Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--An Italian Liqueur

      I first had the subject of today's post, limoncello, way back in the late 1990's.  My friend Keith brought some back from Italy, and let his friends and coworkers try some.  Anyway, I kind of forgot about it after that.  But recently I saw some in my local liquor store, and it jogged my memory.  So I got a bottle and gave it a try.  Specifically, I got the kind made by Marcati.

     Marcati is a brand of the Gagliano Marcati S.r.l.company.  Which dates back to 1919.  As the history on the official website explained, after returning from World War I, Pietro and Luigi Marcati took over the Pharmacy of Veronella.  Pietro quickly decided to drop the medicine part and focus on making and selling alcoholic beverages.  Alas, the next World War destroyed their industrial plant.  But in 1946 it started anew.  Under Pietro's son Guiseppe's leadership, the company's headquarters moved to the Northern Italian town of Sommacampagna.  By 1978 Pietro's grandchildren--Pietro, Andrea, and Maria Paola--were running things.  Their wares were exported more, and the company began to acquire brands from other businesses.  Currently Gagliano Marcati ships to over 40 countries around the world.  The company's flagship product appears to be grappa, which is a type of brandy made from the grape scraps left over after wine production.  There are three other brands besides Marcati.  Tenuta Marcati is their line of wines.  Ercola Gagliano (one of their purchases from another company, which started in 1860) is mostly various sorts of grappa.  Morandini (another purchase, from a company that began in 1885) also mostly consists of several types of grappa, and a liqueur made out of gentian.  All in all, the business also makes gins, amaretto, a sambuca, and liqueurs flavored from things like green apples, tangerines, strawberries, blueberries, licorice, pears, and even the dessert tiramisu.

     As for the booze itself, limoncello is a liqueur made from lemons.  Its origins are a bit murky.  One theory holds that its inventor was the unnamed grandmother of Maria Antonia Farace, in the area of Isola Azzura in the early 1900's.  (Some claim that Ms. Farace herself developed it, not her nana.)  Another claim is that it was created in about 1920 by folks living along the Amafi coast of Sicily.  A journalist named Kristin Tillotson advanced two other theories.  The first was that it was initially made by an unnamed citrus grower in Azzura around 1900.  The second was that fishermen or monks invented limoncello much earlier, and in an undisclosed part of Italy.  Whatever the case, limoncello is extremely popular in Italy.  It's reportedly the second most popular liqueur, after Campari.  It's also particularly popular in Southern Italy.  Much of it is made privately, in people's homes.  Making limoncello is pretty easy.  Lemon peels without their pith are steeped in a rectified spirit (which is typically a clear, basic alcohol, such as vodka) until the peel's oils are released, giving the solution a yellowish color.  (This appears to take a couple of months.)  Then this is combined with simple syrup, which is basically sugar water.  The amount of sugar and water is varied by producers, as having different ratios affects the taste and appearance of the limoncello.  On average limoncello is about 30% alcohol.  One variant substitutes milk for the syrup, which results in a creamy limoncello, or "crema di limoncello."  Other people make similar liqueurs using other substances for flavor.  Agrumello uses mixed citrus peels, aroncello uses oranges, meloncello uses cantaloupe, fragoncello uses strawberries, and pistachiocello uses, well, you can figure it out.

Marcati limoncello:  The color was yellow (and looking at the ingredients, some artificial color was added), and the odor was lemony.  The flavor was a little tame.  I would have liked a bolder, more lemony taste.  It did hide the alcohol content well.  (It was 28%.)  It was over 20 years ago, so obviously my memories aren't exact, but I recall liking the other, first kind better.  I was unable to learn that one's exact brand, but looking at images online leads me to think that it may have been Villa Massa.  Anyway, I was a little disappointed in this.  I like lemons, and lemon-flavored things in general, and this Marcati one was mediocre at best.  So maybe my recommendation would be to try another brand, if you're into lemon flavors in general.

