Steve Carlton – Phillies/P (1972-86) Steve Carlton was one of the game’s all-time greatest hurlers. Lefty was a four-time Cy Young Award winner with the Phils. His 329 wins are 2nd all-time for lefties (Warren Spahn 363) and 4th best overall of the modern era. Carlton led the NL in wins four times, was the NL ERA leader in 1972, a Gold Glover in 1981 and led the NL in KOs 5 times. Carlton was a seven-time NL All Star with the Phillies, and in 1980 was 2-0 vs the Kansas City Royals helping the Phillies to their first World Series win. Carlton’s 4,136 KOs in 2nd all-time for lefties. Carlton was a five-time 20 game winner and started 35+ games ten times for the Phils. Carlton also picked off 144 runners over his career. That’s 62 more pickoffs than second place (Jerry Koosman 82). Of all the amazing stats and feats of Lefty’s phenomenal career, quite possibly the most impressive is Carlton posting 27 wins on a Phillies team that only won 59. Carlton’s winning 45.8% of his team’s wins is the highest percentage in 120 years and by far the best of the modern era. The Phillies retired Lefty’s #32 and entered him in their Wall of Fame in 1989. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. The Phillies honored Carlton with a statue outside Citizen’s Bank Park in 2004.
