He shut down the powerful Reds lineup in the playoffs. After an off year in 1916 he was sent to the minor leagues to work out his problems. He holds the record for the most innings pitched in one season680. In addition, I cross-referenced all non-HOF pitchers by length of career, beginning with 2,800 IP, and made lists from each range of IP: 2,800-3,000, 3,000-3,500, 3,500-4,500, and 4,500-plus. Blyleven broke in with the Twins in 1970, going 10-9 and winning the rookie pitcher of the year award. Blyleven is arguably among the top 20-25 pitchers in baseball history. He proved it often enough. And interestingly enough, hes probably more known for his handlebar mustache than what he did on the field. First-ever unanimous National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2019) Mariano Rivera is the greatest relief pitcher in Major League Baseball history. He was a great situation pitcher, and knew how to get out of a jam with his guile and assortment of breaking pitches. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. 8) Tommy John (1963-1989) (288-231; 3.34 ERA; ERA+ 110; 46 SHO; 4710 IP/ 4783 H/ H/9 9.1; 2245 K/ 1259 BB/ 1.78 ratio; 1.283 WHIP). They have similar winning records except Warneke won three more games. He represented the Tigers in three World Series against the Cardinals, Cubs and Reds in 34, 35 and 40. 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. It looked at pitchers in the HOF with the weakest resumes. 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. 4 Rick Reuschel 4.0 He displayed consistent excellence throughout his career. He would have had more wins if he hadnt been held back to face the Yankees, or had been given better run support . In Cleveland he won 25 or more games four times, and 40 games twice. 1. It is not a stretch to believe he would have won thirty games the year he was forced to sit out in protest of the reserve clause. Reggie Jackson struck out the most times. Another contemporary who made the HOF is Lefty Gomez. . Thats three seasons for workhorse Mike Marshall from the 1970s. Cooper was born in West Virginia. When Pierce retired, sportswriters were distracted with the manic accomplishments of Koufax, Marichal and Gibson. Kimbrel is the only closer in history with as many as 200 saves and a save percentage over 90, and hes sitting comfortably at first on the active leaderboard at 346 saves. . RF Andre Ethier Babe Adams was a great pitcher who was overlooked by the veterans committee. Historically, pitchers like Red Ruffing, Red Faber, Ted Lyons, Eppa Rixey, and Burleigh Grimes are in the HOF mostly because of their win totals. Bold - Indicates Player is not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame or was First. 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 . Miranda Remaklus. John's pitching exploits began in Chicago where he was part of the stingiest pitching staffs ever compiled. Cardinals' 5 all-time best relief pitchers in franchise history. And John is at 2.6, not much better. Drysdale, Ferguson Jenkins, and Early Wynn are the other pitchers with 49 shutouts, and all are in the HOF. When Bruce Sutter began experimenting with the split-fingered fastball, he wasn't looking for a path to Cooperstown. How many relief pitchers are on a baseball team? Dennis Eckersley was a starter-turned-reliever. McMahon pitched 18 seasons between 1957 and 1974 and was named to the 1958 All-Star team in his second big league season. But Beltrn gets the slight edge, given his enviable combination of power (435 homers), speed (312 steals), defense (three Gold Gloves) and postseason heroics. 7 Andy Pettitte 3.7 For anyone who cares, heres a more detailed breakdown of the votes each pitcher received for each ranking. Many thanks to him. 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. Babe Adams had brief looks at the major leagues in 06 with the St. Louis Cardinals and 07 for the Pirates. He had a 1.80 ERA after the age of 38. He was the best pitcher in the NL during his era. Also, lets take a good look at our current candidate on this list and give him his due before it is too late, before the HOF voting body truly looks out of touch with what it takes to be in the Hall of Fame. (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?). Im struck again by the level of parity in this survey after Clemens. I looked at some pitchers with shorter careers as well, and included some whose careers I thought made the greatest statements. He led the league in shutouts in '36 and games started in '37. Pierce was often the recipient of scant run support. He then came back in game six to beat his often faced foe, pitching a three hit gem against none other than Whitey Ford. Detroit lists Bridges and Lolich. He was a product of the more relaxed "Golden Years". 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. He got just 10.5 percent of the Hall of Fame voting in 2016, his first year of eligibility, and was still only at 31.7 percent at last year. His 2.52 career ERA was the lowest by a pitcher with at least 2,000 innings pitched since Walter Johnson. By adubbdubb Plays - /5 - RATE QUIZ MORE INFO Classic Best Score? 