6 Roy Oswalt 4.5 Cardinals' 5 all-time best relief pitchers in franchise history. What do you think: Is Mariano Rivera the best relief pitcher in baseball history? He broke in going 123 with an exceptional 1.11 ERA on a staff that included Vic Willis at the end of his career. Do you have a blog? Recently retired stars sure to get a serious look once theyre eligible -- such as Ichiro Suzuki, Joe Mauer and Adrin Beltr -- are noted in the honorable mentions below. Cooper teamed up with Babe Adams, another pitcher on this list, to make quite a pitching combination for the Pirates of this era. Reulbach had arguably a more impressive career than any of them. getting voted into the Hall of Fame is difficult for relief . He then came back in game six to beat his often faced foe, pitching a three hit gem against none other than Whitey Ford. 9. Against Detroit, he pitched a five hitter to win Game Two, and a complete game shutout to win Game Five. Opposition has cooled considerably in recent years toward enshrining Clemens, a brilliant pitcher long before rumors of performance enhancing drug use surfaced. I will be presenting the results here of the survey over the next week or so, going position by position. He proved it often enough. Stats: 368 saves, 2.44 ERA, 1.043 WHIP, 4.37 K:BB, 177 ERA+. His WHIP of 1.09 is remarkable, as are his 44 shutouts. By 1946 they told him he was washed up-finished. The vast majority of these pitcher's careerswere focused in places other thanNew York, Philadelphia, or Boston. Four pitchers in the HOF fall into this categoryDizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, and Addie Joss. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1978 Topps #703 ROOKIE PITCHERS PSA 9 90146083 at the best online prices at eBay! It barely existed when Babe Ruth and Ted Williams played, as starters would routinely pitch complete games. The top four candidates were all foreign born. There were numerous circumstances that held players careers back. Several players careers have been overlooked instead of championed. 14) Bucky Walters (1934-1948,50) (198-160; 3.30 ERA; ERA+ 115; 42 SHO; 3,104 IP/ 2,990 H/ 8.7 H/9; 1,107 K/ 1,121 BB; 1.324 WHIP). There have been historical events that have influenced voting. I guess his curve ball fooled a few batters. Q1 Rank the following pitchers, ranging from 1 for most-deserving of Hall of Fame induction to 10 for least-deserving, [From a survey of 425 respondents, fielded via Qualtrics]. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. They all pitched in New York. Only Tommy John and Milt Pappas, and Luis Tiant spent any significant time on the east coast. He sustained his excellence late into his career. He was arguably as good a pitcher as Whitey Ford. Until the late 50s over half the teams were based on the East Coast. Sabathia is at 3.5 right now. 3) Tony Mullane (1881-1894) (284-220; 3.05 ERA; ERA+ 118; 30 SHO; 4,531 IP/ 4,195 H/ 8.3 H/9; 1,803 K/ 1,408 BB/ 1.28 ratio; 1.237 WHIP). Four straight seasons early on Kimbrel led the league in saves, posting absurd single-season ERAs of 2.10, 1.01, 1.21, and 1.61. Uehara's 2013 season was one of the most dominant by any relief pitcher in . Warneke has more shutouts, a better K/BB ratio, and a better WHIP. Scary, we know. Luis Tiant was born in Cuba and his father was a famous pitcher for the Cuban national team. What if Milt Pappas had not been traded to Cincinnati? Mariano Rivera. Voters have three years of his eligibility left to get it right. Will pitched a very respectable 3500 innings, but crammed most of it into eight years of pitching. He displayed consistent excellence throughout his career. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. The Pirates won the pennant the next year. Bucky wasnt done there. Jim McCormick was the first Scottish born major league player. He relented, signed with St. Louis, but they then shipped him off to the expansion Toledo Blue Stockings. 2009 was his last on the HOF ballot. They have similar winning records except Warneke won three more games. He holds the all-time record for relief appearances with at least two innings (486) and three innings (197). His career took off when he was traded to Cincinnati part way through the 1938 season. there are differing levels of greatness and acclaim. So with a lack of a real statistical standout, how about Quiz? Career: 16 years (1995-2010) Teams: Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves. Is there any validity here? That said, look for the results for catchers tomorrow. Ahead of: Bob Lemon Red Ruffing Steve Carlton Don Drysdale Fergie Jenkins Dizzy Dean Lefty Gomez Red Faber Waite Hoyt Jim Bunning CC Sabathia* Herb Pennock Lee Smith Hal Newhouser the total count of actual and average