Steve Blass Worst Opening Day Starter of the Past 50 Years? [Wezen-Ball.Com]

Cruising through the best posts of the day and found this one by  Larry Granillo.  We were surprised to see Steve Blass at the top of the list of worst opening day starters based on WAR totals from the past 50 years.  Blass (-5.8 WAR) is the worst by a long shot. (Terry Mullholland ’95 Giants;  -3.4WAR) 

But you know what, if the Pirates ace didn’t lose his ability to throw strikes, do you think he would have been able to become such a stud golfer?  He scored two aces  at the Greensburg Country Club in the same round.  Screw this pitching crap.  Hell, screw the golf Steve, head to Vegas big fella.  The article says the odds of two aces in the same round are 67 million to one?   The Pirates odds are 70-to-1 to win the pennant!

"Listed below are the 10 worst single-season WAR totals for 1954-and-beyond Opening Day starters (if only Baseball-Reference would include retroid’s in their Play Index output, I’d be able to expand this a great deal). I’ve done my best to provide a little context for each pitcher. If you can think of a better example of the “worst Opening Day starter” of the last 50+ years, let us know in the comments.Steve Blass, Pirates, 1973: -5.8 WARThe absolute worst season by an Opening Day starter, and by a long shot. Blass was the ace of the staff in ’72 season, going 19-8 with a 2.49 ERA in 249 innings pitched. He finished second in the Cy Young voting to Steve Carlton. It makes sense that the Pirates would choose to start him the following year. It did not work. In 88 innings pitched, Blass put up a 9.85 ERA and struck out only 27 batters (compared to 84 walks). He also allowed 11 home runs. It wasn’t until after the All-Star break, though, that the Pirates pulled him from his regular spot in the rotation."