     Learning about limoncello, and all its related "cellos," made me recall one of my posts from long ago--Buddha hands, which are a bizarre citrus fruit that truly does look like a creepy hand.  (See my post on December 29th, 2014 for more info.)  Briefly, Buddha hands essentially have no pulp--they're peels and pith only.  But, as we learned, limoncello, and its other kin are usually made just using the zests, or the outer peels.  Meaning someone could make a Buddha hand-flavored liqueur.  (I rechecked, and some people have tried this already.)  Long story short, if I ever see Buddha hands on sale again, I'm seriously considering trying my hand at making a version of Buddhacello.  (Or translated into Italian, "Mani di Buddha.").  I did a half-assed, non-alcoholic attempt at making a drink back in 2014, but I didn't give it much time, nor did I add any booze.)  If this ever comes about I'll of course report the results here, and in the Buddha hand article, as updates.

Extremely Difficult Trivia About "Pulp Fiction"

      Usually my movie trivia quizzes are about horror/sci fi movies, but this is another one of the exceptions.  "Pulp Fiction" is tough to categorize, but it's definitely not horror--maybe crime drama/dark comedy?  Anyway, writer/director Quentin Tarantino has had a long and storied career, but to me "Pulp Fiction" is still his best film.  It'll be the usual format--questions followed by the answers.  SPOILERS abound, and these questions are true trivia--unimportant details, mostly in the background.  So for diehard fans and obsessed eccentrics, basically.  Let's begin.

Questions:

1)    The film opens with a definition of the phrase "pulp fiction."  From what dictionary?

2)    According to Pumpkin (played by Tim Roth), how much do busboys earn per hour?

3)    Jules and Vincent talk about Tony Rocky Horror's alleged dalliance with Mia Wallace, and how this caused her husband Marsellus to violently respond.  What is Tony's real name?

4)    And how many floors did Tony fall after being pushed out his window?

5)    Vincent is asked to take out Mia Wallace while Marsellus is out of town.  Where is Marsellus going?

6)    What kind of beverage did Brett get to accompany his Big Kahuna burger, which Jules samples?

7)    Aside from Jules and Vincent, how many guys were in the room, counting Brett and inside man Marvin?

8)    By what name does Jules identify himself to Brett?

9)    What round in the boxing match was Butch supposed to take his dive in?

10)   What two boxing-related derogatory names does Vincent call Butch?

11)   How much is the pack of Red Apple cigarettes that Butch buys in Marsellus's club?

12)   How many piercings does Jody (Lance's wife) say she has?

13)   What three types of heroin does Lance offer Vincent?

14)   How much per gram do these three cost?

15)   How many grams does Vincent purchase, and what kind does he choose?

16)   What is the name of the other woman at Lance and Jody's house?

17)   How long was Vincent in Amsterdam?

18)   What kind of alcohol does Vincent drink at Mia and Marsellus's house?

19)   Jack Rabbit Slim's has many 1950's and 60's movie posters on its walls.  Most of them are crime dramas, but only one is a sci fi/horror film.  Name it.

20)   What is Vincent's order at Jack Rabbit Slim's?

21)   And what is Mia's order?

22)   Describe the five members of Fox Force Five, the characters in the TV pilot that Mia was a part of.

23)   According to Mia, why did Marsellus have Tony Rocky Horror thrown out of his window?

24)   What kind of cereal is Lance eating when Vincent calls about Mia's overdose?

25)   Name Butch's great-grandfather, grandfather, and father, and what happened to them.

26)   What is the name of the airman who returned the Coolidge family watch to Butch's dad?

27)   How many years, total, did the watch spend up a soldier's ass?

28)   What is the full name of the boxer that Butch kills?

29)   What boxing weight class is Butch in?

30)   What 2 boxers are on the undercard match of Butch's bout?

31)   What is the nationality of Esmarelda Villa Lobos, who is the cab driver for Butch?

32)   What cab company does Esmarelda work for?

33)   What is Butch's final fare?

34)   Where are Butch and Fabienne staying on the night of his final fight?

35)   What two Spanish language phrases does Butch say to Fabienne, and what do they translate to in English?

36)   What motorcycle movie is Fabienne watching when Butch wakes up in the morning?

37)   What does Fabienne say she's going to have for breakfast?

38)   What does Butch make for his breakfast, back at their apartment?

39)   A dazed Marsellus accidentally shoots an innocent bystander while trying to hit Butch. Where on her body is she wounded?

40)   What is the name of Zed's chopper (motorcycle)?