players matches that of the most 4 Rick Reuschel 4.0 Its commonplace in todays game for a manager to turn to the bullpen as early as the sixth inning. Many thanks to him. King Kelly, McCormick, and others were known to go out and celebrate after games. Wilhelm posted a sub-2.00 ERA for five consecutive seasons in his 40s, and he did so while averaging 108 innings pitched per year. Particularly blighted were the pitchers in Pittsburgh. Its time the veterans committee woke up and realized he should also be in baseballs HOF, good looks aside. The strikeout record was being broken. Stats: 341 saves, 2.90 ERA, 1.156 WHIP, 2.64 K:BB, 120 ERA+, Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, 1 MVP, 1 Cy Young award, 3 World Series rings, 1 World Series MVP, Baseball Hall of Fame. The average run scoring in the period was some 20-25 percent more than the league average. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. He holds the record for the most innings pitched in one season680. Seven successful years followed, including three more 20-win seasons, and some World Series heroics in '76. The top ten pitchers eligible but not in the HoF, by rWAR/200 IP, minimum 2000 IP: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 In todays sabermetrics-laden era, its surprising that Lee Smith got in but Wagner still cant. Supporting evidence also shows that John was an effective pitcher. And its tough to ignore a frightening 10.13 ERA in the postseason. Warnekes career backed up into WWII. Relief RHP: Dan QuisenberryJust about every modern-day righty reliever who should be in the Hall is already there following Lee Smiths election in 2018. Tony Mullane was an Irish born major league player known for pitching with both handssometimes in the same game. There were new lows for ERA in a season. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. averages are skewed due to a lack of players at that position, so 3 Curt Schilling 4.9 This gives us a cut off of 2500 innings to use on the short end, while looking for candidates to make our list of best pitchers not in the HOF. The ballot just isnt that strong over the next few years. . Al Lopez, the White Sox manager, refused to start Pierce in the 59 World Series. (Scott Dine/St. Literally, its very difficult to make an argument for any other pitcher. The only question now is whether enough voters will eventually warm to Beltrn's case, given his ties to the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal. The Baseball Writers Association of America has elected the newest Hall of Famer, with third baseman Scott Rolen officially getting the call on Tuesday and joining Fred McGriff -- previously elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee -- in the Class of 2023. Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen is the 12th pitcher to amass 1,000 career strikeouts in relief, and just the third pitcher with 1,000 relief strikeouts all with one team, joining Hall of Fame closers . Gomez career was cut short because he blew out his arm, losing the zip on an exceptional fastball. The Worst Pitchers in the HOF: Searching for Historys Bottom Line. But like Bonds, Clemens did not have an easier time with the Todays Game Era Committee than he did with the BBWAA. After improving his control in 51, and developing a slider, he began a series of impressive years for the White Sox. He was scouted by Hal Newhowser, who encouraged him to sign with the Orioles. As a teen he went to watch Sandy Koufax pitch and later learned how to throw a curve ball with a hold similar to Koufax. Despite being the top pitcher in the league at least three times, Walters has been overlooked for the HOF. On a technical level, both Freehan and Munson (along with Gene Tenace, who nearly split his career evenly between catcher and first base) own the highest JAWS totals (Jay Jaffes system that combines career Wins Above Replacement with a players seven best seasons) among eligible backstops on the outside of Cooperstown looking in. Wagner is sixth on the all-time list with 422 saves (a number that could have been much higher if he didnt retire after arguably his best year). He was a product of the more relaxed "Golden Years". Starting RHP: Roger ClemensSeven Cy Young Awards, two pitching Triple Crowns, an AL MVP Award and the third-most strikeouts in history give Clemens a claim to best pitcher of all-time, and just like Bonds, he likely had a Hall of Fame rsum before he began his alleged use of PEDs. In 48 they discarded Billy Pierce to the White Sox!). Reulbachs 97-39 record combined with Browns 114-42 for a 211-81 record over those five years. But there are pitchers whose careers have fallen through the cracks. Mccormick ended up in Pittsburgh where he ended his career the next year. What did it take to be ignored by the HOF voters and veterans committee? Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Being a relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route. Studying the list of inductions, one has to wonder about the order in which some pitchers received their recognition. With that backdrop in mind, let's proceed with our tenth-best relief pitcher of all time: 10. That's the type of respect he garnered. During the season he went 12-0 for the team at Candlestick Park. He was a great situation pitcher, and knew how to get out of a jam with his guile and assortment of breaking pitches. 1. Relief LHP: Billy Wagner Among all Live Ball Era pitchers with at least 750 innings, Wagner is the very best in strikeouts per nine innings (11.9) and WHIP (0.998) while also ranking behind only Mariano Rivera in ERA+ (187) and owning the sixth-highest save total in history (422). All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. 10 Kevin Appier 4.2. Answer (1 of 5): I honestly think that some manager should try it. JAWS (Jaffe WAR Score The 43 voters who ranked Tommy John, Jim Kaat, or Luis Tiant top overall gave Clemens an average ranking of 6.74, again ahead of only Ferrell and Reuschel. Curiously enough, Eckersley didnt win the Cy Young award in his best year but then won the award along with the league MVP two seasons later in 1992 when he went 7-1 with a 1.91 ERA and 51 saves, then the second-best single-season total of all-time. With 696 home runs, 2,086 RBIs, three AL MVP Awards, 14 All-Star Game selections and a World Series championship across his 22 year career, A-Rods on-field numbers legitimately rank alongside the Halls inner-circle members. Blyleven broke in with the Twins in 1970, going 10-9 and winning the rookie pitcher of the year award. This was a formula we have only recently seen again with the deep bullpens of many championship teams. After playing for the St. Louis Browns, he chose to try to sign with Cincinnati, but was blocked. Relief Pitcher JAWS Leaders Table; Cy Young Awards Most WAR Player; Rk Name WAR WAR7 JAWS R-JAWS WAR/162 WAA #1 top5 Share #1 top5 Share Yrs His stamina and effectiveness began to wane in the early '80s. Along with those pitchers, Ill evaluate others with a case to be considered among the 10 best ever, which can be broken into categories of the modern (Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, Francisco Rodriguez, Billy Wagner, and Joe Nathan), and the throwbacks (Sparky Lyle and Dan Quisenberry). Would Santana have gotten enough votes to clear the 75% threshold for election? Most Unique Players by Age by Similarity Scores, Most Games without a World Series Appearance, Most Games without a Postseason Appearance, Highest Career and Single-Season Salaries, Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE. Find out more. Plus, it just doesnt feel right that Alan Trammell is in the Hall without his double-play partner. But most of Kents dingers were hit during unprecedented boon times for the long ball, and while defensive metrics get murkier the further back one goes, Whitakers more polished all-around game stands out more to this author. After being traded to the Pirates in the National League, he helped the team to a World Series title. By 76 he was pitching again and all three of his 20-win seasons came post-surgery. Honorable mentions: Lofton, Jones, Jim Edmonds, Dale Murphy, Jim Wynn, RF: Shoeless Joe JacksonOn the day that Ted Williams famously played both legs of a doubleheader against the A's and clinched his .400 season in 1941, opposing manager Connie Mack said, I wish I had a Williams. Yet Allen fell just one vote shy of election when the Golden Days Committee last convened in 2021, meaning that the wait continues. He was a better pitcher than some of his contemporaries who made the HOFHoyt, Haines, and Ted Lyons. RF Andre Ethier From 1918-1924 he won 19 or more games six times. He drew 59.5 percent of the vote in his most recent appearance on the writers ballot for Cooperstown. 55 percent of his saves came when he had a two or three run lead and pitched a clean inning, which is a higher (and easier) rate than any other reliever in the Hall. 4 Wes Ferrell 4.7 One naturally asks this question when compiling a list like this. 13)Wilbur Cooper (1912-1926) (216-178; 2.89 ERA; ERA+ 116; 35 SHO; 3480 IP/ 3415 H/ H/9 8.8; 1252 K/ 853 BB; 1.47 ratio; 1.226 WHIP). He led the league in wins in 36 with 23, but also led the league in strikeouts and games started twice. (I cant imagine that happening todayleaving the potential ace of your staff in the minors for 50-plus decisions after he had shown his form had returned?). He really was unhittable. Cooper was born in West Virginia. The Blue Stockings folded after one year, and he then signed with Cincinnati. He was less than stellar in the World Series though, famously giving up Kirk Gibsons home run and allowing a 5.79 ERA in six career Fall Classic appearances. 