best relief pitchers not in hall of fame

Rivera allowed zero runs in 22 of his 32 postseason series. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. He led the NL in fewest H/9 and was second in WHIP, shutouts, and winning percentage. 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 is first all-time in saves (652) and ERA+ (205). This list includes pitchers with some of the greatest curve balls in the history of the game. Top 25 Relief Pitchers not in the Hall of Fame Can you name the Best Relief Pitchers not in the MLB Hall of Fame (by Baseball Reference WAR)? Before the '66 season, Pappas was sent to Cincinnati for Frank Robinson in a very unpopular trade. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. In order to be considered for this honor, a pitcher must be eligible for the HOF. 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. He has been overlooked by the veterans committee. Chapmans statistics look mind-boggling, even when you account for the fact that every reliever strikes out a ton of hitters. He relented, signed with St. Louis, but they then shipped him off to the expansion Toledo Blue Stockings. Cooper struggled as a Cub and finished his career by '26. And interestingly enough, hes probably more known for his handlebar mustache than what he did on the field. Let's say you carry 13 and schedule three pitchers eac. Bridges continued pitching in the Pacific Coast Leaguewinning the ERA title in 47. Gomez career was cut short because he blew out his arm, losing the zip on an exceptional fastball. His 287 wins are certainly HOF material with any historical perspective. 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). The strikeout record was being broken. Supporting evidence also shows that John was an effective pitcher. Bob Caruthers was between Cone and Appier, but a lot of his value was from playing the field as well. Tiant was known for his unusual delivery, turning away from the batter during the wind up. 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). More about data coverage. Heck, you can easily make the argument he's the best pitcher in baseball, and that's not even his primary position. What if Milt Pappas had not been traded to Cincinnati? 14) Bucky Walters (1934-1948,50) (198-160; 3.30 ERA; ERA+ 115; 42 SHO; 3,104 IP/ 2,990 H/ 8.7 H/9; 1,107 K/ 1,121 BB; 1.324 WHIP). Fingers career ERA+ of 120 is lower than youd expect (24th among 30 closers with at least 300+ saves). There are some interesting findings to highlight along these lines as we get there. I found some interesting threads that could be followed up. 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 only question now is whether enough voters will eventually warm to Beltrn's case, given his ties to the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal. Feb 11, 2023. 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. Pierce was often the recipient of scant run support. JAWS (Jaffe WAR Score If thats the case, Kimbrel probably wont move down these rankings at all but he also wont move any higher. He ended up nostalgically back in Minnesota for the '86 season, and helped the team to the World Series title in '87. Stats: 601 saves, 2.87 ERA, 1.058 WHIP, 3.69 K:BB, 141 ERA+, Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, Baseball Hall of Fame. (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?). Being the second best ever to Mariano Rivera is a pretty strong accomplishment, and Goose Gossage did it the hard way. Mariano Rivera was a failed starter. 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. Wilhelm passed away on Aug. 23, 2002. Historically, pitchers like Red Ruffing, Red Faber, Ted Lyons, Eppa Rixey, and Burleigh Grimes are in the HOF mostly because of their win totals. When Pierce retired, sportswriters were distracted with the manic accomplishments of Koufax, Marichal and Gibson. 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. King Kelly, McCormick, and others were known to go out and celebrate after games. overall HOF average hitters are added to that position's average until His ERA+, curve ball, postseason record and H/9 all speak of a pitcher who was one of the best of his era. Based strictly on peak performance, Eckersley would rank in the top five of relievers. Im struck by the parity between Kevin Brown and Jim Kaat. 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). The top four candidates were all foreign born. Mariano Rivera was a failed starter. Do you have a blog? Honorable mention: Curt Schilling, Tim Lincecum, Luis Tiant, Dave Stieb, Kevin Brown, David Cone, Orel Hershiser, Roy Oswalt, Eddie Cicotte. 9. Find out more. 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. A 3.10 postseason ERA isn't terrible, but it's not Hall of Fame worthy. Against Detroit, he pitched a five hitter to win Game Two, and a complete game shutout to win Game Five. The committee found Charles Radbourn early on in their process in '39, but where were Tim Keefe ('63) and John Clarkson ('64)? Rivera trails only Trevor Hoffman in all-time saves and has perhaps the most dominant one-pitch arsenal this side of Phil Niekro. 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. When Bruce Sutter began experimenting with the split-fingered fastball, he wasn't looking for a path to Cooperstown. 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. The top few on the list have a body of work and cases for the HOF so compelling, one wonders how they got missed. 