A Different Era

Rick Helling of the Texas Rangers, a 20-game winner last season, is off to a slow start this year with a 3-3 record and 6.45 earned-run average. But that is not such a surprise if you look at his ERA last season, which was 4.41. The highest ERAs by 20-game winners since 1900:

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Pitcher, team Year Record ERA Bobo Newsom, St. Louis Browns 1938 20-16 5.08 Ray Kremer, Pittsburgh Pirates 1930 21-12 5.02 Vern Kennedy, Chicago White Sox 1936 21-9 4.63 George Earnshaw, Philadelphia A’s 1930 22-13 4.44 Rick Helling, Texas Rangers 1998 20-7 4.41 Lefty Gomez, N.Y. Yankees 1932 24-7 4.21 Wes Ferrell, Boston Red Sox 1936 20-15 4.19 Monte Weaver, Wash. Senators 1932 22-10 4.08 Jim Merritt, Cincinnati Reds 1970 20-12 4.08 George Uhle, Cleveland Indians 1922 22-16 4.07

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