1981 National League Pitching Leaders

Previous Season Next Season

Other Leagues: Major Leagues, AL

Pennant Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Most Valuable Player: Mike Schmidt

NL Cy Young: Fernando Valenzuela

NL Rookie of the Year: Fernando Valenzuela

Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free.

1981 NL Menu

National League Pitching Leaders

Wins Above Replacement--all

Wins Above Replacement A single number that presents the number of wins the player added to the team above what a replacement player (think AAA or AAAA) would add. Scale for a single-season: 8+ MVP Quality, 5+ All-Star Quality, 2+ Starter, 0-2 Reserve, < 0 Replacement Level Developed by Sean Smith of BaseballProjection.com

1. Schmidt • PHI 7.7

2. Dawson • MON 7.5

3. Carlton • PHI 5.5

4. Valenzuela • LAD 5.3

5. Ryan • HOU 5.1

6. Seaver • CIN 4.3

7. Reuss • LAD 4.3

8. Hernandez • STL 4.2

9. Carter • MON 3.8

10. Concepción • CIN 3.7

WAR for Pitchers

Wins Above Replacement for Pitchers A single number that presents the number of wins the player added to the team above what a replacement player (think AAA or AAAA) would add. This value includes defensive support and includes additional value for high leverage situations. Scale: 8+ MVP Quality, 5+ All-Star Quality, 2+ Starter, 0-2 Reserve, < 0 Replacement Level Developed by Sean Smith of BaseballProjection.com

1. Carlton • PHI 5.5

2. Valenzuela • LAD 4.8

3. Ryan • HOU 4.7

4. Reuss • LAD 4.1

5. Seaver • CIN 4.0

6. Knepper • HOU 3.5

7. Alexander • SFG 3.3

8. Hooton • LAD 3.3

9. Blue • SFG 2.9

10. Solomon • PIT 2.8

Earned Run Average

9 * ER / IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played. Bold indicates lowest ERA using current stats Gold means awarded ERA title at end of year.

1. Ryan • HOU 1.69

2. Knepper • HOU 2.18

3. Hooton • LAD 2.28

4. Reuss • LAD 2.30

5. Carlton • PHI 2.42

6. Blue • SFG 2.45

7. Valenzuela • LAD 2.48

8. Seaver • CIN 2.54

9. Sutton • HOU 2.61

10. Gullickson • MON 2.80

Wins

1. Seaver • CIN 14

2. Carlton • PHI 13

Valenzuela • LAD 13

4. Rogers • MON 12

Ruthven • PHI 12

Soto • CIN 12

7. Alexander • SFG 11

Hooton • LAD 11

Ryan • HOU 11

Sutton • HOU 11

Win-Loss %

Win-Loss Percentage W / (W + L) For players, leaders need one decision for every ten team games. For managers, minimum to qualify for leading is 320 games.

