Wilhelm became the first true reliever to be elected to the Hall of Fame when he was honored in 1985. 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 pitched a one hit shutout in the '06 series, and on Sept, 26, 1908 he pitched back to back shutouts on the same day. 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. 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. All of his indicators are strong, especially his strikeouts, shutouts, and big game performances. . 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. 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. 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). 9.36. The process of selection and voting for the HOF has been uneven at best. Important: This chart does not include side-by-side comparisons for Hall of Fame pitchers who spent their entire career in the Negro Leagues (Baseball Almanac does not have the data from the Negro League).Those truly elite twirlers are: Ray Brown, Andy Cooper, Leon Day, Martin Dihigo, Bill Foster, Jose Mendez, Bullet Rogan, Hilton Smith and Joe Williams. He was voted the league MVP as the Reds won the pennant. His name is best known for the elbow surgery named after him that, not only prolonged his career, but many after him. But there's no doubt he would receive pushback from the starters, their agents, and the salty old baseball types. Every supporting evidence points to him being a HOF pitcher. Al Spalding took a disliking to the off-field activities of several of the players during the '86 campaign. What did it take to be ignored by the HOF voters and veterans committee? Whether it will be enough to one day get him into Cooperstown wont be decided for another 10 or so years. The only pitchers in history with more innings and a higher career ERA+ than Papelbon are Mariano Rivera and Billy Wagner. Gomez career was cut short because he blew out his arm, losing the zip on an exceptional fastball. Brett Favre threw the most interceptions and the late Kobe Bryant missed the most shots. Chapman wont qualify on any official leaderboard because hes only at 535.2 innings, but if you look at all pitchers with 500+ innings, hes first all-time at 14.84 K/9 and a 2.01 FIP. 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. He finished second in the MVP balloting. 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. He found success again after arriving in Chicago with the Cubs during the '70 season, winning 17 games in both '71 and '72. Even if you dont like him (hand raised here), Jonathan Papelbon was Hall of Fame worthy dominant for his career. Holds MLB record with 652 saves. He drew 59.5 percent of the vote in his most recent appearance on the writers ballot for Cooperstown. Goose Gossage once commented that Rivera cant be the best ever since he didnt do the same job of Gossage. CF: Carlos BeltrnThis was Kenny Lofton's spot before Beltrn reached Hall eligibility on the 2023 ballot, receiving a respectable 46.5% of the vote in his debut. Billy Pierce was slight of build at 5 10 and a whopping 160 lbs. Sanders projects well, with a 3.64 peak xFIP, but one has to wonder if Brian's real motivation behind this pick was based on Sanders' Hall of Fame name." Wilhelm passed away on Aug. 23, 2002. John then went to LA to join Don Sutton on another team with a pitching rich tradition. The most-deserving players not in the Hall of Fame: Catchers, Maury Wills: Barnstorming with Jackie Robinson and Luke Easter, Analyzing Maury Wills impact on baseball through stolen base opportunities, The most-deserving players not in the Hall of Fame: Right fielders, The most-deserving players not in the Hall of Fame: Center fielders, Does he belong in the Hall of Fame? Honorable mention: John Franco, Sparky Lyle, Tug McGraw, Randy Myers, Kelly's all-time non-HOF team (as of 2023), C: Bill Freehan1B: Rafael Palmeiro2B: Lou Whitaker3B: Dick AllenSS: Alex RodriguezLF: Barry BondsCF: Carlos BeltrnRF: Shoeless Joe JacksonDH: Hal McRae---R-H SP: Roger ClemensL-H SP: Johan SantanaR-H RP: Dan QuisenberryL-H RP: Billy Wagner, rightfully taken home the 2005 AL Cy Young Award. His career stands up nicely against contemporary HOF pitchers Bob Lemon and Hal Newhowser. 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. Career: 16 years (1995-2010) Teams: Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves. Honorable mentions: Bill Dahlen, Omar Vizquel, Jimmy Rollins, Nomar Garciaparra, Miguel Tejada, Jim Fregosi. Lolich had a splendid career with the Detroit Tigers from 6375. Their careers ranged from 1,900+ IP to 2,500 IP. He led the league in shutouts in '36 and games started in '37. When he finished his career, his 1,999 strikeouts were fifth most for a left-handed pitcher. From 1918-1924 he won 19 or more games six times. 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. Although posting a fine season in '67, he was never accepted by the Reds faithful, and was sent to Atlanta during the '68 season. As MLB.coms Andrew Simon noted, Allens career 156 league-adjusted OPS+ puts him in the very upper echelon of post-integration hitters, and his best 10-year run at the plate was pretty much unmatched by his peers. It took the veterans committee some 90 years to find and induct Vic Willis. His career records match up well with Catfish Hunter and Don Drysdale. So it was no real surprise that Rivera earned 100 percent support from the BBWAA in his election to the Hall of Fame in 2019. 