Ten Best Relief Pitchers Not In Cooperstown (Active Players Included)

Honorable mentions: Mike Marshall, Dan Quisenberry, Troy Percival, David Robertson 

10. Robb Nen (1993-2002)

In only ten MLB seasons, Robb Nen compiled 314 saves, making him one of 31 pitchers to reach 300 in a career. A three-time all-star, Nen had a career ERA of 2.98 and topped the NL with 45 saves in 2001. 

9. John Wetteland (1989-2000)

Perhaps best known as the predecessor to Mariano Rivera, John Wetteland was a top closer in his own right, collecting 330 saves with a 2.93 ERA from 1989 through 2000. He earned 150 saves for the Rangers and 105 for the Montreal Expos, making him one of a handful of pitchers to save 100 games for multiple teams. 

8. Joe Nathan (1999-2016)

Although not a full-time closer until age 29, Joe Nathan collected 377 career saves, ranking 11th on the all-time list. Originally a starter, his ERA sits at 2.87 for his career, but was 2.50 as a relief pitcher, better than every reliever in the Hall of Fame except Mariano Rivera and Hoyt Wilhelm. Nathan made six all-star teams and twice finished in the top 5 in the Cy Young Award voting. 

7. John Franco (1984-2005)

One of only eight men to save 400 or more games, Franco compiled 424 of them over 21 seasons (the most of any lefthander) and also tallied 90 wins. A three-time leader in saves, he pitched in the Majors until age 44, appearing in a total of 1,119 games. 

6. Francisco Rodriguez (2002-2017)

A September call-up turned instant phenom, Rodriguez struck out 13 of 21 batters in the 2002 regular season and won five games in the playoffs, helping the Angels capture their only World Series Championship. Stuck behind all-star closer Troy Percival, "K-Rod" finally became the stopper in 2005 and led the league in saves three of the next four years, setting the current single-season record with 62 in 2008. Rodriguez finished up in 2017 with six all-star selections, 437 saves, and 1,142 strikeouts. 

5. Jonathan Papelbon (2005-2016)

A six-time all-star, Papelbon had a career ERA of 2.44, lower than any Hall of Fame reliever except Rivera, despite pitching much of his career in Fenway Park. The owner of 368 saves, the highlight of Papelbon's career was the 2007 World Series, when he posted a 0.00 ERA and saved three games, including the clincher. 

4. Tom Henke (1982-1995)

A 6'5" fireballer known as The Terminator, Tom Henke was the most feared reliever of his day, blowing hitters away with his fastball or folding them with his forkball. He had a 2.67 career ERA and 311 saves, topping the AL with 34 in 1987. In 1995, he enjoyed the best season of his career, pitching to a 1.82 ERA and saving 36 games before retiring to spend time with his family. 

3. Craig Kimbrel (2010-present)

A nine-time all-star and 2011 Rookie of the Year, Kimbrel topped the NL in saves every year from 2011 through 2014, and has 440 in his career. Although no longer a dominant closer, he was nearly untouchable in his prime, sporting a 1.91 ERA and 41.6% strikeout rate between 2010 and 2018. 

2. Aroldis Chapman (2010-present)

Much could be said about the amazing career of Aroldis Chapman, from throwing the fastest pitch in MLB history as a rookie, to his incredible performance in the 2016 stretch run with the Cubs, to reestablishing himself as an elite closer in his age-37 and -38 seasons. The all-time leader in strikeouts by a relief pitcher, Chapman could take over the #1 spot on this list if he continues his superb pitching. 

1. Kenley Jansen (2010-present)

Jansen's 489 saves lead active pitchers and are the third most of all time behind Rivera and Trevor Hoffman. The owner of a 2.61 ERA and over 1,300 strikeouts, Jansen is well within reach of 1,000 appearances and 500 saves, making him a slam-dunk Hall of Fame candidate. 

Lucky Hall Of Famer Number 52 - Bruce Sutter

As I wrote in May of 2022, I am not sure if any closers belong in Cooperstown. A closer's role is extremely limited, making it hard to ascertain his true value to his club. What's worse, saves, more or less the defining statistic of closers these days, are pretty arbitrary and don't mean much on their own, making closers even trickier to evaluate. Up until now, I've been pretty lax about criticizing the closers already in the Hall of Fame, but I think it's time to pick on the bottom of the barrel among enshrined closers - Bruce Sutter. 

