You Have to be Good to Give Up Hits

Cy Young has given up the most hits in baseball history. Of course that has a lot to do with the fact that he pitched a complete game every day for 57 straight years. Each season somebody has to give up the most hits, and it's usually somebody who's not that bad.

Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz have all led the NL in most hits allowed. Bob Feller led the AL 3-times. Steve Calrton, Dizzy Dean, Phil Niekro, and Fergie Jenkins all did it. Since 1933 (the first year of the All-Star game), 122 of the 149 leaders (1 tie) in hits allowed were at one point in their career an All-Star. That's 82%. 67 of the leaders (45%) were all-stars the year they led their league in hits allowed, including Mark Buehrle last season.

For 27 consecutive seasons, from 1947 to 1973, every pitcher in both the AL and NL who led their league in most hits allowed was at some point an All-Star.

The only player to lead his league 5 times was Hall of Famer Robin Roberts. Roberts led the NL each season from 1952 to 1956. He was an All-Star all 5 times. In three of those seasons he also led the league in Home Runs allowed. Amazingly, in 4 of those years he also led the NL in wins. That was in large part to the fact that in four of those seasons he also led the NL in fewest walks per nine innings.

I would say the moral of the story is don't walk people, except showing up on the most walks allowed seasonal leaders also includes Steve Carlton, Phil Niekro, and Bob Feller (4 times), as well as Randy Johnson (3 times) and Nolan Ryan (8 times).

I guess don't worry if your pitcher is giving up a truckload of hits, he's in good company. Just make sure it's spread out over a lot of innings.