In 1972, left-handed ace Steve Carlton won 27 games for a Philadelphia team that managed only 59 victories, accounting for nearly 46 percent of his club's wins. This deep dive traces how a working-class kid from Miami who studied Eastern philosophy engineered one of the greatest single seasons ever pitched, complete with a 1.97 ERA, 310 strikeouts, and 30 complete games.

Beyond the numbers, we explore the psychological wall Carlton built around himself, from his infamous 1976 media blackout to his rice-bucket training method, his four Cy Young Awards, and a later life marked by financial ruin and isolation in a Colorado orchard.

• Traded from St. Louis to Philadelphia over a $10,000 salary dispute in one of baseball's most lopsided deals
• Struck out 19 Mets in a single 1969 game yet still took the loss, teaching him the pain ...