    Bruce Sutter made his MLB debut with the Cubs in 1976, pitching to a 2.70 ERA in 52 appearances. The next year, he lowered it to 1.34 (with 31 saves) en route to seventh place finish in the MVP Award voting. Sutter continued to shine for the next several years, with the pinnacle of his career coming with the Cardinals in 1982, when he finished off the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers (an AL team back then). Sutter had a hiccup in 1983 (4.23 ERA), but was back to form in 1984, posting a 1.54 ERA and a setting a new MLB record with 45 saves. This season earned him a six year, $4.8 million contract with the Braves, plus another $4.8 million into a deferred payment account at 13% interest, making him the highest paid player in the game. However, Sutter's career started to crumble from there, as he stumbled to a 4.48 ERA in his first season in Atlanta. Injuries cost him most of 1986 and all of 1987, and when he returned in 1988, he was ineffective. Another injury triggered his release on November 15, 1989. 

    When evaluating Sutter's career, I don't see a lot to love. He pitched twelve seasons in the Majors, and was below average in four of them. Injuries greatly affected his career, and things started coming off the rails right after signing his lucrative deal, making him more of a liability to his club than an asset. At his core, Sutter was an effective pitcher, but in a very limited sample size (1,042 career innings), which makes me doubt his true value. If the Hall wants to induct a closer with so few innings, I'd expect him to have far better rate stats than Sutter's 2.83 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 20.3% K rate. 

My opinion: Bruce Sutter is not a Hall of Famer. 

Mike Marshall

    Mike Marshall was one of the most valuable relievers in history. He was effective as a short reliever or a long reliever, depending on the need. Nicknamed Iron Mike, he was always ready to come out of the pen, pitching 90 or more games in three separate seasons. 

    Michael Grant Marshall started his Big League career with the Tigers in 1967, pitching to a 1.98 ERA in 37 appearances. He spent all of 1968 and much of 1969 in the minors trying to become a starter, and made 14 starts for the Seattle Pilots in 1969. Marshall became a full time stopper in 1971, leading the NL with 52 games finished for the Montreal Expos. He had his breakthrough season in 1972, posting a 1.78 ERA in 65 games (116 innings). Proving he was no fluke, Marshall led the Majors with 92 appearances in 1973 and won the Cy Young Award in 1974, turning in 15 wins, 21 saves, and a 2.42 ERA in a Major League record 106 games. He also set the MLB record for relief innings in a season with 208 1/3, a record that will likely never be broken. All those innings seemed to take a toll on his arm, as he was less effective for the next couple seasons, but was back to form in 1978, converting 21 saves and putting up a 2.45 ERA. Marshall was even better in 1979, appearing in 90 games at age 36 and leading his league in saves for the third time in his career. He pitched part of the next two seasons before he hung up his spikes. 

    Mike Marshall is seldom remembered today (and never comes up in Hall of Fame debates) for one simple reason; he pitched before everyone cared about save totals. He collected 188 of them in his 16 year career (the fourth most of all time when he retired), but once you get a few Mariano Riveras and Trevor Hoffmans who triple that number, Marshall looks rather small. However, unlike most closers in the Hall of Fame, Marshall was not just a three out pitcher; he pitched 208 innings one year and 179 in another. He routinely pitched two or three scoreless innings at a time, which holds much more value than nailing down a three run game by recording three outs, where there is very little risk of blowing the lead. The sportswriters of his day recognized his value, voting him to a Cy Young Award in 1974, a second place finish in 1973, fourth in 1972, fifth in 1979, and seventh in 1978. Modern fans should also recognize the impact Mike Marshall had on his teams and on the history books. 

Relief Wins Are Pointless

    The DH complicates baseball a lot. And I mean A LOT. Instead of nine players starting each game, there are now ten, and two of them split duties. Originally, each player had two jobs: offense and defense. The pitcher had the most important job on the defensive side, and in order to specialize in pitching, most of them sacrificed their offense. This led to better pitching and better strategy, such as when to pull your pitcher and when to use a pinch hitter. Once they introduced the DH, the job of a pitcher became much different. No longer did the pitcher get to face his opponent on the mound. No longer did he have any say as to what happened on the offensive side. No longer did he have to do anything but pitch. With the introduction of the DH, pitchers ceased to be complete players. 

    I would argue that position players are more valuable to a baseball team than pitchers for one simple reason: Position players have control over how many runs their team scores, and can limit the other team's scoring. Pitchers used to be able to help their own cause, and some used to be above average hitters. Even when the pitcher is a weak hitter, he used to be able to help by playing small ball, like bunting and hit and run. Nowadays he only contributes on one side of the ball, while the fielders get to contribute on both. And DH's are certainly the least valuable players of all. Although pitchers are also one dimensional, they at least face the entire opposing lineup, while the DH makes up only 1/9 of the offense. 

