Was Simmons an example of a young pitcher (and boy was he young!) who was overused? He looked like he was on his way to a HoM career by age 25, only to lose traction after that season (though he was still capable of quite a few fine seasons). Still, he did have a nice career that was fairly long.

With Robin Roberts on the same staff being worked much harder and only two years older, the Phillies probably didn't notice they were overworking him until it was too late (and Roberts ended up breaking down the year after Simmons did).

By RSI, he's the biggest underachieving pitcher in the last half-century, winning 18 games fewer than he should've based on his real life RSI & RA/9IP. IIRC, the problem rests primarily with his years in St Louis.

Only Dizzy Trout (-22) is worse of the 195ish pitcher I RSId. Only Tim Keefe is as bad.

Curt Simmons missed playing time due to the Korean War - all of 1951, tail end of 1950. Just an FYI for you military service adjusters.

Also another guy who bounced from effective years to ones where he was nearing replacement level.

RA+ -equivalent record: 198-174, with essentially nothing in "big years." This makes him an OK match for Bob Friend (212-190). Neither one gets a vote from me.

I also have Stu Miller at an equivalent 108-80. Miller should be adjusted upward some for leverage.

Did you notice how many pitchers of considerable substance pitched their last non-token season in 1967? Ford, Simmons, Burdette, Law. The all missed out on the pitchers paradise that was 1968.

Wow, Burdette does so poorly on sabermetric measures that he doesn't even get a thread. (Not that he'd be anywhere near my ballot)

Wow, Burdette does so poorly on sabermetric measures that he doesn't even get a thread. (Not that he'd be anywhere near my ballot)

So do you want a thread or not for him, David? ;-)

So do you want a thread or not for him, David? ;-)

No... the only thing I'd put in the thread is how run support and County Stadium helped him quite a bit and how -- apart from about three seasons (54,56,58) and the 57 Series -- he was a very mediocre pitcher.