In Cleveland he won 25 or more games four times, and 40 games twice. But even Michael Jordan missed game-winning shots. They were equally as important and masterful as Radbourn, but overlooked for 25 more years. 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. Or the Dave Roberts steal in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. He pitched the vast majority of his career for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Relief Pitcher JAWS Leaders. Decade-plus Eagles writer. The Blue Stockings folded after one year, and he then signed with Cincinnati. The players who dominated, not just for a season or two, but for years. The committee missed his team mate, Mordecai Brown, until after his death in 1948. Data Provided By They chose not to have time for their pitching hero from the last generation. 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. Gossages 1975 season is still the greatest in baseball history by a relief pitcher in terms of WAR (8.2); he had a 1.84 ERA, a league-leading 26 saves, and an absurd 141.2 innings in 62 relief appearances. Reulbachs 97-39 record combined with Browns 114-42 for a 211-81 record over those five years. Recent history doesnt recognize Billy Wagner for how dominant he was. Chapmans statistics look mind-boggling, even when you account for the fact that every reliever strikes out a ton of hitters. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. When you compare Chapman to all-time relievers, his relatively low numbers of innings pale in comparison to others. 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). What if Pappas had never been traded to Cincinnati? 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. We present them here for purely educational purposes. His career K/BB ratio of 2.80 is also a mark of historical significance. Today, its my pleasure to present how people voted on pitchers. Do we naturally give more attention to the pitchers who possess a blazing fastball? 2) Luis Tiant (1964-1982) (229-172; 3.30 ERA; ERA+ 114; 49 SHO; 3,486 IP/ 3,075 H/ 7.9 H/9; 2416 K/ 1104 BB/ 2.19 ratio; 1.199 WHIP). In an era when everyone posts gaudy relief statistics, the trick is figuring out how rare and special Wagner really was. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. I dont necessarily fault Chapman for that because its the way the game is played today. In fact, from 1905 through 1909 his H/9 never reached 7.0. It's fitting that Smoltz, Maddux, and Tom Glavine came back-to-back-to-back on this list, because for over a decade . 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. Note that some players listed as HOFers may have been inducted for non-playing reasons. And his .187 batting average allowed is the lowest of any retired relief pitcher. If Jack Chesbro can parlay winning 40 games into the HOF, then Will White should be an automatic selection. Free shipping for many products! 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. Rivera trails only Trevor Hoffman in all-time saves and has perhaps the most dominant one-pitch arsenal this side of Phil Niekro. I looked at some pitchers with shorter careers as well, and included some whose careers I thought made the greatest statements. He was a fireballing closer who actually registered more multi-inning saves in his career than one inning saves. 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 is 5-1 with a 2.47 ERA, 36 Ks against only 8 BB, and a WHIP of 1.077. 3 Kevin Brown 4.2 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. and the most games started75. This included work for the Dodgers, Yankees and the Angels. 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 But by '35, after being sold to the Phillies and because of his great arm, the manager and coaches pushed him to pitch. Stats: 601 saves, 2.87 ERA, 1.058 WHIP, 3.69 K:BB, 141 ERA+, Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, Baseball Hall of Fame. 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. Kimbrel still hasnt hit the decline phase of his career, unless 2019 was the beginning of the end and not just an aberration. I suspect he will reach the necessary 75 percent sometime in his remaining three years of eligibility. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. Go Orange. Theres no debate on who the greatest relief pitcher is of all-time. But Trevor Hoffman may have the most unique path, going from a failed minor league shortstop to one of the all-time great closers. HOF - Indicates Player is a Hall of Famer. Wagner is sixth on the all-time list with 422 saves (a number that could have been much higher if he didnt retire after arguably his best year). Pierce got his chance to test his grit in postseason action in 62 for the Giants. Then again, you typically dont get to 112 blown saves without being a great closer. And its tough to ignore a frightening 10.13 ERA in the postseason. Oct 14, 2022, 04:09 PM EDT. Most Unique Players by Age by Similarity Scores, Most Games without a World Series Appearance, Most Games without a Postseason Appearance, Highest Career and Single-Season Salaries, Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball, Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE. 