List of Major League Baseball career FIP leaders

Last updated

Ed Walsh, the career leader in fielding independent pitching. Ed Walsh pitching.jpg
Ed Walsh, the career leader in fielding independent pitching.

In baseball statistics, fielding independent pitching (FIP) is the measure of a pitcher's effectiveness based only on statistics that do not involve fielders (except the catcher). These include home runs allowed, strikeouts, hit batters, walks, and, more recently, fly ball percentage, ground ball percentage, and (to a much lesser extent) line drive percentage. It is considered to be a more accurate reflection of a pitcher's performance than earned run average.

Contents

This is a list of the top 100 leaders in career FIP, who have thrown at least 1,000 innings.

Hall of Fame pitcher Ed Walsh holds the major league record for lowest career FIP, with 2.018. [1] [2]

Key

RankRank amongst leaders in career earned run average. A blank field indicates a tie.
PlayerName of player.
FIPTotal career fielding independent pitching.
*Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame.
BoldDenotes an active player. [lower-alpha 1]

List

Jacob deGrom, the active leader in career FIP and 34th all-time. Jacob deGrom pitches in the 2nd inning from Nationals vs. Mets at Nationals Park, September 26th, 2020 (All-Pro Reels Photography) (50389894478) (cropped).jpg
Jacob deGrom, the active leader in career FIP and 34th all-time.
RankPlayerFIP
1 Ed Walsh*2.018
2 Rube Waddell*2.033
3 Satchel Paige*2.188
4 Addie Joss*2.188
5 Smoky Joe Wood 2.256
6 Christy Mathewson*2.263
7 Chief Bender*2.294
8 Jack Pfiester 2.322
9 Jim Devlin 2.325
10 Tommy Bond 2.337
11 Reb Russell 2.357
12 Walter Johnson*2.377
13 Orval Overall 2.385
14 Mordecai Brown*2.414
15 John Montgomery Ward*2.427
16 Fred Glade 2.445
17 Eddie Plank*2.448
18 Cy Falkenberg 2.492
19 Dick Rudolph 2.509
20 Doc White 2.511
21 Terry Larkin 2.517
22 Frank Smith 2.524
23 Joe Lake 2.530
24 Irv Young 2.536
25 Red Ames 2.537
26 Ray Collins 2.539
27 Eddie Cicotte 2.543
28 Bob Ewing 2.553
29 Nick Altrock 2.556
30 Charlie Smith 2.558
31 Hooks Wiltse 2.559
32 Andy Coakley 2.583
33 George McQuillan 2.584
34 Jacob deGrom 2.590
35 George Bradley 2.592
36 Deacon Phillippe 2.595
37 Nap Rucker 2.597
38 Hippo Vaughn 2.626
39 Jim Scott 2.628
40 Joe Benz 2.634
41 Ed Karger 2.646
42 George Bell 2.649
43 Noodles Hahn 2.654
44 Candy Cummings*2.661
45 Doc Ayers 2.670
46 Jack Chesbro*2.674
47 Frank Corridon 2.684
48 Sandy Koufax*2.687
49 Dave Davenport 2.700
50 Harry Coveleski 2.702
RankPlayerFIP
Bobby Mathews 2.702
52 Babe Adams 2.704
Frank Owen 2.704
Al Spalding 2.704
55 Bullet Rogan*2.705
56 Willie Mitchell 2.710
57 Bob Wicker 2.712
58 Lee Richmond 2.725
59 Bill Byrd 2.726
60 Cherokee Fisher 2.729
61 Jim Whitney 2.746
62 Al Demaree 2.749
Claude Hendrix 2.749
64 Sam Weaver 2.752
65 Bob Veale 2.759
66 Mariano Rivera*2.764
67 Bill Donovan 2.766
68 Nick Cullop 2.770
69 Dutch Leonard 2.771
70 Harry Howell 2.787
71 Johnny Lush 2.791
72 Jeff Tesreau 2.792
73 Gene Packard 2.794
74 Fred Beebe 2.801
Ed Killian 2.801
76 Babe Ruth*2.806
77 Jake Weimer 2.814
78 George Winter 2.816
79 Grover Cleveland Alexander*2.818
80 Ed Siever 2.819
81 Clayton Kershaw 2.825
82 Bob Groom 2.826
83 Barney Pelty 2.827
84 Russ Ford 2.838
85 Sam Leever 2.840
86 George Zettlein 2.842
87 Ed Reulbach 2.844
Cy Young*2.844
89 Tom Hughes 2.845
90 Toad Ramsey 2.853
91 Pat Ragan 2.855
92 Howie Camnitz 2.857
J. R. Richard 2.857
94 Carl Weilman 2.860
95 Jesse Tannehill 2.863
96 Slim Sallee 2.871
97 Jim McCormick 2.875
98 Bill Bernhard 2.877
Bob Rhoads 2.877
100 Bill Foster*2.881

Notes

  1. A player is considered inactive if he has announced his retirement or not played for a full season.

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References

  1. "Ed Walsh Career Stats". Baseball Reference. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  2. Dziurgot, Stanley. "Ed Walsh Bio". Society For American Baseball Research. Retrieved July 28, 2021.