41)   What day of the week is it during Marsellus and Butch's adventure in the pawn shop?

42)   Zed and Maynard sexually assault Marsellus in a room named after someone.  Name them.

43)   What three objects does Butch choose for weapons, and then discard, before going with the samurai sword?

44)   What does Marsellus say the crackhead torturers will use on Zed?

45)   What kind of pancakes did Fabienne end up having for breakfast?

46)   Where does Jules' friend Jimmie live?

47)   While washing up, Vincent mentions a brand of soap.  Name it.

48)   What year, make, model, and color of car is Jules driving?

49)   Jimmie tells The Wolf that the bedding that will be used to cover up the carnage in the car was a wedding present.  From whom?

50)   Jimmie gives Vincent a college t-shirt to wear.  From what institute of higher learning?

51)   What are the two phone numbers for Monster Joe's Truck and Tow?

52)   Where do Vincent, and then Jules live?  (Or, two separate places.)

53)   What is the name of the restaurant where Honey Bunny, Pumpkin, Jules, and Vincent all meet?

54)   What are Honey Bunny and Pumpkin's real names?

55)   About how much money does Jules give to Pumpkin and Honey Bunny?

56)   What famous actor/actress plays themself in the movie?

57)   What two real life siblings play roles in "Pulp Fiction"?

58)   What role does "Pulp Fiction" producer Lawrence Bender play in the movie?

59)   Who keyed Vincent's car?

60)   What later detail do we learn about the Jack Rabbit Slim's dance contest (during a radio broadcast in Butch's segment)?

61)   What very stupid risk does The Wolf make while getting rid of the car with Marvin's body?

Answers:

1)    The American Heritage Dictionary, the New College Edition.  (This is a real dictionary.)

2)    $1.50.

3)    Antwan Rockamora.

4)    4, and also through a glass, greenhouse-like structure.

5)    Florida.

6)    Sprite.

7)    4.  Marvin, Brett, "Flock of Seagulls" (real name Roger), and "Fourth Man," hiding in the bathroom.

8)    Pitt.  Which is wrong, since his name is Jules Winnfield.  Some speculate it's to rhyme with the rest of his statement--"your ass ain't talking your way outta this shit."

9)    The 5th round.

10)   Palooka and Punchy.

11)   $1.40.

12)   18.  If you're curious, she has 5 in each ear, then 1 in her left nipple, 2 in her right nostril, 1 in her left eyebrow, 1 in her belly button, 1 in her lip, 1 in her clit, and 1 in her tongue.

13)   Panda (from Mexico), Bava, and Choco (from the Hartz Mountains in Germany).

14)   $300 per gram for both the Panda and Bava, and $500 per gram for the Choco.

15)   3 of the Choco, although he indicates he'll buy 2 more later if he likes the first batch.

16)   Trudi.

17)   3 years.

18)   McCleary blended Scotch whisky.  A fictional brand, also used in the 1987 movie "Barfly."

19)   "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" (1958).

20)   A Douglas Sirk steak, cooked bloody as hell (rare), with a vanilla Coke.  (Sirk was a German born movie director, most noted for his films in the 1950's and 60's.)

21)   A Durward Kirby burger, cooked bloody, with a Martin & Lewis (vanilla) $5 milkshake.  (Kirby was a TV host/announcer, also most famous in the 1950's and 1960's.)

22)   The blond Somerset O'Neal is the leader, the Japanese Fox is a kung-fu master, the black Fox is the demolitions expert, the French Fox's specialty was sex, and Raven McCoy (played by Mia) was an expert with a knife, and also knew many old vaudeville jokes.

23)   She says the foot massage story is false--the only thing Tony touched on her was her hand at her wedding.  She claims no one save Marsellus and Tony know why he did it.

24)   Fruit Brute, part of General Mill's  Monster Cereal line, along with Count Chocula, Boo Berry, etc.  Fruit Brute was made from 1974-82, and later reintroduced in 2013-14, and 2022.  Tarantino reportedly loved this kind, and saved a box, which he puts in movies occasionally.

