[Big Six]

Now, the all-time leaders in a number of pitching categories. 1500 IP are required to qualify for the leaderboard in the rate stats.

CAREER PITCHING LEADERS

EARNED RUN AVERAGE (1500 IP)
Casey Ladner        2.05
Hayden Williams     2.46
Raul Alonso         2.47
Michael Watkins     2.57
Joe Norris          2.64
Dennis Williams     2.67
Billy Edgar         2.70
Ernesto Santos      2.77
Edward Daybell      2.78
Roger Hopkins       2.82

WINS
Ernesto Santos       180
Raul Alonso          176
Billy Edgar          167
Denny Myers          164
Dennis Williams      163
Joe Norris           159
Michael Watkins      148
Casey Ladner         147
Hayden Williams      135


STRIKEOUTS
Raul Alonso         1681
Casey Ladner        1399
Ernesto Santos      1391
Joe Norris          1353
Billy Edgar         1291

SHUTOUTS
Raul Alonso           36
Casey Ladner          30
Michael Watkins       29
Hayden Williams       29
Dennis Williams       28

SAVES
Javier Galvan        115
Kent Allen           104
Paul Crowley          83
Andres Luyo           79
Hal Nelson            44

WHIP
Casey Ladner        0.95
Joe Norris          1.13
Raul Alonso         1.14
Michael Watkins     1.15
Dennis Williams     1.19

VORP
Raul Alonso        500.6
Billy Edgar        475.7
Ernesto Santos     472.6
Casey Ladner       453.6
Joe Norris         406.5

• Casey Ladner just turned 29, so he is probably in his prime right now. His ERA will undoubtedly rise, both because he'll decline and because there's more offense in the league than there was in the "aughts." Still, I have a feeling that Casey's spot among the all-time greats will only be more secure a decade from now.
  
• Ernesto Santos just retired, which means that next spring, Raul Alonso will pass him to become the winningest pitcher in FLL history. Raul is four months older than his teammate, Ladner, so there's a good chance he'll have 200 wins to his credit before he turns 30. With any luck at all, both he and Ladner will end their careers with over 300 wins and 3000 strikeouts apiece. We might be seeing the greatest pair of pitching teammates in history...even if we keep watching for many years to come.
  
• Javier Galvan and Kent Allen have emerged as the first "closers" in Finger Lakes League history, working the endgame for Waterloo and Geneva, respectively. Galvan holds the single season saves record with 19, set in 1912; Allen has a 1.65 career ERA.
  
• Here's a tip of the cap to Billy Edgar, always good and sometimes spectacular over a decade at the top of the Finches' rotation. He's 32, so we should be able to enjoy him for a few more years to come.
  
• Several of the mound giants of the first years of FLL play--Hayden Williams, Ernesto Santos, Michael Watkins--have retired now, and several more will probably join them soon. These lists, therefore, are about to turn over, as the early stars yield to players who had the luxury of being born late enough to break in when they were in their early 20s, instead of close to 30.