    I play in a couple fantasy baseball leagues. One player has Colin Poche on his team, and refuses to let him go. Poche's pitching pretty well right now, but not amazing (2.19 ERA, 4.47 FIP). The main reason why he's so proud of Poche is because he has seven wins, more than many starters. Now he's only ten years old and I don't want to make him feel bad, but I've tried to explain to him that relief wins are completely random. I never used wins as a be-all, end-all statistic for pitchers anyway because wins are dependent on the offense as well as the defense. You could put up as many zeros as you want but if your offense doesn't score, you could never get a win. Back when pitchers used to hit, you could make a bit of an argument that pitchers' wins mattered. Although he was only 1/9 of the lineup, THE PITCHER HAD SOME SORT OF SAY ON WHAT THE OFFENSE PUT TOGETHER. If a reliever came into a losing game, put up three zeros and drove in a run, and came out the winning pitcher, I'd say that it was a well deserved relief win. Even now, you can make an argument for starters' wins because they can keep their team in the game for a long time by limiting the opposing offense for several innings. If you're a guy like Poche, who never goes more than one inning in a game and never bats, then who cares if you happened to be the pitcher of record when the offense decided to mount a comeback? It's not like you helped mount that comeback. That said, I do not care a lick for modern relief wins, and they should have no bearing on Hall of Fame debates. 

Pat Venditte

Pat Venditte is unique in MLB history as the only pitcher who specialized in throwing with both arms. Think about it. Most pitchers devote years of hard work to build up one arm, forget two. Venditte had two Major League quality pitching arms. 

One of four children, Patrick Michael Venditte Jr. was born on June 30, 1985 in Omaha, Nebraska. Originally a righthander, he threw with both arms in little league and was sometimes mistaken as identical twins. Funny, they never saw both twins at the same time… At any rate, his father encouraged his pitching style and it helped him to much success, as he could gain the platoon advantage against essentially every batter he faced. Although he pitched in little league and high school, he played college baseball mostly as a catcher. However, he returned to the mound as a pro and slowly made his way to the Majors. 

Venditte played eight seasons in the minors, plus three seasons in winter ball, before he made the Majors. He made his MLB debut for the A’s on June 5, 2015, shortly before his 30th birthday, and threw two scoreless innings against the Red Sox. 

During his first season in the minors (2008), Venditte and switch hitter Ralph Henriquez engaged in a very interesting test of wills. Since neither player wanted to give up the platoon advantage, they repeatedly switched sides, which caused a seven minute delay. When the umpires finally had things sorted out, Venditte pitched righthanded to Henriquez, batting righthanded, and struck him out. This exchange prompted a change in the rules, which is effective in the Majors as well. Rule 8.01 reads, 

A pitcher must indicate visually to the umpire-in-chief, the batter and any runners the hand with which he intends to pitch, which may be done by wearing his glove on the other hand while touching the pitcher's rubber. The pitcher is not permitted to pitch with the other hand until the batter is retired, the batter becomes a runner, the inning ends, the batter is substituted for by a pinch-hitter or the pitcher incurs an injury. In the event a pitcher switches pitching hands during an at-bat because he has suffered an injury, the pitcher may not, for the remainder of the game, pitch with the hand from which he has switched. The pitcher shall not be given the opportunity to throw any preparatory pitches after switching pitching hands. Any change of pitching hands must be indicated clearly to the umpire-in-chief. 

Venditte bounced around in the Majors, pitching for six teams in his five seasons. While he had a mediocre 4.73 ERA, Venditte allowed only 7.7 hits per nine innings for his career. After he was left off the Marlins’ postseason roster in 2020 (having pitched only 4 ⅓ innings during the season), he decided to call it quits. 

Although he wasn’t around for very long and didn’t have a very successful Big League career, Venditte is certainly worth remembering. In this day and age a good switch pitcher doesn’t come around every day. It was a joy to watch him pitch. 

Venditte’s six fingered glove

Update On Active Players (And a Word On Middle Relievers)

    The 2022 MLB season has come to a close, and I thought now is as good a time as any to give an update on future Hall of Fame candidates. This list will look slightly different than my previous lists because some players have come into the discussion (like J.T. Realmuto) while others have dropped out (like Andrelton Simmons). 

POSITION PLAYERS 

Even though he got a late start in baseball (he was 27 years old when he won AL Rookie of the Year honors in 2014), Jose Abreu's having himself one heck of a career. At 35 he had another stellar season in 2022, batting .304. However, his counting statistics (e.g., 1,445 hits after nine seasons) are pretty low. If he can put together a few more all-star seasons, then I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a plaque someday. 

