Dutch Leonard
Leonard mastered the knuckleball like few others, riding that dancing pitch to five All-Star selections and a career ERA+ of 125 over two decades. His best season came in 1945 when he posted a microscopic 2.13 ERA (172 ERA+), proving the knuckler could dominate even in the live-ball era.
The numbers tell the story of remarkable consistency. Leonard threw 3,218 innings across 640 games, finishing with a 191-181 record that undersells his value. His 3.25 ERA came during an offensive explosion in baseball, making his sustained excellence all the more impressive.
What separated Leonard from other knuckleball practitioners was his durability. While the pitch typically extends careers, Leonard's longevity — pitching effectively from 1933 to 1953 — showcased both his command of the flutter ball and his ability to adapt as hitters adjusted to his signature offering.
Career · Hitting
20 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | BRO | 10 | 11 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — |
| 1934 | BRO | 44 | 67 | 0 | 4 | .179 | — | — |
| 1935 | BRO | 43 | 39 | 0 | 2 | .026 | — | — |
| 1936 | BRO | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | .400 | — | — |
| 1938 | WS1 | 33 | 82 | 0 | 5 | .232 | — | — |
| 1939 | WS1 | 34 | 95 | 0 | 2 | .221 | — | — |
| 1940 | WS1 | 35 | 101 | 0 | 4 | .158 | — | — |
| 1941 | WS1 | 34 | 88 | 0 | 8 | .102 | — | — |
| 1942 | WS1 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | .100 | — | — |
| 1943 | WS1 | 31 | 67 | 0 | 3 | .104 | — | — |
| 1944 | WS1 | 32 | 79 | 0 | 1 | .228 | — | — |
| 1945 | WS1 | 31 | 78 | 0 | 9 | .231 | — | — |
| 1946 | WS1 | 26 | 53 | 0 | 7 | .170 | — | — |
| 1947 | PHI | 32 | 80 | 0 | 12 | .175 | — | — |
| 1948 | PHI | 34 | 83 | 0 | 4 | .145 | — | — |
| 1949 | CHC | 33 | 59 | 0 | 5 | .203 | — | — |
| 1950 | CHC | 35 | 16 | 0 | 0 | .063 | — | — |
| 1951 | CHC | 41 | 21 | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | — |
| 1952 | CHC | 45 | 10 | 0 | 0 | .200 | — | — |
| 1953 | CHC | 45 | 10 | 0 | 2 | .300 | — | — |
| Career | 640 | 1054 | 0 | 69 | .168 | — | — | |
Career · Pitching
20 seasons| Year | Team | G | IP | W | L | ERA | ERA+ | SO | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | BRO | 10 | 40.0 | 2 | 3 | 2.93 | 132 | 6 | 1.300 |
| 1934 | BRO | 44 | 183.7 | 14 | 11 | 3.28 | 131 | 58 | 1.323 |
| 1935 | BRO | 43 | 137.7 | 2 | 9 | 3.92 | 111 | 41 | 1.315 |
| 1936 | BRO | 16 | 32.0 | 0 | 0 | 3.66 | 125 | 8 | 1.219 |
| 1938 | WS1 | 33 | 223.3 | 12 | 15 | 3.43 | 127 | 68 | 1.227 |
| 1939 | WS1 | 34 | 269.3 | 20 | 8 | 3.54 | 121 | 88 | 1.233 |
| 1940 | WS1 | 35 | 289.0 | 14 | 19 | 3.49 | 121 | 124 | 1.405 |
| 1941 | WS1 | 34 | 256.0 | 18 | 13 | 3.45 | 114 | 91 | 1.270 |
| 1942 | WS1 | 6 | 35.0 | 2 | 2 | 4.11 | 87 | 15 | 0.943 |
| 1943 | WS1 | 31 | 219.7 | 11 | 13 | 3.28 | 107 | 51 | 1.202 |
| 1944 | WS1 | 32 | 229.3 | 14 | 14 | 3.06 | 117 | 62 | 1.129 |
| 1945 | WS1 | 31 | 216.0 | 17 | 7 | 2.13 | 172 | 96 | 1.125 |
| 1946 | WS1 | 26 | 161.7 | 10 | 10 | 3.56 | 101 | 62 | 1.348 |
| 1947 | PHI | 32 | 235.0 | 17 | 12 | 2.68 | 148 | 103 | 1.196 |
| 1948 | PHI | 34 | 225.7 | 12 | 17 | 2.51 | 164 | 92 | 1.241 |
| 1949 | CHC | 33 | 180.0 | 7 | 16 | 4.15 | 99 | 83 | 1.339 |
| 1950 | CHC | 35 | 74.0 | 5 | 1 | 3.77 | 116 | 28 | 1.311 |
| 1951 | CHC | 41 | 81.7 | 10 | 6 | 2.64 | 153 | 30 | 1.188 |
| 1952 | CHC | 45 | 66.7 | 2 | 2 | 2.16 | 171 | 37 | 1.200 |
| 1953 | CHC | 45 | 62.7 | 2 | 3 | 4.60 | 90 | 27 | 1.532 |
| Career | 640 | 3218.5 | 191 | 181 | — | — | 1170 | — | |
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