Kill 20 wins?

Kill the win.  The idea has been bouncing around.  The idea is that wins and therefore losses are meaningless stats.

I wondered about that for 20 wins.  For a starting pitcher that means showing up for work.  It means going at least five innings in at least 20 starts.  That's at least 100 innings, just in those games.  By today's standards that's pretty good.

I ran a query in baseball-reference.com for 20 game winning seasons from 2000 through 2015.  There were 50, including multiples for some pitchers.  Here are some ranges.

ERA+

Rk	Player	ERA+ ▾	W	Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	L	W-L%	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA	FIP	HR	BF	AB	2B	3B	IBB	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	PO	BK	WP	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	Pit	Str
1	Jake Arrieta	219	22	2015	29	CHC	NL	33	33	4	3	0	6	.786	0	229.0	150	52	45	48	236	1.77	2.35	10	870	811	32	4	2	6	4	1	15	27	6	1	0	6	.185	.236	.271	.507	43	3438	2236
2	Pedro Martinez	202	20	2002	30	BOS	AL	30	30	2	0	0	4	.833	0	199.1	144	62	50	40	239	2.26	2.24	13	787	726	35	3	1	15	2	4	10	8	5	2	0	3	.198	.254	.309	.562	47	3096	2057
3	Clayton Kershaw	197	21	2014	26	LAD	NL	27	27	6	2	0	3	.875	0	198.1	139	42	39	31	239	1.77	1.81	9	749	709	29	5	0	2	6	1	15	5	4	4	2	7	.196	.231	.289	.521	52	2722	1887
4	Randy Johnson	195	24	2002	38	ARI	NL	35	35	8	4	0	5	.828	0	260.0	197	78	67	71	334	2.32	2.66	26	1035	945	42	5	1	13	4	2	19	19	15	3	2	3	.208	.273	.346	.619	59	3991	2620
5	Randy Johnson	188	21	2001	37	ARI	NL	35	34	3	2	1	6	.778	0	249.2	181	74	69	71	372	2.49	2.13	19	994	890	33	2	2	18	10	5	17	19	15	4	1	8	.203	.274	.309	.583	50	4076	2638

46	Jamie Moyer	120	20	2001	38	SEA	AL	33	33	1	0	0	6	.769	0	209.2	187	84	80	44	119	3.43	4.17	24	851	781	34	3	4	10	5	11	14	12	7	1	0	1	.239	.285	.383	.668	79	3097	1942
47	Russ Ortiz	113	21	2003	29	ATL	NL	34	34	1	1	0	7	.750	0	212.1	177	101	90	102	149	3.81	4.17	17	912	793	41	3	7	4	6	7	9	22	5	2	0	5	.223	.312	.347	.659	76	3570	2105
48	Tim Hudson	113	20	2000	24	OAK	AL	32	32	2	2	0	6	.769	0	202.1	169	100	93	82	169	4.14	4.33	24	847	746	32	3	5	7	5	7	17	24	3	1	0	7	.227	.306	.374	.680	75	3232	1921
49	Andy Pettitte	110	21	2003	31	NYY	AL	33	33	1	0	0	8	.724	0	208.1	227	109	93	50	180	4.02	3.35	21	896	835	34	6	3	1	5	5	18	13	1	0	0	5	.272	.312	.402	.714	89	3383	2185
50	Jon Lieber	109	20	2001	31	CHC	NL	34	34	5	1	0	6	.769	0	232.1	226	104	98	41	148	3.80	3.79	25	958	888	47	4	4	7	13	9	15	2	7	0	1	4	.255	.290	.401	.691	85	3249	2183

ERA+ 109 was the worst with 232 innings.  Pretty good.