25)  Butch's great-granddad was Private Erine Coolidge, who bought the watch, and fought in World War I, and survived.  His son was Dane, a Marine who died at Wake Island in World War II.  Butch's dad was a Major, and died of dysentery in the POW camp in the Vietnam War.

26)   Winocki.

27)   7.  5 in the ass of Major Coolidge, and 2 more in the ass of Captain Koons.

28)   Floyd Ray Wilson.

29)   Wilson is announced as weighing 210 pounds, so he and Butch are heavyweights.

30)   Vossler versus Martinez.  (It's on the marquee outside of the arena.)

31)   She's Colombian.

32)   The Big Jerry Cab Company.

33)   $45.60.  Although he gives Ms. Villa Lobos another $50 or $100 to stay silent about him.

34)   The River Glen Motel.

35)   He says, "Donde esta el zapateria?" ("Where is the shoe store?") and, "Que hora es?" ("What time is it?").

36)   "The Losers" (1970).

37)   Blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, eggs over easy, 5 sausages, a tall glass of orange juice, a black cup of coffee, then a slice of blueberry pie with a slice of melted cheese on it for dessert.

38)   Two Sam's Frosted Cinnamon Toaster Pastries.  He doesn't get to eat them, though.

39)   Her right hip.

40)   Grace.  It's written on "her," and Zed refers to her by name.

41)   Thursday.  (Meaning Zed's chopper can be safely parked out front of the store.)

42)   Russell.  Presumably a former captive?

43)   A claw hammer, a baseball bat, and a chainsaw.

44)   A pair of pliers and a blowtorch.

45)   Buttermilk, as they didn't have blueberry pancakes.

46)   Toluca Lake, near Burbank Studios.

47)   Lava.  A real brand.

48)   A 1974 Chevrolet Nova, green.

49)   His Uncle Conrad and Aunt Ginny.

50)   The University of California--Santa Cruz.  Team name is the banana slugs.  (Really!)

51)   555-7908, and 555-7909.  Or both fictitious numbers.

52)   Vincent lives in Redondo, and Jules lives in Inglewood.

53)   The Hawthorne Grill.

54)   Honey Bunny is apparently named Yolanda.  We never hear a name for Pumpkin, although Jules calls him "Ringo."

55)   $1500.

56)   Kathy Griffin, who is seen helping Marsellus after Butch hits him with his car.

57)   Rosanna Arquette played the pierced Jody, and Alexis Arquette played "Fourth Man," the guy in the bathroom who miraculously (?) shoots at and completely misses Jules and Vincent.

58)   He plays Long Hair Yuppie-Scum, I think in the diner scene.

59)   Tarantino has confirmed it was Butch.  Evidently he didn't like Vincent's insults at the club.

60)   When Butch is walking to his apartment, a radio is (barely) heard discussing that the dance trophy was stolen.  So Mia and Vincent didn't win fair and square.

61)   Speeding.  I get it, it's funny earlier in the movie when we hear Jimmie's place is 30 minutes away, but he'll be there in 10 (or less)--it makes him seem badass.  But when you're driving a car with a dead body in it, the last thing you would want to do is attract attention from the police.  By say, driving really fast, as The Wolf says he will.  So anyone but an idiot would drive the speed limit for a trip like that.

 

 

 

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A Greek/American Baba Ghanoush

      Looking back on it, I've realized I've been discussing Greek foods quite a lot lately.  I try to vary the origin places for the foods and drinks I cover, but alas, I am limited by what I can find here in Southern New Jersey.  Anyway, today's post is about baba ghanoush, which is a savory spread.  It was actually made in Greece, but distributed by an American company named Esti Foods.