Manny Machado had a career year in 2022, batting .298 with 32 homers and reaching the century mark in both runs scored and RBI's. Despite "only" two Gold Gloves (he's had to contend with Nolan Arenado for much of his career), Machado's defense is truly elite. He's putting together a Hall of Fame career, no doubt about it. However, he is not a popular player, and tends to throw temper tantrums on the field every once in a while. A lot of sportswriters don't like him, and I have a sneaking feeling that they may leave him outside. We'll see. 

35 year old Michael Brantley missed much of 2022 with injuries (.288 mark in 243 at bats). I'd say he's got a small chance to make it, as he is a very talented hitter and could well reach 2,000 hits. NOTE: I'd previously left Brantley completely out of the conversation since his Astros were caught sign stealing. However, there may be reasons to believe that Brantley was never in on the scheme; for one, he joined the club in midseason 2019 (the last season they went unnoticed) and his hitting didn't suffer in 2020 like many of his teammates' did. 

J.T. Realmuto has become the best catcher in the Majors by a rather large margin. He's been utterly consistent both at bat and behind the plate since he debuted in 2014, but often outshined by guys like Buster Posey and Yadier Molina. Now that they're gone (and on their way to Cooperstown), J.T. can bask in stardom a bit more now. He had a signature season in 2022 (.276 / 22 / 84, career high 21 stolen bases), and could have been the MVP. I think he'll probably make it. 

Jose Ramirez has been one of the best hitters in baseball since 2016. His counting stats need some work, but given his combination of contact hitting, on base skills, and power, I think he can put together a Hall of Fame career. 

Giancarlo Stanton is kind of a one tool player - he's only a power hitter. He's not a high average hitter (lifetime .264 mark), he doesn't run, and he's lousy in the field. However, Stanton has 378 homers in only 5,237 at bats (7.22 HR%). He turned 33 back on November 8, and his contract doesn't expire until 2029. If he can average 25 homers per season until the end of his contract, then he'll have over 500, which would be enough for induction. Here's betting that he gets it. 

Salvador Perez had another productive season in 2022 (.254 / 23 / 76 in 445 at bats). Despite a general lack of counting statistics and on base skills, he's only 32 and has time to add to his career totals. As it is today, he's got a lot of hardware in his trophy room (5x Gold Glove, 4x Silver Slugger, 7x all-star, 2015 World Series ring) and the single season home run record for a catcher (48 in 2021). I think he'll make it. 

Despite struggling with injuries this season, Bryce Harper was a huge part of the Phillies' team this year, especially during the postseason. He's barely 30 years old and is one of the best hitters in baseball. I'd predict to see him in Cooperstown one day. 

I don't want to say that Andrew McCutchen has no shot for the Hall of Fame, but he's losing time to put together a worthy resume. At 36 his production was down in 2022 (.237 batting average and 17 homers), and I don't know if he has any all-star seasons left. If he doesn't, then I'd suspect that he'll be on the outside looking in. 

37 year old third baseman Evan Longoria hit 14 homers in 266 at bats this season, proving that his bat still has some pop. He's been struggling with injuries lately, but he's one of the best defensive third basemen in MLB history and a convincing power hitter (331 homers and 1,131 RBI's). I'd vote for him if he retired today. 

NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt is establishing himself as one of the best hitters so far in the 21st century. Assuming he makes it to 2,000 hits (he has 1,750), he should make it with little trouble. 

After a couple off years in 2020-2021, some people thought that Francisco Lindor might be losing it. In case anyone ever doubted his ability, he drove in 107 runs for the Mets this year. He still has some work to do, but I'd expect him to come through and put up a Hall worthy resume. 

At 34, Elvis Andrus had somewhat of a renaissance season in 2022 (.249 / 17 / 58, 18 stolen bases). He scored his 1,000th run this season and is three hits away from 2,000. As one of my all time favorite players, I hope he can turn it around, and considering his fine defense, I think there's at least some hope of him turning in a Hall of Fame career. We'll see. 

A couple seasons ago I would have said that first baseman Anthony Rizzo was still in his prime and had time for his counting statistics to come around, being one of the best hitters in baseball. He still has his old power stroke (32 home runs in 465 at bats in 2022), but his batting average slipped to .224. At 33 I'd say he won't get his average back up, and at 33 a .265 career hitter with 283 homers and 1,476 hits doesn't have much hope. However, if he converts into a closer, then maybe he'll have a chance. 

Freddie Freeman, one of the top hitters in the game, is starting to shape into a Hall of Famer. His counting stats are coming around without hurting his rate statistics. He's almost sure to make it. 