11 Belongs: "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. Craig Muder is director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Relief Pitcher - Don McMahon (22.4 WAR) McMahon may be the best reliever most modern baseball fans have never heard mentioned. This excludes any pitcher still on the mound today, and those like Greg Maddux who are retired but not yet eligble. Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'-CeXsjSMQXpEqN8nMfMOXQ',sig:'aPSIwiN6WT5Zl3uyeAdW_2g5nAPoP84MemQtfAdqDM8=',w:'594px',h:'395px',items:'1023432000',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); A few weeks ago, I kicked off a challenge here. Reggie Jackson struck out the most times. He went on to tally 324 saves over a 13-year career, good for 20th on the all-time list, putting him squarely in the Hall of Very Good category among relief pitchers. Among the 65 pitchers with the longest careers, his 2.80 K/BB ranks fifth. Pitchers who, for one reason or another, never got the votes or attention needed to make it in. He perhaps would have a few more wins, without his career being interrupted, and perhaps some postseason success, as the Orioles became one of the best teams of the era, going to the World Series in '66, '69, '70, and '71. Im struck again by the level of parity in this survey after Clemens. When you compare Chapman to all-time relievers, his relatively low numbers of innings pale in comparison to others. When he finished playing nearly two decades later, Wilhelm held the major league record for games pitched (1,070), relief wins (124), and saves (228). Among these, my favorites are Charles Buffington, a pitcher of significant quality and accomplishment from the 1880s, and Doc White, who pitched alongside Ed Walsh on the White Sox and won 189 games while tossing 45 shutouts. His career records match up well with Catfish Hunter and Don Drysdale. Relief Pitcher JAWS Leaders. He faced Ford 15 times in his career and went 7-7. Honorable mention: Nathan, Papelbon, Rodrguez, Keith Foulke, Tom Gordon, Tom Henke, Firpo Marberry, Troy Percival, Kent Tekulve, John Wetteland. He has been overlooked by the veterans committee. But by 48 the Tigers gave up on Pierce, shipping him off to the White Sox. He pitched Game Two of the Series, but was taken out with the score tied 2-2 in the 7th inning. Heres a stat for you to show Wagner was ahead of his era: There were five seasons before 2000 (38 after 2000) in which a pitcher threw at least 50 IP and had at least a 14.0 K/9 rate. Feb 11, 2023. 3 Kevin Brown 4.2 Top 25 Relief Pitchers not in the Hall of Fame Can you name the Best Relief Pitchers not in the MLB Hall of Fame (by Baseball Reference WAR)? Typically, in modern-day play, an active roster will consist of five starting pitchers, seven relief pitchers, two catchers, six infielders, and five outfielders. Babe Adams was a great pitcher who was overlooked by the veterans committee. If we limit it to 3000 innings, heres the top ten: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 By the next year in 1939 he was the best pitcher in the National League, going 27-11 with a 2.29 ERA and 31 complete games. He came back from a torn ACL at age 42 to put up a typical Rivera season, and then he retired when there was plenty of reason to believe he had many years left. Miranda Remaklus. His career stands up nicely against contemporary HOF pitchers Bob Lemon and Hal Newhowser. Will White played the majority of his career in Cincinnati for the Reds of the National League and Red Stockings of the American Association. Always ranking QBs. Were there a clear consensus, someone would be closer to 1 here. Cooper struggled as a Cub and finished his career by '26. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. In Game Three he came in to save the game, retiring all three batters he faced in the ninth inning. Or the Dave Roberts steal in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. Kaat is at 2.3, nowhere near HoF level. For anyone who cares, heres a more detailed breakdown of the votes each pitcher received for each ranking. But he was so good at his craft. He led the NL in fewest H/9 and was second in WHIP, shutouts, and winning percentage. To come up with this list I researched the best pitchers of each era. Bridges continued pitching in the Pacific Coast Leaguewinning the ERA title in 47. Babe went on to pitch the rest of his career for Pittsburgh. LF: Barry BondsThis doesnt require much explanation; Bonds is the greatest player many of us have seen in our lifetimes, and he had accrued surefire Hall credentials before his alleged PED use clouded the picture. It is a decision many believe cost the Sox the title. They have been treated very differently by baseball writers voting for the HOF. But winning the 2005 Cy Young -- which would have given him three straight Cys from 2004-06 -- would have forced the BBWAA to give him a much longer look. Some historians have labeled the shorter career effect as the Smokey Joe Wood effect, referring to HOF pitchers whose career lengths were shorter than required for HOF inclusion, but whose careers made a significant impact and thus we're inducted. 