Top 25 Earned Run Average in 1981 in the National League

Earned Run Average : 1981 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)

1981 Earned Run Average Leaders
Top 25 in the National League

Name Earned Run Average Team Rank

Nolan Ryan 1.69 (1.6913) Houston Astros 1

Bob Knepper 2.18 (2.1830) Houston Astros 2

Burt Hooton 2.28 (2.2764) Los Angeles Dodgers 3

Jerry Reuss 2.30 (2.2991) Los Angeles Dodgers 4

Al Holland 2.41 (2.4139) San Francisco Giants 5

Steve Carlton 2.42 (2.4158) Philadelphia Phillies 6

Vida Blue 2.45 (2.4545) San Francisco Giants 7

Fernando Valenzuela 2.48 (2.4801) Los Angeles Dodgers 8

Tom Seaver 2.54 (2.5431) Cincinnati Reds 9

Don Sutton 2.61 (2.6092) Houston Astros 10

Bill Gullickson 2.80 (2.8030) Montreal Expos 11

Rick Mahler 2.80 (2.8042) Atlanta Braves 12

Joe Niekro 2.82 (2.8193) Houston Astros 13

Doyle Alexander 2.90 (2.8950) San Francisco Giants 14

Vern Ruhle 2.91 (2.9118) Houston Astros 15

Scott Sanderson 2.95 (2.9490) Montreal Expos 16

Ray Burris 3.05 (3.0516) Montreal Expos 17

Phil Niekro 3.10 (3.1005) Atlanta Braves 18

Eddie Solomon 3.12 (3.1181) Pittsburgh Pirates 19

Bob Forsch 3.19 (3.1850) St. Louis Cardinals 20

Lary Sorensen 3.27 (3.2708) St. Louis Cardinals 21

Mario Soto 3.29 (3.2914) Cincinnati Reds 22

Steve Rogers 3.42 (3.4170) Montreal Expos 23

John Martin 3.42 (3.4188) St. Louis Cardinals 24

Bob Welch 3.44 (3.4387) Los Angeles Dodgers 25

Name Earned Run Average Team Rank

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).

Future Hall of Famer Sammy Sosa is best known for wearing number twenty-one; however, when the young slugger played for the Chicago White Sox (1989-1991) he only wore number twenty-five.

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?

Copyright © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Design by Geisler Young. Hosted by Hosting 4 Less.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History.