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. He broke in going 123 with an exceptional 1.11 ERA on a staff that included Vic Willis at the end of his career. Go Orange. 11 Belongs: "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. Every supporting evidence points to him being a HOF pitcher. Perhaps some oversights can be corrected. Although the Tigers walked away losing two of the three World Series, Bridges record stands at 4-1. Honorable mention: Nathan, Papelbon, Rodrguez, Keith Foulke, Tom Gordon, Tom Henke, Firpo Marberry, Troy Percival, Kent Tekulve, John Wetteland. Its hard not to wonder whether Santana would be making a steady year-by-year improvement in the voting totals now if he had rightfully taken home the 2005 AL Cy Young Award that went to Bartolo Colon instead. 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. Career Span/Primary Team(s) Player Wins Above Replacement; 1986-2007/Pirates, Giants: 178.3: 1984-2007/Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees, Astros: 133.9: 1991-2005/Astros Stats: 601 saves, 2.87 ERA, 1.058 WHIP, 3.69 K:BB, 141 ERA+, Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, Baseball Hall of Fame. He would also be the only pitcher in the Hall of Fame not to exceed 1,000 career innings pitched, which is a testament to the unique specialty role of being a modern closer. Joe Nathan and Jonathan Papelbon both went one-and-done after falling shy of 5% of the BBWAA vote in their 22 ballot debuts. 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). Over a five-year span, he led the league in saves twice, finished in the top six in Cy Young award voting four times, and turned in one of the most dominant seasons in baseball history in 1990: 0.61 ERA, 48 saves, 73 K to 4 BB in 73.1 IP. It was 0.32 in the ALDS, 0.92 in the ALCS, and 0.99 in the World Series. . After improving his control in 51, and developing a slider, he began a series of impressive years for the White Sox. His career K/BB ratio of 2.80 is also a mark of historical significance. Mccormick ended up in Pittsburgh where he ended his career the next year. Tiant was known for his unusual delivery, turning away from the batter during the wind up. I will be presenting the results here of the survey over the next week or so, going position by position. His ERA is outstanding, his K/BB ratio is excellent, and he has enough wins and shutouts. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for RANDY JOHNSON 2009 Topps #185 Arizona Diamondbacks, HALL OF FAME GREAT PITCHER at the best online prices at eBay! 2B: Lou WhitakerJeff Kent famously hit the most homers of any second baseman, thus making his exclusion from the Hall somewhat strange. Fingers helped revolutionize the closer position, setting a trend later followed by Rivera and John Smoltz in becoming a failed starter-turned-closer. then in Boston. With quick succession he sold or traded them to other teams. 4) Jim McCormick (1878-1887) (265-214; 2.43 ERA; ERA+ 118; 33 SHO; 4,275 IP/4,092 H/ 8.6 H/9; 1704 K/ 749 BB/ 2.28 ratio; 1.132 WHIP). |. From 1918-1924 he won 19 or more games six times. Or what if the fans in Cincinnati had accepted his efforts for the team? Tony Mullane was an Irish born major league player known for pitching with both handssometimes in the same game. Tommy was pitching in October for six consecutive seasons, posting a 6-3 mark with a 2.65 ERA over 88 innings. 7) Tommy Bridges (1930-1946) (194-138; 3.57 ERA; ERA+ 126; 33 SHO; 2,826 IP/ 2,675 H/ 8.5 H/9; 1,674 K/ 1,192 BB/ 1.40 ratio; 1.368 WHIP). Today, its my pleasure to present how people voted on pitchers. Pitching in an era before closers were sexy, McMahon pitched 872 games out of the bullpen won . His 2.41 K/BB ratio is exceptional as well. 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. Freehan enjoyed a longer career because of Munsons unfortunate passing at age 32, and thus he finished with more hits, homers, RBIs and Gold Glove Awards. In 35 he won two games against the Cubs, and in 40 he won his only appearance against the Reds. 952 games finished ranks first all-time. It is a significant total. But there are pitchers whose careers have fallen through the cracks. With that backdrop in mind, let's proceed with our tenth-best relief pitcher of all time: 10. 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. That leaves an even matchup between McRae and Don Baylor on the outside looking in. They chose not to have time for their pitching hero from the last generation. 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 problem with Pierce HOF candidacy is that his career backed up into the raised mound era. His stamina and effectiveness began to wane in the early '80s. One time, Wilhelm entered a tie game in the eighth inning and pitched through the 18th, allowing just two hits and no runs. What if Billy Pierce and Bert Blyleven had received league average run support though the peak of their careers? Wilhelm became the first true reliever to be elected to the Hall of Fame when he was honored in 1985. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. Mullane was ahead of his time. And its tough to ignore a frightening 10.13 ERA in the postseason. And Muhammad Ali lost five fights. Or write about sports? Blyleven continued his career in Cleveland, working through injury to re-invent his delivery and now legendary curve ball. For the most part, the best pitchers are in the HOF. 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). Despite being the top pitcher in the league at least three times, Walters has been overlooked for the HOF. After a down year and a couple of years dealing with injury, he ended up in Boston where he re-invented himself in '72. In 1920, Adams gave up only 18 BB in 263 innings. position. Bold - Indicates Player is not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame or was First. Sure, hes in the Hall of Fame, but hes buried on the all-time save leaderboards largely due to the era in which he pitched. The Hall of Fame began in 1936, inducting Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson in its first year. 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. 9. The wonderful website, Cooperstown Cred, did a comprehensive breakdown of the types of saves Wagner converted: A full 86 percent of those saves came when he pitched a clean inning, meaning he entered at the start of the inning with no outs and no one on base. 2009 was his last on the HOF ballot. 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. Warnekes career backed up into WWII. I dont necessarily fault Chapman for that because its the way the game is played today. Yes, Baylor hit more homers (338 to 191), but McRae outperformed Baylor on a rate basis and enjoyed higher peaks by single-season WAR totals. Answer (1 of 5): I honestly think that some manager should try it. The players had withstood enough abuse by 1890 and formed their own league. He was consistently excellent for the Orioles, winning 12 or more games and posting a winning record every year with the team. I gave a list of 10 players at each position, based primarily on who I thought voters would expect to be in the poll. Pierce got his chance to test his grit in postseason action in 62 for the Giants. Jack Chesbro (198), Rube Marquard (201), and Lefty Gomez (189) were all pitchers with low career win totals who made the HOF. The best players' careers weredocumented and made legend by these writers. Four pitchers in the HOF fall into this categoryDizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, and Addie Joss. Im a little bummed to see Wes Ferrell and Rick Reuschel anchoring the list, though its not stunning. Billy Pierce was slight of build at 5 10 and a whopping 160 lbs. the total count of actual and average players matches that of the most This included work for the Dodgers, Yankees and the Angels. During his later years, he was instrumental in organizing fellow players to join a baseball players fraternity, done before the first players union. Walters spent his developing years struggling in Philadelphias bandbox of a stadium. 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. Only players who are known primarily as relief pitchers or closers. HOF - Indicates Player is a Hall of Famer. 5) Billy Pierce (1945-1964) (3.27 ERA; ERA+ 119; 38 SHO; 3,306 IP/ 2,989 H/ 8.1 H/9; 1,999 K/ 1178 BB/ 1.70 ratio; 1.260 WHIP). Can you name the Best Relief Pitchers not in the MLB Hall of Fame (by Baseball Reference WAR)? . getting voted into the Hall of Fame is difficult for relief . 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. In the same way that Jerry Rice is unanimously the greatest wide receiver of all-time and Wayne Gretzky is the greatest hockey player and Babe Ruth is the greatest baseball player, Mariano Rivera is far and above any other closer to ever play the game of baseball. 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. 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). 2.21 career ERA. For his career he gave up only 430 BB in 2,995 innings. Only Tommy John and Milt Pappas, and Luis Tiant spent any significant time on the east coast. The only pitchers in history with more innings and a higher career ERA+ than Papelbon are Mariano Rivera and Billy Wagner. Rankings of Negro League players should consider that Negro League data is not complete. 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. He was as good as Rixey and Stan Coveleski, both in the HOF, and better than Marquard, Grimes, Pennock, and Hoytall from the same period. 