2017-56
The 100 Greatest Relievers of all time, presented with no commentary:
|
Names
|
Years
|
Best
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
First
|
Last
|
Year
|
Points
|
1
|
Mariano
|
Rivera
|
1996
|
2013
|
2005
|
1801
|
2
|
Rollie
|
Fingers
|
1968
|
1985
|
1981
|
1111
|
3
|
Trevor
|
Hoffman
|
1993
|
2010
|
1998
|
1057
|
4
|
Goose
|
Gossage
|
1972
|
1994
|
1977
|
1039
|
5
|
Billy
|
Wagner
|
1995
|
2010
|
2010
|
1027
|
6
|
Joe
|
Nathan
|
2002
|
2016
|
2006
|
1000
|
7
|
Hoyt
|
Wilhelm
|
1952
|
1972
|
1964
|
981
|
8
|
Francisco
|
Rodriguez
|
2002
|
2017
|
2008
|
850
|
9
|
Lee
|
Smith
|
1980
|
1997
|
1991
|
805
|
10
|
Jonathan
|
Papelbon
|
2005
|
2016
|
2006
|
804
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11
|
Dennis
|
Eckersley
|
1987
|
1998
|
1992
|
802
|
12
|
John
|
Franco
|
1984
|
2005
|
1988
|
784
|
13
|
Sparky
|
Lyle
|
1967
|
1982
|
1972
|
776
|
14
|
Craig
|
Kimbrel
|
2010
|
2017
|
2013
|
769
|
15
|
Robb
|
Nen
|
1993
|
2002
|
2000
|
745
|
16
|
Dan
|
Quisenberry
|
1979
|
1990
|
1983
|
727
|
17
|
Bruce
|
Sutter
|
1976
|
1988
|
1979
|
694
|
18
|
Mike
|
Marshall
|
1967
|
1981
|
1974
|
684
|
19
|
Doug
|
Jones
|
1982
|
2000
|
1997
|
675
|
20
|
Kent
|
Tekulve
|
1974
|
1989
|
1978
|
658
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21
|
Tom
|
Henke
|
1982
|
1995
|
1989
|
652
|
22
|
John
|
Wetteland
|
1989
|
2000
|
1993
|
650
|
23
|
Lindy
|
McDaniel
|
1956
|
1975
|
1960
|
617
|
24
|
Kenley
|
Jansen
|
2010
|
2017
|
2017
|
595
|
25
|
Roy
|
Face
|
1953
|
1969
|
1959
|
581
|
26
|
Tug
|
McGraw
|
1965
|
1984
|
1972
|
570
|
27
|
Clay
|
Carroll
|
1964
|
1978
|
1972
|
561
|
28
|
Armando
|
Benitez
|
1994
|
2008
|
2004
|
544
|
29
|
Francisco
|
Cordero
|
1999
|
2012
|
2004
|
540
|
30
|
John
|
Hiller
|
1965
|
1980
|
1973
|
538
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31
|
Ron
|
Perranoski
|
1961
|
1973
|
1963
|
538
|
32
|
Jeff
|
Reardon
|
1979
|
1994
|
1982
|
536
|
33
|
Roberto
|
Hernandez
|
1991
|
2007
|
1996
|
531
|
34
|
Stu
|
Miller
|
1954
|
1968
|
1965
|
530
|
35
|
Randy
|
Myers
|
1985
|
1998
|
1997
|
526
|
36
|
Huston
|
Street
|
2005
|
2017
|
2014
|
520
|
37
|
Aroldis
|
Chapman
|
2010
|
2017
|
2012
|
508
|
38
|
Keith
|
Foulke
|
1997
|
2008
|
2003
|
504
|
39
|
Eric
|
Gagne
|
2002
|
2008
|
2003
|
503
|
40
|
Jeff
|
Montgomery
|
1987
|
1999
|
1993
|
484
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
41
|
Todd
|
Worrell
|
1985
|
1997
|
1986
|
484
|
42
|
Willie
|
Hernandez
|
1977
|
1989
|
1984
|
464
|
43
|
Jose
|
Mesa
|
1994
|
2007
|
1995
|
463
|
44
|
Dick
|
Radatz
|
1962
|
1969
|
1964
|
455
|
45
|
Rick
|
Aguilera
|
1988
|
2000
|
1991
|
454
|
46
|
Rod
|
Beck
|
1991
|
2004
|
1993
|
445
|
47
|
Gene
|
Garber
|
1970
|
1988
|
1978
|
439
|
48
|
Mark
|
Melancon
|
2009
|
2017
|
2015
|
437
|
49
|
Gregg
|
Olson
|
1988
|
2001
|
1989
|
435
|
50
|
Jason
|
Isringhausen
|
1999
|
2012
|
2007
|
429
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
51
|
Dave
|
Righetti
|
1984
|
1994
|
1986
|
424
|
52
|
Ted
|
Abernathy
|
1955
|
1972
|
1967
|
423
|
53
|
Jesse
|
Orosco
|
1979
|
2003
|
1983
|
419
|
54
|
Mike
|
Henneman
|
1987
|
1996
|
1988
|
417
|
55
|
Steve
|
Bedrosian
|
1981
|
1995
|
1987
|
415
|
56
|
Bill
|
Campbell
|
1973
|
1987
|
1976
|
412
|
57
|
J.J.