Mookie Betts has the most complicated case of anyone on this list. If you take his numbers at face value, then most people would probably say that he's not there yet, but he's got a good chance to get there in future. HOWEVER, his Red Sox were caught stealing signs after winning the World Series in 2018, making their title illegitimate. I personally wouldn't vote for him, but I suspect that the BBWAA probably will. 

When I first started coverage of active players, I would have said of Anthony Rendon what I say of so many other players on this list - that he still has work to do, but is probably on his way to a Hall of Fame career. Now that he's wasted another season to injuries (.229 / 5 / 24 in 166 at bats), I don't know what to think of his case. Rendon is 32 years old, and has a ways to go with all of his counting statistics, but his current contract with the Angels is good for another five seasons. If he can start hitting like he did in 2019, then he'll have a chance to right the ship. If he doesn't, then he'll have no chance at Cooperstown. 

DJ LeMahieu seems to have lost his touch. It's not that he's not a good player - he batted .261 in 2022 with a dozen homers, a .357 OBP, and 74 runs scored while manning three infield positions. At 34 he may be past his peak, and while he is still effective, I don't think he'll be able to compile the necessary counting statistics to make a Hall of Fame career. His lifetime batting average also fell below .300, and stands at .297 going into 2023. He'll have a tough time making it, I think. 

Third baseman Nolan Arenado had another MVP-caliber season in 2022 (.293 / 30 / 103, Platinum Glove award). He's just shy of 300 homers and 1,000 RBI's, and he's got 10 (!) Gold Gloves. He'll make it. 

Joey Votto had a tough season in 2022, hitting .205 in 322 at bats before being shut down with an injury. You never know what to expect from Votto - he always seems to follow up a great season with a not so great season, leading many to think his career is over... and then turns in an all-star performance the next year! Even if this marks the end of his productivity, I think he's done enough for induction by now. He's got 2,093 hits, including 342 homers, and a career OPS of .926. I'd vote for him if he retired today. 

Mike Trout had another signature season in 2022, slashing .283/.369/.630 with 40 homers in only 438 at bats. At 31 he still has many great years ahead of him, but I'd vote for Trout even if he chose to retire today. He's already earned it. 

Miguel Cabrera plans to play out his contract and play in 2023, but in the context of the Hall of Fame it's really unnecessary. He hit his 500th homer late last year and collected his 3,000th hit early this year. He's a four time batting champ and baseball's last Triple Crown winner (2012). Any questions? 

PITCHERS 

Johnny Cueto was one of the surprises of the 2022 season, as he posted a 3.35 ERA in 25 games (24 starts). While this was a good renaissance season, Cueto still has a ways to go if he wants to be considered, and at 36 he may or may not have much left in the tank. With 144 wins, a 3.44 ERA, and 1,812 strikeouts, it's been a very good career, but his Hall of Fame chances are unlikely. 

Gerrit Cole is establishing himself as one of the greatest strikeout pitchers of all time. In 267 career starts (1,650 innings), he already has 1,930 K's, and has shown that he can strike out 300 in a season. However, his other counting statistics aren't so convincing (e.g., only 130 wins at age 32). On top of that, he's seen his share of cheating accusations. I'd say that if he fleshes out his career with more all-star seasons, maybe reaching 200 wins and 2,500 innings, then he'll have a good shot unless more negative evidence surfaces. As of now, he's a very fragile candidate - power pitchers like Cole have been known to blow their arms, and older ones tend to allow a lot of homers. We'll just have to wait and see what happens. 

Chris Sale is a remarkable pitcher - he just seems to suffer injury after injury. He was limited to two starts (5 2/3 innings) this year, and made only nine in 2021. If he can't get back on track and string together a few more career years, then he'll be left out. However, I think that if he stays healthy, then he can right the ship and perhaps make the Hall of Fame. It all depends on his health. 

Jacob deGrom made eleven starts in 2022, going 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings. He just can't seem to stay healthy. If he can pitch effectively until he's 40 (seven more seasons) and add to his anemic win total (82; due in large part to bad Mets teams over the years), then he'll have a shot. As of now, it looks like this awesome pitcher may miss out on the Hall of Fame due to injuries. It's a sad career path, but that's just the way it is. 

Similar to Sale and deGrom stands Stephen Strasburg, who made just one start in 2022 between two devastating injuries. After the Nationals won the 2019 World Series, Strasburg was in a pretty good place. He had a career year on the mound and took home World Series MVP honors. At 31 he could have worked around his low win total. Now, three years later, I'm not so sure. I don't want to say he has no chance, but I'm not sure if he'll even pitch another full season in the Majors. He'll have a tough time making it to Cooperstown. 