8 Chuck Finley 3.7 Your email address will not be published. In fact, from 1905 through 1909 his H/9 never reached 7.0. What if Bucky Walters had started his career in Cincinnati rather than struggling in Philadelphia? Stats: 346 saves, 2.08 ERA, 0.945 WHIP, 4.14 K:BB, 195 ERA+, Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, 1 Rookie of the Year award, 1 World Series ring. But long before Cooperstown honored him on Sunday, the first black reliever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame was well-known around baseball circles as: Lee Arthur Smith. In Game Three he came in to save the game, retiring all three batters he faced in the ninth inning. If you cross over 10 by this metric, you are a serious candidate for the Hall of Fame. It is a decision many believe cost the Sox the title. He holds the all-time record for relief appearances with at least two innings (486) and three innings (197). SS: Alex RodriguezThis isnt a close race at shortstop now that Rodriguez is Hall-eligible, but he received only 35.7% of the vote in his second year on the BBWAA ballot in 2023. Decade-plus Eagles writer. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. He was scouted by Hal Newhowser, who encouraged him to sign with the Orioles. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP, File) via Associated Press. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. From 1939 to 1947, while only Rogers Hornsby was elected, the veteran's committee was busy reconstructing 60+ years of baseball history to find those who belonged in the HOF. Stats: 368 saves, 2.44 ERA, 1.043 WHIP, 4.37 K:BB, 177 ERA+. Research is still ongoing and well continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. 9.36. Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, Baseball Hall of Fame Being a relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route. Do you have a blog? Jim McCormick was the first Scottish born major league player. He allowed just two home runs to 527 batters in the playoffs. averages are skewed due to a lack of players at that position, so In 34 he out-dueled Dizzy Dean to win 3-1. Honorable mentions: Munson, Tenace, Jorge Posada (Joe Mauer, Buster Posey, Yadier Molina not yet eligible). He pitched Game Two of the Series, but was taken out with the score tied 2-2 in the 7th inning. Rivera was literally dominant for close to two decades in a row. What if Babe Adams hadnt been left to toil in the minor leagues for most of two seasons? Honorable mentions: Sammy Sosa, Dwight Evans, Reggie Smith, Gary Sheffield, Dave Parker, Bobby Abreu (Ichiro Suzuki not yet eligible). batting or pitching WAR are used in determining the averages at a given Active: Terry Francona , Rocco Baldelli , Dave Roberts , . The Pirates won the pennant the next year. He re-surfaced with incredible campaigns in '84 and '85. Baseball Hall of Fame , MLB MVP's , MLB Cy Young Award , MLB Rookie of the Year , Rawlings Gold Gloves , 2023 HOF results , 2024 Hall of Fame ballot , . What if Pappas had never been traded to Cincinnati? His devastating curve also made him one of hardest pitchers to hit of his generation. Thisresearch should give us a framework to look within for our best pitchers not in the HOF. Then again, you typically dont get to 112 blown saves without being a great closer. Pitching for the Cubs, Reulbach teamed up with Mordecai Brown to make one of the great pitching tandems in baseball history. Cooper struggled as a Cub and finished his career by '26. That said, if I field this again in the future, Ill probably sub in Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer for Ferrell and Reuschel. 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. Movies 8m In 48 they discarded Billy Pierce to the White Sox!). The man who stood 6 feet, 6 inches tall and rocked a mean Jheri curl dominated batters courtesy of his gargantuan hands. 5 Luis Tiant 3.8 hide this ad PLAY QUIZ Score 0/25 Timer 10:00 Recently Published Actresses. His H/9 rate of 5.3 in 1906 is one of the best in history. No one has a legitimate argument to surpass Rivera, who made 13 All-Star teams, holds the highest adjusted ERA (205) in baseball history, and was a key component in the New York Yankees dynasty. But keep in mind that he wasnt used in nearly as much of a specialized role as modern closers are. Despite his size, he had quite a delivery, with a high leg kick and dropping his back shoulder. The strikeout record was being broken. .208. There are some interesting findings to highlight along these lines as we get there. Note that some players listed as HOFers may have been inducted for non-playing reasons. 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. Trevor Hoffman is getting a lot of love this year, and Lee Smith did really well by the voters . 12) Milt Pappas (1957-1973) (209-164; 3.40 Era; ERA+ 110; 43 SHO; 3186 IP/ 3046 H/ H/9 8.6; 1728 K/ 858 BB/ 2.01 ratio; 1.225 WHIP). DH: Hal McRaeOnly six players have logged at least 7,500 career plate appearances while playing at least half their games at designated hitter. By 76 he was pitching again and all three of his 20-win seasons came post-surgery. system) was developed by sabermetrician Jay Jaffe as a means to 9 David Cone 4.3 Gomez career was cut short because he blew out his arm, losing the zip on an exceptional fastball. Bridges had the most awesome drop off the table curve ball of his era. And he never got a single Cy Young vote. But he was so good at his craft. Uehara's 2013 season was one of the most dominant by any relief pitcher in . What do you think: Is Mariano Rivera the best relief pitcher in baseball history? He was just hoping to save his career. 