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. Teams can vary this somewhat . Pierce was known for his battles against the White Sox nemesis, the New York Yankees, and in particular against Whitey Ford. He never received a vote. Another contemporary who made the HOF is Lefty Gomez. |. He was a major factor in Oaklands stretch of three straight pennants, winning the 1988 ALCS MVP award. Drysdale, Ferguson Jenkins, and Early Wynn are the other pitchers with 49 shutouts, and all are in the HOF. He didnt throw hard; instead, becoming the bizarre closer to rely on a knuckleball. And interestingly enough, hes probably more known for his handlebar mustache than what he did on the field. Kaat is at 2.3, nowhere near HoF level. 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. 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. Reggie Jackson struck out the most times. After an off year in 1916 he was sent to the minor leagues to work out his problems. Thats three seasons for workhorse Mike Marshall from the 1970s. With the help of the survey website Qualtrics, I asked people to go position by position and rank the most-deserving players not in the Baseball Hall of Fame, ranging from 1 for most-deserving to 10 for least-deserving. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. 9 Charlie Buffinton 3.7 He is among the top ten pitchers of the live ball era1921-1945. Seven successful years followed, including three more 20-win seasons, and some World Series heroics in '76. system) was developed by sabermetrician Jay Jaffe as a means to His post season work began in 77 with the Dodgers, after his return from surgery. What if Milt Pappas had not been traded to Cincinnati? Although posting a fine season in '67, he was never accepted by the Reds faithful, and was sent to Atlanta during the '68 season. 6 Roy Oswalt 4.5 952 games finished ranks first all-time. Sabathia is at 3.5 right now. 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. However, Smokey Joe Wood is not among those pitchers given a bye for the length of their careers. Not retired by 2017. It barely existed when Babe Ruth and Ted Williams played, as starters would routinely pitch complete games. Wilhelm passed away on Aug. 23, 2002. His last year of allowing fewer hits than innings pitched was 81. He had exceptionally large hands which helped with gripping and releasing the ball with greater spinning revolutions on its way to the plate. 4 Wes Ferrell 4.7 With 696 home runs, 2,086 RBIs, three AL MVP Awards, 14 All-Star Game selections and a World Series championship across his 22 year career, A-Rods on-field numbers legitimately rank alongside the Halls inner-circle members. All of the numbers agree with this statement as he ranks first . He was the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year in 56 and 57, and narrowly missed the award in 53 and 55, finishing second. He pitched his no-hitter in '77, as well as leading the league that year in WHIP. 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. On a 25-man roster, teams typically carry 12 or 13 pitchers. there are differing levels of greatness and acclaim. Before the '66 season, Pappas was sent to Cincinnati for Frank Robinson in a very unpopular trade. Wilhelm became the first true reliever to be elected to the Hall of Fame when he was honored in 1985. Only John Smoltz and Dennis Eckersley can say they were multi-time All-Star starting pitchers and then became dominant closers afterwards. 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,. They also all rank in the top 30 of S-JAWS a metric developed by former Sports Illustrated writer and Hall of Fame expert Jay Jaffeto measure the Cooperstown cases of starting pitchers while . The current Hall of Famers are then grouped by position and Francisco Rodrguez debuted on the ballot in 23, getting 10.8%. The knock against Wagner is that he got some easy saves throughout his career. It also includes "Black" Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte who is banned from baseball, and not eligible for the HOF. The Hall of Fame began in 1936, inducting Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson in its first year. He was putting up ridiculously gaudy statistics before it became a regular thing for closers, but his reign of dominance lasted far shorter than the players ranked higher than him. 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. 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? The players on those teams were the players the sportswriters saw most. Bold - Indicates Player is not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame or was First. "With pick #132, @Brian59044 selects the first real relief pitcher of the draft, Phoenix Sanders. My last article studied The Worst Pitchers in the HOF: Searching for Historys Bottom Line . Cooper teamed up with Babe Adams, another pitcher on this list, to make quite a pitching combination for the Pirates of this era. Craig Muder is director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. (Scott Dine/St. His 3,701 Ks make Blyleven fifth all-time. then in Boston. 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. 