The Debate for Relief

In honor of Rich "Goose" Gossage being inducted into the baseball Hall Of Fame today, I decided to start looking at relievers and their place in history.

Gossage played for 9 teams over his 22 year career racking up 310 saves, 1502 strike outs with an ERA of 3.01. Gossage was the flame thrower with the huge mustache, that put fear into all those that stepped into the batters box.

But now we take a look at todays closers the likes of Hoffman, Rodriguez, Wagner and last but surely not least Rivera.

The man that strides to the rubber to the sounds of Hell's Bell's, Trevor Hoffman is currently the all time saves leader and most likely a lock for the Hall Of Fame once his time is up. Hoffman over 16 years has 544 saves and counting over 1000 strike outs and an ERA of 2.79. Hoffman who is 39 probably has a couple years left in him and just might break the 600 save plateau.

Billy Wagner has had his share of up's and down's but has established himself as a dominant closer. And although he doesn't throw 100 mph like he use to he can still dial it up to 95 and get his share of strike outs. Wagner currently plays for the Mets but did most of his damage with the Astros and 2 years with the Phillies. 342 saves, a 2.78 ERA and 1062 strike outs over 14 years give Wagner a chance at the Hall if he continues to put up decent numbers for about 5 more years.

The young stud known to the baseball world as K-Rod is having one of the greatest years a reliever can have. He is on pace to break the all time saves in a single season record currently held by Bobby Thigpen who recorded 57 saves in 1990. The closest someone has come to that number was Eric Gagne in 2003 when he saved 55 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers. On Sunday July 27th K-Rod has 43 saves, just 4 off his career high and we have about 2 and a half months left of baseball. At this pace Rodriguez could have 60-70 saves by the time the playoffs role around for the Angels. Francisco Rodriguez has already recorded 4 consecutive years of 40+ saves and has the game that could one day land him in Cooperstown.

The greatest closer of all time has played his career in one place and under the bright lights in the Bronx. Mariano Rivera has done it all, from 50+ save years multiple times to getting key strikeouts and saves in the post season when the team needed him most. Arguably the most important piece of the Yankees dynasty that lasted from 1996-2000, Rivera has been labeled "Mr. Automatic" and all this with just 1 pitch. The most devastating 2 seam fastball you will never see coming and the winning desire unlike any other. In 14 years Rivera has notched 469 saves, 914 strike outs and an ERA of 2.30. In the post season Rivera has 93 strikeouts, an ERA of 0.77 and an incredible 34 saves. The final numbers for Rivera are projected to be really earn him the title of best of all time. In due time barring injury Rivera should surpass the all time saves record that will ultimately be set by Trevor Hoffman once he is done.

So to this we say congrats Goose, and hopefully in the next decade or so we see more relievers get into the hall. Just because your a closer doesn't mean you were less of a player and dont deserve to be mentioned wit the best of all time. Get Lee Smith who is 2nd on the all time saves list into Cooperstown.