Whitey Ford
The Chairman of the Board compiled the best winning percentage (.690) in baseball history for any pitcher with at least 200 decisions. Ford's 236-106 record reflects something deeper than luck — he was the Yankees' ace during their most dominant stretch, starting Game 1 of eleven World Series.
His 2.74 career ERA becomes even more impressive when adjusted for context. That 147 ERA+ means Ford was 47% better than the average pitcher of his era, peaking at double that margin in 1961. He wasn't overpowering with 1,956 strikeouts across 16 seasons, but Ford lived in the strike zone and thrived under pressure.
The southpaw's October resume remains unmatched: 10 World Series wins and a record 33⅔ consecutive scoreless innings in Series play. Ford understood that great pitching isn't about dominance — it's about giving your team the best chance to win when it matters most.
Career · Hitting
16 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | NYY | 20 | 36 | 0 | 3 | .194 | — | — |
| 1953 | NYY | 33 | 75 | 0 | 10 | .267 | — | — |
| 1954 | NYY | 34 | 62 | 0 | 7 | .161 | .441 | — |
| 1955 | NYY | 39 | 86 | 1 | 7 | .163 | .455 | — |
| 1956 | NYY | 31 | 78 | 0 | 4 | .218 | .542 | — |
| 1957 | NYY | 24 | 42 | 0 | 2 | .143 | .343 | — |
| 1958 | NYY | 30 | 73 | 0 | 2 | .205 | .485 | — |
| 1959 | NYY | 35 | 65 | 1 | 6 | .231 | .689 | — |
| 1960 | NYY | 33 | 53 | 0 | 3 | .151 | .463 | — |
| 1961 | NYY | 39 | 96 | 0 | 10 | .177 | .454 | — |
| 1962 | NYY | 38 | 85 | 0 | 5 | .118 | .339 | — |
| 1963 | NYY | 38 | 92 | 1 | 4 | .141 | .390 | — |
| 1964 | NYY | 39 | 67 | 0 | 2 | .119 | .378 | — |
| 1965 | NYY | 38 | 82 | 0 | 4 | .183 | .425 | — |
| 1966 | NYY | 22 | 18 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .053 | — |
| 1967 | NYY | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | .154 | .308 | — |
| Career | 500 | 1023 | 3 | 69 | .173 | — | — | |
Career · Pitching
16 seasons| Year | Team | G | IP | W | L | ERA | ERA+ | SO | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | NYY | 20 | 112.0 | 9 | 1 | 2.81 | 155 | 59 | 1.241 |
| 1953 | NYY | 32 | 207.0 | 18 | 6 | 3.00 | 138 | 110 | 1.435 |
| 1954 | NYY | 34 | 210.7 | 16 | 8 | 2.82 | 138 | 125 | 1.286 |
| 1955 | NYY | 39 | 253.7 | 18 | 7 | 2.63 | 152 | 137 | 1.187 |
| 1956 | NYY | 31 | 225.7 | 19 | 6 | 2.47 | 161 | 141 | 1.201 |
| 1957 | NYY | 24 | 129.3 | 11 | 5 | 2.57 | 149 | 84 | 1.291 |
| 1958 | NYY | 30 | 219.3 | 14 | 7 | 2.01 | 192 | 145 | 1.076 |
| 1959 | NYY | 35 | 204.0 | 16 | 10 | 3.04 | 128 | 114 | 1.387 |
| 1960 | NYY | 33 | 192.7 | 12 | 9 | 3.08 | 124 | 85 | 1.209 |
| 1961 | NYY | 39 | 283.0 | 25 | 4 | 3.21 | 126 | 209 | 1.180 |
| 1962 | NYY | 38 | 257.7 | 17 | 8 | 2.90 | 136 | 160 | 1.211 |
| 1963 | NYY | 38 | 269.3 | 24 | 7 | 2.74 | 126 | 189 | 1.099 |
| 1964 | NYY | 39 | 244.7 | 17 | 6 | 2.13 | 168 | 172 | 1.099 |
| 1965 | NYY | 37 | 244.3 | 16 | 13 | 3.24 | 108 | 162 | 1.191 |
| 1966 | NYY | 22 | 73.0 | 2 | 5 | 2.47 | 143 | 43 | 1.411 |
| 1967 | NYY | 7 | 44.0 | 2 | 4 | 1.64 | 201 | 21 | 1.114 |
| Career | 498 | 3170.4 | 236 | 106 | — | — | 1956 | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.