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). Data Provided By Bucky wasnt done there. (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?). Historically, pitchers like Red Ruffing, Red Faber, Ted Lyons, Eppa Rixey, and Burleigh Grimes are in the HOF mostly because of their win totals. After winning 20 games in '24, the Pirates traded him to the Cubs. 9. 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. His post season work began in 77 with the Dodgers, after his return from surgery. In 35 he won two games against the Cubs, and in 40 he won his only appearance against the Reds. His 49 career shutouts are just about automatic HOF criteria. He relented, signed with St. Louis, but they then shipped him off to the expansion Toledo Blue Stockings. Stats: 310 saves, 3.01 ERA, 1.232 WHIP, 2.05 K:BB, 126 ERA+, Accolades: 9 All-Star appearances, 1 World Series ring, Baseball Hall of Fame. That said, look for the results for catchers tomorrow. There have been historical events that have influenced voting. 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. Billy Pierce was slight of build at 5 10 and a whopping 160 lbs. 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. the total count of actual and average players matches that of the most "What if" and "would have become prevalent bylines for the pitchers on this list. Kaat is at 2.3, nowhere near HoF level. 2.21 career ERA. The vast majority of these pitcher's careerswere focused in places other thanNew York, Philadelphia, or Boston. 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. 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. There have been historical influences in the game itself that have effected how voters view candidacy for the HOF. Matsui has no chance of ever making the Hall of Fame. He had winning streaks of 14 and 17 games, and at one point held the NL record consecutive scoreless inning streak with 44. But like Bonds, Clemens did not have an easier time with the Todays Game Era Committee than he did with the BBWAA. The top ten pitchers eligible but not in the HoF, by rWAR/200 IP, minimum 2000 IP: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 When Bruce Sutter began experimenting with the split-fingered fastball, he wasn't looking for a path to Cooperstown. Fingers career ERA+ of 120 is lower than youd expect (24th among 30 closers with at least 300+ saves). The current Hall of Famers are then grouped by position and His career K/BB ratio of 2.80 is also a mark of historical significance. He found success again after arriving in Chicago with the Cubs during the '70 season, winning 17 games in both '71 and '72. Movies 8m He easily lost enough time to give him credit for not having 200 wins. Tony Mullane was just inducted into the Cincinnati Reds HOF earlier this year. Players said they could hear the ball spinning as it approached and went by. . The process of selection and voting for the HOF has been uneven at best. First-ever unanimous National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2019) Mariano Rivera is the greatest relief pitcher in Major League Baseball history. Cooper teamed up with Babe Adams, another pitcher on this list, to make quite a pitching combination for the Pirates of this era. He was a great situation pitcher, and knew how to get out of a jam with his guile and assortment of breaking pitches. Cy Young is the games career leader in losses. Or the Dave Roberts steal in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. 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. 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. But whos the second best relief pitcher ever? 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. 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. Bridges was gutsy and tough in the postseason. 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. Tom Glavine 1987-2002, 2008 (63.6 WAR) Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images. 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. Heck, you can easily make the argument he's the best pitcher in baseball, and that's not even his primary position. Typically, in modern-day play, an active roster will consist of five starting pitchers, seven relief pitchers, two catchers, six infielders, and five outfielders. Rodriguez will now have to endure the waiting game with BBWAA voters, like Bonds, Clemens and Sosa just did. Cooper struggled as a Cub and finished his career by '26. Sabermetrics lover. Here is AJ Cassavell's ranking of the Top 5 relievers in Padres history: 1. 5 Bret Saberhagen 4.6 Adams was perhaps the most extreme control pitcher in the history of the game. 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. Drysdale, Ferguson Jenkins, and Early Wynn are the other pitchers with 49 shutouts, and all are in the HOF. What if Milt Pappas had not been traded to Cincinnati? Supporting evidence also shows that John was an effective pitcher. That's the type of respect he garnered. After tying the Dodgers for the pennant, it was determined they would play a three game playoff to determine the pennant. 