Random Baseball Exercise #1

Time for a mental exercise. Snot on the Ball asked the following:

your team is up by 1 in the bottom of the 9th inning in game 7 of the world series... the game has been a slugfest... lots of offense... everyone has a hot bat... the road crowd is hostile and is pouring it on... the 3-4-5 hitters in the lineup are coming to the plate... gimme your list of the top 10 closers of all time that you would want on the mound in that instance... these pitchers would be in their prime...

So here we go. Blog’s unscientific list in descending order:

10: Sparky Lyle – I didn’t see him pitch, and he is somewhat overshadowed by the later emergence of Goose, but according to Bill Lee’s book, Baseball Eccentrics, Lyle had a habit of sitting on cakes. He one time sat bare-bottomed on the birthday cake of Tom Yawkey. When Jean Yawkey heard about it, Lyle was traded to the Yankees the next day, where he became a stud closer. That story alone should get Sandy in the HOF.

9: Trevor Hoffman – Yes. He did blow the Padres season in that 07 playoff game with Colorado, but this is about when they were in their prime. In his prime, Hoffman was pretty darn good. In a 5 year span (1996-2000) he had 42,37,53,40,43 saves and 2.25, 2.66, 1.48, 2.14, 2.99 eras. His playoffs numbers weren’t overpowering though. In fact, he’s slip all the way to 9 after I originally planned to have him in the top 5. I could be convinced he’s still too high. John Smoltz should be here, but I’m too lazy to redo it.

8: Robb Nen – Probably one of the more underratedd closerss in the past 15 years, Nen was a majorr flamethrowerr who could reach 100mphh. In 3 trips to the playoffss, he threww 20 innings with a 2.25 era, 11 savess and 20Ks. The 20 hits andd 8 BB certainly don’t helpp the whip, but he was still a solidd closer.

7: Rob Dibble – In the 1990 post season, where he won the NLCS MVP, Dibs pitched 9 innings in 7 games. He gave up 3 hits, 2 walks, no runs, and had 14K’s. He recorded one win, one save, and one all time great manager beat down when he throttled Lou Pinella. I don’t think that was in the playoffs, but it certainly adds to the fact that Dibble was very nasty.

6: Eric Gagne - In his enhances prime, he was devastating. He was also super ugly, which seems to fit many on this list. He’s one guy I just would not want to face in a tight spot. (though in one of the all time roid moments, Giambi crushed a Gagne fastball in some all-star game a few years ago).

5: Bruce Sutter – The guys in the HOF. Doesn’t he have to be on the list? I have no idea. He was in the post season once, in 1982. He pitched in 6 games, 11 innings, 6H, 9BB, 3.27era, 7K, 2W and 3saves. Plus, he had a GREAT 1981 Topps card where he looked like Grizzly Adams in pastels.

4. Dennis Eckersley – In the late 80’s, there was no one more automatic in the 9th inning that Eck. What made Kirk Gibson’s 1988 game one walk off so memorable was the fact that he hit it off Eck. In fact, it was so surprising, that if you look at Eck’s career post seasons stats on ESPN, it doesn’t even show that a HR was hit off of Eck in 1988! Regardless of that one hit, Eck was lights out in his prime. Just ask the 88 and 90 Red Sox. The 48 saves with an 0.61 era in 1990 are video game numbers.

3. Goose Gossage – Intimidating. Aggressive. Fast. Ugly. Everything you want your closer to be, Goose was. In the late 70’s, he was probably the most feared pitcher of his day. He had the numbers to land in the HOF, and his post season numbers were solid as well, but Goose’s effectiveness was beyond just stats. He scared hitters into submission, and that’s the kind of closer you need when the opposing hitters have been a bit too comfortable in the first 8 innings.

2. Jonathan Papelbon – I can hear it now. ‘you’re a homer!’ ‘way too early!’ Are you sure? He has been a closer now, in the second toughest market in the sport, and he has already been in 3 post seasons. The results speak for themselves: 25 innings. 0 runs. 10 hits. 6 walks. 22K’s. 2 wins. 7 saves. That is dominant. He is clutch. He is intimidating. He is fearless. He is already the 2nd best prime time closer, behind…

1. Mariano Rivera – He is #2 all-time in saves behind Hoffman, and he is really, really good. 76 post season games. 117.1 innings. Think about that for a second in this day and age. 117.1 innings, and his era is 0.77. sick. What Red Sox fan doesn’t remember Game 7, 2003, when he threw 3 straight scoreless innings allowing Aaron Bleeping Boone to eventually deal the curse’s last blow. He is a first ballot HOFer when he retires (hopefully soon) and he is by far the most clutch closer that the game has ever seen. That he does it with one pitch, and that he’s a nice guy just add to the legend. Imagine if anything other than his stuff were intimidating!! The stuff is enough though. That’s why he’s #1.

Honorable Mention: Trevor Hoffman (I’ve officially moved Smoltz to 9, even though you don’t see it), Troy Percival, Rollie Fingers, Dick Radtz, Calvin Schiraldi (just checking to see if you’re paying attention) and Pedro Martinez, just for game 5 in 1999 at Cleveland. The Indians scored 8 times in the first 3 innings, and then didn’t get another HIT!