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MLB: Another look back at the top ten relievers

By Bill Felber

New York Yankees Mariano Rivera throws out the first pitch to New York Mets John Franco prior to the start of Tuesday's interleague game on May 28, 2013.2013cc
New York Yankees Mariano Rivera throws out the first pitch to New York Mets John Franco prior to the start of Tuesday's interleague game on May 28, 2013.2013cc /
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Jonathan Papelbon during his heydays in Boston. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
Jonathan Papelbon during his heydays in Boston. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) /

Five-year peak performance

This criterion is simply the reliever’s five-season average ERA+. Because they can perform exceptionally compared with contemporaries who work more innings, the best MLB relievers can have stratospheric ERA+ scores.

Here are the 10 best peak averages among the 30 candidates.

Rank      Pitcher                  Seasons                Average                              

1              Papelbon             2005-09                279.6

2              Eckersley             1988-92                266.0

3              Nathan                 2004-08                257.8

4              Rivera                   2005-09                256.0

5              Kimbrel                 2011-15                252.0

6              Gossage               1977-81                243.8

7              Jansen                  2010-14                239.4

8              Chapman             2012-16                225.6

9              Wagner                2005-09                223.0

10           Wetteland           1993-97                208.0

The peak rating list does not line up at all with either Kenny’s or Costas’ overall rankings. Four of the names on it – Papelbon, Nathan, Jansen, and Wetteland – did not make either expert’s overall top 10. Rivera, “No. 1 by acclamation,” ranks only fifth. Sutter, Hoffman, and Fingers, who made both experts’ top 10, ranked only 14th, 15th, and 22nd respectively among the 30 for five-season average ERA+.

Papelbon is the obvious oversight in this category. Between 2005 and 2009, he saved 151 Red Sox games plus seven more in the post-season, three of those coming in Boston’s 2007 World Series sweep of the Colorado Rockies. He ran up a 517 ERA+ in 2006 (4-2, 0.92 ERA, 35 saves in 59 appearances).

The apparent failure to even consider Papelbon is striking given his 2.44 career ERA, his 368 saves, and 725 innings pitched; a decent workload for his era.

Among those viewed as relief elites, Fingers comes up smallest in this category. During his five-season peak, 1978-82, only averaged a 162.60 ERA+. That’s All-Star level, but unexceptional in this company. Fingers’ relatively modest rating in this category may be due to his heavier workload. He topped 100 innings annually between 1969 and 1978, an achievement that may help him elsewhere but moderates the exceptionality of his work by the standards of these 30 pitchers.

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