We all have high hopes for the future of our young pitching starters, but we also know that the team’s weighted pitching age (based on inning’s pitched) was 28.2, which made the 2010 Reds the 54th “oldest” team in the Reds 129 year history since 1882. That is, 75 Reds pitching staffs were actually younger than the 2010 Reds. Let’s compare the 2010 staff as a team to other Reds seasonal pitching staffs.
The 2010 Reds (91-71) allowed 4.23 runs per game, not earned runs, but 4.23 total runs per game. 4.23 runs per game is the 50th best allowance in Reds history. The 1919 World Champion Reds (96-44) allowed 2.86 runs per game, the lowest in Cincinnati history. The 1919 team was almost a half run better than the second place 1907 Reds (66-87) which allowed only 3.33 runs per game. The best Reds team at run prevention in the last fifty years was the 1964 Reds (92-70) team which allowed 3.47 runs per game. The worst team at run prevention was the 1894 Reds (55-75) which allowed 8.27 runs per game. The worst team in the last fifty years at run prevention was the 2004 Reds team (76-86) which allowed 5.60 runs per game.
The 2010 Reds posted a 4.01 earned run average, which was 89th in team history (out of 129). The best ERA was posted by the 1882 American Association champion Red Stockings (1.65), with the modern record being held by the 1919 World Championship team (2.23). The best Reds ERA in the last fifty years was posted by the 1967 Reds (87-75) with a 3.05 ERA. The worst Reds ERA in history was posted by the 1894 team (55-75) with a 5.99 ERA. The next three worst seasons are from 2003-05, with 2004 being the next to the bottom at 5.19.
The 2010 Reds had a WHIP (walks and hits/innings pitched) of 1.402, which is 98th in Reds history. The lowest WHIP ever was by the 1908 team (73-81) at 1.069. The best in the last fifty years was posted by the 1967 squad (87-75) at 1.184. The 1894 season (57-75) sports the worst at 1.651. The worst staff at keeping runners of the bases in the last fifty years was the 1976 World Series championship squad (102-60) at 1.550, which is the third worst in Reds history. The fourth worst is the 1975 World Championship team (108-54) at 1.512.
The 2010 Reds struck out 7.54 batters per nine innings, the fourth highest in Reds history. The highest ever was the 2004 squad (76-86) at 8.32. The top seven figures and 11 of the top 12 have come since 1999. The lowest recorded strikeout ratio was held by the 1897 Reds (76-56) at 1.70. The lowest in the last fifty years was the 1961 Reds (93-61) at 5.00 strikeouts per nine innings.
The 2010 Reds allowed 8.67 hits per nine innings, the 82nd highest total in their history. The most allowed were by the 1894 Reds (55-75) at 12.05 hits per nine; the most allowed in the last fifty years were by the 2005 Reds at 10.17. The fewest hits per nine innings were allowed by the 1882 Red Stockings (55-25) which allowed 7.61/nine. The fewest hits allowed per nine innings in the last fifty years came in 1988 (87-74) at 7.89/nine innings.
The 2010 Reds walked 3.23 batters per game, 47th worst in Reds history. The Reds team with the worst control was the 1893 squad (65-63) at 4.19 walks per game. The modern record for worst control was the 1949 team (62-92) at 4.10 walks per game. The worst in the last fifty years was accomplished by the 2000 team at 4.04 walks per game. The best control was by the 1882 Red Stockings (55-25) at 1.82 walks per game. The modern record is held by the 1933 Reds (58-94) at 1.68 walks per game. The best in the last fifty years is by the 1963 Reds (86-76) at 2.62 walks per game.
The 2010 Reds allowed 1.16 home runs per nine innings, the 14th highest rate in club history. The most home runs allowed were by the 1956 team (91-63) with 1.43. The lowest rate was by the 1882 Red Stockings (55-25) at 0.06, but the lowest modern day rate is held by the 1908 Reds (73-81) with 0.09/nine innings. The lowest in the last fifty years is held by the 1982 Reds (61-101) with 0.51.