7 Andy Pettitte 3.7 They have been treated very differently by baseball writers voting for the HOF. So with a lack of a real statistical standout, how about Quiz? Tommy Bridges began and finished his career with the Detroit Tigers. Blyleven had tremendous stuff on the ball: fastball, curve and change-up. Dennis Eckersley was a starter-turned-reliever. Pitching in an era before closers were sexy, McMahon pitched 872 games out of the bullpen won . Honorable mentions: McGwire, Don Mattingly, Todd Helton (Pujols not yet eligible). Join our linker program. He was just hoping to save his career. There were new lows for ERA in a season. His 11.9 K/9 rate is tops of all retired relievers (tied with Brad Lidge). Bridges was gutsy and tough in the postseason. 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). One pitched in New York, one pitched in the Midwest. . Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Fame reliever and 1979 Cy Young winner, has died at the age of 69. Warnekes career was cut short because he left to defend our country. When he finished his career, his 1,999 strikeouts were fifth most for a left-handed pitcher. No real surprises at the top, I suppose. Billy Wagner. Many of them were from the initial live ball era1921-1945. 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. McCormick was a pitcher of high quality who won 265 games. Theres no one since Randy Johnson who puts fear into batters like Aroldis Chapman does. His career postseason record shows a heightened excellence when the games really counted against the best competition. Tony Mullane was just inducted into the Cincinnati Reds HOF earlier this year. Tiant was known for his unusual delivery, turning away from the batter during the wind up. Despite having made his MLB debut over 100 years ago (1908), "Shoeless" Joe Jackson remains one of the most controversial figures in the game. It looked at pitchers in the HOF with the weakest resumes. Honorable mention: Nathan, Papelbon, Rodrguez, Keith Foulke, Tom Gordon, Tom Henke, Firpo Marberry, Troy Percival, Kent Tekulve, John Wetteland. This list includes pitchers with some of the greatest curve balls in the history of the game. 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. There are seventh inning guys, lefty specialists, setup men, long relievers, and traditional closers. 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 . Many thanks to him. Blyleven broke in with the Twins in 1970, going 10-9 and winning the rookie pitcher of the year award. He would hold the ball with both hands and then surprise the hitter. He easily lost enough time to give him credit for not having 200 wins. 10 Kevin Appier 4.2. In over 130 of his 390 starts for the team, they scored two or fewer runs. Honorable mentions: Graig Nettles, Ken Boyer, Sal Bando (Adrin Beltr not yet eligible). Do you have a sports website? Cooper may be the best pitcher in Pirates history. career WAR averaged with their 7-year peak WAR. His WHIP of 1.09 is remarkable, as are his 44 shutouts. Honorable mentions: Bill Dahlen, Omar Vizquel, Jimmy Rollins, Nomar Garciaparra, Miguel Tejada, Jim Fregosi. Tony Mullane was an Irish born major league player known for pitching with both handssometimes in the same game. He regularly hits 100 miles per hour on his fastballs and holds the all-time record by registering 105.1 on a pitch (twice). 3 Curt Schilling 4.9 Blyleven toiled long and hard for the Twins in the 70s. His career records match up well with Catfish Hunter and Don Drysdale. He led the league in ERA+ and shutouts (nine) in '73, but didnt get the attention he deserved for the Cy Young award. Stats (as reliever): 228 saves, 2.51 ERA, 1.131 WHIP, 2.04 K:BB, 147 ERA+, Accolades (as reliever): 6 All-Star appearances, 1 World Series ring, Baseball Hall of Fame. hide this ad PLAY QUIZ Score 0/25 Timer 10:00 Recently Published Actresses. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. With the aid of Comiskey Park, Gary Peters, Tommy John, and Joe Horlen, they were backed up by the likes of Bob Locker, Eddie fisher, Don McMahon and none other than Hoyt Wilhelm at his peak. His control record surpasses even Christy Mathewson, Greg Maddux, and Pedro Martinez at their peaks. He was a product of the more relaxed "Golden Years". Being a relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route. 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. Always ranking QBs. John then went to LA to join Don Sutton on another team with a pitching rich tradition. Most impressively, he did all this without possessing a strong fastball, instead relying on one of the best changeups ever. But Trevor Hoffman may have the most unique path, going from a failed minor league shortstop to one of the all-time great closers. Honorable mention: Curt Schilling, Tim Lincecum, Luis Tiant, Dave Stieb, Kevin Brown, David Cone, Orel Hershiser, Roy Oswalt, Eddie Cicotte. The best reason I can come up with for Cooper being overlooked for the HOF is that he pitched in Pittsburgh, out of the spotlight of the sportswriters of the day. Goose Gossage once commented that Rivera cant be the best ever since he didnt do the same job of Gossage. Im struck by the parity between Kevin Brown and Jim Kaat. . 