Winning Percentage : 1982 American 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:

"Although baseball decided to extend the regular season deeper into October to play 162 games (after the 09-11 disaster), why not just play 154? Baseball has dealt with shortened seasons before. (Bud) Selig spoke about the sanctity of playing 162 games, but baseball played 154 games until 1961. Baseball should have just let the games go and continued with the current schedule." - Joe Morgan on ESPN (September 19, 2001)
 

1982 Winning Percentage Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Jim Palmer .750 (.75000) Baltimore Orioles 1
Pete Vuckovich .750 (.75000) Milwaukee Brewers  
Britt Burns .722 (.72222) Chicago White Sox 3
Geoff Zahn .692 (.69231) California Angels 4
Ron Guidry .636 (.63636) New York Yankees 5
Rick Sutcliffe .636 (.63636) Cleveland Indians  
Bob McClure .632 (.63158) Milwaukee Brewers 7
Bob Stanley .632 (.63158) Boston Red Sox  
Dan Petry .625 (.62500) Detroit Tigers 9
Jerry Koosman .611 (.61111) Chicago White Sox 10
Larry Gura .600 (.60000) Kansas City Royals 11
Moose Haas .579 (.57895) Milwaukee Brewers 12
Dennis Lamp .579 (.57895) Chicago White Sox  
Len Barker .577 (.57692) Cleveland Indians 14
Mike Flanagan .577 (.57692) Baltimore Orioles  
Dennis Martinez .571 (.57143) Baltimore Orioles 16
Mike Witt .571 (.57143) California Angels  
Mike Caldwell .567 (.56667) Milwaukee Brewers 18
John Tudor .565 (.56522) Boston Red Sox 19
La Marr Hoyt .559 (.55882) Chicago White Sox 20
Charlie Hough .552 (.55172) Texas Rangers 21
Dave Stieb .548 (.54839) Toronto Blue Jays 22
Milt Wilcox .545 (.54545) Detroit Tigers 23
Bobby Castillo .542 (.54167) Minnesota Twins 24
Ken Forsch .542 (.54167) California Angels  



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?

The first player from the Angels franchise (they were the California Angels at the time) to wear the number twenty-five was Bob Perry.

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.