Innings:

Rk	Player	ERA+	W	Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	L	W-L%	SV	IP ▾	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA	FIP	HR	BF	AB	2B	3B	IBB	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	PO	BK	WP	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	Pit	Str
1	Roy Halladay	145	22	2003	26	TOR	AL	36	36	9	2	0	7	.759	0	266.0	253	111	96	32	204	3.25	3.23	26	1071	1025	54	7	1	9	3	2	23	23	4	0	1	6	.247	.275	.389	.665	71	3627	2486
2	Randy Johnson	195	24	2002	38	ARI	NL	35	35	8	4	0	5	.828	0	260.0	197	78	67	71	334	2.32	2.66	26	1035	945	42	5	1	13	4	2	19	19	15	3	2	3	.208	.273	.346	.619	59	3991	2620
3	Curt Schilling	140	23	2002	35	ARI	NL	36	35	5	1	0	7	.767	0	259.1	218	95	93	33	316	3.23	2.40	29	1017	974	32	8	1	3	5	2	11	9	6	0	0	6	.224	.251	.362	.613	57	3721	2630
4	Curt Schilling	157	22	2001	34	ARI	NL	35	35	6	1	0	6	.786	0	256.2	237	86	85	39	293	2.98	3.11	37	1021	968	39	1	0	1	8	5	16	4	9	2	0	4	.245	.273	.402	.675	71	3695	2608
5	Justin Verlander	172	24	2011	28	DET	AL	34	34	4	2	0	5	.828	0	251.0	174	73	67	57	250	2.40	2.99	24	969	904	31	3	0	3	2	3	12	10	5	1	2	7	.192	.242	.313	.555	50	3941	2591

46	Mike Mussina	131	20	2008	39	NYY	AL	34	34	0	0	0	9	.690	0	200.1	214	85	75	31	150	3.37	3.32	17	819	769	47	2	3	8	4	7	24	12	7	0	0	4	.278	.310	.411	.721	88	3135	2085
47	Pedro Martinez	202	20	2002	30	BOS	AL	30	30	2	0	0	4	.833	0	199.1	144	62	50	40	239	2.26	2.24	13	787	726	35	3	1	15	2	4	10	8	5	2	0	3	.198	.254	.309	.562	47	3096	2057
48	Gio Gonzalez	138	21	2012	26	WSN	NL	32	32	2	1	0	8	.724	0	199.1	149	69	64	76	207	2.89	2.82	9	822	725	35	3	3	5	9	7	9	12	1	0	1	10	.206	.283	.299	.582	62	3198	1984
49	Clayton Kershaw	197	21	2014	26	LAD	NL	27	27	6	2	0	3	.875	0	198.1	139	42	39	31	239	1.77	1.81	9	749	709	29	5	0	2	6	1	15	5	4	4	2	7	.196	.231	.289	.521	52	2722	1887
50	Jered Weaver	135	20	2012	29	LAA	AL	30	30	3	2	0	5	.800	0	188.2	147	63	59	45	142	2.81	3.75	20	739	686	24	1	0	4	0	4	13	9	8	2	0	2	.214	.265	.340	.605	70	2857	1805

Only four of 50 seasons with fewer than 200 innings, the lowest being 188.  Again, pretty good.

Losses:

Rk	Player	ERA+	W	Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	L ▾	W-L%	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA	FIP	HR	BF	AB	2B	3B	IBB	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	PO	BK	WP	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	Pit	Str
1	Roy Oswalt	144	20	2005	27	HOU	NL	35	35	4	1	0	12	.625	0	241.2	243	85	79	48	184	2.94	3.16	18	1002	927	48	8	3	8	12	7	22	3	4	1	1	5	.262	.302	.389	.691	84	3600	2436
2	Roy Halladay	152	20	2008	31	TOR	AL	34	33	9	2	0	11	.645	0	246.0	220	88	76	39	206	2.78	3.03	18	987	927	34	6	3	12	5	4	21	15	5	0	0	4	.237	.276	.345	.621	66	3557	2368
3	Adam Wainwright	160	20	2010	28	STL	NL	33	33	5	2	0	11	.645	0	230.1	186	68	62	56	213	2.42	2.86	15	910	831	33	5	2	4	13	6	25	8	5	1	0	2	.224	.274	.330	.604	68	3356	2166
4	Roy Halladay	167	21	2010	33	PHI	NL	33	33	9	4	0	10	.677	0	250.2	231	74	68	30	219	2.44	3.01	24	993	943	41	4	1	6	9	5	25	10	5	0	1	5	.245	.271	.373	.645	75	3568	2441
5	Roy Oswalt	124	20	2004	26	HOU	NL	36	35	2	2	0	10	.667	0	237.0	233	100	92	62	206	3.49	3.17	17	983	895	57	2	5	11	11	4	21	6	5	1	1	5	.260	.315	.385	.700	84	3588	2372
6	Dontrelle Willis	152	22	2005	23	FLA	NL	34	34	7	5	0	10	.688	0	236.1	213	79	69	55	170	2.63	2.99	11	960	878	45	9	3	8	14	5	23	1	5	1	1	2	.243	.292	.352	.644	77	3555	2315

Only six in double figures and the lowest ERA+ was 124.