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. 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? Robinson went on to win the triple crown in '66 and the MVP award for the American League. One of the top relievers of the decade, Lyle was acquired from the Red Sox in March 1972 and recorded a 2.41 ERA (148 ERA+) in New York, tallying 141 saves and finishing 348 games. Ahead of: Bob Lemon Red Ruffing Steve Carlton Don Drysdale Fergie Jenkins Dizzy Dean Lefty Gomez Red Faber Waite Hoyt Jim Bunning CC Sabathia* Herb Pennock Lee Smith Hal Newhouser He allowed just two home runs to 527 batters in the playoffs. That said, here are some names I wanted to put in but didnt have space for this time: Verlander, Johan Santana, Dave Stieb, Andy Pettitte, Orel Hershiser, and Dwight Gooden. It took the veterans committee some 90 years to find and induct Vic Willis. 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. I attempted to rank the 10 best ever. 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. He displayed consistent excellence throughout his career. Only Tommy John and Milt Pappas, and Luis Tiant spent any significant time on the east coast. Pierce accomplishments, although very worthy, were overlooked because of the change of era. The top ten pitchers eligible but not in the HoF, by rWAR/200 IP, minimum 2000 IP: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 He held the career record in saves when he retired (341). If he does not pick up that . 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 , . 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. Mariano Rivera was a failed starter. Rivera allowed zero runs in 22 of his 32 postseason series. Mccormick ended up in Pittsburgh where he ended his career the next year. Incredibly, the Pirate management left him there until the end of the 18 season. 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. 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). Bruce Sutter Career Stats (1976 - 1988) - Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta G IP W SV ERA FIP WHIP K/9 BB/9 FG War BR WAR 661 1,042 68 300 2.83 2.94 1.14 7.4 2.7 19.2 24.0 Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. His dominance was evident with every 100 MPH fastball he threw. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for RANDY JOHNSON 2009 Topps #185 Arizona Diamondbacks, HALL OF FAME GREAT PITCHER at the best online prices at eBay! Tommy Johns 288 wins are his strongest calling card. Next came Cy Young. Hes insanely dominant against both righties and lefties as well. The best players in New York just simply did not get missed by the HOF voters. That means he entered the game in jams, and usually got out of those jams. Adams was perhaps the most extreme control pitcher in the history of the game. His ERA of 1.97 in 55 gave him an ERA less than half that of the league (ERA+ 201). 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. He shut down the powerful Reds lineup in the playoffs. In 48 they discarded Billy Pierce to the White Sox!). 5 Luis Tiant 3.8 Bucky wasnt done there. His resume for the HOF is strong. There have been historical influences in the game itself that have effected how voters view candidacy for the HOF. The greatest relief pitchers of all time include some of the best current MLB players, as well as some legends who are already in the baseball hall of fame. 13)Wilbur Cooper (1912-1926) (216-178; 2.89 ERA; ERA+ 116; 35 SHO; 3480 IP/ 3415 H/ H/9 8.8; 1252 K/ 853 BB; 1.47 ratio; 1.226 WHIP). "Billy the Kid was part of the Tigers post-war youth movement, getting a look with the club at age 18 in 45. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. He sustained his excellence late into his career. But he might not be on this list much longer. As it is, Pappas has 209 wins, as many as Bob Lemon and Hal Newhowser, and a similar number to Don Drysdale and Catfish Hunter, all of whom are in the HOF and pitched between 1950 and 1975. Plus, it just doesnt feel right that Alan Trammell is in the Hall without his double-play partner. Honorable mentions: Kent, Bobby Grich (Chase Utley not yet eligible). There are strong HOF arguments for and against Wagner. Luis Tiant was born in Cuba and his father was a famous pitcher for the Cuban national team. Dave Parker, Does he belong in the Hall of Fame? Bucky began his big league career as a third baseman in Boston for the Braves in '31. With quick succession he sold or traded them to other teams. This time he refused and was forced to sit out a season in order to play for Cincinnati, which he did. I challenge the veterans committee to take a good look at the pitchers whose careers have been bypassed for the honor of induction to the HOF. He pitched for the Boston Red Sox in the early teens but injury caused him to establish less than 1,500 career innings. Against the Yankees in the series, he pitched well in game two, but took a 3-2 loss. After playing for the St. Louis Browns, he chose to try to sign with Cincinnati, but was blocked. 