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. Hoffman broke in with the inaugural Florida Marlins team, was traded for Gary Sheffield, and then racked up an absurd 15 seasons of 30+ saves and nine of 40+, each of which still stands as MLB records. During the season he went 12-0 for the team at Candlestick Park. inducted position (RF). Tom Brady lost three Super Bowls. Bert Blyleven was born in the Netherlands, but grew up in California. His career postseason record shows a heightened excellence when the games really counted against the best competition. Babe Adams had brief looks at the major leagues in 06 with the St. Louis Cardinals and 07 for the Pirates. 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. 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. His alleged involvement in the Black Sox Scandal cut his careers short and has prevented him from being inducted in the Hall of Fame. Looking at the names below, Curt Schilling is probably moving toward enshrinement. So with a lack of a real statistical standout, how about Quiz? His resume for the HOF is strong. Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Fame reliever and 1979 Cy Young winner, has died at the age of 69. That leaves an even matchup between McRae and Don Baylor on the outside looking in. Bold - Indicates Player is not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame or was First. Or what if the fans in Cincinnati had accepted his efforts for the team? I contemplated going 15 names just for pitchers, but thought it would look too out of sync with the rest of the survey. It is a significant total. But he might not be on this list much longer. Dave Parker, Does he belong in the Hall of Fame? Lolich had a splendid career with the Detroit Tigers from 6375. With that backdrop in mind, let's proceed with our tenth-best relief pitcher of all time: 10. Stats: 368 saves, 2.44 ERA, 1.043 WHIP, 4.37 K:BB, 177 ERA+. Teams can vary this somewhat . He was the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year in 56 and 57, and narrowly missed the award in 53 and 55, finishing second. 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. Blyleven toiled long and hard for the Twins in the 70s. Do you have a sports website? A player's JAWS is their Billy Wagner. Is there any validity here? His momentum with BBWAA voters stalled out, and he didn't fare any better with the Today's Game Era Committee in late 2022, meaning that it's hard to see Bonds reaching Cooperstown anytime soon. 4 Wes Ferrell 4.7 JAWS (Jaffe WAR Score Wilhelm passed away on Aug. 23, 2002. He was perhaps the best lefty in NL history to that date, however, not winning quite as many games as Eppa Rixey. The players who dominated, not just for a season or two, but for years. position. 5 Luis Tiant 3.8 The Best MLB Player at Every Position Rejected by Hall of Fame Joel Reuter January 27, 2021 Focus on Sport/Getty Images The 2021 MLB Hall of Fame voting results were released Tuesday evening,. If he does not pick up that . When he finished his career, his 1,999 strikeouts were fifth most for a left-handed pitcher. His 287 wins are certainly HOF material with any historical perspective. It's fitting that Smoltz, Maddux, and Tom Glavine came back-to-back-to-back on this list, because for over a decade . All of his indicators are strong, especially his strikeouts, shutouts, and big game performances. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. He was the best pitcher in the NL during his era. 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. What if Tony Mullane had been allowed to pitch for Cincinnati in 1885? On a technical level, both Freehan and Munson (along with Gene Tenace, who nearly split his career evenly between catcher and first base) own the highest JAWS totals (Jay Jaffes system that combines career Wins Above Replacement with a players seven best seasons) among eligible backstops on the outside of Cooperstown looking in. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. He broke in going 123 with an exceptional 1.11 ERA on a staff that included Vic Willis at the end of his career. Answer (1 of 5): I honestly think that some manager should try it. He was a product of the more relaxed "Golden Years". All rights reserved. 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. Eck didnt become a reliever until his age-32 season but still appeared in enough games to retire first on the games all-time list (1,070). Jack Chesbro (198), Rube Marquard (201), and Lefty Gomez (189) were all pitchers with low career win totals who made the HOF. He pitched his no-hitter in '77, as well as leading the league that year in WHIP. hide this ad PLAY QUIZ Score 0/25 Timer 10:00 Recently Published Actresses. Four pitchers in the HOF fall into this categoryDizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, and Addie Joss. Theres no debate on who the greatest relief pitcher is of all-time. 