At the end of last October, right here we remember the 84 years that Dominican pitcher Juan Marichal celebrated, and how then, not to evoke his six seasons in the major leagues with at least 20 victories, and what to say, including his three campaigns with at least 25 wins.
An event that has not been repeated in the major leagues since that decade of the 60s, when Marichal and left-hander Sandy Koufax caught up with him.
However, what some fans, mostly in their forties, and who were obviously not born, is that they are surprised by how Marichal failed to take home a “Cy Young” award, as the most outstanding pitcher. of the major leagues. At least in one of those campaigns. The doubt was more than reasonable.
Although you do not have to go around much to find the reason for these results. Just as Marichal closed with performances that seem unattainable today, Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson also finished with performances worthy of the “Cy Young”, which is worth remembering, then it was only delivered in a single league, unlike the present when it is awarded an award in each circuit.
When in 1963 Marichal finished with 25 wins, five shutouts, 248 strikeouts and a 2.41 ERA in 321 innings with the San Francisco Giants, Koufax with the Los Angeles Dodgers also added 25 wins, 11 shutouts, struck out 306 batters. in 311 innings with a 1.88 ERA. Koufax was elected with all the votes.
In 1966, Marichal again won 25 games with a 2.23 ERA in 307 innings and 4 shutouts, meanwhile Koufax won 26 games, with a 2.04 ERA in 332 acts, 382 fans and eight shutouts. Again, Koufax received all the votes.
In 1968, Marichal was the first of the Nacional with 26 victories. He was also the first with 30 complete games and 325 innings, plus a 2.43 ERA.
With the St. Louis Cardinals, Gibson won 22 games, had a 1.12 ERA, produced 13 shutouts and fanned 268 batters in 305 innings. Like Koufax, he won the “Cy Young” with all votes in his favor.
We could conclude that if Koufax and Gibson deserved the “Cy Young” without a shadow of a doubt, Marichal could at least receive votes. However, there is a compelling factor that may have diminished his chance with voting journalists. The performances of Koufax and Gibson contributed to the supreme end of every campaign.
Both the Dodgers in 1963 and 1966, and the Cardinals in 1968, claimed the league crown. How to doubt that Koufax and Gibson had no decisive influence on those three titles.
