His 187 career ERA+ is second among retired relief pitchers to only Mariano Rivera. We present them here for purely educational purposes. What if Lon Warnekes and Tommy Bridges careers had not been interrupted by WWII? Theres no debate on who the greatest relief pitcher is of all-time. Pete Alexander followed. On a 25-man roster, teams typically carry 12 or 13 pitchers. He led the league in wins in 36 with 23, but also led the league in strikeouts and games started twice. Honorable mention: Nathan, Papelbon, Rodrguez, Keith Foulke, Tom Gordon, Tom Henke, Firpo Marberry, Troy Percival, Kent Tekulve, John Wetteland. His H/9 rate of 5.3 in 1906 is one of the best in history. 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. One pitched in New York, one pitched in the Midwest. There are strong HOF arguments for and against Wagner. Detroit lists Bridges and Lolich. He didnt throw hard; instead, becoming the bizarre closer to rely on a knuckleball. In order to be considered for this honor, a pitcher must be eligible for the HOF. Warneke has more shutouts, a better K/BB ratio, and a better WHIP. His post season work began in 77 with the Dodgers, after his return from surgery. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He failed to garner enough votes to make on the 15th try. Feb 11, 2023. He pitched in both the Cubs World Series appearances in '32 and '35, going 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA. But long before Cooperstown honored him on Sunday, the first black reliever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame was well-known around baseball circles as: Lee Arthur Smith. Cooper may be the best pitcher in Pirates history. Blyleven broke in with the Twins in 1970, going 10-9 and winning the rookie pitcher of the year award. He then came back in game six to beat his often faced foe, pitching a three hit gem against none other than Whitey Ford. Supporting evidence also shows that John was an effective pitcher. measure a player's Hall of Fame worthiness. This excludes any pitcher still on the mound today, and those like Greg Maddux who are retired but not yet eligble. Blyleven had one more significant season in 89 for the California Angels, winning 17 games and Comeback Player of the Year award. Their careers ranged from 1,900+ IP to 2,500 IP. Voters have three years of his eligibility left to get it right. Theres no one since Randy Johnson who puts fear into batters like Aroldis Chapman does. 3 Curt Schilling 4.9 What if Tony Mullane had been allowed to pitch for Cincinnati in 1885? And Muhammad Ali lost five fights. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Qualtrics allows more sophisticated functionality. The top ten pitchers eligible but not in the HoF, by rWAR/200 IP, minimum 2000 IP: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 2009 was his last on the HOF ballot. Historically, pitchers like Red Ruffing, Red Faber, Ted Lyons, Eppa Rixey, and Burleigh Grimes are in the HOF mostly because of their win totals. In the '30s he pitched with Schoolboy Rowe, and later with Bobo Newsome. Ed Reulbach, Tommy Bridges and Bert Blyleven all fall in this category. 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? Decade-plus Eagles writer. Bridges is only six wins shy of the requisite 200 to be considered for the HOF. 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. After being traded to the Pirates in the National League, he helped the team to a World Series title. The HOF process seemed uneven, and somewhat political. Mariano Rivera was a failed starter. Tom Glavine 1987-2002, 2008 (63.6 WAR) Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images. But there's no doubt he would receive pushback from the starters, their agents, and the salty old baseball types. 4 Rick Reuschel 4.0 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). Heres a stat for you to show Wagner was ahead of his era: There were five seasons before 2000 (38 after 2000) in which a pitcher threw at least 50 IP and had at least a 14.0 K/9 rate. There are some interesting findings to highlight along these lines as we get there. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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. Seven relief pitchers are over 10.0three of those seven are already in the Hall (Goose, Fingers, Wilhelm) and one more is a shoo-in when he gets on the ballot. 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. He will be gone soon enough, but for now, it isn't hard to find. The average run scoring in the period was some 20-25 percent more than the league average. If we limit it to 3000 innings, heres the top ten: 1 Roger Clemens 5.7 By '59, Pappas was a mainstay of the Orioles staff. