Jack Morris
Morris threw 10 shutouts in 1986, a feat that sounds almost mythical in today's game. That total was part of a career built on durability and October heroics that made him the ace Detroit needed during their 1984 championship run.
The Hall of Fame debate surrounding Morris centered on his postseason legend versus his 3.90 career ERA. His supporters pointed to clutch moments like his 10-inning shutout in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series for Minnesota. Critics noted his pedestrian 101 ERA+, which barely surpassed league average across 18 seasons.
What made Morris special wasn't dominant stuff but an ability to pitch deep into games when it mattered most. He led the majors in innings pitched four times and wins three times during the 1980s, embodying the workhorse starter of his era before pitch counts revolutionized the position.
Career · Pitching
18 seasons| Year | Team | G | IP | W | L | ERA | ERA+ | SO | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | DET | 7 | 45.7 | 1 | 1 | 3.74 | 107 | 28 | 1.336 |
| 1978 | DET | 28 | 106.0 | 3 | 5 | 4.33 | 85 | 48 | 1.472 |
| 1979 | DET | 27 | 197.7 | 17 | 7 | 3.28 | 122 | 113 | 1.204 |
| 1980 | DET | 36 | 250.0 | 16 | 15 | 4.18 | 92 | 112 | 1.356 |
| 1981 | DET | 25 | 198.0 | 14 | 7 | 3.05 | 117 | 97 | 1.167 |
| 1982 | DET | 37 | 266.3 | 17 | 16 | 4.06 | 95 | 135 | 1.288 |
| 1983 | DET | 37 | 293.7 | 20 | 13 | 3.34 | 116 | 232 | 1.158 |
| 1984 | DET | 35 | 240.3 | 19 | 11 | 3.60 | 106 | 148 | 1.282 |
| 1985 | DET | 35 | 257.0 | 16 | 11 | 3.33 | 117 | 191 | 1.253 |
| 1986 | DET | 35 | 267.0 | 21 | 8 | 3.27 | 121 | 223 | 1.165 |
| 1987 | DET | 34 | 266.0 | 18 | 11 | 3.38 | 127 | 208 | 1.203 |
| 1988 | DET | 34 | 235.0 | 15 | 13 | 3.94 | 94 | 168 | 1.311 |
| 1989 | DET | 24 | 170.3 | 6 | 14 | 4.86 | 76 | 115 | 1.456 |
| 1990 | DET | 36 | 249.7 | 15 | 18 | 4.51 | 85 | 162 | 1.314 |
| 1991 | MIN | 35 | 246.7 | 18 | 12 | 3.43 | 114 | 163 | 1.289 |
| 1992 | TOR | 34 | 240.7 | 21 | 6 | 4.04 | 93 | 132 | 1.255 |
| 1993 | TOR | 27 | 152.7 | 7 | 12 | 6.19 | 68 | 103 | 1.664 |
| 1994 | CLE | 23 | 141.3 | 10 | 6 | 5.60 | 80 | 100 | 1.627 |
| Career | 549 | 3824.1 | 254 | 186 | — | — | 2478 | — | |
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