San Francisco Giants: Top 30 players of all-time
. . . Gaylord Perry . 14. 40
NY/SF Giants best players all-time: No. 14-Gaylord Perry
41.5 WAR
Gaylord Perry has one of the best baseball names ever and he was also one of the best Giants pitchers ever, as he was enshrined in Cooperstown in 1991.
Perry started his career with the San Francisco Giants, which was his first of nine teams he suited up for. He was a two-time All-Star with the Giants in 1966 and 1970 and was the wins leader in 1970.
Perry was known as a spitball pitcher and he could contribute some of his success to the paranoia of hitters thinking he was doctoring baseballs.
His breakout season was in 1966, as he won a startling 20 games going into August. Behind Juan Marichal, he was half of a great “1-2 punch” that would rival that of the Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
In 1966 he made it to his first Al-Star Game, which was one of five appearances in the Mid-Summer Classic.
1970 was another year to remember for Gaylord Perry, as he emerged as the Giants’ ace, leading the league in wins with 23 and innings logged with 328. Without Perry, the Giants would not have finished the season over a .500 record.
Perry surprisingly only made it to the postseason twice with San Francisco, winning one of the two games (losing to the Pirates).