Top All Time Rotations

Last week looked at the best lineup in ATB history, and so now, naturally, we need to take a look at the best rotation.  Using the same methodology but replacing ATB Value Runs with the RSAA statistic, we find that the ATB 12 John McDonald Fanclub rotation was the best ever in ATB.  Just like the DC Chips, this team had the best no matter how we slice the data.  Their total RSAA scores were tops when analyzing the best two starters on a team, the best three, and the best four.

Three other teams are realistically "in the conversation".  The top 2, 3, and 4 starters scores are in parenthesis.

ATB 9 Dyersville Black Sox (-80.3, -113.1, -129.1)
-47.1: 2004 Randy Johnson .(2.63 ERA, 233 IP, 2.38 RCERA)
-33.2: 1962 Hank Aguirre ..(3.11 ERA, 237 IP, 2.94 RCERA)
-24.7: 2003 Jason Schmidt .(3.22 ERA, 204 IP, 3.11 RCERA)
-22.7: 2002 Curt Schilling (3.10 ERA, 235 IP, 3.33 RCERA)

ATB 12 Dumais Wells Oath Binders (-78.7, -107.5, -100.7)
-45.7: 1919 Babe Adams ....(2.76 ERA, 235 IP, 2.41 RCERA)
-33.0: 1948 Harry Brecheen (2.04 ERA, 198 IP, 2.66 RCERA)
-28.8: 1904 Noodles Hahn ..(3.03 ERA, 214 IP, 2.95 RCERA)
  6.8: 1902 Rube Waddell ..(3.90 ERA, 122 IP, 4.66 RCERA)

ATB 15 Otherton Fishbiscuits (-83.3, -113.1, -129.1)
-49.2: 2000 Pedro Martinez (2.61 ERA, 297 IP, 2.54 RCERA)
-34.1: 1902 Bill Bernhard .(3.29 ERA, 287 IP, 2.96 RCERA)
-29.8: 1966 Juan Marichal .(3.54 ERA, 285 IP, 3.09 RCERA)
-16.0: 1993 Danny Darwin ..(3.73 ERA, 195 IP, 3.29 RCERA)

And our winners:

ATB 12 John McDonald Fanclub (-90.1, -129.7, -169.0)
-48.4: 1946 Tex Hughson ....(2.67 ERA, 256 IP, 2.46 RCERA)
-41.7: 1942 Mort Cooper ....(2.34 ERA, 177 IP, 2.04 RCERA)
-39.6: 1884 George Bradley .(2.53 ERA, 224 IP, 2.57 RCERA)
-39.3: 2000 Pedro Martinez .(2.70 ERA, 213 IP, 2.50 RCERA)

That is quite remarkable.  No other team has approached 3 starters with RSAA marks around 40, and this team has four.  Unfortunately for the Fanclub their offense was quite bad this year, finishing 19th in runs scored resulting in an 88 win season, a full 16 games off the pace in their division.

One thing that irks me with RSAA is the potential to rely too heavily on innings pitched.  The four teams with the lowest runs against in league history don't make the top 4.  It is possible that their bullpens played a large role, but it is also possible that RSAA isn't the best measure.

Let's look at the two of those teams, the ATB 16 Spanish Harlem Pinata Beaters and Dosequis Interesting Men, both of which only allowed 540 runs all year.

ATB 16 Spanish Harlem Pinata Beaters (-40.7, -53.5, -60.3)
-21.7: 1987 Jimmy Key ......(3.06 ERA, 205 IP, 2.70 RCERA)
-19.0: 1928 Garland Braxton (2.49 ERA, 184 IP, 2.72 RCERA)
-12.8: 1901 Al Orth ........(3.66 ERA, 213 IP, 3.11 RCERA)
 -6.9: 1988 Teddy Higuera ..(3.45 ERA, 187 IP, 3.32 RCERA)

ATB 16 Dosequis Interesting Men (-48.3, -57.9, -66.7)
-37.1: 1902 Jesse Tannehill.(2.66 ERA, 244 IP, 2.28 RCERA)
-11.1: 1908 3-Finger Brown (3.20 ERA, 233 IP, 3.22 RCERA)
 -9.7: 1946 Hal Newhouser .(2.65 ERA, 193 IP, 3.20 RCERA)
 -8.7: 1957 Johnny Podres .(3.33 ERA, 224 IP, 3.30 RCERA)

It's plain to see - the Fanclub's rotation holds up here as well.  Congrats JMF!