Winning Percentage : 1974 National 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:

"The baseball season - six months & 2,106 games - is flat out long, and it's a rare one of those games that doesn't ramble or sputter or digress or somehow violate the rules of dramatic narrative. Baseball takes its own sweet time reaching its conclusions." - Dwight Allen in Reds, Yanks and O's (1989)
 

1974 Winning Percentage Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Andy Messersmith .769 (.76923) Los Angeles Dodgers 1
Mike Caldwell .737 (.73684) San Francisco Giants 2
Don Sutton .679 (.67857) Los Angeles Dodgers 3
Buzz Capra .667 (.66667) Atlanta Braves 4
Mike Torrez .652 (.65217) Montreal Expos 5
Jack Billingham .633 (.63333) Cincinnati Reds 6
Don Gullett .607 (.60714) Cincinnati Reds 7
Phil Niekro .606 (.60606) Atlanta Braves 8
Jerry Reuss .593 (.59259) Pittsburgh Pirates 9
Jim Barr .591 (.59091) San Francisco Giants 10
Ken Brett .591 (.59091) Pittsburgh Pirates  
Tom Griffin .583 (.58333) Houston Astros 12
Jerry Koosman .577 (.57692) New York Mets 13
Jim Rooker .577 (.57692) Pittsburgh Pirates  
Dock Ellis .571 (.57143) Pittsburgh Pirates 15
Clay Kirby .571 (.57143) Cincinnati Reds  
Lynn McGlothen .571 (.57143) St. Louis Cardinals  
Carl Morton .571 (.57143) Atlanta Braves  
Steve Stone .571 (.57143) Chicago Cubs  
Jim Lonborg .567 (.56667) Philadelphia Phillies 20
Mike Marshall .556 (.55556) Los Angeles Dodgers 21
Steve Carlton .552 (.55172) Philadelphia Phillies 22
Doug Rau .542 (.54167) Los Angeles Dodgers 23
Larry Dierker .524 (.52381) Houston Astros 24
Fred Norman .520 (.52000) Cincinnati Reds 25



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.

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?

Did you know that more than forty players have worn the number twenty-five for the Boston Red Sox — including Jack Clark, Denny Galehouse, Dizzy Trout and Tony Conigliaro.