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Phillies: Top 5 moments of Steve Carlton’s career

By Kerry Kauffman

COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 24: Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is introduced at Clark Sports Center during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 24, 2016 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 24: Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is introduced at Clark Sports Center during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 24, 2016 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, UNITED STATES: Former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton poses before a press conference, 13 January 1994, after being voted into baseball’s Hall of Fame 12 January. Carlton, who was the only player elected this year with 95.8 percent of the votes, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame 31 July in Cooperstown, NY. (Photo credit should read TIM CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES: Former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton poses before a press conference, 13 January 1994, after being voted into baseball’s Hall of Fame 12 January. Carlton, who was the only player elected this year with 95.8 percent of the votes, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame 31 July in Cooperstown, NY. (Photo credit should read TIM CLARY/AFP/Getty Images) /

1.  1972 season

When the Phillies traded Rick Wise to the Cardinals for a young Steve Carlton, many people were up in arms. After all, Wise just pitched a no-hitter in 1971 and hit two home runs during the same game. He was the ace of the staff having won 45 games the previous three seasons and made his first All-Star appearance the previous season.

Carlton was no slouch either, having three All-Star appearances under his belt and was coming off a 20-win season. Still, it appeared Carlton had something to prove to the Philadelphia faithful.

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Lefty started off strong, winning his first three starts, completing two with two shutouts. Carlton allowed only eight hits in 26 innings with 24 strikeouts and three walks.  After going 2-1 over his next three starts with two more complete games and 32 strikeouts, Carlton struggled, going 0-5 with a 5.89 ERA over the next five starts.

With people beginning to question the trade once again, Carlton went on perhaps the most remarkable run by a starter in modern history.  He did not lose a game for nearly three months, winning 15 consecutive decisions. During that run, Carlton had 14 complete games and five shutouts with an ERA of 1.67.

From August 21 through the remainder of the season, Carlton started 11 games and completed his last eight of the year, all the while doing so on a last place team that won just 59 games all season.

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All told, Carlton put up mind-boggling numbers for the season. He finished 27-10 with a 1.97 ER in 41 starts. He pitched 346 1/3 innings, struck out 310, walked only 87, completed 30 games and recorded eight shutouts.

The Phillies went 29-12 in Carlton’s starts and 30-91 when anyone else took the mound, leading to the phrase “Win Day” whenever Carlton would pitch. That says it all, and Carlton’s 1972 season in its entirety is clearly the best moment of his Hall of Fame career.

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