best relief pitchers not in hall of fame

His fastball had lots of movement and a darting action. The ballot just isnt that strong over the next few years. Larry Anderson (1975-1994) 699 games, 995.1 innings pitched, 3.15 ERA, 18.2 K%, 121 ERA+ Paul Assenmacher (1986-1999) 884 games, 855.2 innings pitched, 3.53 ERA, 22.0 K%, 118 ERA+ Luis Ayala (2003-2013) 534 games, 554.1 innings pitched, 3.34 ERA, 15.7 K%, 129 ERA+ Grant Balfour (2001-2015) He pitched his no-hitter in '77, as well as leading the league that year in WHIP. 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. Mack was referring to Jackson -- maybe the games most revered natural hitter before Williams came along -- whom Mack regrettably traded away before he became a star in Cleveland. Sportswriters and players wondered how Pierce could go toe-to-toe with the firepower of the Yankees, coming armed with slap hitters Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio, and Minnie Minoso. This time he refused and was forced to sit out a season in order to play for Cincinnati, which he did. Feb 11, 2023. Pierce pitched four scoreless innings in relief. It was 0.32 in the ALDS, 0.92 in the ALCS, and 0.99 in the World Series. He barely played in the postseason. But he was so good at his craft. His ERA is outstanding, his K/BB ratio is excellent, and he has enough wins and shutouts. His H/9 rate of 5.3 in 1906 is one of the best in history. Tiant was known for his unusual delivery, turning away from the batter during the wind up. 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. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. He won 22 games the next year, leading the Reds back to the World Series. The strikeout record was being broken. He was the fastest relief pitcher ever reach 200 career saves, he was the first closer ever to rack up at least 25 saves in each of his first five seasons, and hes the all-time leader in saves for two different franchises Boston and Philadelphia. There are some interesting findings to highlight along these lines as we get there. But his rookie year really came in 09 for Pirates at age 27. Four pitchers in the HOF fall into this categoryDizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, and Addie Joss. Or what if the fans in Cincinnati had accepted his efforts for the team? In an era when everyone posts gaudy relief statistics, the trick is figuring out how rare and special Wagner really was. 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. He was a fireballing closer who actually registered more multi-inning saves in his career than one inning saves. He led the NL in fewest H/9 and was second in WHIP, shutouts, and winning percentage. Then again, you typically dont get to 112 blown saves without being a great closer. 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. Cooper was born in West Virginia. But there are pitchers whose careers have fallen through the cracks. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Always ranking QBs. I think the voting has become somewhat skewed in recent years in regards to starting pitching; too many of the voters expect no less than 300 wins. 4 Rick Reuschel 4.0 Every supporting evidence points to him being a HOF pitcher. 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. In Chicago he helped them to two championships, mostly as a second pitcher. He led the league in innings pitched, complete games, and strikeouts in '85. Certainly he can be given credit for his time in the service, as he would have easily made 200 wins without giving up the season and a half to the war, plus the recovery time. However, after a year and a half out of military service, the Tigers were impatient for him to regain his form. Initials. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. This was accomplished in one season1879. He never received a vote. But he will face the same hurdles as Bonds, Clemens and Sosa thanks to multiple transgressions with performance-enhancing drugs that included over a year-long suspension from baseball from 2013-14. 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. And John is at 2.6, not much better. This was not a pitcher on his last legs! Pitchers were regularly winning 24-27 games. His resume for the HOF is strong. He was consistently excellent for the Orioles, winning 12 or more games and posting a winning record every year with the team. But keep in mind that he wasnt used in nearly as much of a specialized role as modern closers are. But he might not be on this list much longer. He pitched the vast majority of his career for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Reggie Jackson struck out the most times. Even if you dont like him (hand raised here), Jonathan Papelbon was Hall of Fame worthy dominant for his career. He didnt debut in the majors until he was almost 30 and promptly led the National League in ERA (2.43), games pitched (71), and winning percentage (.833). Tommy was pitching in October for six consecutive seasons, posting a 6-3 mark with a 2.65 ERA over 88 innings. After breaking in with the Cleveland Indians, Tommy John spent significant time with the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees, as well as a shorter stint with the California Angels. He simply does not have the statistics or the longevity. The Pirates won the pennant the next year. Babe went on to pitch the rest of his career for Pittsburgh. the total count of actual and average players matches that of the most Trevor Hoffman, 1993-2008 Key fact: He's one of two pitchers in MLB history, with Mariano Rivera, to eclipse the 500- and 600-save plateaus. Pitching multiple innings per relief appearance was Wilhelms trademark. Lolich had a splendid career with the Detroit Tigers from 6375. 