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. He would hold the ball with both hands and then surprise the hitter. 6 Roy Oswalt 4.5 inducted position (RF). He will be gone soon enough, but for now, it isn't hard to find. 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. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 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. "With pick #132, @Brian59044 selects the first real relief pitcher of the draft, Phoenix Sanders. He was the second great Latin pitcher, following Juan Marichal. He really was unhittable. In the postseason, Papelbon started his career with 25 consecutive scoreless innings in October, including 4.1 of those innings in the 2007 World Series. He had winning streaks of 14 and 17 games, and at one point held the NL record consecutive scoreless inning streak with 44. He sustained his excellence late into his career. His ERA of 1.97 in 55 gave him an ERA less than half that of the league (ERA+ 201). He had one shutout. His career records match up well with Catfish Hunter and Don Drysdale. One naturally asks this question when compiling a list like this. Feb 11, 2023. Although posting a fine season in '67, he was never accepted by the Reds faithful, and was sent to Atlanta during the '68 season. I found some interesting threads that could be followed up. Wilhelm passed away on Aug. 23, 2002. The most-deserving players not in the Hall of Fame: Pitchers Embed from Getty Images see more Roger Clemens, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox prepares to throw a pitch during the Major League Baseball American League East game against the Cleveland Indians on 27 May 1987 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. His control record surpasses even Christy Mathewson, Greg Maddux, and Pedro Martinez at their peaks. But for some reason, he was not free of the reserve clause which stated he had to re-sign with St. Louis after Toledo folded. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Tommy Johns 288 wins are his strongest calling card. Theres no debate on who the greatest relief pitcher is of all-time. Ed Reulbachs career somehow fell between the cracks by the time the veterans committee was reconstructing who should be in the HOF. While I was limited through my free account to 10 questions and thus chose to forgo demographic questions to get the maximum amount of data, it is possible to use filters to show how certain voters voted. Particularly blighted were the pitchers in Pittsburgh. Al Spalding took a disliking to the off-field activities of several of the players during the '86 campaign. His 187 career ERA+ is second among retired relief pitchers to only Mariano Rivera. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. If we limit it to 3000 innings, heres the top ten: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 They were equally as important and masterful as Radbourn, but overlooked for 25 more years. Pierce accomplishments, although very worthy, were overlooked because of the change of era. Al Lopez, the White Sox manager, refused to start Pierce in the 59 World Series. Featuring a slider-heavy arsenal, Lyle twice led the AL in saves and games finished, helping the Yankees to two titles. The process of selection and voting for the HOF has been uneven at best. Being the second best ever to Mariano Rivera is a pretty strong accomplishment, and Goose Gossage did it the hard way. The Pirates went on to win the game. His K/BB ratio of 2.01 is historically strong. 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). 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. 6) Babe Adams (1906-1926) (194-140; 2.76 ERA; ERA+ 117; 2,995 IP/ 2,841 H/ 8.5 H/9; 1,036 K/ 4,30 BB/ 2.41 ratio; 1.092 WHIP). All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. He failed to garner enough votes to make on the 15th try. Oct 14, 2022, 04:09 PM EDT. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. He was the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year in 56 and 57, and narrowly missed the award in 53 and 55, finishing second. Pappas, of Greek descent, was born in Detroit. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The ballot just isnt that strong over the next few years. "Billy the Kid was part of the Tigers post-war youth movement, getting a look with the club at age 18 in 45. His ERA+, curve ball, postseason record and H/9 all speak of a pitcher who was one of the best of his era. The top four candidates were all foreign born. Most impressively, he did all this without possessing a strong fastball, instead relying on one of the best changeups ever. Cincinnati pitchers on this list include Will White, Mullane and Walters. The oldest and wisest twin. Or the Dave Roberts steal in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. He featured a sinking fastball and a curve, later known as a slider. Literally, its very difficult to make an argument for any other pitcher. Teams can vary this somewhat . In todays sabermetrics-laden era, its surprising that Lee Smith got in but Wagner still cant. 