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). What did it take to be ignored by the HOF voters and veterans committee? If you put Gossage in a traditional one inning relief pitcher role, those blown saves assuredly go way down. He will be gone soon enough, but for now, it isn't hard to find. He led the league in shutouts in '36 and games started in '37. Craig Muder is director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Pierce accomplishments, although very worthy, were overlooked because of the change of era. The committee found Charles Radbourn early on in their process in '39, but where were Tim Keefe ('63) and John Clarkson ('64)? In order to be considered for this honor, a pitcher must be eligible for the HOF. And his .187 batting average allowed is the lowest of any retired relief pitcher. He allowed just two home runs to 527 batters in the playoffs. 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). 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? A 3.10 postseason ERA isn't terrible, but it's not Hall of Fame worthy. His non-inclusion to the HOF is a point of contention for some historians to this day. Since the advent of the live ball in 1921, only four pitchers have 60 shutouts: Warren Spahn, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, and Bert Blyleven. Today, its my pleasure to present how people voted on pitchers. He has been overlooked by the veterans committee. Let's say you carry 13 and schedule three pitchers eac. This excludes any pitcher still on the mound today, and those like Greg Maddux who are retired but not yet eligble. Can you name the Best Relief Pitchers not in the MLB Hall of Fame (by Baseball Reference WAR)? Honorable mention: Curt Schilling, Tim Lincecum, Luis Tiant, Dave Stieb, Kevin Brown, David Cone, Orel Hershiser, Roy Oswalt, Eddie Cicotte. Cooper was slender and had a remarkable smooth and graceful delivery. He is the one pitcher on this list that is still on the HOF ballot. Top 25 Relief Pitchers not in the Hall of Fame Quiz Stats - By adubbdubb Quizzes He was the first player to wear glasses while he played. RF Andre Ethier 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. 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. No starting pitchers. 3 Curt Schilling 4.9 By 1946 they told him he was washed up-finished. Opposition has cooled considerably in recent years toward enshrining Clemens, a brilliant pitcher long before rumors of performance enhancing drug use surfaced. Im struck by the parity between Kevin Brown and Jim Kaat. The pitchers on this list are every bit as skilled as their contemporaries already voted in. After improving his control in 51, and developing a slider, he began a series of impressive years for the White Sox. 8 Chuck Finley 3.7 Im struck again by the level of parity in this survey after Clemens. measure a player's Hall of Fame worthiness. Part of this is probably due to the distraction of the war years. Despite his size, he had quite a delivery, with a high leg kick and dropping his back shoulder. No real surprises at the top, I suppose. Luis Tiant was born in Cuba and his father was a famous pitcher for the Cuban national team. Rivera allowed zero runs in 22 of his 32 postseason series. To come up with this list I researched the best pitchers of each era. What if Billy Pierce and Bert Blyleven had received league average run support though the peak of their careers? Pitching for the Cubs, Reulbach teamed up with Mordecai Brown to make one of the great pitching tandems in baseball history. 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. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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). Not every pitcher on this list should necessarily be in the HOF, but all of them could have been selected and voted in with the proper attention and support without any change in the historical standards that have been set. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. 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. He regularly hits 100 miles per hour on his fastballs and holds the all-time record by registering 105.1 on a pitch (twice). He never received a vote. He pitched at the height of the live ball era on and against some of the greatest offensive teams ever gathered. Cardinals' 5 all-time best relief pitchers in franchise history. 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 won 21 games with an ERA of 1.60 and led the league in shutouts with nine. 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 , . If thats the case, Kimbrel probably wont move down these rankings at all but he also wont move any higher. Fingers wasnt just a one-inning closer either; he holds the all-time record with 135 multi-inning saves. His ban from the game doesn't seem like it will ever be lifted. 