     Readers with excellent memories may recall that I first reported on baba ghanoush back on October 24th, 2020, in a post about various Mediterranean foods from a local restaurant.  I did give a very brief description of this dish then, but I'll expand upon it a little today.  Basically, baba ghanoush (which, incidentally, can be spelled many different ways) is an appetizer which originated in the area comprising the modern areas of Syria, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine.  (Some think it actually originated in Lebanon, but this isn't conclusively known.)  However, neighboring areas in the Mediterranean also adapted this food--obviously, since the kind I tried was from Greece.  Baba ghanoush is a spread, made from chopped up and roasted eggplant, tahini (which is made from sesame seeds), olive oil, lemon juice, and various seasonings.  The last ingredient is usually the one that differs the most, depending on where you're eating it--some people like their baba ghanoush to be blandish, others prefer it spicier.  Arabic folks have a similar dish called mutabbal, which includes the eggplant, tahini, and lemon, but also has salt, garlic, and more potent spices.  The name baba ghanoush appears to be Arabic as well.  "Baba" means "daddy," and together with "ghanoush" is translated into something like, "an old daddy who is indulgent, or pampered, or spoiled, or coquettish (i.e. flirty)."  Which is, frankly, a weird and somewhat creepy title for a savory spread, but whatever.  Perhaps there is some cultural reference or history that I'm not familiar with, or wouldn't really comprehend.

     As for the company that distributed the food, I wasn't able to learn much.  The official Esti Foods website is very limited.  It basically just contains a product list and recipes.  Alternate business-related websites indicated that Esti began in 2016, and that the current CEO may be Edward Tessier.  Another noted that their number of employees is between 11-50, and their (presumably annual) revenue is $5,000,000,  So this is all I have about the company's history.  Esti's products include grab 'n' gos (essentially different kinds of snacks, mostly pita chips combined with other things), several kinds of yogurt, several kinds of dairy-free yogurt, plant-based foods (meatless "burgers," "hot dogs," "meatballs" etc.) pizza, and feta cheeses.  And the company is based out of Rutherford, NJ, which is near to where the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets play their home games.  Finally, according to what I saw online, "esti" in Greek means "to be" in the third person singular, or it's similar to "is" in English.

Esti baba ghanoush:  The color of this spread was greenish-brown, with visible red pepper chunks.  The texture was like a paste, rather smooth and creamy.  I tried some plain, and then some as a dip with bread.  It had some spice bite.  It was pretty good.  Not great, but solid.  I enjoyed it more this time than the previous occasion--I think the extra seasoning made the difference.  So overall it's a decent spread, and I would recommend it.  Also, the Esti kind had garlic and salt in it, along with the peppers, so maybe it was closer to a mutabbal than a baba ghanoush.  I'll let Mediterranean spread purists fight it out over this.

The Worst Cy Young Awards Winners, Both Seasonal and Career

      Back on November 11, 2023, I did a post about Rookies of the Year Award winners in Major League Baseball--both the worst ones, and some of the best.  Today I'd like to do something similar, only using the Cy Young Award.  This award is given annually to the best pitcher in each league.  It's not as old as the Rookie of the Year, since it was only given out since 1956, and up until 1967 there was only one winner for all of baseball, and not separate American and National League winners.  Like before, I'm going to make the statistic WAR (for Wins Above Replacement) my primary determiner of pitching effectiveness.  WAR is very complicated to compute, but I'm going to use Baseball Reference's version.  Essentially, below 0.0 is very bad, as in "shouldn't be in the majors" poor.  0.0--2.0 is substitute level, over 5.0 is All Star caliber, and over 8.0 is Most Valuable Player (MVP) level.  Meaning, since the Cy Young winner is supposed to be the best pitcher in the league, their seasonal WARs should be well over 5.0, and probably at least 7 or 8 or above.  Alas, especially in the past, voters for this award seemed to focus mostly on pitcher wins.  Which in my opinion, as well as arguably every knowledgeable fan's view, is very flawed.  Because a pitcher can earn a win even if he pitched terribly, and can get credited with a loss even if he pitched great.  Wins and losses are team dependent, based on how well your team hits and fields.  Anyway, enough setup, let's get to it.  Let's start with the worst Cy Young seasons, as determined by WAR.  Oh, and unless noted each pitcher was primarily or totally a starter.

1)    2.3  Steve Bedrosian, relief pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies, 1987.

2)    2.8  Early Wynn, Chicago White Sox, 1959.

2)    2.8  Pete Vuckovich, Milwaukee Brewers, 1982.

4)    2.9  Bob Welch, Oakland Athletics, 1990.

4)    2.9  Dennis Eckersley, relief pitcher, Oakland Athletics, 1992.

6)    3.0  Trevor Bauer, Cincinnati Reds, 2020. (a)

7)    3.1  Mike Marshall, relief pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1974.

