Earned Run Average : 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:

"What people don't understand is, one day off for Cal Ripken would not recharge his batteries. One day would not do it. He's not playing 2,130 games in a row. Cal is ONLY playing 162 games a year." - Frank Robinson in The Sporting News (September 11, 1995)
 

1974 Earned Run Average Leaders

Top 25 in the National League

Buzz Capra 2.28 (2.2811) Atlanta Braves 1
Phil Niekro 2.38 (2.3815) Atlanta Braves 2
Jon Matlack 2.41 (2.4083) New York Mets 3
Mike Marshall 2.42 (2.4192) Los Angeles Dodgers 4
Andy Messersmith 2.59 (2.5861) Los Angeles Dodgers 5
Lynn McGlothen 2.69 (2.6924) St. Louis Cardinals 6
Jim Barr 2.74 (2.7413) San Francisco Giants 7
Jim Rooker 2.78 (2.7754) Pittsburgh Pirates 8
Larry Dierker 2.90 (2.8972) Houston Astros 9
Mike Caldwell 2.95 (2.9472) San Francisco Giants 10
Don Gullett 3.04 (3.0370) Cincinnati Reds 11
Don Wilson 3.08 (3.0782) Houston Astros 12
Fred Norman 3.14 (3.1395) Cincinnati Reds 13
Carl Morton 3.15 (3.1456) Atlanta Braves 14
Dock Ellis 3.16 (3.1585) Pittsburgh Pirates 15
Tom Seaver 3.20 (3.2034) New York Mets 16
Jim Lonborg 3.21 (3.2120) Philadelphia Phillies 17
Steve Carlton 3.22 (3.2165) Philadelphia Phillies 18
Don Sutton 3.23 (3.2283) Los Angeles Dodgers 19
Clay Kirby 3.28 (3.2775) Cincinnati Reds 20
Ken Brett 3.30 (3.2984) Pittsburgh Pirates 21
Jerry Koosman 3.36 (3.3623) New York Mets 22
Ron Reed 3.39 (3.3871) Atlanta Braves 23
Dave Roberts 3.40 (3.3971) Houston Astros 24
Jerry Reuss 3.50 (3.4962) Pittsburgh Pirates 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.

Jim Thome wore number twenty-five since he first came up with the Cleveland Indians making him the franchise record holder for that particular number (Mike Garcia is second).

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.