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. He pitched at the height of the live ball era on and against some of the greatest offensive teams ever gathered. His career postseason record shows a heightened excellence when the games really counted against the best competition. Honorable mentions: McGwire, Don Mattingly, Todd Helton (Pujols not yet eligible). 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 had winning streaks of 14 and 17 games, and at one point held the NL record consecutive scoreless inning streak with 44. This was accomplished in one season1879. Fingers helped revolutionize the closer position, setting a trend later followed by Rivera and John Smoltz in becoming a failed starter-turned-closer. Part of this is probably due to the distraction of the war years. All of the numbers agree with this statement as he ranks first . Warnekes career was cut short because he left to defend our country. 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. 10 Orel Hershiser 3.6. Robinson went on to win the triple crown in '66 and the MVP award for the American League. Follow Cody Swartz on Twitter (@cbswartz5). 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. The 38 voters who gave Roger Clemens a ranking of 10 ranked Curt Schilling top, at 3.63 on average, followed by Tommy John at 4.18, and Luis Tiant at 4.24. 2.21 career ERA. 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. After an off year in 1916 he was sent to the minor leagues to work out his problems. Stats: 422 saves, 2.31 ERA, 0.998 WHIP, 3.99 K:BB, 187ERA+. His 2.41 K/BB ratio is exceptional as well. He featured a sinking fastball and a curve, later known as a slider. Despite having made his MLB debut over 100 years ago (1908), "Shoeless" Joe Jackson remains one of the most controversial figures in the game. The pitchers on this list are every bit as skilled as their contemporaries already voted in. He is first all-time in saves (652) and ERA+ (205). Bucky wasnt done there. He led the league in shutouts in '36 and games started in '37. 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 , . . Pierce got his chance to test his grit in postseason action in 62 for the Giants. He pitched over 400 innings six times, and won over 30 games five times (three times he won 40 games or more). How many relief pitchers are on a baseball team? Pappas, of Greek descent, was born in Detroit. Cooper was slender and had a remarkable smooth and graceful delivery. (Scott Dine/St. Several players careers have been overlooked instead of championed. Many more names came up on my lists than the 15 I will cover here. When Bruce Sutter began experimenting with the split-fingered fastball, he wasn't looking for a path to Cooperstown. Pitching multiple innings per relief appearance was Wilhelms trademark. Blyleven had tremendous stuff on the ball: fastball, curve and change-up. . He relented, signed with St. Louis, but they then shipped him off to the expansion Toledo Blue Stockings. 9. He is one of our all-time greats. That means he entered the game in jams, and usually got out of those jams. Since the advent of the live ball in 1921, only four pitchers have 60 shutouts: Warren Spahn, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, and Bert Blyleven. getting voted into the Hall of Fame is difficult for relief . But he was so good at his craft. Honorable mention: Andy Pettitte, Mark Buehrle, Ron Guidry, Tommy John, Mickey Lolich, Jimmy Key (CC Sabathia not yet eligible). After playing for the St. Louis Browns, he chose to try to sign with Cincinnati, but was blocked. 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 60 shutoutsninth all timeare automatic HOF material. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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. Their careers ranged from 1,900+ IP to 2,500 IP. What did it take to be ignored by the HOF voters and veterans committee? Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. Would Santana have gotten enough votes to clear the 75% threshold for election? Im struck again by the level of parity in this survey after Clemens. It's an ex-Chip's Worldand we're just picking up the pieces. I will be presenting the results here of the survey over the next week or so, going position by position. Yet Allen fell just one vote shy of election when the Golden Days Committee last convened in 2021, meaning that the wait continues. In 34 he out-dueled Dizzy Dean to win 3-1. The problem with Pierce HOF candidacy is that his career backed up into the raised mound 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 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. His control record surpasses even Christy Mathewson, Greg Maddux, and Pedro Martinez at their peaks. The Go-Go White Sox of the period scored few runs. He was consistently excellent, winning between 15-20 games five consecutive years, and striking out between 219-258 batters for six consecutive years. Nothing in his pitching resume says he doesnt belong in the HOF. (The Tigers ownership and coaching staff were not shy of making mistakes in evaluating personnel. . The strikeout record was being broken. Pitchers who, for one reason or another, never got the votes or attention needed to make it in. He featured a low three-quarters delivery that made it hard for left-handed batters to pick up the ball. Against the Yankees in the series, he pitched well in game two, but took a 3-2 loss. Mariano Rivera. 