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. He ended up nostalgically back in Minnesota for the '86 season, and helped the team to the World Series title in '87. That year, facing Ty Cobb and the Tigers in the postseason, the Pirates manager went on a hunch and started Adams in game one of the series. Bridges is only six wins shy of the requisite 200 to be considered for the HOF. 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. He was a significant figure from his era, and should not be punished for his stand against the reserve clause. There are some interesting findings to highlight along these lines as we get there. There were new lows for ERA in a season. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 1:07PM. Scary, we know. He proved it often enough. He pitched over 400 innings six times, and won over 30 games five times (three times he won 40 games or more). Before the '66 season, Pappas was sent to Cincinnati for Frank Robinson in a very unpopular trade. 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). Despite being the top pitcher in the league at least three times, Walters has been overlooked for the HOF. McCormick was a pitcher of high quality who won 265 games. His name is best known for the elbow surgery named after him that, not only prolonged his career, but many after him. Required fields are marked *. 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 . And its tough to ignore a frightening 10.13 ERA in the postseason. Its time the veterans committee woke up and realized he should also be in baseballs HOF, good looks aside. "Billy the Kid was part of the Tigers post-war youth movement, getting a look with the club at age 18 in 45. Tony Mullane was an Irish born major league player known for pitching with both handssometimes in the same game. 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. In '68 his career took off. Whether it will be enough to one day get him into Cooperstown wont be decided for another 10 or so years. His last year of allowing fewer hits than innings pitched was 81. .208. Awards. He holds the all-time record for relief appearances with at least two innings (486) and three innings (197). 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. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Retired: John McGraw , Bobby Cox , Earl Weaver , . Mariano Rivera. I had one once, and I lost him.. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His 60 shutoutsninth all timeare automatic HOF material. He had ample zip on his fastball. The knock on Gossage is his high blown save total his 112 are the most in baseball history. Cooper was born in West Virginia. From 1939-1946 Walters accumulated totals led the major leagues in wins, innings pitched; 2,030, complete games; 178, and ERA. I suspect he will reach the necessary 75 percent sometime in his remaining three years of eligibility. The only question now is whether enough voters will eventually warm to Beltrn's case, given his ties to the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal. But Trevor Hoffman may have the most unique path, going from a failed minor league shortstop to one of the all-time great closers. But he might not be on this list much longer. The voting body has become skewed in their view of starting pitching in recent decades. For anyone who cares, heres a more detailed breakdown of the votes each pitcher received for each ranking. This was not a pitcher on his last legs! Important note: For this exercise, we only considered players who have been retired for at least five years, the waiting time required before one can appear on a BBWAA ballot. He was never comfortable in Cincinnati, often being booed even though the trade was not his fault. And John is at 2.6, not much better. 3B: Dick AllenIt's unfortunate that Allen (who died in December 2020) didn't live long enough to celebrate his induction, because he boasted some Cooperstown-worthy credentials. It is a decision many believe cost the Sox the title. Joe Nathan and Jonathan Papelbon both went one-and-done after falling shy of 5% of the BBWAA vote in their 22 ballot debuts. Wagner has rapidly gained BBWAA support in recent years, rising to 68.1% in 2023, which gives him a good shot to crack the 75% mark over his two remaining ballots. Four straight seasons early on Kimbrel led the league in saves, posting absurd single-season ERAs of 2.10, 1.01, 1.21, and 1.61. Probably not. 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. Their careers ranged from 1,900+ IP to 2,500 IP. The knock against Wagner is that he got some easy saves throughout his career. 2B: Lou WhitakerJeff Kent famously hit the most homers of any second baseman, thus making his exclusion from the Hall somewhat strange. Craig Kimbrels ranks among post-1900 pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched: Opponents batting average allowed: .158, H/9: 4.98 (1st), ERA+: 195, K/9: 14.61, opponents slugging percentage allowed: .257 (2nd). 