WHY I THINK TOM HENKE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK TOM HENKE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Out of all the star relievers who came up in the 1980’s, none was more feared than Henke. A 6’5’’ fireballer, Henke was one of the first to make the splitter into a power pitch. Henke used the splitter and his fastball to post a 2.67 career ERA (lower than those of Hall of Fame relievers Trevor Hoffman, Goose Gossage, Rollie Fingers, and Bruce Sutter) and 311 saves (more than Gossage, Sutter, and Hoyt Wilhelm). Tom Henke started his career with the Rangers in 1982, but didn’t reach rookie status until 1985, his age 27 season. As a Blue Jay, he spun 13 saves and a 2.03 ERA. Henke brought the heat in 1986, fanning 118 batters and getting 128 the following year. In 1987, the year when the ball was souped up, Henke led the AL in saves (34) and games finished (62). Now baseball’s best closer, Henke continued his dominant run with the Blue Jays, earning a World Series ring in 1992, but was granted free agency immediately afterwards (in fact, the same day as the deciding Game 6). The Rangers, who got rid of him early on, signed him and reconfigured their bullpen. Henke rewarded them with a great season in 1993 (40 saves) but had an off year in 1994. The Rangers again pulled the plug on him too early, and the second time was more excruciating than the first. For in 1995, as a member of the Cardinals, Henke put up probably the best final season ever by a reliever, posting 36 saves and a career best 1.82 ERA. Then he was granted free agency again. If Henke hadn’t gotten off to such a late start, and if he’d improved upon his best overall season, there’s no telling what he could have done. As it is, Henke probably should have been inducted into the Hall of Fame already. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 642 season high: 72 in 1987 

Starts career: 0 

Complete Games career: 0 

Shutouts career: 0 

Games Finished career: 548 season high: 62 in 1987 led AL: 62 in 1987 

Wins career: 41 season high: 9 in 1986 

Losses career: 42 season high: 6 in 1987 and 1994 

Winning Percentage career: .494 season high: 1.000 in 1982 and 1983 

ERA career: 2.67 season low: 1.15 in 1982 

WHIP career: 1.092 season low: 0.874 in 1991 

Innings Pitched career: 789 ⅔ season high: 94 in 1987 

Strikeouts career: 861 season high: 128 in 1987 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 9.8 season high: 12.3 in 1987 

Walks career: 255 (29 intentional) season high: 32 in 1986 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 3.38 season high: 5.25 in 1985 

Saves career: 311 season high: 40 in 1993 led AL: 34 in 1987 

Fielding Percentage career: .982 season high: 1.000 in 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995 

Double Plays career: 4 season high: 1 in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1995 

Putouts career: 43 season high: 9 in 1987 

Assists career: 67 season high: 12 in 1987 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-finished 13th in the AL MVP Award voting in 1987 and 20th in 1985 

-finished 22nd in the NL MVP Award voting in 1995 

-finished seventh in the AL Rookie of the Year Award voting in 1985 

-won Rolaids Relief in 1995 

-had a career ERA of 0.00 in two all-star games (1987 and 1995), one in each league 

-pitched 2 ⅔ scoreless innings on his MLB debut (look up each first, last game for each player, or exclude them all)

-saved his last career game 

-went 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA and five saves in postseason play 

-ranks 25th in career saves and 30th in games finished