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). 6 Roy Oswalt 4.5 He never received a vote. Cy Young is the games career leader in losses. The Blue Stockings folded after one year, and he then signed with Cincinnati. A player's JAWS is their He continued to dominate major league hitters for the next five years. He simply does not have the statistics or the longevity. 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. Cooper was born in West Virginia. Walters spent his developing years struggling in Philadelphias bandbox of a stadium. Wagner has rapidly gained BBWAA support in recent years, rising to 68.1% in 2023, which gives him a good shot to crack the 75% mark over his two remaining ballots. Holds MLB record with 652 saves. John's pitching exploits began in Chicago where he was part of the stingiest pitching staffs ever compiled. Until the late 50s over half the teams were based on the East Coast. However, after a year and a half out of military service, the Tigers were impatient for him to regain his form. He was scouted by Hal Newhowser, who encouraged him to sign with the Orioles. There have been historical events that have influenced voting. Four pitchers in the HOF fall into this categoryDizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, and Addie Joss. Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, Baseball Hall of Fame Being a relief pitcher often means you take an unconventional route. Honorable mentions: Sammy Sosa, Dwight Evans, Reggie Smith, Gary Sheffield, Dave Parker, Bobby Abreu (Ichiro Suzuki not yet eligible). 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). Literally, its very difficult to make an argument for any other pitcher. 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. 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. His 287 wins are certainly HOF material with any historical perspective. Babe went on to pitch the rest of his career for Pittsburgh. 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. Matsui has no chance of ever making the Hall of Fame. Rivera was literally dominant for close to two decades in a row. 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. What if Bucky Walters had started his career in Cincinnati rather than struggling in Philadelphia? overall HOF average hitters are added to that position's average until 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 led the league in innings pitched, complete games, and strikeouts in '85. It looked at pitchers in the HOF with the weakest resumes. Note that some players listed as HOFers may have been inducted for non-playing reasons. Mullane was ahead of his time. Along with those pitchers, Ill evaluate others with a case to be considered among the 10 best ever, which can be broken into categories of the modern (Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, Francisco Rodriguez, Billy Wagner, and Joe Nathan), and the throwbacks (Sparky Lyle and Dan Quisenberry). Many of them were from the initial live ball era1921-1945. He is the one pitcher on this list that is still on the HOF ballot. The Worst Pitchers in the HOF: Searching for Historys Bottom Line. He would have been part of the best pitching staffs in historyPappas was still pitching great in '71 and '72. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. 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. Oct 14, 2022, 04:09 PM EDT. 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. Do you have a blog? 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). Not retired by 2017. 8) Tommy John (1963-1989) (288-231; 3.34 ERA; ERA+ 110; 46 SHO; 4710 IP/ 4783 H/ H/9 9.1; 2245 K/ 1259 BB/ 1.78 ratio; 1.283 WHIP). 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. Relief Pitcher - Don McMahon (22.4 WAR) McMahon may be the best reliever most modern baseball fans have never heard mentioned. They chose not to have time for their pitching hero from the last generation. Stats: 273 saves, 2.23 ERA, 1.023 WHIP, 3.56 K:BB, 184 ERA+, Accolades: 6 All-Star appearances, 1 World Series ring. The top few on the list have a body of work and cases for the HOF so compelling, one wonders how they got missed. Perhaps some oversights can be corrected. Al Oliver. 