8)    3.2  Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians, 2020. (a)

9)    3.6  Bob Turley, New York Yankees, 1958.

10)   3.7  Whitey Ford, New York Yankees, 1961.

10)   3.7  Sparky Lyle, relief pitcher, New York Yankees, 1977.

10)   3.7  LaMarr Hoyt, Chicago White Sox, 1983.

10)   3.7  Eric Gagne, relief pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2003.

    (a)  Note that Bauer and Bieber were pitching in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, which was only 60 games instead of the usual 162 games.  Therefore, their low WARs are not their fault, and would have presumably been much higher if they'd played a full season.

     So let's attempt to fix these mistakes, and list a few pitchers more deserving of the Cy Young Award in these previously mentioned seasons.  Again, these are starters unless mentioned otherwise.

1)    Instead of Bedrosian in 1987, two Los Angeles Dodgers, Bob Welch, (7.1 WAR), and Orel Hershiser (6.4 WAR) were better picks, or Chicago Cub Rick Sutcliffe (6.0 WAR)

2)    Instead of Wynn in 1959, Washington Senator Camilo Pascual (7.8 WAR), Baltimore Oriole Hoyt Wilhelm (7.6 WAR), or St. Louis Cardinal Larry Jackson (7.3) would have been better choices.

3)    Instead of Vuckovich in 1982, Toronto Blue Jay Dave Stieb (7.6 WAR), Cleveland Indian Rick Sutcliffe (5.7), or Toronto Blue Jay Luis Leal (5.1 WAR), had better seasons.

4)    Instead of Welch in 1990, Boston Red Sox Roger Clemens (10.4 WAR), California Angel Chuck Finley (7.7 WAR), or Baltimore Oriole Mike Boddicker and Toronto Blue Jay Dave Stieb (both 5.9 WAR) were better picks.

5)    Instead of Eckersley in 1992, Boston Red Sox Roger Clemens (8.7 WAR), Baltimore Oriole Mike Mussina (8.2 WAR), or Kansas City Royal Kevin Appier (8.0) had more effective seasons.

6)    Bauer's selection in 2020 was a good choice--no arguments here.

7)    Instead of Marshall in 1974, New York Met John Matlack (9.1 WAR), Atlanta Brave Phil Niekro (7.9 WAR), and San Francisco Giant Jim Barr (6.3) all were better choices.

8)    Like with Bauer, Bieber's 2020 Cy Young seems like a strong choice.

9)    Instead of Turley in 1958, Detroit Tiger Frank Lary (6.7 WAR), St. Louis Cardinal Sam Jones (6.3 WAR), or Philadelphia Phillie Robin Roberts (6.3 WAR) were arguably better.

10)   Instead of Ford in 1961, Chicago Cub Don Cardwell (6.1 WAR), Minnesota Twin Jack Kralick (6.0), or Los Angeles Dodger Sandy Koufax (5.7 WAR) were probably better picks.

11)   Instead of Lyle in 1977, California Angels Frank Tanana (8.3 WAR) and Nolan Ryan (7.8 WAR), or Baltimore Oriole Jim Palmer (7.3) were better choices.

12)   Instead of Hoyt in 1983, Toronto Blue Jay Dave Stieb (7.0 WAR), Kansas City Royal reliever Dan Quisenberry (5.5 WAR), or Baltimore Oriole Scott McGregor (5.3) had better seasons.

13)   Instead of Gagne in 2003, Chicago Cub Mark Prior (7.4 WAR), San Francico Giant Jason Schmidt (6.7 WAR), or Montreal Expo Livan Hernandez (6.3 WAR) were better picks.

     I pretty much always thought this, but this research has just solidified my position--relief pitchers should never be Cy Young winners--they simply don't pitch enough innings to justify winning over a starter.  (And even when they did pitch a lot of innings, like Mike Marshall in 1974, there were still better candidates.)

Let's switch to another stat, ERA, or Earned Run Average.  This is an older, more basic stat.  Still limited, but not as bad as pitcher wins and losses.  Let's look at the Cy Young winners with the highest ERAs in a season, ever.  Some of these were in years where all pitching ERAs were higher, due to better hitting, such as in the heavy steroid years (the late 1990's to early 2000s). but still, let's take a look.