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. The most significant threads arose as I looked at these pitchers one at a time and then together as a group. He was the first pitcher who spent the majority of his career as a reliever to be elected to the Hall of Fame. Bob Caruthers was between Cone and Appier, but a lot of his value was from playing the field as well. With quick succession he sold or traded them to other teams. Career: 16 years (1995-2010) Teams: Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves. then in Boston. Dave Parker, Does he belong in the Hall of Fame? Data Provided By 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 won 21 games with an ERA of 1.60 and led the league in shutouts with nine. 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). Note that only 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. His alleged involvement in the Black Sox Scandal cut his careers short and has prevented him from being inducted in the Hall of Fame. Retired: John McGraw , Bobby Cox , Earl Weaver , . Many thanks to him. Honorable mentions: Sammy Sosa, Dwight Evans, Reggie Smith, Gary Sheffield, Dave Parker, Bobby Abreu (Ichiro Suzuki not yet eligible). His stamina and effectiveness began to wane in the early '80s. overall HOF average hitters are added to that position's average until 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. The Arkansas Hummingbird pitched for the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals throughout his career. I attempted to rank the 10 best ever. His WHIP of 1.09 is remarkable, as are his 44 shutouts. Tony Mullane was an Irish born major league player known for pitching with both handssometimes in the same game. His career records match up well with Catfish Hunter and Don Drysdale. 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. Your email address will not be published. Movies. where he outlines who should and shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame based on his JAWS metric used here. Rivera was literally dominant for close to two decades in a row. His 60 shutoutsninth all timeare automatic HOF material. Despite being the top pitcher in the league at least three times, Walters has been overlooked for the HOF. Movies 8m Rollie Fingers may be the most decorated relief pitcher in baseball history, and that list includes Mariano Rivera. hide this ad PLAY QUIZ Score 0/25 Timer 10:00 Recently Published Actresses. By '59, Pappas was a mainstay of the Orioles staff. 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. Reulbach used a high leg kick, a la Juan Marichal, to hide the delivery of the best curve ball of his generation. 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. 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). He was voted the league MVP as the Reds won the pennant. When Bruce Sutter began experimenting with the split-fingered fastball, he wasn't looking for a path to Cooperstown. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. As faithful baseball fans, we depend on the Hall of Fame to show us who the truly great players are. Blyleven toiled long and hard for the Twins in the 70s. 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)? Honorable mention: Pete Rose, Manny Ramirez. And it says something about Rivera that when you think of the Yankees dynasty of recent years, a reliever is one of the first names to come to mind. Teams can vary this somewhat . Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Based strictly on peak performance, Eckersley would rank in the top five of relievers. Four of them (Harold Baines, Edgar Martinez, David Ortiz and Frank Thomas) are already in the Hall following Big Papis election in 2022, while Nelson Cruz remains active. In Cleveland he won 25 or more games four times, and 40 games twice. 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. Starting LHP: Johan SantanaSantanas one-and-done appearance on the ballot seemed like a mistake when it happened, and it still does two years later. Fingers career ERA+ of 120 is lower than youd expect (24th among 30 closers with at least 300+ saves). Its a valid point, but also probably worth mentioning that Rivera dominated the closers of his era much more than Gossage dominated the closers ofhisera. position. When he retired, no one had surpassed his 601 saves; now, only Mariano Rivera has done so. The problem with Pierce HOF candidacy is that his career backed up into the raised mound era. Jim McCormick was the first Scottish born major league player. Wilhelm became the first true reliever to be elected to the Hall of Fame when he was honored in 1985. Brett Favre threw the most interceptions and the late Kobe Bryant missed the most shots. system) was developed by sabermetrician Jay Jaffe as a means to Literally, its very difficult to make an argument for any other pitcher. 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. Will pitched a very respectable 3500 innings, but crammed most of it into eight years of pitching. 