Is Bob Gibson the greatest pitcher ever?

Career ERA of 2.91, probably the greatest year of any pitcher, 1968... 22 wins, 268k, 305 innings pitched, 38 earned runs all year. Led the league in ERA, K's, MVP in 1968, and Gold Glove winner. WOW.

This creates a serious arguement, but others like Nolan, Roger Clemens, Tom Seaver Sandy Kofax... The list goes on. He was great.

Gibson was a great pitcher, no doubt, and is a HOFer because of those amazing seasons. However people like Cy Young, Nolan Ryan, and yes, even Clemens, will be considered higher on the list because of the amount of godlike numbers they put up. No one will ever get 7 No No's anymore with most pitchers throwing an average of 1 CG every year. Same with Cy Young's Win record, due to the number of pitchers in a rotation. Ryan also has records in strike outs, etc. and he will always be one of the best.

Gibson definitely deserves recognition though.

When they hand out the "Bob Gibson Award" to the best pitcher for that year, he will be considered the greatest.

I don't know if he's the best ever, but I sure know I wouldn't want to face him! I read David Halberstam's book "October 1964" a couple years ago and it gave me a new appreciation for Gibson. (I was born in 1973, so I didn't get to see or experience his play myself.) He has to be one of the greatest competitors of all time. His intensity reminds me of Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods...although Gibson seemed to have a even more of a mean streak to him.

For one game... You'd probably be okay saying that is the guy you'd want out there. You could also make the case for Koufax or Clemens. For a career though, I'd say he is in the top 10... With Cy Young, W. Johnson, C. Matthewson, Clemens, Maddux, G. Alexander, N. Ryan, S. Koufax, and Carlton (or Seaver)... Not in any order...

its up to debate. koufax wasnt to shabby. drysdale and clemens are/were most intimidating. ryan with all those strikeouts and no hitters while playing for some crummy teams. in the deadball era (mathewson, young, alexander), there are alot of players with good numbers and thats because the hitters werent as good as today. and then there is steve carlton who won something like 25 games for a team that won only 59 games in the 1970's.

I would rank him in the top 5 as greatest competitors and greatest big game pitchers.

Most baseball purists regard him as one of the greats, however, in the modern baseball era many consider Nolan Ryan the best because of his career records in strikeouts(5,714) and no-hitters (7) and one-hitters (12). His win loss record (324-292) is what most detractors point to although he played most of his career on marginal teams. Consensus is Sandy Koufax with a lifetime ERA of 2.76 and World Series ERA of .95.

I don't think there ever was a more intimidating person to step on the mound and he had the heat to go along with the stare. Right up there with the very best

Nope