Top 50 Individual Seasons
By Bill Center
Right-hander Ed Whitson had back-to-back excellent seasons for the Padres in 1989–90, posting the fourth-highest pitching WAR in franchise history with a 7.1 mark in 1990.
If fact, Whitson’s 13.6 WAR over the two seasons is the highest mark in Padres’ history for back-to-back seasons.
In 1990, Whitson had a 14–9 record with a 2.60 earned run average, a 1.146 WHIP and a .251 opponents’ batting average in 32 starts. He allowed 73 runs (66 earned) on 215 hits and 47 walks with 127 strikeouts.
He led the National League with his 7.0 pitching WAR; ranked second in walks allowed per nine innings (1.850); third in ERA; seventh in innings pitched and strikeout-to-walks ratio (2.7-to-1); tied for seventh in wins, and 10th in WHIP. His WAR was also the fourth-best in the league among hitters and pitchers.
Whitson, who turned 35 during the 1990 season, had a 9–3 record on the road and was 8–3 in the second half with a 2.36 ERA in 16 starts.
His ERA was the sixth-best in Padres history. In my opinion, Whitson’s 1990 season was the 19th-best individual season in Padres history.
The Padres were 19–13 in games started by Whitson. In 1989, they were 20–13 in games started by Whitson.
Over the 1989–90 seasons, Whitson went 30–20 with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.115 WHIP in 65 starts. He allowed 150 runs (133 earned) on 413 hits and 95 walks with 244 strikeouts in 455 2/3 innings.
In 1989, Whitson was 16–11 with a 2.66 ERA, a 1.084 WHIP, a 6.5 WAR and a .235 opponents’ batting average in 33 starts. He gave up 77 runs (67 earned) on 198 hits and 48 walks with 117 strikeouts in 227 innings. He finished third in pitching WAR, fourth in ERA, sixth in WHIP, tied for sixth in wins and ninth in walks allowed per nine innings (1.903).
Whitson in 1989 posted the seventh-best, single-season ERA in Padres history and tied for eighth with the 16 wins.
Whitson played in a total of eight seasons in two stints for the Padres.
He was originally acquired from Cleveland on Nov. 18, 1982, in a trade for pitcher Juan Eichelberger and outfielder Broderick Perkins. He signed with the Yankees as a free agent following the Padres 1984 National League Championship season. He returned to the Padres from the Yankees on July 8, 1986, in a trade for pitcher Tim Stoddard.
Whitson had a career record of 77–72 with a 2.69 ERA, a 1.229 WHIP and a .256 opponents’ batting average in 227 appearances (208 starts) for the Padres. He gave up 596 runs (555 earned) on 1,314 hits and 350 walks with 767 strikeouts in 1,354 1/3 innings.
Whitson ranks fourth on the Padres career list in wins and is eighth with a .517 winning percentage.
He also ranks third in career innings pitched; fourth in starts; fifth in double plays induced (103); seventh in complete games (22) and strikeouts; eighth in opponents’ batting avearge; tied for eighth in shutouts (six), and ninth in ERA.
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Top 50 Individual Seasons:
19. RHP Ed Whitson (1990)
20. RHP Gaylord Perry (1978)
21. 3B Chase Headley (2012)
22. 3B Phil Nevin (2001)
23. RHP Trevor Hoffman (1996)
24. CF Steve Finley (1996)
25. 1B Ryan Klesko (2001)
26. RHP Jake Peavy (2004)
27. LHP Mark Davis (1989)
28. C Benito Santiago (1987)
29. RHP Andy Ashby (1998)
30. 1B Ryan Klesko (2002)
31. RF Tony Gwynn (1989)
32. 1B Fred McGriff (1992)
33. RHP Jake Peavy (2005)
34. LHP Bruce Hurst (1989)
35. RHP Trevor Hoffman (2006)
36. 1B-C Gene Tenace (1979)
37. CF Kevin McReynolds (1984)
38. LHP Dave Roberts (1971)
39. RHP Clay Kirby (1972)
40. 1B Adrian Gonzalez (2010)
41. 1B Phil Nevin (2004)
42. RF Tony Gwynn (1995)
43. RF Dave Winfield (1978)
44. 2B Alan Wiggins (1984)
45. RHP Andy Hawkins (1985)
46. INF-OF Bip Roberts (1990)
47. RHP Heath Bell (2010)
48. RHP Trevor Hoffman (1999)
49. RF Brian Giles (2005)
50. 2B Mark Loretta (2003)