|
Putz
|
2003
|
2014
|
2007
|
408
|
58
|
Troy
|
Percival
|
1995
|
2009
|
2002
|
404
|
59
|
Gary
|
Lavelle
|
1974
|
1987
|
1977
|
401
|
60
|
Zach
|
Britton
|
2014
|
2017
|
2016
|
398
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
61
|
Dave
|
Giusti
|
1962
|
1977
|
1973
|
395
|
62
|
Jose
|
Valverde
|
2003
|
2014
|
2011
|
393
|
63
|
Eddie
|
Fisher
|
1959
|
1972
|
1965
|
391
|
64
|
Brad
|
Lidge
|
2002
|
2012
|
2008
|
387
|
65
|
Firpo
|
Marberry
|
1923
|
1936
|
1926
|
386
|
66
|
Rafael
|
Soriano
|
2003
|
2015
|
2010
|
385
|
67
|
Joakim
|
Soria
|
2007
|
2017
|
2008
|
384
|
68
|
Jeff
|
Brantley
|
1988
|
2001
|
1996
|
384
|
69
|
Aurelio
|
Lopez
|
1974
|
1987
|
1979
|
373
|
70
|
Don
|
McMahon
|
1957
|
1974
|
1970
|
372
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
71
|
Greg
|
Holland
|
2010
|
2017
|
2014
|
370
|
72
|
Jeff
|
Shaw
|
1991
|
2001
|
1997
|
370
|
73
|
Jim
|
Brewer
|
1961
|
1976
|
1971
|
369
|
74
|
Heath
|
Bell
|
2004
|
2014
|
2010
|
359
|
75
|
Phil
|
Regan
|
1960
|
1972
|
1966
|
354
|
76
|
Pedro
|
Borbon
|
1969
|
1980
|
1973
|
342
|
77
|
Ellis
|
Kinder
|
1946
|
1957
|
1953
|
341
|
78
|
Jay
|
Howell
|
1980
|
1994
|
1985
|
339
|
79
|
Bob
|
Wickman
|
1994
|
2007
|
2001
|
339
|
80
|
Tim
|
Burke
|
1985
|
1992
|
1987
|
337
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
81
|
Dave
|
Smith
|
1980
|
1992
|
1985
|
335
|
82
|
Bob
|
Stanley
|
1977
|
1989
|
1978
|
334
|
83
|
Fernando
|
Rodney
|
2002
|
2017
|
2012
|
324
|
84
|
Ugueth
|
Urbina
|
1997
|
2005
|
1998
|
324
|
85
|
Bob
|
Locker
|
1965
|
1975
|
1967
|
321
|
86
|
Duane
|
Ward
|
1986
|
1995
|
1993
|
321
|
87
|
Mark
|
Davis
|
1985
|
1997
|
1989
|
316
|
88
|
Tom
|
Gordon
|
1988
|
2009
|
1998
|
316
|
89
|
Bryan
|
Harvey
|
1987
|
1995
|
1991
|
314
|
90
|
Todd
|
Jones
|
1993
|
2008
|
2005
|
312
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
91
|
Wade
|
Davis
|
2012
|
2017
|
2015
|
308
|
92
|
Frank
|
Linzy
|
1963
|
1974
|
1965
|
307
|
93
|
Jeff
|
Russell
|
1986
|
1996
|
1989
|
305
|
94
|
David
|
Robertson
|
2008
|
2017
|
2017
|
303
|
95
|
Clem
|
Labine
|
1950
|
1962
|
1955
|
301
|
96
|
Greg
|
Minton
|
1976
|
1990
|
1982
|
300
|
97
|
Steve
|
Farr
|
1985
|
1994
|
1990
|
300
|
98
|
Johnny
|
Murphy
|
1932
|
1947
|
1941
|
298
|
99
|
Al
|
McBean
|
1961
|
1970
|
1964
|
297
|
100
|
Danny
|
Graves
|
1996
|
2006
|
2000
|
295
|
OK, minimal commentary.