1. Seaver • CIN .875

2. Carlton • PHI .765

3. Camp • ATL .750

4. Reuss • LAD .714

5. Rhoden • PIT .692

Hume • CIN .692

7. Ryan • HOU .688

8. Andújar • 2TM .667

Forsch • STL .667

10. Valenzuela • LAD .650

Walks & Hits per IP

(BB + H)/IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played

1. Sutton • HOU 1.015

2. Valenzuela • LAD 1.045

3. Knepper • HOU 1.060

4. Reuss • LAD 1.081

5. Forsch • STL 1.086

6. Hooton • LAD 1.103

7. Sanderson • MON 1.114

8. Seaver • CIN 1.118

9. Gullickson • MON 1.119

10. Ryan • HOU 1.121

Hits per 9 IP

9 x H / IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played

1. Ryan • HOU 5.980

2. Seaver • CIN 6.493

3. Valenzuela • LAD 6.551

4. Berenyi • CIN 6.929

5. Blue • SFG 7.003

6. Carlton • PHI 7.200

7. Soto • CIN 7.303

8. Knepper • HOU 7.353

9. Sutton • HOU 7.487

10. Forsch • STL 7.673

Bases On Balls per 9 IP

9 x BB / IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played

1. Perry • ATL 1.434

2. Reuss • LAD 1.592

3. Sutton • HOU 1.645

4. Sorensen • STL 1.667

5. Solomon • PIT 1.913

6. Gullickson • MON 1.945

7. Sanderson • MON 2.032

8. Hooton • LAD 2.087

9. Forsch • STL 2.099

10. Knepper • HOU 2.183

Strikeouts per 9 IP

9 x SO / IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played

1. Carlton • PHI 8.479

2. Ryan • HOU 8.456

3. Valenzuela • LAD 8.423

4. Soto • CIN 7.766

5. Berenyi • CIN 7.571

6. Gullickson • MON 6.578

7. Krukow • CHC 6.298

8. Christenson • PHI 5.906

9. Sutton • HOU 5.899

10. Griffin • SFG 5.776

Games Played

Games Played or Pitched

1. Lucas • SDP 57

2. Minton • SFG 55

3. Hume • CIN 51

Tidrow • CHC 51

5. Sambito • HOU 49

6. Camp • ATL 48

Lyle • PHI 48

Sutter • STL 48

9. Holland • SFG 47

10. Breining • SFG 45

Tekulve • PIT 45

Jackson • 2TM 45

Saves

1. Sutter • STL 25

2. Minton • SFG 21

3. Allen • NYM 18

4. Camp • ATL 17

5. Lucas • SDP 13

Hume • CIN 13

7. McGraw • PHI 10

Sambito • HOU 10

9. Tidrow • CHC 9

Romo • PIT 9

Innings Pitched

1. Valenzuela • LAD 192.1

2. Carlton • PHI 190.0

3. Soto • CIN 175.0

4. Seaver • CIN 166.1

5. Niekro • HOU 166.0

6. Rogers • MON 160.2

7. Sutton • HOU 158.2

8. Gullickson • MON 157.1

9. Knepper • HOU 156.2

10. Reuss • LAD 152.2

Strikeouts

1. Valenzuela • LAD 180

2. Carlton • PHI 179

3. Soto • CIN 151

4. Ryan • HOU 140

5. Gullickson • MON 115

6. Berenyi • CIN 106

7. Sutton • HOU 104

8. Krukow • CHC 101

9. Welch • LAD 88

10. Rogers • MON 87

Seaver • CIN 87

Games Started

1. Krukow • CHC 25

Soto • CIN 25

Valenzuela • LAD 25

4. Alexander • SFG 24

Boggs • ATL 24

Carlton • PHI 24

Eichelberger • SDP 24

Niekro • HOU 24

Zachry • NYM 24

10. Hooton • LAD 23

Perry • ATL 23

Scott • NYM 23

Seaver • CIN 23

Sorensen • STL 23

Sutton • HOU 23

Welch • LAD 23

Complete Games

Complete Game

1. Valenzuela • LAD 11

2. Soto • CIN 10

Carlton • PHI 10

4. Reuss • LAD 8

5. Rogers • MON 7

6. Sutton • HOU 6

Knepper • HOU 6

Seaver • CIN 6

9. Berenyi • CIN 5

Niekro • HOU 5

Hooton • LAD 5

Ryan • HOU 5

Ruthven • PHI 5

Shutouts

Shutouts No runs allowed and a complete game.

1. Valenzuela • LAD 8

2. Knepper • HOU 5

3. Hooton • LAD 4

4. Berenyi • CIN 3

Sutton • HOU 3

Soto • CIN 3

Ryan • HOU 3

Rogers • MON 3

Niekro • ATL 3

10. Niekro • HOU 2

Welsh • SDP 2

Rhoden • PIT 2

Reuss • LAD 2

Bibby • PIT 2

Gullickson • MON 2

Lea • MON 2

Home Runs

Home Runs Hit/Allowed

1. Soto • CIN 13

Zachry • NYM 13

3. Alexander • SFG 11

Boggs • ATL 11

Curtis • SDP 11

Espinosa • PHI 11

Krukow • CHC 11

Pastore • CIN 11

Scott • NYM 11

Valenzuela • LAD 11

Welch • LAD 11

Bases on Balls

Bases on Balls/Walks

1. Berenyi • CIN 77

2. Eichelberger • SDP 74

3. Ryan • HOU 68

4. Seaver • CIN 66

5. Carlton • PHI 62

6. Soto • CIN 61

Valenzuela • LAD 61

8. Griffin • SFG 57

9. Niekro • ATL 56

Zachry • NYM 56

Hits

Hits/Hits Allowed

1. Perry • ATL 182

2. Ruthven • PHI 162

3. Alexander • SFG 156

Mura • SDP 156

5. Carlton • PHI 152

6. Zachry • NYM 151

7. Niekro • HOU 150

8. Rogers • MON 149

Sorensen • STL 149

10. Rhoden • PIT 147

Strikeouts / Base On Balls

SO/W or SO/BB For recent years, pitching leaders need 1 IP per team game played. No batting leaders computed.

