Most Intimidating Pitchers Of All Time

The 6-foot-5 left-hander with a withering fastball and wicked changeup won five strikeout titles from 1965 to 1970 and twice topped 300 K's, a feat matched only by Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan, J.R. Richard, Walter Johnson, Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez. Hitters had an added reason to fear Sudden Sam. "I was the biggest, most hopeless and most violent drunk in baseball," McDowell admitted. He struck out 2,453 during his 15-year career, and his 74 games of 10 or more K's rank fourth behind Ryan, Koufax and Steve Carlton.