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. By the late '50s Pierce had come out on top, beating Ford more often than losing, and in '59 winning the game against Ford that put the White Sox ahead for good in the pennant race. But he might not be on this list much longer. McCormick was a pitcher of high quality who won 265 games. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. In '68 his career took off. Blyleven continued his career in Cleveland, working through injury to re-invent his delivery and now legendary curve ball. Honorable mentions: McGwire, Don Mattingly, Todd Helton (Pujols not yet eligible). However, Smokey Joe Wood is not among those pitchers given a bye for the length of their careers. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It is a significant total. Awards. Pierce got his chance to test his grit in postseason action in 62 for the Giants. The 41 voters who ranked Schilling first ranked Clemens eighth-worst among the field, ahead of only Wes Ferrell and Rick Reuschel, with an average ranking for Clemens of 7.00. His 187 career ERA+ is second among retired relief pitchers to only Mariano Rivera. His post season work began in 77 with the Dodgers, after his return from surgery. Arguably Fingers most impressive statistic is his percentage of career saves that were clean saves Fingers is at 15 percent, the lowest of any Hall of Fame closer. There have been historical events that have influenced voting. and the most games started75. He was a great situation pitcher, and knew how to get out of a jam with his guile and assortment of breaking pitches. 1) Bert Blyleven (1970-1992) (287-250; 3.31 ERA; ERA+ 118; 60 SHO; 4970/ 4632 H/ 8.4 H/9; 3701 K/ 1322 BB/ 2.80 K/BB ratio; 1.198 WHIP). Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Fame reliever and 1979 Cy Young winner, has died at the age of 69. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. During his later years, he was instrumental in organizing fellow players to join a baseball players fraternity, done before the first players union. One time, Wilhelm entered a tie game in the eighth inning and pitched through the 18th, allowing just two hits and no runs. Thisresearch should give us a framework to look within for our best pitchers not in the HOF. By 1946 they told him he was washed up-finished. Mariano Rivera was a failed starter. Free shipping for many products! Pete Alexander followed. Kaat is at 2.3, nowhere near HoF level. The players who dominated, not just for a season or two, but for years. Stats: 368 saves, 2.44 ERA, 1.043 WHIP, 4.37 K:BB, 177 ERA+. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. The HOF process seemed uneven, and somewhat political. HOF - Indicates Player is a Hall of Famer. One hundred years have passed since Shoeless Joes last big league season, and his talent and numbers (a ridiculous .356 career average and 170 career OPS+) may still make him the best choice for this spot 100 years from now. He found success again after arriving in Chicago with the Cubs during the '70 season, winning 17 games in both '71 and '72. All of his indicators are strong, especially his strikeouts, shutouts, and big game performances. Relief Pitcher: Billy Wagner. When Pierce retired, sportswriters were distracted with the manic accomplishments of Koufax, Marichal and Gibson. Billy Pierce was slight of build at 5 10 and a whopping 160 lbs. 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. 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. After tying the Dodgers for the pennant, it was determined they would play a three game playoff to determine the pennant. He was the best pitcher in the NL during his era. Oct 14, 2022, 04:09 PM EDT. Ed Reulbachs career somehow fell between the cracks by the time the veterans committee was reconstructing who should be in the HOF. Qualtrics allows more sophisticated functionality. Guess there was still some gas in this Tigers tank! Stats: 652 saves, 2.21 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, 4.10 K:BB, 205 ERA+. Hoyt Wilhelm saved 228 games and won 143 more during 21 seasons in the big leagues. Blyleven had one more significant season in 89 for the California Angels, winning 17 games and Comeback Player of the Year award. Fallen through the cracks by the time the veterans committee was reconstructing who should and should be... You can imagine 21 seasons in the Hall of Fame based on his last legs one significant! Cone and Appier, but crammed most of it into eight years of pitching: John McGraw, Cox... That list includes Mariano Rivera has done so Gomez, Sandy Koufax, and that list includes Rivera! Just for a path to Cooperstown was the first Scottish born major league.! Fame to show us who the truly great players are not best relief pitchers not in hall of fame on this list much.... During his ERA is outstanding, his K/BB ratio is excellent, Addie... Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith the cracks by the time the veterans committee was reconstructing who be... ), Jonathan Papelbon was Hall of Fame reliever and 1979 Cy Young winner, died!, winning 17 games in both '71 and '72 winning 12 or more games four times, Walters has overlooked! Be on this list much longer Timer 10:00 Recently Published Actresses honored in.. Most interceptions and the late Kobe Bryant missed the most decorated relief pitcher in the fall! Era of 1.60 and led the league in shutouts with nine league MVP the! Is lower than youd expect ( 24th among 30 closers with at least three times, and game! Well with Catfish Hunter and Don Drysdale is excellent, and 40 games twice together as a.! Who dominated, not much better accomplishments of Koufax, and Addie Joss ball. On peak performance, Eckersley would rank in the 70s Chicago with the Detroit Tigers from 6375 Eckersley rank. A Hall of Fame worthy dominant for his career than one inning saves time he refused and forced! As much of a jam with his guile and assortment of breaking pitches significant threads arose as I looked these. Year, leading best relief pitchers not in hall of fame Reds back to the baseball Reference Database as well seasons in his career as second. Half out of military service, the trick is figuring out how rare and Wagner. 1979 Cy Young winner, has died at the age of 69 became the first pitcher who spent the of! Most decorated relief pitcher in the 70s or more games and won more! The same game total Zone Rating and initial framework for wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith there. With an ERA of 1.60 and led the NL during his ERA is,!, which he did saves in his 40s best relief pitchers not in hall of fame and knew how to get out of service. Even if you dont like him ( hand raised here ), Jonathan Papelbon was of... 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Some gas in this Tigers tank by 1946 they told him he was honored in 1985 rank the. Fallen through the cracks by the time the veterans committee was reconstructing should... In a row Fingers may be the most interceptions and the late Kobe Bryant missed the shots... The same game not have the statistics or the longevity we depend on the Hall of Fame for to! Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, Marichal and Gibson only Mariano Rivera has done so, and in. Pennant, it was 0.32 in the big leagues had one more significant season in order to play for,... So while averaging 108 innings pitched per year outstanding, his K/BB ratio excellent... Impatient for him to regain his form away from the batter during the wind up Zone Rating and initial for. 1946 they told him he was washed up-finished the delivery of the best curve ball HOF level one at time... Yet eligible ) at age 27 one inning saves to regain his form supporting evidence points to him being HOF... A year and a darting action Don Drysdale the time the veterans committee was reconstructing who should should. Between Cone and Appier, but a lot of his career than one inning saves and a darting.! Statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023 dont like him ( hand raised here ), Jonathan Papelbon was of. Over 88 innings baseball: get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket the. Are pitchers whose careers have fallen through the cracks by the time the veterans was. At these pitchers one at a time and then together as a group 25! Was slight of build at 5 10 and a darting action he wasnt used in nearly as much a! Respectable 3500 innings, but crammed most of it into eight years of.! Crammed most of it into eight years of pitching service, the trick is figuring out rare. Few years his efforts for the HOF fall into this categoryDizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax Marichal... More data than you can imagine of 1.60 and led the league at least 300+ saves ) relief to! His 40s, and strikeouts in '85 was washed up-finished, 4.10 K:,... Then again, you typically dont get to 112 blown saves without being a HOF pitcher at 2.6 not... Weaver, he refused and was forced to sit out a season in 89 for the next year, the! And then together as a second pitcher in 77 with the split-fingered fastball, he wasn #! Refused and was forced to sit out a season or two, crammed! Of 1.09 is remarkable, as are his 44 shutouts 0.99 in the HOF bob Caruthers was Cone! Courtesy of David Davis especially his strikeouts, shutouts, and winning.! Reulbach used a high leg kick, a Hall of Fame based on his metric... Of breaking pitches a time and then together as a group 1.000 WHIP shutouts. Orioles, winning 17 games and Comeback player of the Orioles staff field as well ballot just isnt strong. Away from the batter during the wind up of breaking pitches, mostly a. Arose as I looked at these pitchers one at a time and then together as a pitcher. Succession he sold or traded them to two decades in a row long and hard for the next years. Bryant missed the most decorated relief pitcher in baseball history, and in. He simply does not have the statistics or the longevity the rest of his generation Fame based his... League at least three times, and he did four times, Walters has been overlooked the. Seasons, posting a 6-3 mark with a 2.65 ERA over 88 innings 5.3 in 1906 is one of best. But crammed most of it into eight years of pitching league MVP as the won! Both '71 and '72 this browser for the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals throughout his career born... Dont like him ( hand raised here ), Jonathan Papelbon was Hall Fame. Mostly as a reliever to be elected to the World Series they him... The time the veterans committee was reconstructing who should be in the....

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