1)    3.66  LaMarr Hoyt, Chicago White Sox, 1983.

2)    3.51  Roger Clemens, New York Yankees, 2001.

3)    3.48  Bartolo Colon, Los Angeles Angels, 2005.

4)    3.37  Jack McDowell, Chicago White Sox, 1993.

5)    3.34  Pete Vuckovich, Milwaukee Brewers, 1982.

6)    3.25  Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays, 2003.

7)    3.23  Steve Stone, Baltimore Orioles, 1980.

8)    3.22  Pat Hentgen, Toronto Blue Jays, 1996.

9)    3.21  Whitey Ford, New York Yankees, 1961.

9)    3.21  CC Sabathia, Cleveland Indians, 2007.

     Now let's try and determine what Cy Young winner had the least impressive total career.  Again, going by WAR.  Some of the guys on this list are still active, so obviously their WAR totals can improve dramatically, or I guess decrease if they decline markedly, or get injured or something.  Also, obviously even great relievers will have relatively low WAR totals, since they pitch fewer innings than a starter.   Here we go.

1)    7.9  Mark Davis, mostly a reliever, played for the San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, etc. in a 15 year career.  Cy Young in 1989.

2)    11.7  Eric Gagne, mostly a reliever, played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, etc., in a 10 year career, Cy Young in 2003.

3)    12.1  LaMarr Hoyt, played for the Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres, in a 8 year career, Cy Young in 1983.

4)    13.2  Bob Turley, played for the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, etc., in a 12 year career, with his Cy Young coming in 1958.

5)   *13.5  Corbin Burnes, active, played for the Milwaukee Brewers, and as of now the Baltimore Orioles, 6 year career as of 2023, Cy Young in 2021.

6)    14.3  Jim Lonborg, played for the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, in a 15 year career, with his Cy Young Award coming in 1967.

7)    14.5  Steve Bedrosian, mostly a reliever, played for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, etc. in a 14 year career, Cy Young in 1987.

8)    16.4  Pete Vuckovich, played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, etc., in a 11 year career, Cy Young in 1982.

9)    16.7  Guillermo (aka Willie) Hernandez, mostly a reliever, played for the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, etc., in a 13 year career, Cy Young in 1984.

10)   17.0  Steve Stone, played for the Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, etc. in a 11 year career, Cy Young in 1980.

10) *17.0  Shane Bieber, active, played for the Cleveland Indians/Guardians, in a 6 year career as of 2023, Cy Young in 2020.

12)  *17.6  Robbie Ray, active, played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, etc., in a 10 year career as of 2023, Cy Young in 2021.

13)   17.8  Randy Jones, played for the San Diego Padres and New York Mets, in a 10 year career, Cy Young in 1976.

14)   18.2  Mike Marshall, mostly a reliever, played for the Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, etc., in a 14 year career, Cy Young in 1974.  

     Now let's flip things.  Here's a list of the pitchers with the highest lifetime WAR, many of whom are in the Hall of Fame, but who never won a Cy Young Award.  Obviously this is guys who pitched after 1956--great pitchers like Walter Johnson, Lefty Grove, Christy Mathewson, and Cy Young himself pitched and completed their careers well before 1956. 

1)    95.9  Phil Niekro, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, etc. Hall of Famer.

2)    94.5  Bert Blyleven, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, etc.  Hall of Famer.

3)    86.2  Robin Roberts, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, etc., Hall of Famer. (a)

4)    82.8  Mike Mussina, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Hall of Famer.

5)    81.3  Nolan Ryan, New York Mets, California Angels, etc.  Hall of Famer.

6)    79.5  Curt Schilling, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, etc.

7)    69.5  Rick Reuschel, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, etc.

8)    67.8  Kevin Brown, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, etc.

9)    66.7  Don Sutton, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, etc., Hall of Famer.

10)   66.1  Luis Tiant, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, etc.

11)   62.9  Juan Marichal, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, etc., Hall of Famer.

12)   62.3  David Cone, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, New York Yankees, etc.

13)   61.6  Tommy John, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, etc.

  (a)  Roberts played about half his career before the first Cy Young was awarded in 1956, so he had some, but limited opportunities to win one.