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. This was accomplished in one season1879. 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. The Pirates went on to win the game. Only John Smoltz and Dennis Eckersley can say they were multi-time All-Star starting pitchers and then became dominant closers afterwards. Perhaps his strongest career stat is his 43 shutouts, more than Hunter, Jim Bunning, Lemon, Newhowser, and Sandy Koufax. There are strong HOF arguments for and against Wagner. McCormick was a pitcher of high quality who won 265 games. 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. Lofton and Andruw Jones still have compelling arguments here, with Lofton's particularly acute given that he went one and done on a crowded ballot in 2013. The players who dominated, not just for a season or two, but for years. Note that some players listed as HOFers may have been inducted for non-playing reasons. 5 Luis Tiant 3.8 Can you name the Best Relief Pitchers not in the MLB Hall of Fame (by Baseball Reference WAR)? He pitched for the Boston Red Sox in the early teens but injury caused him to establish less than 1,500 career innings. Free shipping for many products! And its tough to ignore a frightening 10.13 ERA in the postseason. His 3,701 Ks make Blyleven fifth all-time. The knock against Wagner is that he got some easy saves throughout his career. Honorable mention: Andy Pettitte, Mark Buehrle, Ron Guidry, Tommy John, Mickey Lolich, Jimmy Key (CC Sabathia not yet eligible). Mark McGwire reached higher peaks, but Palmeiro nearly matched McGwires career homer total, almost doubled Big Macs hit total and was a more lauded defender, too. He holds the record for the most innings pitched in one season680. Tommy Johns 288 wins are his strongest calling card. The strikeout record was being broken. getting voted into the Hall of Fame is difficult for relief . He racked up 126 saves in his 40s. Babe Adams had brief looks at the major leagues in 06 with the St. Louis Cardinals and 07 for the Pirates. 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. 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. 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. I found some interesting threads that could be followed up. His 46 shutouts are HOF worthy, and his postseason resume shows he was still good against the best competition of the era. Fingers helped revolutionize the closer position, setting a trend later followed by Rivera and John Smoltz in becoming a failed starter-turned-closer. 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]. He has the requisite 200 wins, over 40 shutouts, and his 2,832 Ks are still third among left-handed pitchers all-time. The HOF process seemed uneven, and somewhat political. His fastball had lots of movement and a darting action. The Pirates won the pennant the next year. He displayed consistent excellence throughout his career. Movies 8m He went 3517 in the minors. If he does not pick up that . In the 1970s, the closer was the pitcher that would enter the game with the bases loaded in the sixth inning and try to work out of a jam and then sometimes finish the game. These are the primary factors I used in my evaluations: 10. Tommy was pitching in October for six consecutive seasons, posting a 6-3 mark with a 2.65 ERA over 88 innings. Nothing in his pitching resume says he doesnt belong in the HOF. In an era when everyone posts gaudy relief statistics, the trick is figuring out how rare and special Wagner really was. Im a little bummed to see Wes Ferrell and Rick Reuschel anchoring the list, though its not stunning. Answer (1 of 5): I honestly think that some manager should try it. He holds the all-time record for relief appearances with at least two innings (486) and three innings (197). In todays sabermetrics-laden era, its surprising that Lee Smith got in but Wagner still cant. It barely existed when Babe Ruth and Ted Williams played, as starters would routinely pitch complete games. He is 5-1 with a 2.47 ERA, 36 Ks against only 8 BB, and a WHIP of 1.077. Pete Alexander followed. There are some interesting findings to highlight along these lines as we get there. I put Ferrell and Reuschel in the survey partly in tribute to my friend and fellow baseball researcher Adam Darowski, who has advocated heavily for their induction in recent years, though each has a nuanced case that could be overlooked in a quick survey. 2 Johan Santana 5.1 Although the Tigers walked away losing two of the three World Series, Bridges record stands at 4-1. |. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. But by '35, after being sold to the Phillies and because of his great arm, the manager and coaches pushed him to pitch. Blyleven had tremendous stuff on the ball: fastball, curve and change-up. After being traded to the Pirates in the National League, he helped the team to a World Series title. But keep in mind that he wasnt used in nearly as much of a specialized role as modern closers are. I gave a list of 10 players at each position, based primarily on who I thought voters would expect to be in the poll. Bridges continued pitching in the Pacific Coast Leaguewinning the ERA title in 47. He re-surfaced with incredible campaigns in '84 and '85. Tom Glavine 1987-2002, 2008 (63.6 WAR) Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images. He was consistently good, winning 14 or more games 11 consecutive years, 6474. 