Pre-Closer Relief Pitchers Left Out Of The Hall Of Fame
There are eight relief pitchers enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame, most from the “closer” era, to the exclusion of those of yesteryear. Voters are clearly more impressed with the statistics of the closer. However, there was a time when baseball teams didn’t have closers. Instead, the top reliever was known as an “ace” or a “fireman.” His manager didn’t bring him in every time there was a save opportunity, but rather when he believed the game hung in the balance. The job description was thus: Be ready from the sixth inning on, even if tied or losing. Enter with runners on base and “put out the fire” i.e., pitch out of jams. Pitch multiple innings.
Relievers who pitched when the save wasn’t important shouldn’t be judged by save stats. Players should be judged by comparing them to their peers during the eras in which they played. There have been many relievers deserving of consideration but overlooked, but let’s just look at a selected few from the pre-closer era. Note their ratios of innings pitched to games.
Pre-Closer Relief Pitchers Left Out of the Hall of Fame
The Baron of the Bullpen
Roy Face, 95, known as “ElRoy” to Pirates fans, still makes occasional public appearances on behalf of his former team. Ask him about today’s closers and their one-inning saves. Then, stand back as he practically spits out, “I had to pitch three innings to get mine!”
The right-handed forkball specialist generally was the Pirates’ first option from the bullpen when the game was on the line. In 1959, he was an astounding 18-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 57 games out of the pen when he was the beneficiary of several Pirates comebacks. As a Pirate, he led the National League in appearances twice and saves three times. Face also saved three games in the 1960 World Series before blowing the save in Game 7. The Pirates came back and defeated the New York Yankees in that Series. His omission from the Hall of Fame is likely due to having been used differently than today’s relief pitchers.
The Doctor of Kinesiology
Mike Marshall, Tigers (1967), Seattle Pilots (1969), Expos (1970-73), Los Angeles Dodgers (1974-76), Atlanta Braves (1976-77), Texas Rangers (1977), Minnesota Twins (1978-80), New York Mets (1981); Career record 97-112, 188 saves, 3.14 ERA, 724 games (24 starts), 1,386-2/3 IP
Mike Marshall was a right-handed master of the screwball. The Expos began to use him strictly in relief in 1971. He flourished in 1972 when he led the NL in appearances with 65 and was 14-8 with a 1.78 ERA. In 1973, he led the NL with 92 appearances, then a major league record, and 31 saves. However, he was also difficult with managers, coaches, and front-office personnel. Finally, the Expos had enough and traded him to the Dodgers for the 1974 season.