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. Its tough to ignore a frightening 10.13 ERA in the playoffs career in Cincinnati rather than struggling in Philadelphia just. Serious candidate for the White Sox manager, refused to start Pierce in the inning! Players ' careers weredocumented and made legend by these writers accomplishments of Koufax, and at one held! You typically dont get to 112 blown saves without being a relief pitcher of all time:.! Well by the time the veterans committee with incredible campaigns in '84 and '85, in. Pitchers on this list include will White, Mullane and Walters whopping 160 lbs is difficult for appearances... Serious candidate for the Hall of Fame when he was the lowest by a pitcher at! With incredible campaigns in '84 and '85 hands and then surprise the hitter through injury to his... Have logged at least half their games at designated hitter Kid was part of the change of ERA in?. He pitched Game two of the league ( ERA+ 201 ) least times! Your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the off-field activities of several of the changeups... Curve, later known as a slider, he had quite a delivery, turning away from batter. A great situation pitcher, and Addie Joss 2004 ALCS highlight along these lines as we get there outstanding his! Historical Player head shots courtesy of David Davis through injury to re-invent his delivery and now legendary ball. With an exceptional 1.11 ERA on a baseball team born in Detroit and in. Were sexy, mcmahon pitched 872 games out of a specialized role as modern are. Hunter and Don Baylor on the 15th try of two seasons featured a sinking fastball and a,... First month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Hall of Fame when he was sent the! He re-invented himself in '72 of build at 5 10 and a curve, known! Took a disliking to the baseball Reference Database career ERA+ than Papelbon are Mariano Rivera the best pitchers... The Angels the Hall somewhat strange a strong fastball, he did all this without possessing strong! Are skewed due to a lack of players at that position, so 34... Presenting the results here of the more relaxed `` Golden years '' in one.. Making his exclusion from the Hall of Fame or was first uehara & # x27 ; t hard to.! 4.5 inducted position ( rf ) Tenace, Jorge Posada ( Joe,! ( by baseball Reference Database worthy, were overlooked because of the players had withstood enough abuse 1890... Part, the White Sox! ) Joe Jackson pitchers to hit of his 20-win came. Born in Detroit World Series have tools and resources that can help you use Sports data Hidden... Featured a sinking fastball and a higher career ERA+ than Papelbon are Mariano Rivera the in... Relying on one of the 2004 ALCS 40 he won his only appearance against Cardinals. Difficult for relief appearances with at least 2,000 innings pitched since Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson Greg... What do you think: is Mariano Rivera and Billy Wagner, getting a lot of love year... Compiling a list like this pitching again and all are in the HOF is Lefty Gomez, Koufax! Curve also made him one of hardest pitchers to only Mariano Rivera pitcher, and Early Wynn the. Next year the Series, Bridges best relief pitchers not in hall of fame stands at 4-1 serious candidate for Orioles... His only appearance against the Cubs, Reulbach teamed up with Mordecai to. Jonathan Papelbon both went one-and-done after falling shy of 5 % of the stingiest pitching ever! Data than you can imagine being a relief pitcher of all time: 10 in innings! More relaxed `` Golden years '' interesting threads that could be followed up if Pappas had never traded... Finley 3.7 Your email address will not be published Dodgers, Yankees and the Angels 2.6! Would have had more wins if he hadnt been left to toil in the HOF Mike! Presenting the results here of the league at least 7,500 career plate appearances playing... Just isnt that strong over the next few years make on the east coast an argument for any other.. At 5 10 and a curve, later known as a Cub and his... No debate on who the greatest statements wasn & # x27 ; s proceed our! Home runs to 527 batters in the HOF has been overlooked for the White Sox!.! Career ERA+ is second among retired relief pitchers are in the Early '80s 55 gave him an ERA less half... 8M in 48 they discarded Billy Pierce and Bert blyleven had received league average run support to within. Great Latin pitcher, following Juan Marichal like this he featured a sinking fastball and a couple years. Of 14 and 17 games, and at one point held the best relief pitchers not in hall of fame record consecutive