1. Sutton • HOU 3.586

2. Gullickson • MON 3.382

3. Valenzuela • LAD 2.951

4. Carlton • PHI 2.887

5. Perry • ATL 2.500

6. Sanderson • MON 2.484

7. Soto • CIN 2.475

8. Christenson • PHI 2.333

9. Pastore • CIN 2.314

10. Hooton • LAD 2.242

Home Runs per 9 IP

9 x HR / IP For recent years, leaders need 1 IP per team game played

1. Ryan • HOU 0.121

2. Gullickson • MON 0.172

3. Hooton • LAD 0.190

4. Sorensen • STL 0.192

5. Berenyi • CIN 0.214

6. Knepper • HOU 0.287

7. Eichelberger • SDP 0.318

8. Sutton • HOU 0.340

9. Reuss • LAD 0.354

10. Niekro • ATL 0.388

Losses

1. Mura • SDP 14

Zachry • NYM 14

3. Boggs • ATL 13

4. Scott • NYM 10

Tidrow • CHC 10

6. Gullickson • MON 9

Krukow • CHC 9

Niekro • HOU 9

Pastore • CIN 9

Perry • ATL 9

Soto • CIN 9

Sutton • HOU 9

Whitson • SFG 9

Earned Runs

Earned Runs Allowed

1. Ruthven • PHI 84

2. Mura • SDP 66

Perry • ATL 66

4. Boggs • ATL 65

5. Soto • CIN 64

Zachry • NYM 64

7. Rogers • MON 61

8. Krukow • CHC 59

Pastore • CIN 59

Rhoden • PIT 59

Scott • NYM 59

Wild Pitches

1. Ryan • HOU 16

2. Carlton • PHI 9

3. Krukow • CHC 8

4. Berenyi • CIN 7

Blue • SFG 7

Lollar • SDP 7

Niekro • HOU 7

Smith • CHC 7

9. Burris • MON 6

Capilla • CHC 6

Hanna • ATL 6

LaCorte • HOU 6

Rhoden • PIT 6

Ripley • SFG 6

Ruthven • PHI 6

Hit By Pitch

Times Hit by a Pitch.

1. Griffin • SFG 7

2. Forsch • STL 4

Gullickson • MON 4

Knepper • HOU 4

Kravec • CHC 4

Perry • ATL 4

Reuschel • CHC 4

Reuss • LAD 4

Zachry • NYM 4

10. Boggs • ATL 3

Burris • MON 3

Eichelberger • SDP 3

Lollar • SDP 3

Lucas • SDP 3

Noles • PHI 3

Pastore • CIN 3

Pérez • PIT 3

Ripley • SFG 3

Ruthven • PHI 3

Scurry • PIT 3

Seaver • CIN 3

Solomon • PIT 3

Soto • CIN 3

Urrea • SDP 3

Welch • LAD 3

Batters Faced

1. Carlton • PHI 763

2. Valenzuela • LAD 758

3. Soto • CIN 717

4. Niekro • HOU 676

5. Seaver • CIN 671

6. Rogers • MON 652

7. Ruthven • PHI 648

8. Alexander • SFG 646

9. Perry • ATL 644

10. Gullickson • MON 640

Games Finished

Games Finished Credited to the last pitcher to appear for a team in a game. Complete Games are not counted as Games Finished.

1. Minton • SFG 44

2. Hume • CIN 40

Lucas • SDP 40

4. Sutter • STL 36

5. Allen • NYM 35

6. Camp • ATL 33

Reardon • 2TM 33

8. Sambito • HOU 32

9. McGraw • PHI 31

10. Tidrow • CHC 30

Adjusted ERA+

ERA+ 100*[lgERA/ERA] Adjusted to the player’s ballpark(s).

1. Ryan • HOU 195

2. Knepper • HOU 151

3. Carlton • PHI 151

4. Hooton • LAD 148

5. Reuss • LAD 146

6. Seaver • CIN 140

7. Blue • SFG 140

8. Valenzuela • LAD 135

9. Mahler • ATL 129

10. Sutton • HOU 126

Fielding Independent Pitching

Fielding Independent Pitching this stat measures a pitcher's effectiveness at preventing HR, BB, HBP and causing SO <tt>(13*HR + 3*(BB+HBP) - 2*SO)/IP + Constantlg</tt> The constant is set so that each season major-league average FIP is the same as the major-league avg ERA

1. Gullickson • MON 2.11

2. Ryan • HOU 2.28

3. Carlton • PHI 2.33

4. Sutton • HOU 2.35

5. Valenzuela • LAD 2.44

6. Hooton • LAD 2.57

7. Sorensen • STL 2.71

8. Knepper • HOU 2.86

9. Rogers • MON 2.89

10. Soto • CIN 2.94

Adj. Pitching Runs

Adjusted Pitching Runs A set of formulas developed by Gary Gillette, Pete Palmer and others that estimates a pitcher’s total contributions to a team’s runs total via linear weights. 0.0 is an avg performance, <0 is worse than avg and >0 is better than avg

