In Gossages day, he did all of that. 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. Despite being the top pitcher in the league at least three times, Walters has been overlooked for the HOF. 9 David Cone 4.3 Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. This included work for the Dodgers, Yankees and the Angels. Against the Yankees in the series, he pitched well in game two, but took a 3-2 loss. 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. Blyleven is arguably among the top 20-25 pitchers in baseball history. There were new lows for ERA in a season. 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. 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. 2009 was his last on the HOF ballot. And Muhammad Ali lost five fights. What if Lon Warnekes and Tommy Bridges careers had not been interrupted by WWII? 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. 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. And John is at 2.6, not much better. Scary, we know. 2.21 career ERA. It was 0.32 in the ALDS, 0.92 in the ALCS, and 0.99 in the World Series. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 1:07PM. The ballot just isnt that strong over the next few years. HOF - Indicates Player is a Hall of Famer. John then went to LA to join Don Sutton on another team with a pitching rich tradition. Cooper may be the best pitcher in Pirates history. 5) Billy Pierce (1945-1964) (3.27 ERA; ERA+ 119; 38 SHO; 3,306 IP/ 2,989 H/ 8.1 H/9; 1,999 K/ 1178 BB/ 1.70 ratio; 1.260 WHIP). All rights reserved. Voters have three years of his eligibility left to get it right. 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. His dominance was evident with every 100 MPH fastball he threw. Active: Terry Francona , Rocco Baldelli , Dave Roberts , . 12) Milt Pappas (1957-1973) (209-164; 3.40 Era; ERA+ 110; 43 SHO; 3186 IP/ 3046 H/ H/9 8.6; 1728 K/ 858 BB/ 2.01 ratio; 1.225 WHIP). If thats the case, Kimbrel probably wont move down these rankings at all but he also wont move any higher. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Honorable mention: Andy Pettitte, Mark Buehrle, Ron Guidry, Tommy John, Mickey Lolich, Jimmy Key (CC Sabathia not yet eligible). That said, look for the results for catchers tomorrow. 1B: Rafael PalmeiroBBWAA voters strongly dismissed Palmeiros Cooperstown case on account of his connection to performance-enhancing drugs, but the fact remains that Palmeiro and Alex Rodriguez are the only Hall-eligible player with at least 3,000 hits and 500 homers who are not enshrined (Albert Pujols is yet to hit the ballot). 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. 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. Being a relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route. 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. He was a product of the more relaxed "Golden Years". He perhaps would have a few more wins, without his career being interrupted, and perhaps some postseason success, as the Orioles became one of the best teams of the era, going to the World Series in '66, '69, '70, and '71. 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. Beginning in August of 52, Pierce went 21-21 against the Yankees, whom he faced more than any other team. This excludes any pitcher still on the mound today, and those like Greg Maddux who are retired but not yet eligble. Pierce accomplishments, although very worthy, were overlooked because of the change of era. This list includes pitchers with some of the greatest curve balls in the history of the game. That said, if I field this again in the future, Ill probably sub in Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer for Ferrell and Reuschel. averages are skewed due to a lack of players at that position, so He never received a vote. No starting pitchers. Trevor Hoffman, 1993-2008 Key fact: He's one of two pitchers in MLB history, with Mariano Rivera, to eclipse the 500- and 600-save plateaus. 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. His 1.000 WHIP is the lowest among qualified pitchers in the live ball era. In fact, from 1905 through 1909 his H/9 never reached 7.0. He racked up 126 saves in his 40s. He allowed just two home runs to 527 batters in the playoffs. If Jack Chesbro can parlay winning 40 games into the HOF, then Will White should be an automatic selection. Many of them were from the initial live ball era1921-1945. Pete Alexander followed. I contemplated going 15 names just for pitchers, but thought it would look too out of sync with the rest of the survey. In 48 they discarded Billy Pierce to the White Sox!). His 287 wins are certainly HOF material with any historical perspective. Adams was perhaps the most extreme control pitcher in the history of the game. Note that only Blyleven had tremendous stuff on the ball: fastball, curve and change-up. His post season work began in 77 with the Dodgers, after his return from surgery. First-ever unanimous National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2019) Mariano Rivera is the greatest relief pitcher in Major League Baseball history. 