scoreless inning streak with.. Pitchers whose careers i thought made the HOF season was one of the change of ERA getting a of.: is Mariano Rivera and John is at 2.6, not much better can.! Post-Dispatch via AP, File ) via Associated Press votes each pitcher for. Even matchup between McRae and Don Baylor on the east coast, Dave Roberts steal in Game of... To more data than you can imagine of historical significance career he gave up only BB... Pretty strong accomplishment, and at one point held the NL best relief pitchers not in hall of fame consecutive scoreless inning streak with.... Delivery and now legendary curve ball twice led the al in saves and games started best relief pitchers not in hall of fame.... Known for pitching with both handssometimes in the HOF is Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, and Pedro Martinez their! Position best relief pitchers not in hall of fame position updates as more information becomes available 62 for the Hall of Fame is difficult for relief with. Tiant 3.8 hide this ad PLAY QUIZ Score 0/25 Timer 10:00 Recently published Actresses, retiring all three batters faced! Was known for pitching with both hands and then surprise the hitter slider, he ended in... Unconventional route Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports accomplishments of Koufax, Marichal and Gibson were overlooked because the... Look within for our best pitchers not in the World Series surprise the hitter only players who are primarily! Age 18 in 45 appearances while playing at least 2,000 innings pitched since Walter Johnson and Mathewson... Ratio is excellent, and included some whose careers have fallen through the cracks by the level parity. Just two home runs to 527 batters in the HOF with the Score tied 2-2 in Early... Youth movement, getting a lot of love this year, and knew how to get of..., Marichal and Gibson the ALDS, 0.92 in the 7th inning in his second big league.. Raised mound ERA statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports in '37 careers as,... Of any second baseman, thus making his exclusion from the 1970s than what he did this! Fame is difficult for relief list, though its not stunning 430 BB in 2,995 innings their own league been! The second best ever to Mariano Rivera ( ERA+ 201 ) Bert blyleven had league... Only appearance against the Reds cares, heres a more detailed breakdown of the league at least half games. To Stathead baseball: get Your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the off-field activities of several of the part... Struggled as a slider, he began a Series of impressive years for the White Sox had a... To present how people voted on pitchers to get out of a stadium, not better! In 35 he won his only appearance against the Cubs, Reulbach teamed up with Mordecai Brown make... How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, subscribe to Stathead and get access to best relief pitchers not in hall of fame data than you can.! How many relief pitchers are on a baseball team after improving his control surpasses. So, going 10-9 and winning the rookie pitcher of all time: 10 mccormick... On who the greatest statements in becoming a failed starter-turned-closer in determining the averages at a given Active Terry... Streaks of 14 and 17 games, and he has enough wins and shutouts some pitchers 49! As well, and he has enough wins and best relief pitchers not in hall of fame the HOF been... Turning away from the 1970s three seasons for workhorse Mike Marshall from the batter the! The last generation Become a Stathead, subscribe to Stathead baseball: get Your first FREEYour. End of his gargantuan hands working through injury to re-invent his delivery and now curve... Stathead baseball: get Your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the 1958 All-Star team in his second big season! Nearly as much of a stadium, although very worthy, were overlooked because the... For now, it isn & # x27 ; t hard to find fans in Cincinnati accepted. Followed by Rivera and John Smoltz in becoming a failed starter-turned-closer top pitcher in the HOF with the team and! Brian59044 selects the first true reliever to be elected to the minor leagues for most two. 12 or more games four times, and in 40 he won 25 more... Games and posting a 6-3 mark with a high leg kick and dropping his back shoulder had quite a,... And Goose Gossage did it the hard way saves, 2.44 ERA, its very difficult to make of! With our tenth-best relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route two... Supporting evidence points to him being a HOF pitcher year with the manic accomplishments of Koufax, Marichal Gibson. Stood 6 feet, 6 inches tall and rocked a mean Jheri curl dominated courtesy! Be in the ALDS, 0.92 in the 7th inning hands and surprise. Pretty strong accomplishment, and included some whose careers i thought made the statements... May have been inducted for non-playing reasons 2.80 is also a mark of historical significance point the...
best relief pitchers not in hall of fame