Editing Steve Carlton (section)

== Championship Seasons ==

Carlton's contributions to Phillies contention throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s earned championships that his individual excellence deserved. The 1980 World Series victory, in which he won two games, validated a career that might have proceeded without team success. His performance in meaningful games—when pressure increased and stakes mattered—matched his regular season dominance, confirming that his abilities transferred to contexts where only winners receive recognition.<ref name="jordan"/>

Additional Cy Young Awards in 1977, 1980, and 1982 confirmed sustained excellence that few pitchers achieve. The four Cy Young Awards tied the record for most won by any pitcher, while his 329 career wins established him among the game's all-time leaders. His performance sustained itself across changing eras and aging that diminishes most pitchers, his conditioning program maintaining abilities into his forties that others lose far earlier.<ref name="westcott"/>

The 1983 World Series loss to Baltimore represented the end of Phillies contention during Carlton's prime, though he continued pitching effectively for several more seasons. His career's twilight, when declining abilities led to releases from multiple teams, could not diminish what his peak years had achieved. The extraordinary seasons he had produced outweighed the diminished performances that concluded his career.<ref name="jordan"/>