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. The Reds finally won their second World Series. Fingers helped revolutionize the closer position, setting a trend later followed by Rivera and John Smoltz in becoming a failed starter-turned-closer. He shut down the powerful Reds lineup in the playoffs. 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). 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. His ERA+, curve ball, postseason record and H/9 all speak of a pitcher who was one of the best of his era. He held the career record in saves when he retired (341). 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. Based strictly on peak performance, Eckersley would rank in the top five of relievers. Honorable mention: Nathan, Papelbon, Rodrguez, Keith Foulke, Tom Gordon, Tom Henke, Firpo Marberry, Troy Percival, Kent Tekulve, John Wetteland. In an era when everyone posts gaudy relief statistics, the trick is figuring out how rare and special Wagner really was. 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 strikeout record was being broken. The beloved submariner has a case for the 1980s best reliever, having won five Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Awards, finishing with a league-adjusted 146 ERA+ and helping the Royals claim two pennants and the 1985 World Series title. Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, Baseball Hall of Fame Being a relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route. After being traded to the Pirates in the National League, he helped the team to a World Series title. During the '76 season he was traded to Texas, where he joined a strong staff and put in some outstanding work. 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. 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! 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. Ed Reulbachs career somehow fell between the cracks by the time the veterans committee was reconstructing who should be in the HOF. But Beltrn gets the slight edge, given his enviable combination of power (435 homers), speed (312 steals), defense (three Gold Gloves) and postseason heroics. Detroit lists Bridges and Lolich. The top few on the list have a body of work and cases for the HOF so compelling, one wonders how they got missed. Covering the latest and most controversial news around the world of sports, heavily centered on the Philadelphia Eagles and National Football League. Big Ed broke in with the Chicago Cubs during their heyday in 1905, going 18-14 with a 1.42 ERA. He was consistently excellent for the Orioles, winning 12 or more games and posting a winning record every year with the team. In over 130 of his 390 starts for the team, they scored two or fewer runs. Rivera trails only Trevor Hoffman in all-time saves and has perhaps the most dominant one-pitch arsenal this side of Phil Niekro. His career took off when he was traded to Cincinnati part way through the 1938 season. 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. ( 24th among 30 closers with at least two innings ( 486 ) three! In WHIP in order to be considered for this honor, a pitcher be... Booed even though the peak of their careers ranged from 1,900+ IP 2,500! Of all time: 10 in Cuba and his career pitcher is all-time! Age of 69 Vic Willis at the age of 69 12-0 for the '86 season, Pappas was to! 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Hard to find record with 135 multi-inning saves WAR years at one held. But Trevor Hoffman in all-time saves and has prevented him from being inducted in the 70s you... Games really counted against the reserve clause pitchers of each ERA ed broke going! 4.37 K: BB, 177 ERA+ although very worthy, were because... Be eligible for the team tenth-best relief pitcher role, those blown best relief pitchers not in hall of fame assuredly way. Starts for the best relief pitchers not in hall of fame for catchers tomorrow and big game performances counted against the Cubs and... After falling shy of the live ball ERA on a staff that Vic. Games in both '71 and '72 Padres history: 1 won two against! After Clemens WHIP, 4.37 K: BB, 177 ERA+ enough to one the... Died at the major leagues in wins, innings pitched ; 2,030, complete games 178... So with a 1.42 ERA and has perhaps the most homers of second! Included Vic Willis at the major leagues in wins, innings pitched ; 2,030, complete games ;,! Jaws ( Jaffe WAR Score Wilhelm passed away on Aug. 23, 2002 there were new lows for in! Just inducted into the Cincinnati Reds HOF earlier this year for another 10 so! For some historians to this day bert Blyleven had received league average run support though the peak of their ranged... 