1. Ryan • HOU 27

2. Carlton • PHI 24

3. Valenzuela • LAD 22

4. Knepper • HOU 21

5. Seaver • CIN 19

6. Reuss • LAD 19

7. Hooton • LAD 17

8. Camp • ATL 15

9. Sutton • HOU 13

10. Blue • SFG 13

Adj. Pitching Wins

Adjusted Pitching Wins A set of formulas developed by Gary Gillette, Pete Palmer and others that estimates a pitcher’s total contributions to a team’s wins with his arm. 0.0 is an avg performance, <0 is worse than avg and >0 is better than avg

1. Ryan • HOU 3.2

2. Carlton • PHI 2.8

3. Valenzuela • LAD 2.5

4. Knepper • HOU 2.4

5. Seaver • CIN 2.2

6. Reuss • LAD 2.1

7. Hooton • LAD 1.9

8. Camp • ATL 1.6

9. Blue • SFG 1.5

10. Sutton • HOU 1.5

Base-Out Runs Saved (RE24)

Base-Out Runs Saved Given the bases occupied/out situation, how many runs did the pitcher save in the resulting play. Compared to average, so 0 is average, and above 0 is better than average

1. Valenzuela • LAD 30.29

2. Ryan • HOU 29.72

3. Carlton • PHI 25.17

4. Reuss • LAD 23.80

5. Seaver • CIN 22.50

6. Knepper • HOU 21.97

7. Gullickson • MON 19.71

8. Sambito • HOU 17.62

9. Hooton • LAD 17.11

10. Camp • ATL 16.98

Win Probability Added (WPA)

Win Probability Added by Pitcher Given average teams, this is the change in probability. A change of +/- 1 would indicate one win added or lost.

1. Valenzuela • LAD 4.3

2. Ryan • HOU 3.3

3. Knepper • HOU 3.1

4. Carlton • PHI 3.0

5. Hooton • LAD 2.5

6. Reardon • 2TM 2.4

7. Seaver • CIN 2.1

8. Reuss • LAD 2.0

9. Sutton • HOU 1.7

10. Holland • SFG 1.7

Sit. Wins Saved (WPA/LI)

Situational Wins (WPA/LI) It is the sum of WPA divided by the leverage index for each play. WPA depends greatly on the context of the at bats. This stat does not.

1. Carlton • PHI 3.3

2. Valenzuela • LAD 3.2

3. Ryan • HOU 3.0

4. Sutton • HOU 2.5

5. Gullickson • MON 2.5

6. Reuss • LAD 2.4

7. Knepper • HOU 2.3

8. Seaver • CIN 2.1

9. Hooton • LAD 1.8

10. Soto • CIN 1.8

Championship WPA (cWPA)

Championship Win Probability Added by Pitcher Given average teams, this is the change in probability, displayed in percentage points. A change of +/- 100% would indicate one world series win added or lost.

1. Ryan • HOU 4.9

2. Valenzuela • LAD 3.1

3. Reardon • 2TM 2.8

4. Rogers • MON 2.3

5. Gullickson • MON 2.0

6. Sutton • HOU 2.0

7. Fryman • MON 1.9

8. Knepper • HOU 1.7

9. Carlton • PHI 1.7

10. Hume • CIN 1.6

Base-Out Wins Saved (REW)

Base-Out Wins Saved This is the number of wins above average the player was worth by their performance measured by the 24 base-out situations.

1. Ryan • HOU 3.7

2. Valenzuela • LAD 3.6

3. Carlton • PHI 2.8

4. Reuss • LAD 2.8

5. Knepper • HOU 2.6

6. Seaver • CIN 2.6

7. Gullickson • MON 2.3

8. Sambito • HOU 2.0

9. Hooton • LAD 2.0

10. Sutton • HOU 2.0

A ** by the stat's value indicates the player had fewer than the required number of at bats or plate appearances for the BA, OBP, SLG or OPS title that year. In order to rank the player, the necessary number of hitless at bats were added to the player's season total. The value printed here is their actual value and not the value used to rank them, therefore some numbers may appear out of order.

For batting rate stats, generally a minimum of 3.1 Plate Appearances/G, 1.0 IP/G, 0.67 Gm and Chances/Team Game (fielding), 0.2 SB att/Team Game (catchers), and 0.1 SB att/Team Game (baserunners only since 1951), and 0.1 decision/G for single-season leaderboards generally needed for rate statistics. For pitcher fielding the minimums are reduced by a third. For LF, CF, RF fielding stats, we only have reliable data since 1898, so all leaders are since 1898. Explanation of min. requirements