25. Robb Nen, RHP
Career Stats: 643 G (4 GS), 314 SV, 715 IP, 2.98 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 8.72 BB%, 26.58 K%
In 1987, the Texas Rangers took a lanky righty from a California high school in the 32nd round. He chose not to go to college and to sign with the Rangers. He was a solid starter, but an arm injury led to a move to the bullpen, and after he was traded to the then-Florida Marlins during their inaugural season, Robb Nen became a dominant reliever.
Nen took over as the closer for the Marlins mid-way through the 1994 season, and he saved 35 games in the 1997 season as the Marlins surprised all of baseball and stormed to their first championship. He saved 4 games that postseason, the first of 11 postseason saves of Nen’s career with a stellar 2.25 ERA over 20 postseason innings.
The Marlins tore down that 1997 team nearly as soon as the last fan had cleared the stadium in game 7, and Nen was no exception. He was traded to the Giants for a trio of prospects.
In San Francisco, Nen would develop his dominant reputation, saving 40 games 4 times in 5 seasons with the Giants and finishing with an ERA under 2 twice. Nen was selected to 3 All-Star games as a Giant. Interestingly, in his best season, the only season he got Cy Young and MVP votes, Nen did not make the All-Star game.
Nen was dominant in 2002 as the Giants worked through the playoffs all the way to the World Series. He pitched so much along the way for the Giants that he ended up aggravating a torn rotator cuff that he had been pitching with for some time, extending the tear through up to 75% of the muscle. He would never pitch again, though he did try for two seasons to rehab and return to the game.
Nen’s short spurt of dominance and retirement at 32 meant that when he came up for the Hall of Fame, he simply didn’t have the numbers to push the needle, garnering less than 1% of the vote in 2008. However, his presence on the mound could not be denied.
Next: 24. The Terminator