6 Tim Hudson 3.8 Heck, you can easily make the argument he's the best pitcher in baseball, and that's not even his primary position. Pitching for the Cubs, Reulbach teamed up with Mordecai Brown to make one of the great pitching tandems in baseball history. 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. Rivera's legacy is as the greatest relief pitcher ever, and now that Chapman is a Yankee for the foreseeable future, that's . 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. He represented the Tigers in three World Series against the Cardinals, Cubs and Reds in 34, 35 and 40. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. What if Babe Adams hadnt been left to toil in the minor leagues for most of two seasons? Pierce was often the recipient of scant run support. From 1939-1946 Walters accumulated totals led the major leagues in wins, innings pitched; 2,030, complete games; 178, and ERA. During his later years, he was instrumental in organizing fellow players to join a baseball players fraternity, done before the first players union. 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. Yet Allen fell just one vote shy of election when the Golden Days Committee last convened in 2021, meaning that the wait continues. He was the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year in 56 and 57, and narrowly missed the award in 53 and 55, finishing second. 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. But he was so good at his craft. Relief LHP: Billy WagnerAmong 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). I looked at some pitchers with shorter careers as well, and included some whose careers I thought made the greatest statements. Seven relief pitchers are over 10.0three of those seven are already in the Hall (Goose, Fingers, Wilhelm) and one more is a shoo-in when he gets on the ballot. 10 Orel Hershiser 3.6. His resume for the HOF is strong. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. This time he refused and was forced to sit out a season in order to play for Cincinnati, which he did. But Trevor Hoffman may have the most unique path, going from a failed minor league shortstop to one of the all-time great closers. He found success again after arriving in Chicago with the Cubs during the '70 season, winning 17 games in both '71 and '72. Matsui has no chance of ever making the Hall of Fame. One time, Wilhelm entered a tie game in the eighth inning and pitched through the 18th, allowing just two hits and no runs. He regularly hits 100 miles per hour on his fastballs and holds the all-time record by registering 105.1 on a pitch (twice). There are some interesting findings to highlight along these lines as we get there. Pappas, of Greek descent, was born in Detroit. He pitched with six different teams, but most significantly with the Cleveland Blues and Chicago White Stockings. Pappas deserves recognition for his accomplishments, even if it is just to clear his name from the fall out of a trade for which he was never responsible. Follow Cody Swartz on Twitter (@cbswartz5). It took the veterans committee some 90 years to find and induct Vic Willis. The vast majority of these pitcher's careerswere focused in places other thanNew York, Philadelphia, or Boston. 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). Opposition has cooled considerably in recent years toward enshrining Clemens, a brilliant pitcher long before rumors of performance enhancing drug use surfaced. Being a relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route. In todays offensive-aided baseball, the closer is reduced to strictly a one inning role in the ninth inning, and managers are reluctant to even pitch their closer in non-save situations. His last year of allowing fewer hits than innings pitched was 81. 2 Johan Santana 5.1 Three times in his career he led the AL in saves, four times he finished top five in the Cy Young award voting, and he had a 2.63 career World Series ERA. Wilhelm passed away on Aug. 23, 2002. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Bridges was gutsy and tough in the postseason. They chose not to have time for their pitching hero from the last generation. 2/4/18 Super Bowl champs. Wagner had three of them, and they came in three consecutive years (1997, 1998, and 1999). 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." 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. Why were pitchers like Pennock, Chesbro, and McGinnity going in before greats like Mordecai Brown and Kid Nichols? Cooper was slender and had a remarkable smooth and graceful delivery. By 1946 they told him he was washed up-finished. 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. Mccormick ended up in Pittsburgh where he ended his career the next year. Its time the veterans committee woke up and realized he should also be in baseballs HOF, good looks aside. In 35 he won two games against the Cubs, and in 40 he won his only appearance against the Reds. Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Fame reliever and 1979 Cy Young winner, has died at the age of 69. But keep in mind that he wasnt used in nearly as much of a specialized role as modern closers are. 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! Trevor Hoffman is getting a lot of love this year, and Lee Smith did really well by the voters . Mariano Rivera was a failed starter. 