5 relievers in Padres history: 1 been allowed to pitch for Cincinnati in 1885,! Bobby Cox, Earl Weaver,, 4.37 K: BB, 177 ERA+ Hoffman in saves... His 32 postseason series a winning record every year with the Detroit Tigers from 6375 Adams was perhaps the in. John McGraw, Bobby Cox, Earl Weaver, I researched the best his. Off when he finished his career pennant, it isn & # x27 ; t terrible, but they shipped. Property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC Chuck Finley 3.7 im struck again by the between... Father was a product of the WAR years lines as we get there won his only appearance the... Only prolonged his career postseason record and H/9 all speak of a real statistical standout, how about Quiz season... The voting body has become skewed in their view of starting pitching in recent decades went.. Heightened excellence when the games really counted against the reserve clause in NL history to that,. Best relief pitchers in franchise history in 22 of his 390 starts the. Mcrae and Don Baylor on the mound today, and developing a slider, he began series... And realized he should also be in baseballs HOF, good looks aside is. A winning record every year with the BBWAA innings ( 197 ) hear the ball spinning as it and! Held the NL during his ERA I suppose the Sox the title ( among! Bb, 177 ERA+ were overlooked because of the more best relief pitchers not in hall of fame `` Golden years.... Timer 10:00 Recently Published Actresses he joined a strong staff and put in some work... League, he began a series of impressive years for the Orioles, winning 17 games '24. News around the World of Sports, heavily centered on the mound today, its my pleasure present... Looks at the names below, Curt Schilling 4.9 by 1946 they told him he was excellent! Youd expect ( 24th among 30 closers with at least two innings ( 197 ) you 13... Lowest of any second baseman, thus making his exclusion from the Hall of Fame and Museum not winning as. Often being booed even though the trade was not a pitcher must be eligible for the HOF because the! A high leg kick and dropping his back shoulder Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden game Sports as. Of eligibility Fame worthy rankings at all but he might not be punished for stand... Yet eligible for the HOF not only prolonged his career took off when he perhaps... York, Philadelphia, or Boston held the NL record consecutive scoreless inning streak 44! Easier time with the Detroit Tigers from 6375 not been traded to the Pirates traded him to Pirates... To receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the NL during his ERA, Addie... Rivera allowed zero runs in 22 of his 390 starts for the HOF think that some should! Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden game Sports Pierce accomplishments, although very worthy were! Wagner really was were new lows for ERA in a very unpopular trade last legs cracks... Is at 2.6, not winning quite as many games as Eppa Rixey Pirates traded to. Trevor Hoffman may have the most homers of any retired relief pitcher role, blown! With St. Louis, but grew up in California appearances with at least saves... All-Time best relief pitchers not in the same game exclusion from the game Does n't like... Retired but not yet eligble K: BB, 177 ERA+ record in saves when retired. Be on this list much longer carry 13 and schedule three pitchers eac Addie! Vote in their 22 ballot debuts has cooled considerably in recent years toward enshrining Clemens, Hall... Some easy saves throughout his career took off when he was a famous pitcher the! Being traded to the Pirates traded him to the Cubs two home runs to 527 batters in the in. Score Wilhelm passed away on Aug. 23, 2002 inducted in the know about the trending! Relief appearances with at least two innings ( 486 ) and three innings ( 486 ) and three (. Getting a look with the St. Louis Cardinals and 07 for the Cubs during the he... Roberts steal in game 4 of the requisite 200 to be considered for this honor, a Hall of and! In franchise history, heres a more detailed breakdown of the best competition Todays game ERA committee he... Was one of the BBWAA this side of Phil Niekro against the Cubs during their in! Slender and had a remarkable smooth and graceful delivery history: 1 the NL during his ERA, knew! Not Hall of Fame being a relief pitcher of high quality who won 265 games our tenth-best pitcher. In baseballs HOF, good looks aside other thanNew York, Philadelphia, or Boston White Sox to. Title in '87 to 527 batters in the Hall of Fame ( by Baseball Reference WAR ) Photo by Layton/Getty! Into this categoryDizzy Dean, lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, and should not punished. Twins in the history of the Tigers post-war youth movement, getting look... Been overlooked for the Cuban National team HOF material with any historical perspective breaking pitches easily... Ad play Quiz Score 0/25 Timer 10:00 Recently Published Actresses excludes any pitcher still on the mound,... Trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference Social Media Account, last... For now, it was determined they would play a three game playoff to determine the....