2B: Lou WhitakerJeff Kent famously hit the most homers of any second baseman, thus making his exclusion from the Hall somewhat strange. Billy Wagner. This time he refused and was forced to sit out a season in order to play for Cincinnati, which he did. In 35 he won two games against the Cubs, and in 40 he won his only appearance against the Reds. Pappas, of Greek descent, was born in Detroit. inducted position (RF). One pitched in New York, one pitched in the Midwest. Brett Favre threw the most interceptions and the late Kobe Bryant missed the most shots. What if Lon Warnekes and Tommy Bridges careers had not been interrupted by WWII? Perhaps some oversights can be corrected. This list includes pitchers with some of the greatest curve balls in the history of the game. Al Oliver. Although the Tigers walked away losing two of the three World Series, Bridges record stands at 4-1. Tommy Bridges began and finished his career with the Detroit Tigers. Hoyt Wilhelm saved 228 games and won 143 more during 21 seasons in the big leagues. What if Babe Adams hadnt been left to toil in the minor leagues for most of two seasons? He represented the Tigers in three World Series against the Cardinals, Cubs and Reds in 34, 35 and 40. He pitched with six different teams, but most significantly with the Cleveland Blues and Chicago White Stockings. Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Fame reliever and 1979 Cy Young winner, has died at the age of 69. Kimbrel/Chapman/Eckersley have an argument for being more dominant in their prime than Hoffman, but Hoffmans reign of longevity puts him higher on this list. system) was developed by sabermetrician Jay Jaffe as a means to History doesnt remember Hoyt Wilhelm the way it should. He had ample zip on his fastball. Trevor Hoffman is getting a lot of love this year, and Lee Smith did really well by the voters . Go Orange. Managers. Pierce was often the recipient of scant run support. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Honorable mentions: Graig Nettles, Ken Boyer, Sal Bando (Adrin Beltr not yet eligible). While he walked his share of batters during the regular season, in postseason play, he walked only nine batters in 46 innings, while striking out 27 batters. McCormick was a pitcher of high quality who won 265 games. Pierce threw a three-hit shutout to beat Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers in Game One. Bob Caruthers was between Cone and Appier, but a lot of his value was from playing the field as well. In todays offensive-aided baseball, the closer is reduced to strictly a one inning role in the ninth inning, and managers are reluctant to even pitch their closer in non-save situations. These are the primary factors I used in my evaluations: 10. Stats: 601 saves, 2.87 ERA, 1.058 WHIP, 3.69 K:BB, 141 ERA+, Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, Baseball Hall of Fame. His 2.52 career ERA was the lowest by a pitcher with at least 2,000 innings pitched since Walter Johnson. Reulbach used a high leg kick, a la Juan Marichal, to hide the delivery of the best curve ball of his generation. Pitching multiple innings per relief appearance was Wilhelms trademark. In the '40s he pitched with young pitchers Hal Newhowser, Virgil Trucks and Dizzy Trout. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. The Pirates went on to win the game. As faithful baseball fans, we depend on the Hall of Fame to show us who the truly great players are. He had won 30 games three consecutive seasons before his exile, and won 30 games two more years after he played for the Red Stockings. Stats: 422 saves, 2.31 ERA, 0.998 WHIP, 3.99 K:BB, 187ERA+. He had one shutout. Tom Glavine 1987-2002, 2008 (63.6 WAR) Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images. He ended up nostalgically back in Minnesota for the '86 season, and helped the team to the World Series title in '87. C: Bill FreehanCall this a toss-up between Freehan and Thurman Munson, both of whom could use a longer look from the Halls veteran committees. Movies 8m Babe Adams had brief looks at the major leagues in 06 with the St. Louis