Kershaw had the only season with fewer than 30 starts: 27 games, al starts, in 2014; 21-3, ERA+ 197, innings 198.

Winning percentage:

Rk	Player	ERA+	W	Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	L	W-L% ▾	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA	FIP	HR	BF	AB	2B	3B	IBB	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	PO	BK	WP	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	Pit	Str
1	Cliff Lee	167	22	2008	29	CLE	AL	31	31	4	2	0	3	.880	0	223.1	214	68	63	34	170	2.54	2.83	12	891	847	33	6	1	5	2	3	27	3	0	0	0	4	.253	.285	.348	.633	69	3289	2279
2	Max Scherzer	144	21	2013	28	DET	AL	32	32	0	0	0	3	.875	0	214.1	152	73	69	56	240	2.90	2.74	18	836	766	36	5	0	4	2	8	10	14	8	2	1	6	.198	.254	.329	.583	58	3388	2232
3	Clayton Kershaw	197	21	2014	26	LAD	NL	27	27	6	2	0	3	.875	0	198.1	139	42	39	31	239	1.77	1.81	9	749	709	29	5	0	2	6	1	15	5	4	4	2	7	.196	.231	.289	.521	52	2722	1887
4	Roger Clemens	128	20	2001	38	NYY	AL	33	33	0	0	0	3	.870	0	220.1	205	94	86	72	213	3.51	3.29	19	918	833	44	3	1	5	4	4	21	34	6	3	0	14	.246	.309	.375	.683	79	3594	2274
5	Ian Kennedy	137	21	2011	26	ARI	NL	33	33	1	1	0	4	.840	0	222.0	186	73	71	55	198	2.88	3.22	19	900	818	44	4	0	9	9	9	15	6	0	1	1	11	.227	.281	.361	.641	77	3424	2279
6	Pedro Martinez	202	20	2002	30	BOS	AL	30	30	2	0	0	4	.833	0	199.1	144	62	50	40	239	2.26	2.24	13	787	726	35	3	1	15	2	4	10	8	5	2	0	3	.198	.254	.309	.562	47	3096	2057
7	Randy Johnson	195	24	2002	38	ARI	NL	35	35	8	4	0	5	.828	0	260.0	197	78	67	71	334	2.32	2.66	26	1035	945	42	5	1	13	4	2	19	19	15	3	2	3	.208	.273	.346	.619	59	3991	2620
8	Justin Verlander	172	24	2011	28	DET	AL	34	34	4	2	0	5	.828	0	251.0	174	73	67	57	250	2.40	2.99	24	969	904	31	3	0	3	2	3	12	10	5	1	2	7	.192	.242	.313	.555	50	3941	2591

The top 8 led the league.  13 of 50 seasons greater than or equal to .800.

46	Roy Halladay	167	21	2010	33	PHI	NL	33	33	9	4	0	10	.677	0	250.2	231	74	68	30	219	2.44	3.01	24	993	943	41	4	1	6	9	5	25	10	5	0	1	5	.245	.271	.373	.645	75	3568	2441
47	Roy Oswalt	124	20	2004	26	HOU	NL	36	35	2	2	0	10	.667	0	237.0	233	100	92	62	206	3.49	3.17	17	983	895	57	2	5	11	11	4	21	6	5	1	1	5	.260	.315	.385	.700	84	3588	2372
48	Roy Halladay	152	20	2008	31	TOR	AL	34	33	9	2	0	11	.645	0	246.0	220	88	76	39	206	2.78	3.03	18	987	927	34	6	3	12	5	4	21	15	5	0	0	4	.237	.276	.345	.621	66	3557	2368
49	Adam Wainwright	160	20	2010	28	STL	NL	33	33	5	2	0	11	.645	0	230.1	186	68	62	56	213	2.42	2.86	15	910	831	33	5	2	4	13	6	25	8	5	1	0	2	.224	.274	.330	.604	68	3356	2166
50	Roy Oswalt	144	20	2005	27	HOU	NL	35	35	4	1	0	12	.625	0	241.2	243	85	79	48	184	2.94	3.16	18	1002	927	48	8	3	8	12	7	22	3	4	1	1	5	.262	.302	.389	.691	84	3600	2436