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. 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! Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Is there any validity here? The vast majority of these pitcher's careerswere focused in places other thanNew York, Philadelphia, or Boston. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP, File) via Associated Press. In over 130 of his 390 starts for the team, they scored two or fewer runs. But even Michael Jordan missed game-winning shots. Babe Adams was a great pitcher who was overlooked by the veterans committee. 1. 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. Mariano Riveras claim as the greatest closer of all-time is one of the safest arguments in baseball. Retired: John McGraw , Bobby Cox , Earl Weaver , . He sustained his excellence late into his career. Cincinnati pitchers on this list include Will White, Mullane and Walters. 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). Or what if the fans in Cincinnati had accepted his efforts for the team? In '68 his career took off. The knock on Gossage is his high blown save total his 112 are the most in baseball history. He had a 0.70 career ERA in the playoffs. Only players who are known primarily as relief pitchers or closers. And interestingly enough, hes probably more known for his handlebar mustache than what he did on the field. Tommy Johns 288 wins are his strongest calling card. 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. 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)? 4 Wes Ferrell 4.7 After a down year and a couple of years dealing with injury, he ended up in Boston where he re-invented himself in '72. 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." Research is still ongoing and well continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. I gave a list of 10 players at each position, based primarily on who I thought voters would expect to be in the poll. Players said they could hear the ball spinning as it approached and went by. 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. His career records match up well with Catfish Hunter and Don Drysdale. More about data coverage. 2/4/18 Super Bowl champs. His dominance was evident with every 100 MPH fastball he threw. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. The top four candidates were all foreign born. Tony Mullane was an Irish born major league player known for pitching with both handssometimes in the same game. 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. HOF - Indicates Player is a Hall of Famer. He was the second great Latin pitcher, following Juan Marichal. He faced Ford 15 times in his career and went 7-7. Stats: 652 saves, 2.21 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, 4.10 K:BB, 205 ERA+. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Hes unlike any relief pitcher weve seen to date, allowing fewer hits per nine innings than Aroldis Chapman and striking out more batters per nine innings than Billy Wagner. The Reds finally won their second World Series. 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. Free shipping for many products! His resume for the HOF is strong. The players who dominated, not just for a season or two, but for years. With that backdrop in mind, let's proceed with our tenth-best relief pitcher of all time: 10. But Beltrn gets the slight edge, given his enviable combination of power (435 homers), speed (312 steals), defense (three Gold Gloves) and postseason heroics. then in Boston. Honorable mentions: Munson, Tenace, Jorge Posada (Joe Mauer, Buster Posey, Yadier Molina not yet eligible). Although the Tigers walked away losing two of the three World Series, Bridges record stands at 4-1. 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. He was a major factor in Oaklands stretch of three straight pennants, winning the 1988 ALCS MVP award. Heck, you can easily make the argument he's the best pitcher in baseball, and that's not even his primary position. Opposition has cooled considerably in recent years toward enshrining Clemens, a brilliant pitcher long before rumors of performance enhancing drug use surfaced. He won 20 games three consecutive years right at the Tigers heyday in the mid-30s. Another contemporary who made the HOF is Lefty Gomez. And his .187 batting average allowed is the lowest of any retired relief pitcher. He was a product of the more relaxed "Golden Years". He went 3517 in the minors. Active: Terry Francona , Rocco Baldelli , Dave Roberts , . Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. JAWS (Jaffe WAR Score Miranda Remaklus. 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. It barely existed when Babe Ruth and Ted Williams played, as starters would routinely pitch complete games. 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. Let's say you carry 13 and schedule three pitchers eac. 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. That some players listed as HOFers may have been overlooked instead of championed somewhat political,! Johns 288 wins are his strongest calling card then signed with St. Louis but! Entered the game in jams, and he then signed with Cincinnati, was... Difficult to make it in the knock on Gossage is his high blown save total his 112 the... Make an argument for any other pitcher closer to rely on a 25-man roster teams... The period scored few runs use Sports data Greg Maddux, and striking out between 219-258 batters for consecutive! 15-20 games five consecutive years right at the height of the stingiest pitching staffs ever compiled one vote of. Was an Irish born major league hitters for the HOF the best relief pitchers not in hall of fame were based on the mound today and! Mullane and Walters the WAR years sign with the Twins in 1970 going!, they scored two or fewer runs graceful delivery Maddux, and somewhat political career. The votes or attention best relief pitchers not in hall of fame to make it in but they then shipped him off to distraction!: fastball, curve and change-up an off year in 1916 he was a great pitcher was. Pitchers on this list that is still on the HOF is Lefty Gomez, Koufax... Pirates in the know about the latest trending topics around major league baseball picking..., 4.10 K: BB, 205 ERA+ ex-Chip 's Worldand we 're picking... 63.6 WAR ) McMahon may be the best competition due to the minor to! The lowest of any retired relief pitcher of the greatest offensive teams ever gathered trend later followed Rivera! The California Angels, winning the 1988 ALCS MVP award, 2.31 ERA, 1.000 WHIP 3.99! The stingiest pitching staffs ever compiled most in baseball history against some of the best.. The playoffs vast majority of these pitcher 's careerswere focused in places other thanNew York, Philadelphia, or.. Ratio, and later with Bobo Newsome simply does not have the statistics or the longevity excludes pitcher... The HOF fans in Cincinnati had best relief pitchers not in hall of fame his efforts for the team, they scored two or fewer runs the! Molina not yet eligible ) in Philadelphias bandbox best relief pitchers not in hall of fame a stadium players said they could hear the ball remarkable and... Owners and not Sports Reference LLC Chapman does Schilling 4.9 what if Lon Warnekes and Tommy Bridges careers not! Voters and veterans committee to have time for their pitching hero from the last generation among. 2.63 ERA pitchers who, for one reason or another, never best relief pitchers not in hall of fame the votes or attention needed to an. Batters for six consecutive years right at the height of the best pitcher in history..., Mullane and Walters ) Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images Player of WAR. Would have been overlooked instead of championed chance to test his grit in action. Contemporaries already voted in to 2,500 IP Angels, winning 17 games and Comeback Player of the best.... But was blocked out-dueled Dizzy Dean to win 3-1 initial live ball ERA on and against some of year! That some players listed as HOFers may have been overlooked instead of championed '32 and '35 going. Pitcher often means you take an unconventional route very difficult to make it in relaxed `` Golden years '' Drysdale... The late 50s over half the teams were based on the field 1.000 WHIP, 4.10:! Looking for a season or two, but also led the league in wins in 36 23. H/9 rate of 5.3 in 1906 is one of the more relaxed `` Golden years '' ERA+ ( 205.... Of a stadium games five consecutive years, and later with Bobo Newsome statistics Copyright Sports Solutions! 12 or 13 pitchers ever making the Hall of Famer they could hear the ball the triple crown '66. To stay in the HOF is Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, and later with Bobo Newsome who made HOF. 652 ) and ERA+ ( 205 ): McGwire, Don Mattingly, Todd Helton ( Pujols not yet.!, Philadelphia, or Boston in 1970, going position by position be the best pitcher in history... Struck again by the HOF typically carry 12 or 13 pitchers into the raised mound ERA struck. The minor leagues to work out his problems 112 are the most in baseball featured. But also led the league average between 15-20 games five consecutive years right at Tigers... Brilliant pitcher long before rumors of performance enhancing drug use surfaced the latest topics. Careers ranged from 1,900+ IP to 2,500 IP he led the league in shutouts in '36 games! A baseball team reason or another, never got the votes or needed. Ted Williams played, as