[VanillaGorilla]

Harry Salisbury established himself as a dominant pitcher of his era and into the discussion of best pitchers, ever.

Salisbury was picked by the Braves as the 5th player overall in the 2009 draft. He had a fine rookie season by posting 10 wins vs 12 losses on a team that won only 65.

He suffered a bit of s sophomore slump as his ERA+ fell from 131 to 108, but in 2012 he established himself as a force. That season he went 19-8 with an OOTP ERA of 2.38, which was good for a npa ERA+ of 176 and his first of 6 (yes, SIX) Cy Young Awards.

Iin consecutive seasons from 2014 through 2016. He won 58 games, dropped 20, and struck out over 900 batters. He won the CYA twice in this time frame.

In 2016 he had, perhaps, the finest season of the 21st Century. He won 26 games (losing only 5) and carried an OOTP ERA of 1.68 for a npa ERA+ of 248. His WHIP for that season was 0.88.

In 2018, he was 27-2. That 0.931 win% is second best for a season (Matt Kilroy 0.9375, 1974) abd won his 4th CYA. The Braves left him and his 3 remaing years of a 6 yr $104M contract available for the expansion draft. The Dalls Burn said, "Thank You!" as he won his 4th CYA and the first of 2 WS with Dallas.

In the Burn's 2 Championship seasons, Salisbury was 9-2 with an OOTP ERA around 2.00 in the post season. HOFer Steve Garvey also played on those Dallas WS teams. Like Garvey, Salisbury was named to 10 AS teams.

For his career, Salisbury had 248 wins (11th) and 126 losses when he called it quits in 2024. His career OOTP ERA of 2.779 is 4th best, ever. No eligible player with a better career ERA is not already in the HOF. His career mpa ERA+ is an astounding 159. He struck out 3630 batters (9th) while walking only 816. There is no eligible player with more strikeouts that is not in the HOF.

Salisbury, though not in his first year of eligibility, enters on the First Ballot Standard. Salisbury has the highest HOFm, HOFs, and GC scores of any HOF pitcher.

Black Ink: 63
Gray Ink: 250
HOFm: 248.8
HOFs: 63

Gorilla Composite: 5.5

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Smokey Joe Wood was drafted by the Yankees with the 4th overall pick in 2006. He did not sign with them. In 2007 the Orioles used their second overall pick to draft him, and he went to play in Baltimore.

Wood pitched through the 2017 season, but continued to play as a corner OFer through 2023. He played more games in the OF than he pitched, so he did receive HOFs points as a LFer, but it is for his pitching, and pitching alone, that he is in the HOF.

Wood was dominant as a pitcher. He won three consecutive CYA in 2010-2012. In 2012 he won the pitching Triple Crown as he posted a 24-4 record with an OOTP ERA of 1.69 (npa ERA+ 258) as he struck out 319 men in 261 1/3 IP.

His career 161-80 record gives him a .671 career win %, second best all time. The leader is currently active, so Wood may wind up at the top of that list.

Wood carried a 3.24 OOTP ERA for his career. His npa ERA+ is 143. In 1950 career IP, he struck out 2305 men. He ranks 41st on the all time K/9 list with a rate of 9.231. The 9.364 rate of fellow classmate Harry Salisbury is 40th best.

Neither as a pitcher or position player, did Wood ever appear in a WS. Wood was a 5 time All Star and twice won the P GG.

Wood enters the Hall on the basis of his Black Ink being above the Hall average.

Using the Standard Standard and applying it to the RL HOF, Wood should be a RL HOFer.

Black Ink: 50 (17)
Gray Ink: 133 (106)
HOFm: 136 (68)
HOFs: 47 (49)

Gorilla Composite: 3.6 (2.3)