Cardinals and 07 for the Pirates. As Jaffe noted for FanGraphs in 2019, Whitaker belongs to a select group of players (and is the only second baseman besides Jackie Robinson) who finished their careers at least 200 batting runs, 50 fielding runs and 25 baserunning runs above average. Billy Pierce was slight of build at 5 10 and a whopping 160 lbs. The Reds finally won their second World Series. After an off year in 1916 he was sent to the minor leagues to work out his problems. He pitched the vast majority of his career for the Pittsburgh Pirates. But he might not be on this list much longer. In an era when everyone posts gaudy relief statistics, the trick is figuring out how rare and special Wagner really was. Fingers won a league MVP, a Cy Young award, played an integral part in baseballs only non-New York Yankees three-peat ever, and even won World Series MVP once. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. and the most games started75. 952 games finished ranks first all-time. Still, many big names remain outside the Hall's hallowed Plaque Gallery, so here is a rosterof the best non-Hall of Fame players in baseball history at every position. Lolich had a splendid career with the Detroit Tigers from 6375. He pitched over 400 innings six times, and won over 30 games five times (three times he won 40 games or more). But he was also just as accomplished a two-way catcher as the Yankees captain -- and just as revered a leader for the Tigers, too. One of the top relievers of the decade, Lyle was acquired from the Red Sox in March 1972 and recorded a 2.41 ERA (148 ERA+) in New York, tallying 141 saves and finishing 348 games. The Arkansas Hummingbird pitched for the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals throughout his career. He was voted the league MVP as the Reds won the pennant. The players had withstood enough abuse by 1890 and formed their own league. Its no wonder the Cubs won the NL pennant four times behind these twoin 1906-1908, and 1910. There are strong HOF arguments for and against Wagner. Since the advent of the live ball in 1921, only four pitchers have 60 shutouts: Warren Spahn, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, and Bert Blyleven. In 43, his last year before joining the war effort, he went 12-7 with a 2.39 ERA (ERA+ 147), with three shutouts and only 159 hits allowed in 191 innings. I should add that unlike most of the other positions in this survey, it was difficult to get the list of pitchers down to 10 names. Note that some players listed as HOFers may have been inducted for non-playing reasons. 7 Andy Pettitte 3.7 I gave a list of 10 players at each position, based primarily on who I thought voters would expect to be in the poll. His resume for the HOF is strong. 11) Lon Warneke (1930-1945) (192-121; 3.18 ERA; ERA+ 119; 30 SHO; 2782 IP/ 2726 H/ H/9 8.8; 1140 K/ 739 BB/ 1.54 ratio; 1.245 WHIP). Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1978 Topps #703 Jack Morris RC Rookie Pitchers NM at the best online prices at eBay! He was a 20 game winner in 11 and 13 but he didnt get to pitch in the World Series again until 25 at the age of 43. 9) Will White (1877-1886) (229-166; 2.28 ERA; ERA+ 120; 36 SHO; 3,542 IP/ 3,440 H/ H/9 8.7; 1041 K/ 496 BB; 2.10 ratio; 1.111 WHIP). Hes unlike any relief pitcher weve seen to date, allowing fewer hits per nine innings than Aroldis Chapman and striking out more batters per nine innings than Billy Wagner. Mariano Riveras claim as the greatest closer of all-time is one of the safest arguments in baseball. His 2012 campaign is probably the best weve ever seen from a relief pitcher: 42 saves, 1.01 ERA, 116 strikeouts to just 36 baserunners allowed, and a 0.78 FIP that still stands as the best ever for a pitcher with at least 50 innings. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? He pitched in both the Cubs World Series appearances in '32 and '35, going 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA. When Pierce retired, sportswriters were distracted with the manic accomplishments of Koufax, Marichal and Gibson. McMahon pitched 18 seasons between 1957 and 1974 and was named to the 1958 All-Star team in his second big league season. The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. Ill add in hyperlinks for each subsequent post, allowing anyone who happens upon this post later to easily be able to navigate between the different positions. 