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. The knock on Gossage is his high blown save total his 112 are the most in baseball history. 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. Typically, in modern-day play, an active roster will consist of five starting pitchers, seven relief pitchers, two catchers, six infielders, and five outfielders. He was never comfortable in Cincinnati, often being booed even though the trade was not his fault. Tommy Bridges began and finished his career with the Detroit Tigers. It looked at pitchers in the HOF with the weakest resumes. position. He really was unhittable. 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. Rivera somehow managed to be even better in the postseason when facing the best teams, and he did this year after year after year. Cardinals' 5 all-time best relief pitchers in franchise history. 2 Johan Santana 5.1 Length of career has been a subject of debate among those setting the standards for inclusion. My last article studied The Worst Pitchers in the HOF: Searching for Historys Bottom Line . Relief Pitcher JAWS Leaders Table; Cy Young Awards Most WAR Player; Rk Name WAR WAR7 JAWS R-JAWS WAR/162 WAA #1 top5 Share #1 top5 Share Yrs Wilhelm passed away on Aug. 23, 2002. Cincinnati pitchers on this list include Will White, Mullane and Walters. Incredibly, the Pirate management left him there until the end of the 18 season. Most impressively, he did all this without possessing a strong fastball, instead relying on one of the best changeups ever. But he was also just as accomplished a two-way catcher as the Yankees captain -- and just as revered a leader for the Tigers, too. In Chicago he helped them to two championships, mostly as a second pitcher. The Arkansas Hummingbird pitched for the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals throughout his career. He was a great situation pitcher, and knew how to get out of a jam with his guile and assortment of breaking pitches. This time he refused and was forced to sit out a season in order to play for Cincinnati, which he did. One naturally asks this question when compiling a list like this. 10) Mickey Lolich (1963-1979) (217-191; 3.44 ERA; ERA+ 105; 41 SHO; 3,638 IP/ 3,366 H/ 8.3 H/9; 2,832 K/ 1,099 BB/ 2.58 K/BB ratio; 1.227 WHIP). Many more names came up on my lists than the 15 I will cover here. He led the NL in fewest H/9 and was second in WHIP, shutouts, and winning percentage. But he might not be on this list much longer. Thisresearch should give us a framework to look within for our best pitchers not in the HOF. All of the numbers agree with this statement as he ranks first . He displayed consistent excellence throughout his career. Even if you dont like him (hand raised here), Jonathan Papelbon was Hall of Fame worthy dominant for his career. 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. 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 isnt the first Pittsburgh pitcher on this list. But for some reason, he was not free of the reserve clause which stated he had to re-sign with St. Louis after Toledo folded. He led the league in wins in 36 with 23, but also led the league in strikeouts and games started twice. Bob Caruthers was between Cone and Appier, but a lot of his value was from playing the field as well. there are differing levels of greatness and acclaim. |. I had one once, and I lost him.. Mullane was ahead of his time. He proved it often enough. He is among the top ten pitchers of the live ball era1921-1945. They all pitched in New York. Do we naturally give more attention to the pitchers who possess a blazing fastball? To come up with this list I researched the best pitchers of each era. Pitching for the Cubs, Reulbach teamed up with Mordecai Brown to make one of the great pitching tandems in baseball history. But keep in mind that he wasnt used in nearly as much of a specialized role as modern closers are. Being the second best ever to Mariano Rivera is a pretty strong accomplishment, and Goose Gossage did it the hard way. He was voted the league MVP as the Reds won the pennant. 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 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. 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). 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. In 35 he won two games against the Cubs, and in 40 he won his only appearance against the Reds. JAWS (Jaffe WAR Score For anyone who cares, heres a more detailed breakdown of the votes each pitcher received for each ranking. His ERA of 1.97 in 55 gave him an ERA less than half that of the league (ERA+ 201). He failed to garner enough votes to make on the 15th try. Stats: 273 saves, 2.23 ERA, 1.023 WHIP, 3.56 K:BB, 184 ERA+, Accolades: 6 All-Star appearances, 1 World Series ring. Kaat is at 2.3, nowhere near HoF level. 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. "Billy the Kid was part of the Tigers post-war youth movement, getting a look with the club at age 18 in 45. The current Hall of Famers are then grouped by position and There are some interesting findings to highlight along these lines as we get there. Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, Baseball Hall of Fame Being a relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route. From 1939-1946 Walters accumulated totals led the major leagues in wins, innings pitched; 2,030, complete games; 178, and ERA. Career: 16 years (1995-2010) Teams: Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves. The top few on the list have a body of work and cases for the HOF so compelling, one wonders how they got missed. He was arguably as good a pitcher as Whitey Ford. Honorable mentions: Graig Nettles, Ken Boyer, Sal Bando (Adrin Beltr not yet eligible). I attempted to rank the 10 best ever. Bridges was gutsy and tough in the postseason. 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. There were numerous circumstances that held players careers back. system) was developed by sabermetrician Jay Jaffe as a means to Covering the latest and most controversial news around the world of sports, heavily centered on the Philadelphia Eagles and National Football League. 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. 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. Would Santana have gotten enough votes to clear the 75% threshold for election? I will be presenting the results here of the survey over the next week or so, going position by position. His ban from the game doesn't seem like it will ever be lifted. Big Ed broke in with the Chicago Cubs during their heyday in 1905, going 18-14 with a 1.42 ERA. 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 held the career record in saves when he retired (341). 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. . Wilhelm posted a sub-2.00 ERA for five consecutive seasons in his 40s, and he did so while averaging 108 innings pitched per year. Lolich had a splendid career with the Detroit Tigers from 6375. McCormick was a pitcher of high quality who won 265 games. He had winning streaks of 14 and 17 games, and at one point held the NL record consecutive scoreless inning streak with 44. Stats: 368 saves, 2.44 ERA, 1.043 WHIP, 4.37 K:BB, 177 ERA+. In order to be considered for this honor, a pitcher must be eligible for the HOF. Warnekes career was cut short because he left to defend our country. The average run scoring in the period was some 20-25 percent more than the league average. Fingers career ERA+ of 120 is lower than youd expect (24th among 30 closers with at least 300+ saves). In Game Three he came in to save the game, retiring all three batters he faced in the ninth inning. 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 Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. Perhaps the resistance against the Latin American players carried over into Tiants HOF candidacy? After tying the Dodgers for the pennant, it was determined they would play a three game playoff to determine the pennant. Were there a clear consensus, someone would be closer to 1 here. Honorable mention: Curt Schilling, Tim Lincecum, Luis Tiant, Dave Stieb, Kevin Brown, David Cone, Orel Hershiser, Roy Oswalt, Eddie Cicotte. 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 threw 33 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings in October ball. Kimbrel still hasnt hit the decline phase of his career, unless 2019 was the beginning of the end and not just an aberration. 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. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 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,. Kimbrel/Chapman/Eckersley have an argument for being more dominant in their prime than Hoffman, but Hoffmans reign of longevity puts him higher on this list. He had a 0.70 career ERA in the playoffs. 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]. His stamina and effectiveness began to wane in the early '80s. His alleged involvement in the Black Sox Scandal cut his careers short and has prevented him from being inducted in the Hall of Fame. They have been treated very differently by baseball writers voting for the HOF. In an era when everyone posts gaudy relief statistics, the trick is figuring out how rare and special Wagner really was. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. 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). 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 The Go-Go White Sox of the period scored few runs. But he might not be on this list much longer. He is 5-1 with a 2.47 ERA, 36 Ks against only 8 BB, and a WHIP of 1.077. Certainly he can be given credit for his time in the service, as he would have easily made 200 wins without giving up the season and a half to the war, plus the recovery time. 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." By adubbdubb Plays - /5 - RATE QUIZ MORE INFO Classic Best Score? 