Poor MadBum! He was well on his way to Cooperstown going into his Diamondbacks contract. He was remarkable in the regular season, but an all time postseason legend. Not only that, but he was a marvelous hitter, with 19 career home runs (he was among the National League leaders in grand slams in 2014). Since joining the D-backs, he's been just miserable, with an ERA north of 4.50. He's shown some promise of late, as he had a stretch of ten or so very good starts in the middle of last year, and carried a solid season into this year's all-star game. However, I think his best days are behind him, and his Hall of Fame chances are very small indeed. 

Adam Wainwright had another fine season in 2022 (11 wins, 3.71 ERA), and is five wins away from 200 for his career. If you take into account two prime seasons he lost to injuries, as well as three more as a reliever, then he might have won 250. I think he's done enough. 

David Price had a solid season out of the Dodgers' pen this season (2.45 ERA in 40 1/3 innings). At 37 he may or may not come back in 2023, and unless he finds new life as a starter (or becomes a great closer), then he won't make the Hall of Fame. 

38 year old Zack Greinke returned to the Royals this year, and turned in a pretty good 2022 season (3.68 ERA in 26 starts). He never seems to stop. He has 223 wins and an outside shot at 3,000 strikeouts. He'll make it. 

Although he was limited to 23 starts in 2022, Max Scherzer still put together a very productive season (11 wins, 2.29 ERA, 173 strikeouts). He collected his 3,000th strikeout late last season and won his 200th game this year. At 38 he seems to be showing no signs of slowing down, and he could wind up as one of the top ten pitchers of all time if he keeps it up. As for the Hall of Fame, he staked his claim a long time ago. 

39 year old Justin Verlander returned from Tommy John surgery this year and had the best season of his career: 18 wins and a microscopic 1.75 ERA en route to his third Cy Young Award. With a new right elbow, he could conceivably pitch until he's 45, maybe even 50. He'll also have a shot at 300 wins. He'll make the Hall of Fame if he ever stops pitching. 

Clayton Kershaw went 12-3 with a 2.28 ERA in 22 starts for the Dodgers this year, making it 197-87, 2.48 for his career. He's three wins away from becoming the second pitcher in MLB history to win 200 games with fewer than 100 losses (Bob Caruthers), and will likely reach 3,000 strikeouts. He's another lock. 

Aroldis Chapman had another tough year in 2022 (4.46 ERA in 43 appearances). He used to be a great closer, and he's accomplished a few impressive feats, such as the fastest recorded pitch in MLB history (>105 mph). He's got a 2.48 career ERA, 315 saves, and 1,045 strikeouts in 640 innings. He should make it if he has a few more good years in him, but he may be finished. 

Kenley Jansen found a new team in the offseason, but he's been quite effective so far with the Braves (five wins and 41 saves). He's just short of 400 saves and has over 1,100 strikeouts to complement a 2.46 ERA. He should have no trouble making the Hall of Fame. 

Craig Kimbrel may be losing his old magic. At 34 he posted a 3.75 ERA and 22 saves in 63 appearances in 2022. He's still got 391 saves and a 2.31 ERA, but you never know with relievers. He should make it, but I can't say anything for sure. 

Mark Melancon, after a fine season in 2021, had a miserable 2022 (3-10, 4.66 ERA). At 37 he has only 262 career saves and a 2.94 ERA, which are a ways off from the Hall of Fame standards for closers. If he has a couple good years in a row, and reaches 300 saves, then I suppose he could have a chance for induction, but I'm not counting on it. 

TOO EARLY TO TELL 

AL MVP Aaron Judge hit 62 homers this season, setting the single season American League record. At 30, he's got only 748 hits in seven seasons, but 220 of them are home runs, and he's had two seasons with over 50. He has some work to do, but he could certainly put up Hall of Fame numbers by the end of his career. 

Two way star Shohei Ohtani arguably played better than Judge in 2022 (15-9, 2.33 ERA, 219 strikeouts as a pitcher; .273/.356/.519 with 34 homers as a hitter). His 2021 and 2022 feats are unrivaled by any player in MLB history. If he can keep it up for a couple years, then he'll easily make it to the Hall of Fame. 

A WORD ON MIDDLE RELIEVERS 

Ever since the Hall of Fame started inducting relievers, closers have made it in while middle relievers haven't. Why is that? I know exactly why: S-A-V-E-S. Saves, although they are of little real value in themselves, are a flashy statistic (it sounds great to save a game, doesn't it?). A couple of middle relievers active today could be in the Hall of Fame discussion if only they were closers. They are - 

David Robertson. Robertson has had some opportunities to close out some games in his career, with 157 saves (including 20 this season). At 37 he is still a valuable reliever, and for his career he has 57 wins in 731 appearances. If only he were a full time closer, he would have a chance to make the Hall of Fame. 