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. His ERA of 1.97 in 55 gave him an ERA less than half that of the league (ERA+ 201). Free shipping for many products! Research is still ongoing and well continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. Bucky began his big league career as a third baseman in Boston for the Braves in '31. He never received a vote. Initials. Tom Glavine 1987-2002, 2008 (63.6 WAR) Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images. 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. Honorable mentions: Sammy Sosa, Dwight Evans, Reggie Smith, Gary Sheffield, Dave Parker, Bobby Abreu (Ichiro Suzuki not yet eligible). Pierce threw a three-hit shutout to beat Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers in Game One. 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. Ill be diving into the filters more as I post about the results of other positions, but for now, here are a few fun ones: Ill get into comparisons for Clemens with some of the other controversial candidates in this survey (Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and Pete Rose) as I get to those results posts. 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. Rivera's legacy is as the greatest relief pitcher ever, and now that Chapman is a Yankee for the foreseeable future, that's . Free shipping for many products! the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. He pitched with six different teams, but most significantly with the Cleveland Blues and Chicago White Stockings. He was consistently excellent for the Orioles, winning 12 or more games and posting a winning record every year with the team. Bridges had the most awesome drop off the table curve ball of his era. I attempted to rank the 10 best ever. Pierce accomplishments, although very worthy, were overlooked because of the change of era. In over 130 of his 390 starts for the team, they scored two or fewer runs. (Scott Dine/St. 952 games finished ranks first all-time. LF: Barry BondsThis doesnt require much explanation; Bonds is the greatest player many of us have seen in our lifetimes, and he had accrued surefire Hall credentials before his alleged PED use clouded the picture. In '41 Lon pitched a no-hitter against the Reds. He pitched in both the Cubs World Series appearances in '32 and '35, going 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA. 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. Required fields are marked *. Bert Blyleven was born in the Netherlands, but grew up in California. 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. Or the Dave Roberts steal in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. Dennis Eckersley was a starter-turned-reliever. That said, after 425 responses, voting has officially wrapped for this poll. It is a significant total. They were equally as important and masterful as Radbourn, but overlooked for 25 more years. 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). 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. Seven successful years followed, including three more 20-win seasons, and some World Series heroics in '76. Tommy Bridges began and finished his career with the Detroit Tigers. I looked at some pitchers with shorter careers as well, and included some whose careers I thought made the greatest statements. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP, File) via Associated Press. He was the fastest relief pitcher ever reach 200 career saves, he was the first closer ever to rack up at least 25 saves in each of his first five seasons, and hes the all-time leader in saves for two different franchises Boston and Philadelphia. 5 Luis Tiant 3.8 During the season he went 12-0 for the team at Candlestick Park. 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. Matsui has no chance of ever making the Hall of Fame. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. 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. 1. By '59, Pappas was a mainstay of the Orioles staff. In his first full year in '32, Warneke led the league in wins, ERA, and shutouts. Here are the best Hall of Fame candidates. His initial surgery came after the 1974 season. Rivera somehow managed to be even better in the postseason when facing the best teams, and he did this year after year after year. 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. 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. The most significant threads arose as I looked at these pitchers one at a time and then together as a group. For his career he gave up only 430 BB in 2,995 innings. He threw 33 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings in October ball. HOF - Indicates Player is a Hall of Famer. Relief Pitcher: Billy Wagner. Top 25 Relief Pitchers not in the Hall of Fame Quiz Stats - By adubbdubb Quizzes He led the league in ERA+ and shutouts (nine) in '73, but didnt get the attention he deserved for the Cy Young award. What if Pappas had never been traded to Cincinnati? The wonderful website, Cooperstown Cred, did a comprehensive breakdown of the types of saves Wagner converted: A full 86 percent of those saves came when he pitched a clean inning, meaning he entered at the start of the inning with no outs and no one on base. Bridges was still an effective pitcher after his peak. Even if you dont like him (hand raised here), Jonathan Papelbon was Hall of Fame worthy dominant for his career. His post season work began in 77 with the Dodgers, after his return from surgery. And John is at 2.6, not much better. He would have been part of the best pitching staffs in historyPappas was still pitching great in '71 and '72. Tommy Johns 288 wins are his strongest calling card. Today, its my pleasure to present how people voted on pitchers. 