While there was a fair share of hitters with mystic-like pop at the plate during the ’94 strike-shortened season, a notable name on the mound was operating at a beyond historic rate. Atlanta’s Greg Maddux, the Cy Young Award winner in the last two seasons, and eventually for 1994 and ’95, making it four in a row, posted a 1.56 earned run average with a WHIP of 0.896 in 202 innings of work. In the Live Ball Era (1920-), only one other pitcher finished a year, while logging at least 200 innings, with an ERA under 1.60 and a WHIP below .9. That hurler was, of course, Bob Gibson, who exceeded these marks in 1968 while carrying out arguably the greatest pitching season of the century. When speaking after his final start (a complete game, 3-hit shutout win over the Colorado Rockies) of the ’94 year, Maddux, in summary of his incredible stretch, said, “This is the best 4 ½ months I’ve ever had.” Rockies Manager Don Baylor, whose team just got blanked by the legendary right-hander, said of Maddux: “He’s a treat to watch. I don’t know if we had one good swing.”
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