Top 10 Pitchers of My Life- 9. Orel Hershiser

9. Orel Hershiser 1983-2000 Dodgers Twins Indians Giants & Mets

1 World Series

1 World Series MVP

3 All Star Appearances

1 CY Young Award

Year	IP	W	ERA	CG
1987	264.7	16	3.06	10
1988	267	23	2.26	15
1989	256.7	15	2.31	8

If I were a hitter coming to the plate there are a lot of pitchers who would intimidate me. One name who does not come to mind when thinking about frightening figures is Orel “Bulldog” Hershiser. However Hershiser lived up to his nickname 100 times over, acting like just that, a bulldog on the mound.

Looking back at the 1988 season, I not only feel pain because of my Mets (even though I was just 6), but I look at one of the best season in MLB history. That season belongs to Bulldog and it just about sums up everything his career is about. Hershiser pitched himself to an impressive league leading 23 wins and 267 innings. Among those 267 innings, 59 2/3 Orel was un-hittable. Hershiser set the record for most consecutive scoreless innings pitch the aforementioned 59 2/3. Not to mention those innings started in September, and carried the Dodgers through a pennant race to win the NL West.

Impressive enough? Well once the postseason started Orel did not slow down. Starting game 1 of the NLCS against the Mets (for you young fans out there, there was no NLDS back then so this was the first round of the playoffs) Bulldog pitched 8 scoreless innings, before giving up two in the ninth (only one came while he was on the mound).

Coming back on three days rest Hershiser pitched game 3 and gave up 1 ER over 7 innings, only to watch is bullpen blow the lead again. Coming back the very next night, Orel got the last out and the Save with the winning run on second.

Just three days later Bulldog living up to his name came out and blanked the Mets in game 7 going the distance and propelling his Dodgers into the World Series. For you stat nuts out there, Hershiser was 1-0 in 3 starts in 4 games pitched with a 1.09 ERA and 1 Save. Hershiser was easily selected MVP of the 1988 NLCS.

If I said Orel was able to top that performance in the World Series would you believe me? Game 2 against the A’s, Bulldog went out and pitched a complete game 3 hit shutout giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. Coming back on three days rest Hershiser was able to pitch another complete game in the clincher for the Dodgers, this time allowing 2 runs over the 9 innings. Once again the series MVP was an easy choice going to Orel.

Recapping one of the best seasons from a pitcher post World War II, Hershiser won the CY Young, NLCS MVP, and World Series MVP. Along with those awards Bulldog also set the consecutive scoreless innings streak and was DOMINANT in the playoff run.

Orel remained dominant in the postseason for most of his career posting a 2.59 ERA and going 8-3.

Aside from the postseason what made Orel so great was his bulldog temperament. Three times he led the league in IP, but these were more than just quality innings. In those three years Hershiser had an ERA of 3 and below and complied 33 complete games over that stretch.

Although Orel only had those three years as dominant years, he still remained a very good starter and one that could be relied on for a more than quality start. Over the course of his career Hershiser had an ERA lower than 4.00 11 times and pitched over 200 innings 9 times.

Putting together one of the greatest seasons as a pitcher and a dominating three year stretch along with a dominant career in the postseason Bulldog should be known as one of the best pitchers of his time.