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). The problem with Pierce HOF candidacy is that his career backed up into the raised mound era. From 1918-1924 he won 19 or more games six times. Uehara's 2013 season was one of the most dominant by any relief pitcher in . What if Tony Mullane had been allowed to pitch for Cincinnati in 1885? Movies. Pierce pitched four scoreless innings in relief. Relief RHP: Dan QuisenberryJust about every modern-day righty reliever who should be in the Hall is already there following Lee Smiths election in 2018. 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. The oldest and wisest twin. Craig Muder is director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Its much easier to pitch one scoreless inning than to face the full lineup once or even twice. 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 top ten pitchers eligible but not in the HoF, by rWAR/200 IP, minimum 2000 IP: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 I looked at some pitchers with shorter careers as well, and included some whose careers I thought made the greatest statements. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Or what if the fans in Cincinnati had accepted his efforts for the team? He holds the record for the most innings pitched in one season680. Can you name the Best Relief Pitchers not in the MLB Hall of Fame (by Baseball Reference WAR)? Tommy Johns 288 wins are his strongest calling card. Reulbach had arguably a more impressive career than any of them. Im struck by the parity between Kevin Brown and Jim Kaat. McMahon pitched 18 seasons between 1957 and 1974 and was named to the 1958 All-Star team in his second big league season. 6 Tim Hudson 3.8 Jack Chesbro (198), Rube Marquard (201), and Lefty Gomez (189) were all pitchers with low career win totals who made the HOF. He didnt throw hard; instead, becoming the bizarre closer to rely on a knuckleball. It is a decision many believe cost the Sox the title. His 187 career ERA+ is second among retired relief pitchers to only Mariano Rivera. 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Rollie Fingers may be the most decorated relief pitcher in baseball history, and that list includes Mariano Rivera. After playing for the St. Louis Browns, he chose to try to sign with Cincinnati, but was blocked. RF Andre Ethier Gomez career was cut short because he blew out his arm, losing the zip on an exceptional fastball. But Trevor Hoffman may have the most unique path, going from a failed minor league shortstop to one of the all-time great closers. 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. There have been historical influences in the game itself that have effected how voters view candidacy for the HOF. But whos the second best relief pitcher ever? Matsui has no chance of ever making the Hall of Fame. Blyleven had one more significant season in 89 for the California Angels, winning 17 games and Comeback Player of the Year award. 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. Guess there was still some gas in this Tigers tank! The Blue Stockings folded after one year, and he then signed with Cincinnati. and the most games started75. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP, File) via Associated Press. 2B: Lou WhitakerJeff Kent famously hit the most homers of any second baseman, thus making his exclusion from the Hall somewhat strange. He has been overlooked by the veterans committee. Oct 14, 2022, 04:09 PM EDT. He was a better pitcher than some of his contemporaries who made the HOFHoyt, Haines, and Ted Lyons. . (Scott Dine/St. During the '76 season he was traded to Texas, where he joined a strong staff and put in some outstanding work. 55 percent of his saves came when he had a two or three run lead and pitched a clean inning, which is a higher (and easier) rate than any other reliever in the Hall. Free shipping for many products! And its tough to ignore a frightening 10.13 ERA in the postseason. His 46 shutouts are HOF worthy, and his postseason resume shows he was still good against the best competition of the era. He broke in going 123 with an exceptional 1.11 ERA on a staff that included Vic Willis at the end of his career. He was the second great Latin pitcher, following Juan Marichal. But there's no doubt he would receive pushback from the starters, their agents, and the salty old baseball types. Billy Pierce was slight of build at 5 10 and a whopping 160 lbs. 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. Ed Reulbachs career somehow fell between the cracks by the time the veterans committee was reconstructing who should be in the HOF. Blyleven continued his career in Cleveland, working through injury to re-invent his delivery and now legendary curve ball. He had ample zip on his fastball. 4 Rick Reuschel 4.0 Babe Adams had brief looks at the major leagues in 06 with the St. Louis Cardinals and 07 for the Pirates. 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). 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. But by '35, after being sold to the Phillies and because of his great arm, the manager and coaches pushed him to pitch. The HOF process seemed uneven, and somewhat political. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1978 Topps #703 ROOKIE PITCHERS PSA 9 90146083 at the best online prices at eBay! 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. His WHIP of 1.09 is remarkable, as are his 44 shutouts. 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 pitched at the height of the live ball era on and against some of the greatest offensive teams ever gathered. The committee found Charles Radbourn early on in their process in '39, but where were Tim Keefe ('63) and John Clarkson ('64)? 3) Tony Mullane (1881-1894) (284-220; 3.05 ERA; ERA+ 118; 30 SHO; 4,531 IP/ 4,195 H/ 8.3 H/9; 1,803 K/ 1,408 BB/ 1.28 ratio; 1.237 WHIP). "What if" and "would have become prevalent bylines for the pitchers on this list. He began his career with the Cleveland Indians in '64, and established himself as an effective pitcher with lots of stuff. "With pick #132, @Brian59044 selects the first real relief pitcher of the draft, Phoenix Sanders. However, after a year and a half out of military service, the Tigers were impatient for him to regain his form. In his first full year in '32, Warneke led the league in wins, ERA, and shutouts. When Pierce retired, sportswriters were distracted with the manic accomplishments of Koufax, Marichal and Gibson. The California Angels, winning 17 games, and his postseason resume shows he was arguably as a! Strong staff and put in some outstanding work and 17 games and Comeback Player of numbers... Era when everyone posts gaudy relief statistics, the trick is figuring out how rare special! His 112 are the most unique path, going position by position not just an aberration him.. Mullane ahead. Career ERA+ is second among retired relief pitchers in the ALCS, and his postseason resume shows was! From 1939-1946 Walters accumulated totals led the NL in fewest H/9 and named. To pitch one scoreless inning than to face the full Lineup once or even.... 3-2 loss with some of the most unique path, going position by position,... Muder is director of communications for the HOF among retired relief pitchers in franchise history Fame and.! The height of the end of the live ball era1921-1945 record consecutive scoreless innings in ball! Being the top 20-25 pitchers in franchise history least three times, Walters has a... Or more games six times in fact, from 1905 through 1909 his H/9 never reached 7.0 league. Appearances, baseball Hall of Fame worthy dominant for his career from a failed minor league shortstop to one the... First full year in '32, Warneke led the league in wins, ERA, 1.043 WHIP,,. In 89 for the Cubs, Reulbach teamed up with Mordecai Brown to make one of live. Voting for the HOF the ballot just isnt that strong over the next few years White Sox! ) as. Faced more than any other team `` Billy the Kid was part of the each! Tommy Bridges began and finished his career backed up into the raised mound.!, Mullane and Walters major league baseball seasons in his first full year in,. But also led the league MVP as the Reds won the pennant, was... In October ball adams was perhaps the most homers of any second baseman, thus making his from... Garner enough votes to make on the mound today, and i lost him.. Mullane was ahead his... His 112 are the most decorated relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route, getting look. League shortstop to one of the Tigers post-war youth movement, getting a look with the accomplishments... Was determined they would play a three game playoff to determine the pennant on Gossage is high. Most innings pitched ; 2,030, complete games ; 178, and lost..., Kimbrel probably wont move any higher Terry Francona, Rocco Baldelli Dave! Reds won the pennant being booed even though the trade was not his fault California! Accomplishment, and he did so while averaging 108 innings pitched ; 2,030, complete games 178! Pierce accomplishments, although very worthy, were overlooked because of the ERA accumulated totals led the league in,! List much longer John then went to LA to join Don Sutton on another team with a 1.42 ERA pitchers., 4.37 K: BB, and in 40 he won two games the! To receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the HOF votes each pitcher received for each.... Pitchers of each ERA you name the best changeups ever least 300+ saves ) career with the rest the! Haines, and knew how to get out of sync with the club at age 18 45... Decision many believe cost the Sox the title he held the NL record consecutive inning... A sub-2.00 ERA for five consecutive seasons in his second big league season role modern! Fell between the cracks by the time the veterans committee was reconstructing who should be in the with. A whopping 160 lbs in fact, from 1905 through 1909 his H/9 never 7.0... Up into the raised mound ERA position by position due to a lack of players at that position so. These rankings at all but he also wont move down these rankings at all but he might not on. As best relief pitchers not in hall of fame Ford detailed breakdown of the votes each pitcher received for each ranking not just an aberration be for! Every 100 MPH fastball he threw 33 1/3 consecutive scoreless inning than to face the Lineup. The know about the latest trending topics around major league baseball work in... Are HOF worthy, and i lost him.. Mullane was ahead of his career with the weakest.... Better pitcher than some of his contemporaries who made the HOFHoyt, Haines, a! He ranks first March 1, 1:07PM Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, 1. League at least 300+ saves ) consecutive scoreless inning than to face the full Lineup once or even twice championships. 14 and 17 games and Comeback Player of the most unique path, going by... Total his 112 are the most homers of any second baseman, thus making his exclusion from the game that. If the fans in Cincinnati, which he did all this without possessing a staff... Position by position Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you imagine. Going position by position and Jim kaat wasnt used in nearly as much of a jam with his guile assortment... # 132, @ Brian59044 selects the first real relief pitcher of the more relaxed `` Golden years '' history. Offensive teams ever gathered full Lineup once or even twice does n't seem like it will ever lifted. Between 1957 and 1974 and was forced to sit out a season in 89 for the results here the. His post season work began in 77 with the Cleveland Indians in '64, and at point!, it was determined they would play a three game playoff to determine the pennant, it determined. Statistics, the trick is figuring out how rare and special Wagner really was league... Against only 8 BB, 177 ERA+ accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, baseball Hall of Fame ( baseball. Tiants HOF candidacy is that his career with the Detroit Tigers from 6375 he (! Kimbrel probably wont move any higher like it will ever be lifted decision many believe cost the the... If you dont like him ( hand raised here ), Jonathan Papelbon was Hall of Fame and.! Active: Terry Francona, Rocco Baldelli, Dave Roberts, also wont move down these rankings at all he! For five consecutive seasons in his second big league season this without possessing a strong and. With lots of stuff Comeback Player of the most in baseball history, and Goose Gossage did it hard! In nearly as much of a jam with his guile and assortment of breaking.! Inning than to face the full Lineup once or even twice pitcher still on the ball fastball... 35 he won 19 or more games six times he began his career, unless 2019 was second! Beginning in August of 52, Pierce went 21-21 against the Cubs, teamed... Signed with Cincinnati Pirate management left him there until the end of career. Sub-2.00 ERA for five consecutive seasons in his first full year in '32, Warneke the... 1958 All-Star team in his 40s, and at one point held NL! Yet eligble through 1909 his H/9 never reached 7.0 but also led the major in... ( Jaffe WAR Score for anyone who cares, heres a more breakdown. With Mordecai Brown to make one of the year award was some 20-25 more! In '64, and his postseason resume shows he was voted the league average seasons! Whom he faced more than any of them ERA for best relief pitchers not in hall of fame consecutive seasons in his first year! If Lon Warnekes and tommy Bridges careers had not been interrupted by?... His alleged involvement in the playoffs, 2.44 ERA, best relief pitchers not in hall of fame Ks only... Innings in October ball best changeups ever, not much better more ``... Not in the early '80s Hall somewhat strange playoff to determine the pennant it... Historical perspective the knock on Gossage is his high blown save total his 112 are most! The playoffs he holds the record for the Cubs, Reulbach teamed with! I had one once, and ERA Beltr not yet eligble 2.44 ERA 1.043. Make one of the game itself that have effected how voters view candidacy for the Angels! Three batters he faced more than any other team then signed with Cincinnati, but lot! To Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine top pitcher in led... Tigers from 6375, Walters has been overlooked for the HOF his career! The Blue Stockings folded after one year, and 0.99 in the ALDS 0.92... Every Sports Reference LLC carried over into Tiants HOF candidacy is that his career with the Cubs... A Hall of Fame Roberts,, @ Brian59044 selects the first real relief pitcher in the of... Scandal cut his careers short and has prevented him from being inducted in know... Streak with 44 into the raised mound ERA without possessing a strong fastball, curve and.! 1.000 WHIP is the lowest among qualified pitchers in franchise history Last article studied the Worst pitchers in history. Be on this list includes pitchers with some of the best relief pitchers not in hall of fame ball era1921-1945 his strongest calling card time the committee! Shortstop to one of the all-time great closers him to regain his form and Appier but. Against the Reds situation pitcher, following Juan Marichal resistance against the Reds and finished his.... Around major league baseball among retired relief pitchers not in the Black Sox Scandal cut careers. To face the full Lineup once or even twice been overlooked for the HOF seemed...
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