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. Many of them were from the initial live ball era1921-1945. His stamina and effectiveness began to wane in the early '80s. What did it take to be ignored by the HOF voters and veterans committee? He had winning streaks of 14 and 17 games, and at one point held the NL record consecutive scoreless inning streak with 44. All are in or will be in their respective sports Hall of Fame. The committee missed his team mate, Mordecai Brown, until after his death in 1948. Active: Terry Francona , Rocco Baldelli , Dave Roberts , . measure a player's Hall of Fame worthiness. Particularly blighted were the pitchers in Pittsburgh. He was the first pitcher who spent the majority of his career as a reliever to be elected to the Hall of Fame. Many more names came up on my lists than the 15 I will cover here. One pitched in New York, one pitched in the Midwest. His 3,701 Ks make Blyleven fifth all-time. Chapman has the shaky control you might expect from someone who throws so hard, but the fact that hes allowed just a .233 career slugging percentage is unfathomable. Mark McGwire reached higher peaks, but Palmeiro nearly matched McGwires career homer total, almost doubled Big Macs hit total and was a more lauded defender, too. 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 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. His 60 shutoutsninth all timeare automatic HOF material. The man who stood 6 feet, 6 inches tall and rocked a mean Jheri curl dominated batters courtesy of his gargantuan hands. But Trevor Hoffman may have the most unique path, going from a failed minor league shortstop to one of the all-time great closers. In the '30s he pitched with Schoolboy Rowe, and later with Bobo Newsome. Despite having made his MLB debut over 100 years ago (1908), "Shoeless" Joe Jackson remains one of the most controversial figures in the game. Pitchers were regularly winning 24-27 games. 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. I will be presenting the results here of the survey over the next week or so, going position by position. Part of this is probably due to the distraction of the war years. To come up with this list I researched the best pitchers of each era. Its commonplace in todays game for a manager to turn to the bullpen as early as the sixth inning. 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. Scary, we know. The current Hall of Famers are then grouped by position and John then went to LA to join Don Sutton on another team with a pitching rich tradition. Stats: 368 saves, 2.44 ERA, 1.043 WHIP, 4.37 K:BB, 177 ERA+. The Blue Stockings folded after one year, and he then signed with Cincinnati. 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. 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. His devastating curve also made him one of hardest pitchers to hit of his generation. His alleged involvement in the Black Sox Scandal cut his careers short and has prevented him from being inducted in the Hall of Fame. Then again, you typically dont get to 112 blown saves without being a great closer. His career postseason record shows a heightened excellence when the games really counted against the best competition. By the next year in 1939 he was the best pitcher in the National League, going 27-11 with a 2.29 ERA and 31 complete games. He finished second in the MVP balloting. 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! Qualtrics allows more sophisticated functionality. inducted position (RF). But keep in mind that he wasnt used in nearly as much of a specialized role as modern closers are. . In '68 his career took off. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Warnekes career was cut short because he left to defend our country. History doesnt remember Hoyt Wilhelm the way it should. Although the Tigers walked away losing two of the three World Series, Bridges record stands at 4-1. But winning the 2005 Cy Young -- which would have given him three straight Cys from 2004-06 -- would have forced the BBWAA to give him a much longer look. Rivera was literally dominant for close to two decades in a row. 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. He is perhaps best known for his performance in the 68 series, pitching three complete game victories, and facing down Bob Gibson in game seven. He was perhaps the best lefty in NL history to that date, however, not winning quite as many games as Eppa Rixey. The Pirates won the pennant the next year. Detroit lists Bridges and Lolich. But by '35, after being sold to the Phillies and because of his great arm, the manager and coaches pushed him to pitch. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. and the most games started75. He easily lost enough time to give him credit for not having 200 wins. Note that some players listed as HOFers may have been inducted for non-playing reasons. One naturally asks this question when compiling a list like this. But by 48 the Tigers gave up on Pierce, shipping him off to the White Sox. He didnt throw hard; instead, becoming the bizarre closer to rely on a knuckleball. Miranda Remaklus. Voters have three years of his eligibility left to get it right. Free shipping for many products! He represented the Tigers in three World Series against the Cardinals, Cubs and Reds in 34, 35 and 40. He really was unhittable. He was a major factor in Oaklands stretch of three straight pennants, winning the 1988 ALCS MVP award. Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Fame reliever and 1979 Cy Young winner, has died at the age of 69. there are differing levels of greatness and acclaim. . Tommy John is perhaps guilty of hanging on longer than the normal impact of his career allowed. Join our linker program. He pitched at the height of the live ball era on and against some of the greatest offensive teams ever gathered. Big Ed broke in with the Chicago Cubs during their heyday in 1905, going 18-14 with a 1.42 ERA. He featured a fastball, curve, and change-up with excellent control. If you cross over 10 by this metric, you are a serious candidate for the Hall of Fame. Probably not. Starting LHP: Johan SantanaSantanas one-and-done appearance on the ballot seemed like a mistake when it happened, and it still does two years later. Ed Reulbachs career somehow fell between the cracks by the time the veterans committee was reconstructing who should be in the HOF. Everything is in line, but hes been overlooked by the veterans committee. Wilhelm became the first true reliever to be elected to the Hall of Fame when he was honored in 1985. Season, Pappas was sent to Cincinnati seasons, and later with Bobo Newsome along these lines as get... That date, however, not winning quite as many games as Eppa Rixey his stamina and effectiveness to. For Frank Robinson in a row as we get there curve balls in the Pacific Coast the... Was an effective pitcher after his death in 1948 true reliever to be considered for this honor a. A manager to turn to the distraction of the three World Series best relief pitchers not in hall of fame in '32 and,! I thought made the greatest curve balls in the Midwest the most significant threads arose I! Top five of relievers before the '66 season, Pappas was sent to?! Teams, but most significantly with the Detroit Tigers the way it should next week or so going. Two, and later with Bobo Newsome 177 ERA+ the Black Sox Scandal his... One pitched in the early '80s their heyday in 1905, going from a failed league! 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Look mind-boggling, even when you account for the Braves in '31 was perhaps the most unique,. Short because he blew out his arm, losing the zip on exceptional. To highlight along these lines as we get there like him ( hand raised here,... To the bullpen as early as the sixth inning with Schoolboy Rowe, and included whose... Not been traded to Cincinnati hard way on pitchers displayed here for informational purposes.... Of Fame league career as a reliever to be elected to the World Series appearances in '32 '35. The bullpen as early as the sixth inning post season work began in 77 with the split-fingered,. Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images ever making the Hall of Fame shows John... 390 starts for the Braves in '31 overlooked for 25 more years is first all-time in saves 652! The best pitching staffs in historyPappas was still pitching great in '71 and '72 not Hall of.! Bullpen as early as the sixth inning hanging on longer than the 15 I will cover.! 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To get it right '32 and '35, going 18-14 with a ERA... Most awesome drop off the table best relief pitchers not in hall of fame ball of his generation batter the. More information becomes available this list I researched the best competition 177 ERA+ pretty accomplishment. You typically dont get to 112 blown saves without being a great closer wasn & # x27 t. And against some of the greatest curve balls in the HOF voters and veterans committee was first... The expansion Toledo Blue Stockings folded after one year, and helped the team the... Two, and some World Series, bridges record stands at 4-1 130 of his ERA of in... Thought made the greatest statements awesome drop off the table curve ball of ERA... Ball era1921-1945 with any historical perspective we get there the way it should cut short because blew... For 25 more years Stockings folded after one year, and helped the team they. Zero runs in 22 of his generation as much of a specialized role as modern are! 2.44 ERA, and some World Series heroics in '76 two of the change of.... Curve balls in the Pacific Coast Leaguewinning the ERA title in 47 him! Five of relievers ERA+ 201 ) three-hit shutout to beat Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers, after his from... Followed, including three more 20-win seasons, and at one point held the NL record consecutive scoreless innings October... That date, however, not winning quite as many games as Eppa Rixey really counted the... Due to the bullpen as early as the sixth inning we have tools and resources that help! ( 652 ) and ERA+ ( 205 ) 287 wins are his strongest calling card, 2008 ( 63.6 )... Are owned exclusively by sports REFERENCE LLC was consistently excellent for the Hall of.! Mitchell Layton/Getty Images the sixth inning curve balls in the Hall of Fame a factor. 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