Tag: saves

Aug 21: First to 300 saves

AUGUST 21, 1982 | SEATTLE, WASHINGTON • Milwaukee Brewers reliever Rollie Fingers made it exciting, but managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and become the first major leaguer to reach 300 career saves on this date in 1982. The term “Closer” still wasn’t widely used at the time. In fact Fingers, like many ace relievers, entered the game in the 8th trying to salvage a shutout being thrown by Brewer starter Doc Medich agains the Seattle Mariners. This was when the Brewers were in the American League.

The only runs given up by Brewer pitching were given up by Fingers, but he managed to keep Seattle from getting any closer, and the Brewers won 3-2. It was Fingers 28th save of the year, a year, by the way, in which Milwaukee ended up in the World Series, losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven.

Mariano Rivera is the career saves leader with 652, all with the New York Yankees. Fingers is 14th on the all-time list with 341 saves.

Contributing Sources:
August 21, 1982 box score/play-by-play
The Closer
Career saves

Sep 15: 1st to 50

SEPTEMBER 15, 1990 | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox became the first pitcher in major league history to record 50 saves in a season on this date in 1990. He went on to set the seasonal record for saves at 57.

Thigpen finished his 8-year career with 201 saves. He kept the saves in a season record until Francisco Rodriguez, K-Rod, of the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim broke it in 2008.

So what is the history of the save?

The save is a relatively new baseball statistic. It was officially adopted in 1969 after a decade of research and lobbying by Chicago sportswriter Jerome Holtzman, a member of the Hall of Fame. It is the premier benchmark to gauge the effectiveness of closers. The save rule, officially Rule 10.19, basically states that to get a save a pitcher must satisfy one of these three conditions:

1. Enter the game with a lead of no more than three runs.
2. Enter the game with the potential tying run either on base, at bat or on deck.
3. Pitch at least three innings

The pitcher cannot surrender the lead at any point to get a save (but he can get the win if his team comes back to win after he relinquished the lead.)

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
September 15, 1990 box score/game notes
Single season Saves leaders


A STORY FROM APRIL 3 IN BASEBALL HISTORY – CUBS UNLOAD ECKERSLEY AT WRONG TIME

TODAY IN BASEBALL TAKES US BACK TO APRIL 3, 1987, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. After two and a half mediocre seasons the Chicago Cubs got veteran right-handed starting pitcher Dennis Eckersley off their hands. He was traded to the Oakland A’s for three minor leaguers. This was just before Eckersley turned his life, and his pitching career, around. The Cubs unloaded  Eckersley at the wrong time.

Up to that point, Eckersley had won 165 games in 12 seasons, mostly with the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians. He was a mediocre 27-26 for the Cubs over 3 years. The Cubs thought Eckersley’s best days were behind him. He lost more games than he won in ’86, and personal demons caught up with him. Eckersley checked himself into an alcoholism treatment center after the season.

"Eck" didn't turn a corner, he made a complete about-face. A sober Dennis Eckersley was just getting started-on a second career as a reliever. He would go on to become one of the most dominant closers in history.

The trade to Oakland hit as hard as a hangover. “I’m in shock,” said Eckersley, but he realized a change of scenery can’t hurt, “It’s always nice to get into a new atmosphere. You get pumped up and you’ve got something to prove to other people.” And prove something he did.

“Eck” didn’t turn a corner, he made a complete about-face. A sober Dennis Eckersley was just getting started on a second career as a reliever. He would go on to become one of the most dominant closers in history.

In his first 12 seasons he started 359 games and saved 3. In his last 12 seasons he saved 387 and started 2.

Top ten Saves leaders in history (as of the start of the 2018 season):

  1. Mariano Rivera 652
  2. Trevor Hoffman 601
  3. Lee Smith 478
  4. Francisco Rodriguez 437
  5. John Franco 424
  6. Billy Wagner 422
  7. Dennis Eckersley 390
  8. Jo Nathan 377
  9. Jonathan Papelbon 368 
  10. Jeff Reardon 367

Impress your friends at your next baseball trivia party; Who went ten years without recording a save but ended up in the Hall of Fame as a closer? He could have entered the HOF as a Cub, but the Cubs traded him at the wrong time.

Contributing Sources:
MLB Saves leaders
Chicago Tribune, April 4, 1987
More on Dennis Eckersley