Literary birthday greetings: Rapid Robert

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Bob Feller, one of the fastest pitchers in Major League history, turns 92 today. Feller was one of those “Greatest Americans” who served in combat in World War II (as opposed to ballplayers who continued to play, albeit within the confines of military service). He lost more than three prime years. Several sabermetricians have posited what his career numbers might have been had he played during those seasons. Last year, Dean Hybl wrote this piece for BleacherReport on Feller and WW II contemporaries such as Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, and Hank Greenberg, in which he said:

It is a little less scientific to assume the same statistical consistency for a pitcher because you don’t know if his arm would have been able to withstand the physical stress that four additional years would have provided. However, for the sake of argument I used the same formula to determine what Feller’s numbers might have looked like.

In 18 seasons, Feller posted a record of 266-162 with a 3.25 ERA and 2,581 strikeouts. Using his three seasons immediately before and after his absence as the guide, he would have averaged a 24-12 record with a 2.82 ERA and 246 strikeouts per season during the four full seasons between 1942 and 1945.

I took into account the numbers he did post in nine starts at the end of the 1945 season when compiling his projected career totals.

When adding the additional seasons, Feller would have posted a 362-210 record with a 3.11 ERA and 3,565 strikeouts. Those numbers would move him from 36th all-time in wins to fifth and from 26th in strikeouts to eighth.

As much respect as I have for Feller and all those who served, from what I’ve seen and heard of him in interviews, he’s always struck me as slightly bitter, and he has a right to be. But many veterans accept they did what was expected of them with a degree of equanimity and modesty. Feller seems much more open about how much better he could have been had he not missed out because of time spent in the service, of which he is quick to point out he was proud to do so. Similarly — and again rightly so– he resents the astronomical salaries mediocre players are pulling down these days. What would he have been worth in his prime?

Feller hasn’t been in the best of health in recent months, so here’s wishing him peace and comfort.

He published extensively about his career: