So Mariano Rivera is 1st..

awz50 · 11-26-2021, 05:36 PM

Who is 2nd and 3rd on the top all time relievers?

gmarutiak · 11-26-2021, 05:37 PM

Eckersley is definitely second in my mind.

Wrathofmarcos · 11-26-2021, 05:41 PM

Would Smoltz be in the hunt?

Edit: Out of curiosity I looked at his career stats and he didn’t relieve as much as I thought he did.

dodgerfanjohn · 11-26-2021, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wrathofmarcos

Would Smoltz be in the hunt?

I don’t think he closed long enough.

I have a hard time getting too much past the older guys who threw a lot of innings…Hoyt Wilhelm, Goose Gossage, Rollie Fingers….I think unless you are remarkable in the regular season and post season over a number of years like Rivera, you can’t lay claim to being better than those older guys who threw a lot of innings. Of the next guys on the list after Rivera and Eckersly I think it’s all three of those old guys and then maybe Hoffman, Lee Smith, Billy Wagner, Bruce Sutter. Not too sure on order though.

If Jansen keeps reinventing himself he has a chance to enter this group, but he has a ways to go and his post seasons haven’t exactly been stellar.

MiamiMarlinsFan · 11-26-2021, 05:50 PM

Trevor Hoffman… ? Chapman? I dunno.

waluwhute · 11-26-2021, 05:50 PM

Trevor Hoffman. He did it with a changeup.

awz50 · 11-26-2021, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waluwhute

Trevor Hoffman. He did it with a changeup.

Billy Wagner, Goose and eck would get my votes before I think

dodgerfanjohn · 11-26-2021, 06:03 PM

Just by baseball reference WAR it’s

Eckersly
Rivera
Wilhelm
Gossage

And then a massive drop before we get to Lee Smith, Hoffman, Wagner, Joe Nathan, Rollie Fingers, Dan Quisenberry, and Bruce Sutter

Burbot · 11-26-2021, 06:03 PM

Rollie Fingers ruled his era and the Goose was pretty decent.....for a Yankee!

Mahomescards777 · 11-26-2021, 06:30 PM

Kenley Jansen and will smith

Stifle · 11-26-2021, 06:40 PM

2. Eck and 3. Hoffman.

Wrathofmarcos · 11-26-2021, 06:40 PM

[QUOTE=Mahomescards777;17813869]Kenley Jansen and will smith[/QUOTE]

Summertime is still one of my all time favorites.

Skipscards · 11-26-2021, 06:49 PM

Rivera and Wilhelm are at the top. #3 is distant. Maybe Goose or Fingers or Quiz.

Skipscards · 11-26-2021, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dodgerfanjohn

Just by baseball reference WAR it’s

Eckersly
Rivera
Wilhelm
Gossage

And then a massive drop before we get to Lee Smith, Hoffman, Wagner, Joe Nathan, Rollie Fingers, Dan Quisenberry, and Bruce Sutter

It’s a little misleading because Eck started a lot.

js0000001 · 11-26-2021, 07:06 PM

John Franco

Randallk34 · 11-26-2021, 07:16 PM

Hoffman is a joke

88horsepower · 11-26-2021, 08:16 PM

Eckersley was super elite for a five year stretch but mostly padded his stats beyond that. His drop off from being the best closer in baseball from 1988-1992 is something a lot of people overlook. He went from being almost unhittable to being very shaky despite the high saves totals. From 1993-1995 his ERA was well over 4.00 and padded his stats. After he left Oakland he was serviceable but hardly elite anymore. Frankly, I think Dan Quisenberry's run from 1980-1985 was even more impressive and quite understated. Quiz was a top-3 Cy Young finisher four consecutive years.

Not sure how Hoffman can be considered a joke, as one member said. 601 Saves and a 2.81 ERA lifetime is remarkable. He was steady and had longevity despite not playing in a big market nor playing for a World Series contender almost every year of his career. That should not be held against him.

AnthonyT · 11-26-2021, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by js0000001

John Franco

This is who comes to mind as one of the best relievers.

coltsnsox07 · 11-26-2021, 08:52 PM

I remember K-Rod had 60 something damn saves in one year!

dodgerfanjohn · 11-26-2021, 09:14 PM

I mean, there’s legit argument that some of the relievers in the top ten don’t belong in the HOF. When you start bringing in sometime all stars, they really don’t make the cut or you are opening the floodgates and letting way too many from the hall of very good in. As it stands I don’t think Sutter and Lee Smith should be in, Fingers and Gossage are likely there because of their World Series wins (from an era when most games still were not broadcast nation wide) and with Franco, his FIP and WHIP are pretty terrible for a career long one and two inning guy

D-Lite · 11-26-2021, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipscards

It’s a little misleading because Eck started a lot.

Yeah, well over 2/3 of Eck's WAR was as a starter. Was he dominant? Absolutely. But if I'm picking best relievers you'd better have more than 5 years that are considered elite.

Honestly, Doug Jones and Robb Nenn have arguments up there with Eckersley comparing years as relievers.

corndog · 11-26-2021, 09:33 PM

Some stats about Hoyt Wilhelm that I have known for years:

Hit a home run in his very first major league at bat and in a 20 year career never hit another.
Began his MLB career at 29 years old and pitched until he was 49.
When he retired he had the lowest career ERA in modern baseball.

Wilhelm is easily top 3.

Koolfeather98T · 11-26-2021, 09:38 PM

Eckersley, followed by Hoffman. Soft spot for the Goose!

RedMike · 11-26-2021, 09:45 PM

Mariano is so far a head of 2nd... I don't know when we will ever see a closer get to his status.

AnthonyCorona · 11-26-2021, 09:47 PM

Many are saying Phil Bickford… at least in Dodgers history

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11-26-2021, 05:36 PM	#1
awz50 Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: New Hampshire>>>Arizona>>>>Florida Posts: 33,374 awz50	So Mariano Rivera is 1st.. Who is 2nd and 3rd on the top all time relievers? __________________ Collecting Baseball Hof Autographs 248/351 Blowouts Official Red Sox face of the franchise Eduardo Rodriguez Super Collector

11-26-2021, 05:50 PM	#6
waluwhute Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Saco, Maine Posts: 1,720 GreekysCards waluwhute	Trevor Hoffman. He did it with a changeup. __________________ MySlabs username=dionysiosarabatzis

11-26-2021, 06:49 PM	#13
Skipscards Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: In Tribute To The Great Ryno Posts: 30,177 jlankf2 jmp4	Rivera and Wilhelm are at the top. #3 is distant. Maybe Goose or Fingers or Quiz. __________________ Go Royals!! #RoyalsIn2015 <---It Happened!! #TEAMZinck Sometimes it is astounding that we are able to persist in a world so full of morons.

11-26-2021, 09:33 PM	#22
corndog BODA Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: From a table in McDonalds, with lovely fake flowers on it. Posts: 18,050	Some stats about Hoyt Wilhelm that I have known for years: Hit a home run in his very first major league at bat and in a 20 year career never hit another. Began his MLB career at 29 years old and pitched until he was 49. When he retired he had the lowest career ERA in modern baseball. Wilhelm is easily top 3. __________________ He has no rival, He has no equal.

11-26-2021, 09:47 PM	#25
AnthonyCorona Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Modesto, CA Posts: 11,468 bwoodcollector	Many are saying Phil Bickford… at least in Dodgers history Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro __________________ Julio better

11-26-2021, 05:37 PM	#2
gmarutiak Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Baltimore, MD (but Pittsburgh in my heart!) Posts: 3,142	Eckersley is definitely second in my mind.

11-26-2021, 05:41 PM	#3
Wrathofmarcos Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Orange County, New York Posts: 545	Would Smoltz be in the hunt? Edit: Out of curiosity I looked at his career stats and he didn’t relieve as much as I thought he did. Last edited by Wrathofmarcos; 11-26-2021 at 05:43 PM.

11-26-2021, 05:50 PM	#5
MiamiMarlinsFan Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Florida Posts: 13,663	Trevor Hoffman… ? Chapman? I dunno.

11-26-2021, 06:03 PM	#8
dodgerfanjohn Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 5,338 sternroolz	Just by baseball reference WAR it’s Eckersly Rivera Wilhelm Gossage And then a massive drop before we get to Lee Smith, Hoffman, Wagner, Joe Nathan, Rollie Fingers, Dan Quisenberry, and Bruce Sutter

11-26-2021, 06:03 PM	#9
Burbot Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 154	Rollie Fingers ruled his era and the Goose was pretty decent.....for a Yankee!

11-26-2021, 06:30 PM	#10
Mahomescards777 Banned Join Date: Oct 2020 Posts: 1,144 Sports_cards_collection	Kenley Jansen and will smith

11-26-2021, 06:40 PM	#11
Stifle Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: I've met great collectors throughout MI and N. Indiana / CHI. Posts: 9,373 Stifle	2. Eck and 3. Hoffman.

11-26-2021, 07:06 PM	#15
js0000001 Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 11205 Posts: 1,524 rcnetopps js0000001	John Franco

11-26-2021, 07:16 PM	#16
Randallk34 Member Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 2,000	Hoffman is a joke

11-26-2021, 08:16 PM	#17
88horsepower Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Somewhere In Time Posts: 23,751	Eckersley was super elite for a five year stretch but mostly padded his stats beyond that. His drop off from being the best closer in baseball from 1988-1992 is something a lot of people overlook. He went from being almost unhittable to being very shaky despite the high saves totals. From 1993-1995 his ERA was well over 4.00 and padded his stats. After he left Oakland he was serviceable but hardly elite anymore. Frankly, I think Dan Quisenberry's run from 1980-1985 was even more impressive and quite understated. Quiz was a top-3 Cy Young finisher four consecutive years. Not sure how Hoffman can be considered a joke, as one member said. 601 Saves and a 2.81 ERA lifetime is remarkable. He was steady and had longevity despite not playing in a big market nor playing for a World Series contender almost every year of his career. That should not be held against him.

11-26-2021, 08:52 PM	#19
coltsnsox07 Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 22,185	I remember K-Rod had 60 something damn saves in one year!

11-26-2021, 09:14 PM	#20
dodgerfanjohn Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 5,338 sternroolz	I mean, there’s legit argument that some of the relievers in the top ten don’t belong in the HOF. When you start bringing in sometime all stars, they really don’t make the cut or you are opening the floodgates and letting way too many from the hall of very good in. As it stands I don’t think Sutter and Lee Smith should be in, Fingers and Gossage are likely there because of their World Series wins (from an era when most games still were not broadcast nation wide) and with Franco, his FIP and WHIP are pretty terrible for a career long one and two inning guy

11-26-2021, 09:38 PM	#23
Koolfeather98T Member Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 23	Eckersley, followed by Hoffman. Soft spot for the Goose!

11-26-2021, 09:45 PM	#24
RedMike Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: I am mostly active on Instagram - Msg me there. Posts: 802 redmikec	Mariano is so far a head of 2nd... I don't know when we will ever see a closer get to his status.