Phil Niekro

"I always thought the knuckleball was the easiest pitch to catch. Wait'll it stops rolling, then go to the backstop and pick it up."  --Bob Uecker, major league catcher 1962--67

Maybe it's something in the air, the water or the surroundings. Whatever the case, many of the winningest pitchers and top home run hitters in the major leagues since 1920 were born in close proximity to one another

These pitchers have a chance to win at least 20 games and have ERAs under 3.00, a feat accomplished just 10 times since 1995 and no more than three times in one year. If all eight achieve both marks, they'll be the...