1) It’s a purely numbers-based ranking, with no subjective adjustments after the fact (although, of course, subjective judgment is always used, by all analysts, in determining what goes into the numbers.
2) There are five "rules" for awarding points, four of which are derived in one manner or another from Season Scores; it’s really a system of looking at the Season Scores this way, and then looking at them that way, and then a third way, and then a fourth way.
3) The only points that aren’t awarded in that way are bonuses for winning the Cy Young Award and the MVP. Without the Cy Young/MVP points, Rollie Fingers would rank fifth, behind Hoffman, Gossage and Wagner.
4) I don’t intend to explain the points, because that’s a four-page explanation and I’m interested in the rankings, not the method; the points are really just displayed here to show how absurdly far ahead of everyone else Mariano is.
5) I started the system with one idea of how I would rank players, but that didn’t really work, so I added a second element and adjusted the points and re-ranked them, added a third element, etc., etc.; it went through about 15 iterations before I was ready to go with it. The only consistent thing was that Mariano was always absurdly far ahead of everybody else, no matter how I did the rankings. And none of this even considers post-season play.
6) There are no actual ties; there are un-displayed decimals which would make it all but impossible to have a tie.
7) The guy who always gets screwed in these discussions is Joe Nathan; it was actually just in the last iteration of the system that he dropped to sixth. Until then he was third or fourth. People talk about Billy Wagner as a Hall of Fame candidate and K-Rod and Lee Smith and Franco and Quisenberry; Sutter and Wilhelm are actually in the Hall of Fame. But Nathan had a LOT more impressive seasons than K-Rod did or most of those other pitchers, really more high-impact seasons as a reliever than almost anyone other than Rivera, but somehow he always gets left out of those discussions.
8) Active relievers (2017) who are on the list: Francisco Rodriguez (8th), Craig Kimbrel (14th), Kenley Jansen (24th), Huston Street (36th), Aroldis Chapman (37th), Mark Melancon (48th), Zach Britton (60th), Joakim Soria (67th), Greg Holland (71st), Fernando Rodney (83rd), Wade Davis (91st), and David Robertson (94th).
9) Number of pitchers on this list active by decade: 1920s, 1; 1930s, 2; 1940s, 2; 1950s, 9; 1960s, 23; 1970s, 32; 1980s, 43; 1990s, 46; 2000s, 39; this decade, 24. Highest number is 46, in the 1990s.
10) Number of pitchers per decade by their best seasons: 1920s, 1; 1930s, none; 1940s, 1; 1950s, 3; 1960s, 11; 1970s, 17; 1980s, 18; 1990s, 18; 2000s, 17; this decade, 14.
11) Pitchers who usually get overlooked in this discussion: Joe Nathan, Doug Jones, Clay Carroll, Francisco Cordero, John Hiller, Jeff Montgomery, Gregg Olson, Mike Henneman, Gary Lavelle, Don McMahon, Bob Wickman, Todd Jones, Frank Linzy, Greg Minton, Al McBean, Danny Graves. Pitchers who maybe get overrated in this discussion: K-Rod, Sutter, Tekulve, Roy Face, Eric Gagne, Mark Davis, Bryan Harvey, Jim Konstanty (101), Al Hrabosky (103), Joe Page (108), Rob Dibble (148).