Top 25 Complete Games in 1979 in the American League

Complete Games : 1979 American League Top 25

Finding the American or National League leader in virtually every hitting & pitching statistic is easy-to-do. Finding the top 25 players during any given season is far more challenging. Baseball Almanac has taken away that difficult problem and is pleased to present the data you requested:

"Although baseball decided to extend the regular season deeper into October to play 162 games (after the 09-11 disaster), why not just play 154? Baseball has dealt with shortened seasons before. (Bud) Selig spoke about the sanctity of playing 162 games, but baseball played 154 games until 1961. Baseball should have just let the games go and continued with the current schedule." - Joe Morgan on ESPN (September 19, 2001)

1979 Complete Games Leaders
Top 25 in the American League

Name Complete Games Team Rank

Dennis Martinez 18 Baltimore Orioles 1

Dennis Eckersley 17 Boston Red Sox 2

Tommy John 17 New York Yankees

Nolan Ryan 17 California Angels

Mike Caldwell 16 Milwaukee Brewers 5

Mike Flanagan 16 Baltimore Orioles

Lary Sorensen 16 Milwaukee Brewers

Ron Guidry 15 New York Yankees 8

Rick Langford 14 Oakland Athletics 9

Mike Parrott 13 Seattle Mariners 10

Dave Frost 12 California Angels 11

Dave Goltz 12 Minnesota Twins

Dennis Leonard 12 Kansas City Royals

Jim Slaton 12 Milwaukee Brewers

Mike Torrez 12 Boston Red Sox

Tom Underwood 12 Toronto Blue Jays

Dave Lemanczyk 11 Toronto Blue Jays 17

Paul Splittorff 11 Kansas City Royals

Fergie Jenkins 10 Texas Rangers 19

Jerry Koosman 10 Minnesota Twins

Ken Kravec 10 Chicago White Sox

Jack Morris 9 Detroit Tigers 22

Bob Stanley 9 Boston Red Sox

Bill Travers 9 Milwaukee Brewers

Rick Wise 9 Cleveland Indians

Name Complete Games Team Rank

The most recognizable Detroit Tiger to wear the number twenty-five was probably Norm Cash (who wore it from 1960 through 1974), but did you know that Hall of Famer Larry Doby also wore it during his single season with Detroit?

Future Hall of Famer Sammy Sosa is best known for wearing number twenty-one; however, when the young slugger played for the Chicago White Sox (1989-1991) he only wore number twenty-five.

Jose Cruz of the Houston Astros had his number twenty-five retired on October 3, 1992, and became the first Major League player with that particular retired number.

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