Greinke tops Maddux for most starts all-time

Despite a subpar season, Zack Greinke continued to move up the all-time DMBL pitching charts in 2022, toppling Greg Maddux for most career starts all-time and stands on the cusp of 500 heading into next season.

Greinke now sits atop DMBL history with the most starts of any pitcher and just one shy of 500, at 499. Greg Maddux held the previous record with 497 starts, his final one coming in 2009. All 17 seasons in the DMBL were spent with Vancouver.

Greinke tied the record in a Sept. 16 DMBL start against Livingston but it was one to forget, lasting just one inning, giving up 5 runs in an eventual 10-2 blowout. He passed Maddux for most starts all-time in a Sept. 22 DMBL start at Rockland. He pitched better (1 run over 7 2/3) but still took the L in a 2-1 setback.

The 39-year-old Greinke has been around the block in the DMBL, pitching for 7 franchises (in most recent order: Hillsborough, Philly, Empire City, Tucson, Saskatoon, Philly, Bridgewater, Vancouver, and Philly), and could latch on with a franchise in 2023 but that remains to be seen. He's not likely to be protected by Hillsborough but could find himself on a roster, or possibly a short-term free agent injury replacement during the season to reach that 500th start.

Either way, Greinke has moved his way up into the top 5 and top 3 of many a career pitching category after the 2022 campaign. He moved past Curt Schilling into 5th all-time with 206 wins, within reach of Pedro Martinez (207) and Roger Clemens (211) but not likely Randy Johnson (230) or Maddux (232). On the other side of the spectrum, he's also 4th in losses with 156, behind Cole Hamels (164), Bartolo Colon (167) and Tom Glavine (172). He remains No. 2 in innings pitched (3,233.7), trailing only Maddux (3,415.3).

Greinke also is approaching 3,000 strikeouts but that's also an open question. He ranks 5th with 2,848 but two active pitchers -- Clayton Kershaw (2,989) and Max Scherzer (2,862) -- are more likely to reach 3K first and could be within striking distance of Johnson (3,408) for No. 1 all-time by 2024. And, Justin Verlander is expected back in 2023 after missing two seasons; he's No. 6 at 2,770.

Given his subpar 2022 campaign, Greinke took a tumble in other categories, namely ERA and WHIP. Given his 7.17 debacle this season, his ERA rose from 3.88, which had ranked 5th, to 4.05, dropping him into a tie for 10th all-time with Derek Lowe. The 8-15 record also hurt his win percentage, dropping form .584, which had ranked 15th, to .5691, now just outside the top 20.