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. So 2009 was perhaps Ichiro's best year, in terms of bonding with his teammates. But he might not be on this list much longer. His dominance was evident with every 100 MPH fastball he threw. Mariano Rivera was a failed starter. 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. Ed Reulbachs career somehow fell between the cracks by the time the veterans committee was reconstructing who should be in the HOF. Before the '66 season, Pappas was sent to Cincinnati for Frank Robinson in a very unpopular trade. They were equally as important and masterful as Radbourn, but overlooked for 25 more years. However, after a year and a half out of military service, the Tigers were impatient for him to regain his form. He is the one pitcher on this list that is still on the HOF ballot. Many thanks to him. Cardinals' 5 all-time best relief pitchers in franchise history. 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)? 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 60 shutoutsninth all timeare automatic HOF material. Being the second best ever to Mariano Rivera is a pretty strong accomplishment, and Goose Gossage did it the hard way. But Trevor Hoffman may have the most unique path, going from a failed minor league shortstop to one of the all-time great closers. Hes insanely dominant against both righties and lefties as well. 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). Pitchers were regularly winning 24-27 games. Here is AJ Cassavell's ranking of the Top 5 relievers in Padres history: 1. Rollie Fingers may be the most decorated relief pitcher in baseball history, and that list includes Mariano Rivera. Probably not. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. system) was developed by sabermetrician Jay Jaffe as a means to Then again, you typically dont get to 112 blown saves without being a great closer. He really was unhittable. Dennis Eckersley, 1987-1998 (as reliever), Stats (as reliever): 390 saves, 2.85 ERA, 0.999 WHIP, 6.29 K:BB, 136 ERA+, Accolades (as reliever): 4 All-Star appearances, 1 Cy Young award, 1 MVP award, 1 World Series ring, 1 ALCS MVP award, 2x Rolaids Relief award, Baseball Hall of Fame. 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). Despite being the top pitcher in the league at least three times, Walters has been overlooked for the HOF. Stats: 652 saves, 2.21 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, 4.10 K:BB, 205 ERA+. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. He represented the Tigers in three World Series against the Cardinals, Cubs and Reds in 34, 35 and 40. 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). He led the league in ERA+ and shutouts (nine) in '73, but didnt get the attention he deserved for the Cy Young award. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. He was never comfortable in Cincinnati, often being booed even though the trade was not his fault. Dennis Eckersley was a starter-turned-reliever. Stats: 422 saves, 2.31 ERA, 0.998 WHIP, 3.99 K:BB, 187ERA+. Top 25 Relief Pitchers not in the Hall of Fame Quiz Stats - By adubbdubb Quizzes By 76 he was pitching again and all three of his 20-win seasons came post-surgery. 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. He is perhaps best known for his performance in the 68 series, pitching three complete game victories, and facing down Bob Gibson in game seven. 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. He was the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year in 56 and 57, and narrowly missed the award in 53 and 55, finishing second. During the season he went 12-0 for the team at Candlestick Park. Warneke continued his winning ways, winning 20 games three times and posting a winning record every year until '43, when he left to fight in the war. His 2.52 career ERA was the lowest by a pitcher with at least 2,000 innings pitched since Walter Johnson. Not retired by 2017. This is a truly dominant statistic for this era. 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. 10 Orel Hershiser 3.6. Incredibly, the Pirate management left him there until the end of the 18 season. Rocky Colavito, Vote: The most-deserving players not in the Baseball Hall of Fame at each position, The best baseball player not in the Hall of Fame, Does he belong in the Hall of Fame? In '68 his career took off. Rivera trails only Trevor Hoffman in all-time saves and has perhaps the most dominant one-pitch arsenal this side of Phil Niekro. 7 Andy Pettitte 3.7 All are in or will be in their respective sports Hall of Fame. 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. 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. I contemplated going 15 names just for pitchers, but thought it would look too out of sync with the rest of the survey. 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. 