Darren O'Day. 40 year old O'Day was limited to 28 appearances in 2022 due to injuries, but his career is excellent. In 644 appearances, he has a record of 42-21 (.667), a 2.59 ERA, 1.034 WHIP, and better than a strikeout per inning. He's done well in his few opportunities as a closer, with 21 saves. I know he won't make the Hall of Fame, but he's one of the all time greatest middle relievers, a role just as difficult and important as that of closer. 

RETIREES 

A number of future Hall of Famers have retired in 2022, all as St. Louis Cardinals. 

Albert Pujols is one of the greatest hitters of all time. A three time MVP, Pujols had a great final season in 2022, batting .270 with 24 homers in 307 at bats. His chase for 700 homers was one of the most exciting milestones in a long time. I await his first ballot entry. 

Yadier Molina, still probably the best defensive catcher in baseball, retired with some pretty impressive career accomplishments: nine Gold Gloves, ten all-star selections, two World Series rings, and 2,168 hits. He also collected his 1,000th career RBI this season. He should be another easy pick, maybe not a first ballot selection but a definite lock. 

Jon Lester didn't pitch at all in 2022, but also retired with some impressive numbers, such as 200 wins and almost 2,500 strikeouts. He should make the Hall of Fame. 

WHY I THINK JOE NATHAN SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JOE NATHAN SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Joe Nathan was a rare commodity among closers. While most closers specialize in one amazing pitch (such as Hoyt Wilhelm’s knuckleball or Mariano Rivera’s cutter), Nathan kept hitters off balance with four different pitches. His heater neared 100, and he could make hitters look silly when he dropped an 80 mile an hour curveball when the hitter was looking for a fastball. Joe Nathan started his career with the Giants in 1999, going 7-4 in 19 games. Originally a starter, Nathan did not become a full time closer until he joined the Twins in 2004, his age 29 season. He embraced the role very well, with 44 saves and a 1.62 ERA that year. Nathan soon became a dominant closer, averaging over 40 saves per season over the next five years with an ERA well under 2.00. Nathan missed the entire 2010 season to Tommy John surgery, and struggled to readjust when he returned to the Majors in 2011 (4.84 ERA). The Twins, seeing that Nathan was 36 years old, must have thought he was finished and let him go. Nathan signed with the Rangers and had another signature season in 2012, saving 37 ballgames. He had the best season of his career in 2013, with a 6-2 record, 43 saves, and a 1.39 ERA. He pitched his last full season in 2014, collecting 35 saves but struggling to a 4.81 ERA and 1.534 WHIP. He hurt himself early in the 2015 season, and the rest of his career was essentially an injury filled slog. He returned to San Francisco in 2016, was scoreless in seven appearances, and finished out his Major League career with a one day contract with the Twins in 2017. Joe Nathan compares well with the other relievers in Cooperstown. As a reliever, he had a career ERA of 2.50, lower than any Hall of Famer other than Rivera (2.06) and Wilhelm (2.49). Nathan also had 377 saves (ninth all time), including 376 after his 29th birthday, which ranks fourth (first among non-Hall of Famers). He would be a very good addition to the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 787 season high: 78 in 2003 

Starts career: 29 season high: 15 in 2000 

Complete Games career: 0 

Shutouts career: 0 

Games Finished career: 587 season high: 63 in 2004 led AL: 61 in 2006 

Wins career: 64 season high: 12 in 2003 

Losses career: 34 season high: 5 in 2012 

Winning Percentage career: .653 season high: 1.000 in 2006 and 2016 

ERA career: 2.87 season low: 0.00 in 2002, 2015, and 2016* 

WHIP career: 1.120 season low: 0.273 in 2002** 

Innings Pitched career: 923 ⅓ season high: 93 ⅓ in 2000 

Strikeouts career: 976 season high: 95 in 2006

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 9.5 season high: 27.0 in 2015*** 

Walks career: 344 (31 intentional) season high: 63 in 2000 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 2.84 season high: inf in 2015**** 

Saves career: 377 season high: 47 in 2009 

Fielding Percentage career: .950 season high: 1.000 in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2016 

Double Plays career: 6 season high: 1 in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2012 

Putouts career: 50 season high: 8 in 2000 

Assists career: 82 season high: 11 in 1999 and 2000 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .174 season high: .429 in 2004 

Pickoffs career: 2 season high: 1 in 2000 and 2014 

*For relief pitchers’ rate statistics, I establish no minimum number of innings. However, Nathan’s lowest ERA for a full season was 1.33 in 2008. 