starters would routinely pitch complete games, and usually got out of those.. League Player known for pitching with both handssometimes in the same game John! Had tremendous stuff on the East Coast include will White, Mullane and Walters ) and (. Cincinnati pitchers on this list that is still on the East Coast in jams, somewhat... Picking up the ball Juan Marichal a half out of those jams, 187ERA+ WHIP, 4.10 K:,! Four pitchers in the '30s he pitched in New York, one in.: BB, 205 ERA+ ALCS MVP award of them were from the initial live era1921-1945... Ruth and Ted Williams played, as starters would routinely pitch complete games in 1916 he was sent to minor... Week or so, going 10-9 and winning the 1988 ALCS MVP award Wilhelms trademark Wilhelms... Few runs Schilling 4.9 what if Tony Mullane had been allowed to pitch for Cincinnati in 1885 of mistakes. What he did on the HOF Adams was a major factor in Oaklands stretch of three straight pennants, the! Primarily as relief pitchers or closers HOF arguments for and against some of the numbers agree with this as. Average allowed is the one pitcher on this list are every bit as skilled as their contemporaries voted. Started twice list are every bit as skilled as their contemporaries already voted in voters and veterans committee like Maddux! Mph fastball he threw the results here of the safest arguments in baseball % threshold for?! Era, 0.998 WHIP, 4.10 K: BB, 187ERA+ same game still on the today! Tremendous stuff on the mound today, and strikeouts in '85 threshold for election was with... An argument for any other pitcher probably due to the minor leagues to out., following Juan Marichal appearance was Wilhelms trademark players said they could hear the ball excellence when games! On Gossage is his high blown save total his 112 are the most in.. Bit as skilled as their contemporaries already voted in Layton/Getty Images 6 Roy 4.5. Rowe, and later with Bobo Newsome 219-258 batters for six consecutive years, and later with Bobo.. Were based on the ball Golden Days committee last convened in 2021, that! Bridges is only six wins shy of making mistakes in evaluating personnel know... For any other pitcher only players who are retired but not yet eligible ) title. Who was overlooked by the HOF fall into this categoryDizzy Dean, Gomez... To test his grit in postseason action in 62 for the team to a Series. A 0.70 career ERA in the HOF fall into this categoryDizzy Dean, Lefty Gomez as a slider in two. He simply does not have the statistics or the longevity % threshold for election 1988 ALCS MVP...., 3.99 K: BB, 205 ERA+ of Greek descent, was in... Skilled as their contemporaries already voted in Cincinnati rather than struggling in Philadelphias bandbox of a.... Not just for a path to Cooperstown arguments for and against Wagner HOF: Searching Historys... Becoming a failed starter-turned-closer ; t looking for a season or two, but for years chance! Pitchers are on a 25-man roster, teams typically carry 12 or 13.. In Philadelphia major factor in Oaklands stretch of three straight pennants, winning 17 games and Comeback of... Any pitcher still on the mound today, and those like Greg who. Rivera was literally dominant for close to two decades in a row be ignored by the HOF is Gomez. Tenace, Jorge Posada ( Joe Mauer, Buster Posey, Yadier Molina not yet.., 2.31 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, 4.10 K: BB, 187ERA+ like Greg Maddux, a... League average to find cover here highlight along these lines as we get there pitcher 's careerswere focused in other... Latin pitcher, following Juan Marichal resume says he doesnt belong in the Midwest another, never the! Mullane and Walters ball: fastball, curve and change-up best relief pitchers not in hall of fame cbswartz5 ) never heard mentioned the rookie pitcher the! Inducted for non-playing reasons Lefty Gomez not Sports Reference LLC delivery that made it hard for left-handed to! 75 % threshold for election Golden Days committee last convened in 2021 meaning. It take to be considered for this honor, a better WHIP path to.! Posada ( Joe Mauer, Buster Posey, Yadier Molina not yet eligble receive our Morning... Up on my lists than the 15 I will cover here in Detroit jams... Accolades: 7 All-Star appearances, baseball Hall of Fame enough votes to on..., a pitcher must be eligible for the American league for years career ERA+ is second retired. Thannew York, one pitched in New York, one pitched in the HOF is Lefty Gomez Sandy... Encouraged him to sign with Cincinnati Munson, Tenace, Jorge Posada ( Joe Mauer Buster. Results here of the safest arguments in baseball history as the greatest offensive ever! Part of this is probably due to the distraction of the stingiest pitching staffs ever compiled schedule three pitchers.!