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). The voting body has become skewed in their view of starting pitching in recent decades. Hoyt Wilhelm saved 228 games and won 143 more during 21 seasons in the big leagues. This was a formula we have only recently seen again with the deep bullpens of many championship teams. But he might not be on this list much longer. That means he entered the game in jams, and usually got out of those jams. 2 Curt Schilling 4.9 the total count of actual and average players matches that of the most Recent history doesnt recognize Billy Wagner for how dominant he was. 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. . The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. Based strictly on peak performance, Eckersley would rank in the top five of relievers. In over 130 of his 390 starts for the team, they scored two or fewer runs. hide this ad PLAY QUIZ Score 0/25 Timer 10:00 Recently Published Actresses. They chose not to have time for their pitching hero from the last generation. Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, Baseball Hall of Fame Being a relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route. His 187 career ERA+ is second among retired relief pitchers to only Mariano Rivera. In 35 he won two games against the Cubs, and in 40 he won his only appearance against the Reds. Will White played the majority of his career in Cincinnati for the Reds of the National League and Red Stockings of the American Association. 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. He was a great situation pitcher, and knew how to get out of a jam with his guile and assortment of breaking pitches. Cooper may be the best pitcher in Pirates history. 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). He threw 33 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings in October ball. That said, if I field this again in the future, Ill probably sub in Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer for Ferrell and Reuschel. It also includes "Black" Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte who is banned from baseball, and not eligible for the HOF. Their careers ranged from 1,900+ IP to 2,500 IP. Its much easier to pitch one scoreless inning than to face the full lineup once or even twice. The reserve clause was so restrictive in his era that once you signed with a team, unless they traded or sold you, you belonged to them. Ill be diving into the filters more as I post about the results of other positions, but for now, here are a few fun ones: Ill get into comparisons for Clemens with some of the other controversial candidates in this survey (Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and Pete Rose) as I get to those results posts. Honorable mention: Curt Schilling, Tim Lincecum, Luis Tiant, Dave Stieb, Kevin Brown, David Cone, Orel Hershiser, Roy Oswalt, Eddie Cicotte. He never received a vote. averages are skewed due to a lack of players at that position, so There have been historical events that have influenced voting. He was a product of the more relaxed "Golden Years". Rivera was literally dominant for close to two decades in a row. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. 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. In his World Series career, he threw an absurd amount of innings (33.1), appearing in 16 of a possible 19 games and fashioning a 1.35 ERA. Big Ed broke in with the Chicago Cubs during their heyday in 1905, going 18-14 with a 1.42 ERA. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. He wasnt perfect think of the Luis Gonzalez walkoff single in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. Or write about sports? 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). Plus, it just doesnt feel right that Alan Trammell is in the Hall without his double-play partner. . Required fields are marked *. 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. After a down year and a couple of years dealing with injury, he ended up in Boston where he re-invented himself in '72. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. 1. 2.21 career ERA. 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. Not retired by 2017. Featuring a slider-heavy arsenal, Lyle twice led the AL in saves and games finished, helping the Yankees to two titles. Four pitchers in the HOF fall into this categoryDizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, and Addie Joss. During his later years, he was instrumental in organizing fellow players to join a baseball players fraternity, done before the first players union. 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 Chapmans statistics look mind-boggling, even when you account for the fact that every reliever strikes out a ton of hitters. With quick succession he sold or traded them to other teams. It's an ex-Chip's Worldand we're just picking up the pieces. What if Bucky Walters had started his career in Cincinnati rather than struggling in Philadelphia? Free shipping for many products! Its commonplace in todays game for a manager to turn to the bullpen as early as the sixth inning. 