**||; 0.790 in 2006 

***||; 12.5 in 2006 

****||; 6.00 in 2012 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-finished 12th in the AL MVP Award voting in 2004 and 18th in 2006 

-placed fourth in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 2004 and fifth in 2006 

-had a 1.50 ERA in six all-star games, earning the save in 2009 

-won Rolaids Relief in 2009 

-was the MLB Deliveryman of the Month four times in his career 

-won two career AL Player of the Week awards 

-was a member of the 2016 World Series champion Cubs, and earned a win for them on July 24 

-pitched seven scoreless innings on his MLB debut, picking up the win 

-saved Game 1 of the 2004 ALDS 

-led the MLB with his 12 relief wins in 2003 

-set both the Twins’ career (260) and single season (47) records for saves 

-has the highest career save percentage of any pitcher in MLB history with at least 250 saves (.893)

Chart for Relief Pitchers

    In the past 40 years, certain pitchers have specialized as their teams’ closers. Taking heed of this new role and its increasing importance, the Hall of Fame has been inducting them ever since. Now I doubt whether any closers belong in Cooperstown at all, since many of them were failed starters (who pitch more innings and consequently allow more runs as they run out of steam). However, I will give a chart listing all the relievers in the Hall of Fame and some closers who compare favorably to them. Those in bold are Hall of Famers, and I would not object if the rest were someday inducted. The list is in alphabetical order. For active players, statistics are through the end of the 2021 season. 

G GS IP W-L K ERA 

Dennis Eckersley     1,071    361      3,285 ⅔           197-171          2,401    3.50 

Rollie Fingers           944       37        1,701 ⅓           114-118          1,299    2.90

John Franco               1,119    0          1,245 ⅔           90-87              975       2.89

Goose Gossage       1,002    37        1,809 ⅓           124-107          1,502    3.01 

Tom Henke                642       0          789 ⅔              41-42              861       2.67 

Trevor Hoffman       1,035     0         1,089 ⅓            61-75             1,133     2.87   

Kenley Jansen          701        0         705                   37-26             1,022     2.37 

Craig Kimbrel            646        0         628 ⅓               35-29             1,026     2.18 

Joe Nathan               787        29       923 ⅓               64-34             976         2.87 

Robb Nen                 643        4         715                    45-42             793        2.98 

Jonathan Papelbon  689        3         725 ⅔                41-36             808        2.44 

Mariano Rivera       1,115     10       1,283 ⅔             82-60             1,173     2.21 

Frankie Rodriguez   948        0         976                     52-53            1,142     2.86 

Lee Smith                1,023     6        1,289 ⅓              71-92            1,251     3.03 

Huston Street           668        0        680                     42-34             665       2.95 

Bruce Sutter           661        0        1,042                  68-71             861       2.83 

Billy Wagner             853        0        903                     47-40             1,196    2.31 

John Wetteland        618       17       765                     48-45             804       2.93 

Hoyt Wilhelm         1,070     52       2,254 ⅓             143-122         1,610     2.52 

As Reliever 

                               G IP W-L   K ERA GF SV 

Dennis Eckersley     710      807 ⅓   48-41     792   2.85     577      390 

Rollie Fingers           907      1,505 ⅔           107-101          1,183                2.73     709      341 

John Franco              1,119    1,245 ⅔           90-87              975                   2.89     774      424 

Goose Gossage      965       1,556 ⅔           115-85            1,340                 2.77    681      310 

Tom Henke               642       789 ⅔              41-42              861                    2.67    548      311 

Trevor Hoffman      1,035    1,089 ⅓           61-75              1,133                 2.87     856      601 

Kenley Jansen         701       705                  37-26              1,022                 2.37     519      350 

Craig Kimbrel           646       628 ⅓              35-29              1,026                 2.18     520      372 

Joe Nathan              758       761                   52-29              881                    2.50     587      377    

Robb Nen                639       697                   43-41              779                    2.94     549      314 

Jonathan Papelbon  686     709 ⅔                41-36             793                   2.45     585     368 

Mariano Rivera      1,105   1,233 ⅔             79-57             1,135                2.06     952     652

Frankie Rodriguez   948     976                     52-53             1,142                2.86     677     437 

Lee Smith               1,017   1,252 ⅓             71-87             1,225                2.98     802     478 

Huston Street          668      680                    42-34             665                   2.95     525     324 

Bruce Sutter          661      1,042                 68-71             861                   2.83     512     300 

Billy Wagner            853      903                    47-40             1,196                2.31     703     422 

John Wetteland       601      683                    46-36             730                   2.62     523     330 

Hoyt Wilhelm         1,018   1,872 ⅓             124-103         1,363                2.49     651     228

high standard needed for relievers