100-36 for a .719 winning percentage compared to Clemens' 95-45 for .679 percentage.

Despite his substance abuse problems, Gooden was the best pitcher of the 1980s.

The Best Pitchers of the 1990s

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NEW YORK - JULY 24: Greg Maddux #31 of the Chicago Cubs looks on against the New York Mets on July 24, 2006 at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Great pitchers of the 1990s included Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, David Cone and the top pitcher of the decade, Greg Maddux.

Pedro and Johnson rank among the greatest of all time, but they pitched during the Greg Maddux era.

Maddux had a 2.54 ERA, a 162 ERA+, a WHIP of 1.055 and a .742 winning percentage. He pitched in an era of great turmoil which included a strike that shortened both the 1994 and 1995 seasons and the allegations that many players were using performance-enhancing substances.

As great as Johnson, Pedro and Clemens were, Maddux was better.