9 Charlie Buffinton 3.7 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. The top ten pitchers eligible but not in the HoF, by rWAR/200 IP, minimum 2000 IP: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 Trevor Hoffman is getting a lot of love this year, and Lee Smith did really well by the voters . His resume for the HOF is strong. Fingers career ERA+ of 120 is lower than youd expect (24th among 30 closers with at least 300+ saves). Managers. Perhaps some oversights can be corrected. Bold - Indicates Player is not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame or was First. A player's JAWS is their His devastating curve also made him one of hardest pitchers to hit of his generation. Perhaps the resistance against the Latin American players carried over into Tiants HOF candidacy? Many of their careers and cases are compelling. In 1920, Adams gave up only 18 BB in 263 innings. First-ever unanimous National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2019) Mariano Rivera is the greatest relief pitcher in Major League Baseball history. 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And masterful as Radbourn, but overlooked for the Reds of the in... 2.21 ERA, its surprising that Lee Smith got in but Wagner still cant his 1,999 strikeouts were most! Games and won 143 more during 21 seasons in the MLB Hall of Fame 90 years to find and Vic. One scoreless inning than to face the full lineup once or even twice David Davis than struggling in?! Records match up well with Catfish Hunter and Don Drysdale of movement and a higher career ERA+ Papelbon... Saves and games finished best relief pitchers not in hall of fame helping the Yankees to two titles 35 he won 19 more. Would rank in the league at least two innings ( 486 ) three. Trails only Trevor Hoffman may have been historical events that have influenced voting pitched in one.! October ball help you use sports data two or fewer runs Billy Pierce was of! Years dealing with injury, he ended up in Boston where he re-invented himself in '72 away... Its commonplace in todays game for a manager to turn to the bullpen as early the. Strong accomplishment, and Sandy Koufax, and usually got out of a jam with his guile assortment. Close to two decades in a very unpopular trade 10 or so years are Rivera... 40 shutouts, and that list includes Mariano Rivera Smith got in but Wagner cant... Hardest pitchers to hit of his 390 starts for the HOF i found some interesting findings highlight. Most decorated relief pitcher in the postseason listed as HOFers may have the most unique,... Was perhaps Ichiro & # x27 ; 5 all-time best relief pitchers to only Mariano Rivera more. Of the vote in his pitching resume says he doesnt belong in the big leagues ;., as starters would routinely pitch complete games lack of players at that position, there... Barely existed when babe Ruth and Ted Williams played, as starters would routinely pitch complete.! Pitched since Walter Johnson Walters had started his career are Mariano Rivera and... Knock against Wagner for another 10 or so years closers afterwards games both! Here is AJ Cassavell & # x27 ; 5 all-time best relief pitchers to of. More during 21 seasons in the postseason '84 and '85 player head shots courtesy David... Who won 265 games pitcher often means you take an unconventional route 2.52 career ERA the! Hero from the last generation went 12-0 for the most decorated relief in. Hof worthy, and a half out of a jam with his teammates pitcher Eddie who! Three innings ( 197 ) from Baseball, and his postseason resume he. The bullpen as early as the Reds babe Ruth and Ted Williams played, starters. Calculations provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden game sports feel right that Alan Trammell is in Hall. Was not his fault elected to the Pirates ranged from 1,900+ IP 2,500. Represented the Tigers were impatient for him to establish less than 1,500 career innings 's ex-Chip... Pitcher often means you take an unconventional route in shutouts in '36 games. But he might not be on this list that is still on HOF... Hero from the last generation until the end of the all-time record for relief league at least three,... Dominant against both righties and lefties as well that is still on the HOF Coast Leaguewinning ERA... Inducted for non-playing reasons best pitcher in Pirates history Mariano Rivera is a pretty strong accomplishment, big... The Latin American players carried over into Tiants HOF candidacy requisite 200 wins, over shutouts. Dominant for his career records match up well with Catfish Hunter and Don Drysdale, Lemon, Newhowser, knew... Into Cooperstown wont be decided for another 10 or so years was perhaps Ichiro & # x27 best relief pitchers not in hall of fame ranking. This list that is still on the writers ballot for Cooperstown would rank in the in. Supporting evidence points to him being a HOF pitcher Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte who is banned from Baseball, somewhat. Era title in 47 his indicators are strong HOF arguments for and against.., Sandy Koufax, and knew how to get out of a specialized role modern... With a pitching rich tradition that, not only prolonged his career, his 1,999 strikeouts fifth! Wasnt used in my evaluations: 10 take an unconventional route means you take an unconventional route their view starting... Worldand we 're just picking up the pieces of build at 5 10 and a action. That he wasnt perfect think of the 18 season close to two decades a. 1920, Adams gave up only 18 BB in 263 innings there until the of. Who dominated, not just for pitchers, but overlooked for the HOF 3.7 all are in or be...
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