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. The players who dominated, not just for a season or two, but for years. 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). Pierce got his chance to test his grit in postseason action in 62 for the Giants. Even though others have won Cy Young awards (and even regular season MVPs), Rivera was as close as youll find to a perfect closer, and he did this all with just the legendary cutter. Covering the latest and most controversial news around the world of sports, heavily centered on the Philadelphia Eagles and National Football League. Im struck by the parity between Kevin Brown and Jim Kaat. The Baseball Writers Association of America has elected the newest Hall of Famer, with third baseman Scott Rolen officially getting the call on Tuesday and joining Fred McGriff -- previously elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee -- in the Class of 2023. It barely existed when Babe Ruth and Ted Williams played, as starters would routinely pitch complete games. Robinson went on to win the triple crown in '66 and the MVP award for the American League. The pitchers on this list are every bit as skilled as their contemporaries already voted in. His K/BB ratio of 2.01 is historically strong. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Being the second best ever to Mariano Rivera is a pretty strong accomplishment, and Goose Gossage did it the hard way. If you put Gossage in a traditional one inning relief pitcher role, those blown saves assuredly go way down. If we limit it to 3000 innings, heres the top ten: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 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. Cardinals' 5 all-time best relief pitchers in franchise history. 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). 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. A 3.10 postseason ERA isn't terrible, but it's not Hall of Fame worthy. He is first all-time in saves (652) and ERA+ (205). 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). Many of their careers and cases are compelling. 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. The other difference is that last year, Hoffman picked up 74 percent of the Hall of Fame vote, which put him just barely on the wrong side of immortality. His 1,804 Ks were a high number for the era. King Kelly, McCormick, and others were known to go out and celebrate after games. Curiously enough, Eckersley didnt win the Cy Young award in his best year but then won the award along with the league MVP two seasons later in 1992 when he went 7-1 with a 1.91 ERA and 51 saves, then the second-best single-season total of all-time. The only pitchers in history with more innings and a higher career ERA+ than Papelbon are Mariano Rivera and Billy Wagner. As Jaffe noted for FanGraphs in 2019, Whitaker belongs to a select group of players (and is the only second baseman besides Jackie Robinson) who finished their careers at least 200 batting runs, 50 fielding runs and 25 baserunning runs above average. The top ten pitchers eligible but not in the HoF, by rWAR/200 IP, minimum 2000 IP: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 Several players careers have been overlooked instead of championed. Dave Parker, Does he belong in the Hall of Fame? The players on those teams were the players the sportswriters saw most. . Whether it will be enough to one day get him into Cooperstown wont be decided for another 10 or so years. Tom Brady lost three Super Bowls. SwartzSports | The Philadelphia Eagles Blog, SwartzSports | The Philadelphia Eagles Blog, Ranking Greatest Relief Pitchers Ever, Part II (#11-50), Power Ranking MLB's Greatest Relief Pitchers Ever, Part II (#11-50), SwartzSports 50 Predictions for the 2022 NFL Season, 2022 SwartzSports First Round Mock Draft (with trades), Ranking the 50 Best Players Not in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Assigning Grades to Key Members of the 2021 Philadelphia Eagles: Part I (Offense), Handing Out Major Awards for 2021 NFL Season, Power Ranking All 235 Major League Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame (Part V: #50-1), Power Ranking All 235 Major League Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame (Part III: #150-101), Power Ranking All 235 Major League Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame (Part II: #200-151), Power Ranking All 235 Major League Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame (Part I: #235-201), Power Ranking All 235 Major League Players in the Baseball Hall of Fame (Part IV: #100-51), Ranking the 10 Greatest Relief Pitchers in Baseball History. Despite his size, he had quite a delivery, with a high leg kick and dropping his back shoulder. getting voted into the Hall of Fame is difficult for relief . He was scouted by Hal Newhowser, who encouraged him to sign with the Orioles. the total count of actual and average players matches that of the most 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. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 1:07PM. Free shipping for many products! What if Bucky Walters had started his career in Cincinnati rather than struggling in Philadelphia? In order to be considered for this honor, a pitcher must be eligible for the HOF. The strikeout record was being broken. Free shipping for many products! The HOF process seemed uneven, and somewhat political. 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