The Baltimore Orioles are a member of the American League East division in Major League Baseball (MLB).
The Orioles, one of the eight original American League clubs, enjoyed their greatest success between 1966 and 1983, when they appeared in six World Series and won three of them (1966, 1970, 1983).
Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, Jr., and Earl Weaver are just a few of the Orioles’ future Hall of Famers that played for the team during this period of the franchise.
For the Baltimore Orioles, there has been a rich history of pitchers, but the statistics and merits of 5 people stood out above the others.
Despite the fact that no Orioles pitcher has been genuinely spectacular in recent years, some Orioles pitchers have had incredible careers and gone on to win multiple honors in previous decades.
Four American League Cy Young Award winners, one American League Rookie of the Year Award winner, two Gold Glove Award winners, and three Relief Man of the Year Award winners are among the honorees.
As determined by their individual teams’ records over their respective time periods, these are the 5 greatest Oriole pitchers.
1. JIM PALMER
Orioles legend Jim Palmer spent 19 years in the big leagues and never wore a uniform other than orange and black.
One person on this list has won World Series rings in all three of the Orioles’ championship seasons.
In Game 3 of the 1966 World Series, he became the youngest pitcher ever to record a shutout in a World Series game.
Palmer was a three-time Cy Young Award winner in the American League.
2. MIKE CUELLAR
“Crazy Horse” Cuellar, whose superstitious disposition has earned him the nickname, ranks among Baltimore’s top five career winners.
For his contributions to the Orioles’ success, Cuellar was voted into the team’s Hall of Fame.
Cuellar’s greatest season was in 1969, when he won the AL Cy Young Award and finished 23-11 with a 2.38 ERA, enough for third in the AL, while striking out 182 hitters.
Cuellar was a major factor in the Orioles’ dominance from 1969 to 1976, which culminated in a World Series championship in 1970.
3. MIKE MUSSINA
Mussina pitched an astounding 201 sessions each innings during his time in Baltimore, and he won 15 games on average.
Mussina’s performances as an arm and a glove have also garnered him a slew of honors.
Mussina was a five-time All-Star for the American League, a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, and a seven-time Cy Young Award finalist with the Baltimore Orioles.
4. STEVE BARBER
Stephen David Barber was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who represented the United States. From 1960 through 1974, he pitched for the Baltimore Orioles as well as six other organizations.
A wild pitcher with inconsistent outcomes throughout his career, Barber was hindered by persistent aches that prevented him from putting together a streak of successful campaigns.
Barber was victorious in 20 games in 1963, but his long-term prospects were hampered by recurring injury problems.
5. MILT PAPPAS
After making his major league debut with the Orioles at the age of 18, Pappas quickly established himself as a reliable part of the rotation, winning 110 games in nine seasons without ever having a losing season with the Orioles under his belt.
On six separate occasions throughout his nine-year tenure with the team, Pappas threw more than 200 innings.
Pappas’ command was perhaps his most notable quality, as he led the majors in SO/BB (strikeouts to bases on balls) in 1964 with 3.271 and ended first in wild pitches thrown in 1959 and 1960 with just 14 and 10.
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