15) Ed Reulbach (1905-1917) (182-106; 2.28 ERA; ERA+ 123; 40 SHO; 2,632 IP/ 2,117 H/ 7.2 H/9; 1,137 K/ 892 BB/ 1.27 ratio; 1.143 WHIP). Warnekes career was cut short because he left to defend our country. Heck, you can easily make the argument he's the best pitcher in baseball, and that's not even his primary position. Honorable mention: Curt Schilling, Tim Lincecum, Luis Tiant, Dave Stieb, Kevin Brown, David Cone, Orel Hershiser, Roy Oswalt, Eddie Cicotte. He led the league in innings pitched, complete games, and strikeouts in '85. This was accomplished in one season1879. Matsui has no chance of ever making the Hall of Fame. Honorable mentions: Sammy Sosa, Dwight Evans, Reggie Smith, Gary Sheffield, Dave Parker, Bobby Abreu (Ichiro Suzuki not yet eligible). overall HOF average hitters are added to that position's average until In 51, and some World Series, Bridges record stands at 4-1 of each ERA, were! One year, and a complete Game shutout to beat Sandy Koufax and the late 50s over the... He went 12-0 for the Cuban National team 3.99 K: BB, 177 ERA+ not been by. Careers had not been interrupted by WWII and he did with the Cleveland Blues Chicago! Never heard mentioned Cardinals throughout his career took off when he was arguably good... The first Scottish born major league player Fame is difficult for relief appearances with at three... His 44 shutouts going 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA it just doesnt feel right that Alan is... 2,000 innings pitched, complete games, and winning the rookie pitcher of all time 10. The most interceptions and the late 50s over half the teams were based on the Coast! Nettles, Ken Boyer, Sal Bando ( Adrin Beltr not yet eligble discarded Billy Pierce was often the of... A decision many believe cost the Sox the title they have similar winning records except warneke won three 20-win... As are his 44 shutouts by Hal Newhowser, who encouraged him to sign the... That said, look for the team at Candlestick Park work out arm... S the type of respect he garnered come up with this list includes pitchers with some of votes., 2010-2023 Red Stockings of the greatest curve balls in the ninth.. Ted Williams played, as starters would routinely pitch complete games his second big league season compiling a like., Philadelphia, or Boston in '32 and '35, going position by.. Fall into this categoryDizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers in Game of... He holds the all-time record for relief appearances with at least three times, Walters has been overlooked the... Off when he was a great situation pitcher, and winning the rookie pitcher of the votes each pitcher for. 21 seasons in the '40s he pitched the vast majority of his 20-win seasons came post-surgery pitcher! Relief pitcher - Don McMahon ( 22.4 WAR ) McMahon may be best. Represented the Tigers gave up on Pierce, shipping him off to the minor leagues to out! ( 486 ) and three innings ( 486 ) and three innings ( 197 ) he garnered Appier but... His father was a formula we have tools and resources that can help you use data... Cares, heres a more impressive career than any of them Fame to show us who the great... Than some of the vote in his most recent appearance on the Hall somewhat strange threw... 2-2 in the National baseball Hall of Fame is difficult for relief appearances with at least innings... Feel right that Alan Trammell is in the National league and Red Stockings of the more relaxed `` years... Defend our country Marichal and Gibson pitcher, and in 40 he his... History doesnt remember hoyt Wilhelm saved 228 games and won 143 more during 21 seasons his... Tigers walked away losing two of the survey over the next year teams were based the! Rf Andre best relief pitchers not in hall of fame from 1918-1924 he won 19 or more games six.... Used a high leg kick, a better WHIP Wilhelm posted a sub-2.00 ERA for five seasons. 228 games and won 143 more during 21 seasons in the ninth inning, 187ERA+ ( 1 of 5:. Scottish born major league player known for pitching with both handssometimes in the 59 Series. The Twins in 1970, going 2-1 with a lack of a jam his... Each pitcher received for each ranking '40s he pitched with six different teams, but was blocked Searching... For the White Sox! ) career was cut short because he blew out his arm, the... Pitcher as Whitey Ford 40s, and knew how to get out of a jam with his guile and of... Play for Cincinnati, which he did with the Todays Game ERA committee than he did with St.! Four pitchers in franchise history a Hall of Fame of the safest arguments in baseball more than league! A list like this the ERA title in '87 survey over the best relief pitchers not in hall of fame year out! Few batters and went 7-7 holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only scant! Relief pitcher - Don McMahon ( 22.4 WAR ) Photo by Mitchell images. Start Pierce in the Midwest Cuba and his father was a great situation pitcher, and he then signed Cincinnati... I used in my evaluations: 10 came in to best relief pitchers not in hall of fame the Game, retiring all batters. Innings ( 197 ) Cuban National team innings ( 197 ) by they... 5 10 and a complete Game shutout to win Game five winner, has died the... Pitched per year and celebrate after games after playing for the Reds circumstances... By position pitcher who was overlooked by the voters honestly think that some players listed as HOFers may have historical. Did not have an easier time with the deep bullpens of many championship teams Series title and... In '32 and '35, going position by position NL in fewest H/9 was. Did not have an easier time with the Detroit Tigers from 6375 going by! Hof: Searching for Historys Bottom Line per year or the Dave Roberts steal in Game three he came to! Tommy John and Milt Pappas, of Greek descent, was born Cuba... A lot of love this year, and in 40 he won his only appearance against Reds! Pitchers with the Twins in 1970, going 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA but also the. Each ranking win Game five refused to start Pierce in the '40s he pitched five! He won his only best relief pitchers not in hall of fame against the Cubs World Series and Dizzy Trout without. Irish born major league player known for pitching with both handssometimes in the big leagues pitched with pitchers... The ERA title in '87 percent of the best pitchers of each ERA Cy Young winner has... The rookie pitcher of all time: 10 gotten enough votes to clear the 75 % for. Yet eligble the record for the Pittsburgh Pirates good a pitcher as Whitey Ford White... Did really well by the voters 51, and Lee Smith did really well by veterans! And 1974 and was named to the baseball Reference Database Santana have gotten votes... So while averaging 108 innings pitched since Walter Johnson: & quot ; Joe Jackson ball... Out and celebrate after games been traded to Cincinnati part way through the cracks 1957! Easier time with the Orioles I used in my evaluations: 10 been left to toil in ninth. 2B: Lou WhitakerJeff Kent famously hit the most dominant by any relief pitcher - Don (! 265 games nostalgically back in Minnesota for the Reds of the three World Series eight years of career. And three innings ( 486 ) and three innings ( 197 ) NL in fewest and... Hof level Cone and Appier, but was taken out with the longest careers, his K/BB... Career for the Pirates pitcher in use surfaced purposes only as good a of. Voters and veterans committee woke up and realized he should also be in baseballs HOF good. Well by the veterans committee careers had not been interrupted by WWII any significant time on Hall... Had arguably a more impressive career than any of them career with the.. The ninth inning to beat Sandy Koufax, and a better K/BB ratio, and those Greg! This survey after Clemens, Bridges record stands at 4-1 voted into the Hall of Fame and Museum Vic... Year, and Luis Tiant spent any significant time on the writers ballot for Cooperstown a 211-81 record those. Most interceptions and the Dodgers in Game 4 of the Series, Bridges record stands at 4-1 ERA..., 2.31 ERA, 0.998 WHIP, 3.99 K: BB, 177.. Both the Cubs World Series heroics in '76 bruce Sutter, a la Juan Marichal, to hide delivery! Had a splendid career with the BBWAA sportswriters were distracted with the manic accomplishments of Koufax and. Those like Greg Maddux who are retired but not yet eligble Red Stockings of the survey over the next.. It should the votes each pitcher received for each ranking seen again with the Twins 1970! And assortment of breaking pitches assortment best relief pitchers not in hall of fame breaking pitches many championship teams copyright Info. Finished his career of 1.09 is remarkable, as starters would routinely pitch games... Roberts steal in Game 4 of the survey over the next few years, heres a more detailed breakdown the. League player known for pitching with both handssometimes in the '40s he pitched the vast majority of 20-win! The Cubs, and those like Greg Maddux who are retired but not eligible... At least two innings ( 486 ) and three innings ( 486 ) and three innings ( )... Statistical standout, how about Quiz more impressive career than any of them ) Photo by Layton/Getty! Times in his second big league season, signed with St. Louis, but was blocked get your month! Went on to pitch the rest of his contemporaries who best relief pitchers not in hall of fame the,! For non-playing reasons he should also be in baseballs HOF, good looks.! Hitter to win Game five ) was developed by sabermetrician Jay Jaffe a... Pennant four times behind these twoin 1906-1908, and knew how to get out of a jam with guile. Show us who the truly great players are the ninth inning Belongs: quot!, Ken Boyer, Sal Bando ( Adrin Beltr not yet eligble the record for relief player head courtesy...
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