The worst was .625 (20-12).

SO:

Rk	Player	ERA+	W	Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	L	W-L%	SV	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO ▾	ERA	FIP	HR	BF	AB	2B	3B	IBB	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	PO	BK	WP	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	Pit	Str
1	Randy Johnson	188	21	2001	37	ARI	NL	35	34	3	2	1	6	.778	0	249.2	181	74	69	71	372	2.49	2.13	19	994	890	33	2	2	18	10	5	17	19	15	4	1	8	.203	.274	.309	.583	50	4076	2638
2	Randy Johnson	195	24	2002	38	ARI	NL	35	35	8	4	0	5	.828	0	260.0	197	78	67	71	334	2.32	2.66	26	1035	945	42	5	1	13	4	2	19	19	15	3	2	3	.208	.273	.346	.619	59	3991	2620
3	Curt Schilling	140	23	2002	35	ARI	NL	36	35	5	1	0	7	.767	0	259.1	218	95	93	33	316	3.23	2.40	29	1017	974	32	8	1	3	5	2	11	9	6	0	0	6	.224	.251	.362	.613	57	3721	2630
4	Curt Schilling	157	22	2001	34	ARI	NL	35	35	6	1	0	6	.786	0	256.2	237	86	85	39	293	2.98	3.11	37	1021	968	39	1	0	1	8	5	16	4	9	2	0	4	.245	.273	.402	.675	71	3695	2608
5	Johan Santana	182	20	2004	25	MIN	AL	34	34	1	1	0	6	.769	0	228.0	156	70	66	54	265	2.61	2.92	24	881	812	22	3	0	9	3	3	15	6	7	4	0	7	.192	.249	.315	.565	45	3426	2273

Five with at least 265.

46	Jon Lieber	109	20	2001	31	CHC	NL	34	34	5	1	0	6	.769	0	232.1	226	104	98	41	148	3.80	3.79	25	958	888	47	4	4	7	13	9	15	2	7	0	1	4	.255	.290	.401	.691	85	3249	2183
47	Jered Weaver	135	20	2012	29	LAA	AL	30	30	3	2	0	5	.800	0	188.2	147	63	59	45	142	2.81	3.75	20	739	686	24	1	0	4	0	4	13	9	8	2	0	2	.214	.265	.340	.605	70	2857	1805
48	Jamie Moyer	132	21	2003	40	SEA	AL	33	33	1	0	0	7	.750	0	215.0	199	83	78	66	129	3.27	4.01	19	897	810	39	1	3	8	7	6	19	11	6	4	0	0	.246	.307	.367	.673	81	3447	2137
49	Derek Lowe	177	21	2002	29	BOS	AL	32	32	1	1	0	8	.724	0	219.2	166	65	63	48	127	2.58	3.34	12	854	787	30	3	0	12	5	2	28	19	7	0	0	5	.211	.266	.302	.569	49	3078	1959
50	Jamie Moyer	120	20	2001	38	SEA	AL	33	33	1	0	0	6	.769	0	209.2	187	84	80	44	119	3.43	4.17	24	851	781	34	3	4	10	5	11	14	12	7	1	0	1	.239	.285	.383	.668	79	3097	1942

This is the one meat and potatoes stat where some pitchers are not impressive.  Seven had fewer than 150 SO.

Obviously some seasons a pitcher does very well and that is not reflected in his wins and losses.  See Felix Hernandez 13-12 in 2010 when he won the Cy Young award.  But basically, 20 game winners since 2000 have had good seasons at the least.