Expert: Steve L - 12/4/2003

Question
The 2003 yankees had a starting pitching rotation which had a total of 858 career wins when they were on this team.
Clemens--310
Wells----200
Mussina--199
Petitte--149
Total=   858
Of course these totals were from all the teams they played on thru their entire career.However that seems like a very high total.Do you know of any other starting rotation from any year that had this many wins when they pitched on the same team.I checked the 1954 Cleveland Indians and they had a rotation that added up to 713 when they pitched together in 1954.
Feller--262
Lemon---163
Wynn----184
Garcia--104
Total=713
Seems like a hard question to me.

Answer
There's never been a starting rotation with as many wins as the 2003 Yankees.

So far here are some of the highest totals that I've been able to locate: (all totals are at season's end):

1909 Cleveland-795 wins- Young 497, Joss 155, Bob Rhoads 97, CY Falkenberg 46

1925 Washington-789 wins- Johnson 397, Coveleski 194, Dutch Ruether 110, Tom Zachary 88

If you cheat a little and replace Score with Feller as one of the big four on the '55 Indians the total is 774- Feller 266, Wynn 201, Lemon 181, Garcia 126.

The '29 Cardinals had 767:
Pete Alexander: 364
Jesse Haines: 153
Bill Sherdel: 150
Clarence Mitchell: 100

The '80 Texas Rangers had 762:
Gaylord Perry: 289
Fergie Jenkins: 259
John Matlack: 112
Doc Medich: 102

The '54 Indians had 713:
Feller: 262
Wynn: 184
Lemon: 163
Garcia: 104

The '87 Twins had 624:
Bert Blyleven: 264
Joe Niekro: 220
Frank Viola:80
Mike Smithson: 60