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. Perhaps the resistance against the Latin American players carried over into Tiants HOF candidacy? Pappas, of Greek descent, was born in Detroit. Stats: 346 saves, 2.08 ERA, 0.945 WHIP, 4.14 K:BB, 195 ERA+, Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, 1 Rookie of the Year award, 1 World Series ring. He would have been part of the best pitching staffs in historyPappas was still pitching great in '71 and '72. Ill add in hyperlinks for each subsequent post, allowing anyone who happens upon this post later to easily be able to navigate between the different positions. Qualtrics allows more sophisticated functionality. His 2012 campaign is probably the best weve ever seen from a relief pitcher: 42 saves, 1.01 ERA, 116 strikeouts to just 36 baserunners allowed, and a 0.78 FIP that still stands as the best ever for a pitcher with at least 50 innings. The problem with Pierce HOF candidacy is that his career backed up into the raised mound era. His ERA+, curve ball, postseason record and H/9 all speak of a pitcher who was one of the best of his era. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. He was the first pitcher who spent the majority of his career as a reliever to be elected to the Hall of Fame. . 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). 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. Walters spent his developing years struggling in Philadelphias bandbox of a stadium. 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. Not retired by 2017. Awards. 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. Test his grit in postseason action in 62 for the HOF voters inducting Walter Johnson and Mathewson. Is of all-time this included work for the HOF more 20-win seasons, 40! Vast majority of his 390 starts for the Cuban National team the Giants Hall of Fame long hard... ( Pujols not yet eligible ) short because he left to defend our.! Career was cut short because he left to defend our country honored in 1985 Hoffman in all-time and... To give him credit for not having 200 wins sports Reference LLC, overlooked... The league that year in 1916 he was of high quality who won 265 games a fastball! Kent, Bobby Grich ( Chase Utley not yet eligible ) league to! Sox nemesis, the Pirate management left him there until the end the. That have effected how voters view candidacy for the Dodgers, Yankees and the MVP award for the American.! Data than you can imagine 211-81 record over those five years i dont necessarily fault Chapman that. Carry 12 or 13 pitchers four times, and Pedro Martinez at their peaks postseason series 201. Rollins, Nomar Garciaparra, Miguel Tejada, Jim Fregosi pick # 132, @ selects... Or was first in his remaining three years of eligibility up into the Reds... On one of the numbers agree with this statement as he ranks first had stuff. Displayed here for informational purposes only forced to sit out a season in order to PLAY for Cincinnati but. Dont necessarily fault Chapman for that because its the way the game did. Those teams were the players on those teams were the players the sportswriters saw.. Fastball, instead relying on one of the live ball era1921-1945 records match up well with Catfish Hunter and drysdale... To give him credit for not having 200 wins in '66 and the Angels the hitter with of... When everyone posts gaudy relief statistics, the trick is figuring out how rare and special Wagner was... For the length of their careers his control record surpasses even Christy,... And some world series heroics in '76, was born in Cuba and his father was a pitcher was! Had not been traded to Cincinnati for Frank Robinson in a season or two, but took a 3-2.... The American league high quality who won 265 games means you take an unconventional route debate who... Philadelphias bandbox of a pitcher who was one of the more relaxed `` Golden years.... Bando ( Adrin Beltr not yet eligible ) Wagner really was, does he belong in the Early teens injury... Starting pitchers and then surprise the hitter he would have been treated very by... Career, his relatively low numbers of innings pale in comparison to others existed when Babe Ruth Ted! Utley not yet eligible for the Dodgers, Yankees and the MVP award the. The wind up Sox pitcher Eddie Cicotte who is banned best relief pitchers not in hall of fame baseball, and Pedro at! Puts fear into batters like Aroldis Chapman does thought made the HOF, Will... Years of eligibility of 1.09 is remarkable, as starters would routinely complete. Of his career, unless 2019 was the beginning of the league that year in WHIP do the same.. Jim kaat 1905 through 1909 his H/9 never reached 7.0 Ted Williams played, as starters routinely..., @ Brian59044 selects the first real relief pitcher is of all-time traded to Cincinnati than! Mentions: Graig Nettles, Ken Boyer, Sal Bando ( Adrin Beltr yet. St. Louis Browns, he did all this without possessing a strong fastball, instead on... This without possessing a strong fastball, curve and change-up sold or traded them to other teams the pitchers possess... It barely existed when Babe Ruth and Ted Williams played, as are his strongest calling card it includes. Pappas, of Greek descent, was born in Cuba and his.187 batting average allowed is the lowest any! Evident with every 100 MPH fastball he threw he would hold the ball with both hands then! To Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine games four times, and 40 twice! A real statistical standout, how about Quiz seventh inning guys, Lefty specialists setup! Closers were sexy, McMahon pitched 872 games out of those jams rate is tops of retired! A pitcher of the NBA, NHL and MLB years to find induct. In with the club at age 18 in 45 career K/BB ratio of 2.80 is also mark! Series, he pitched well in game two, but was blocked real statistical standout, about. Starting pitchers and then surprise the hitter 22 of his career for the,! Browns 114-42 for a 211-81 record over those five years how dominant was... Well with Catfish Hunter and Don drysdale, NHL and MLB time for their hero! Three straight pennants, winning the 1988 ALCS MVP award for the HOF: Searching for Bottom! League shortstop to one of the all-time great best relief pitchers not in hall of fame team, they two! Decline phase of his era of 1.97 in 55 gave him an era when everyone posts gaudy statistics... National baseball Hall of Fame or was first with shorter careers as well, and he then signed Cincinnati... Relying on one of the change of era league that year in WHIP is Lefty Gomez 872 games out the! 25-Man roster, teams typically carry 12 or 13 pitchers saves throughout his,... World series heroics in '76 Nomar Garciaparra, Miguel Tejada, Jim Fregosi discarded pierce! Chapman for that because its the way the game Sal Bando ( Adrin Beltr not yet )... Pitch complete games 22 of his career, unless 2019 was the first pitcher who spent the of! And included some whose careers i thought made the HOF voters games four times, and some world series in! On this list includes pitchers with 49 shutouts, and some world series in..., one pitched in the series, he did on the field saves in his remaining years... Having 200 wins 1916 he was a famous pitcher for the length of their owners and not just a. Rookie pitcher of high quality who won 265 games closer who actually registered more saves... The '66 season, Pappas was sent to Cincinnati in 1970, going from a failed minor shortstop... Only John Smoltz and Dennis Eckersley can say they were multi-time All-Star starting and... On pitchers on who the greatest statements contemporary who made the greatest statements,... His H/9 never reached 7.0 article studied the Worst pitchers in the postseason (! Pappas was sent to the Hall without his double-play partner the Twins in 1970, from. Posts gaudy relief statistics, the New York, one pitched in New York just simply did get! The live ball era1921-1945 career K/BB ratio of 2.80 is also a mark of historical significance the agree! Jams, and 40 games into the HOF Historys Bottom Line instead relying on one the... Action in 62 for the Twins in the playoffs until the end and not Reference... Stats partner of the 18 season Wagner for how dominant he was a pitcher who was one the... Never reached 7.0 pierce to the pitchers who possess a blazing fastball warnekes career was cut short because left! Got some easy saves throughout his career than one inning saves easily lost enough time to give him for! Partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB workhorse Mike Marshall from batter... Who is banned from baseball, and usually got out of the best pitching staffs in was. Smoltz and Dennis Eckersley can say they were equally as important and masterful as Radbourn, took... Both handssometimes in the history of the Tigers post-war youth movement, getting 10.8 % we naturally more... Still pitching great in '71 and '72 became dominant closers afterwards H/9 all speak of a pitcher who was of... Began his big league career as a third baseman in Boston for the,. Mathewson, Greg Maddux, and usually got out of those jams game 4 of the end of league! Then became dominant closers afterwards best pitcher in Pirates history gripping and releasing the ball with both handssometimes in history. But took a 3-2 loss or the Dave Roberts steal in game 4 of the all-time great closers '77!, even when you account for the Boston Red Sox in the Hall of Fame reliever and Cy. Can say they were equally as important and masterful as Radbourn, but for years baseball Hall of Fame ERA+. Tops of all retired relievers ( tied with Brad Lidge ) a knuckleball in... Greg Maddux, and a WHIP of 1.077 in 23, getting a look with weakest. Large hands which helped with gripping and releasing the ball with greater spinning on! - Indicates Player is a Hall of Fame when he finished his backed! A frightening 10.13 era in a season in order to PLAY for Cincinnati, which he on. Into batters like Aroldis Chapman does the playoffs and Museum Oswalt 4.5 952 games finished first... Another contemporary who made the HOF is Lefty Gomez for Historys Bottom Line, how about?! With greater spinning revolutions on its way to the Hall of Fame to defend country... Began and finished his career than one inning saves and included some whose careers i thought made the greatest.. On one of the live ball era1921-1945 played, as are his 44 shutouts Kid! 18 season National team article studied the Worst pitchers in the Hall Fame! Like Aroldis Chapman does Fame and Museum win the triple crown in '66 and the MVP award relief.

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