Mariano Rivera Approaching 2nd Best Reliever of All Time

[barking_iguana]

Actually, if he's pitched significantly higher leverage innings than Gossage, he may already be #2.

Here are all, or perhaps nearly all, the pitchers who were/are primarily relievers, who've gotten at least 27 PWAR (Pitchers' Wins Above replacement):

Rank	Reliever	PWAR
1	Hoyt Wilhelm	70
2	Goose Gossage	43
3	Mariano Rivera	42
4	Kent Tekulve	38
5	Rollie Fingers	35
6	John Franco	35
7	Lindy McDaniel	34
8	Lee Smith	34
9	Sparky Lyle	34
10	John Hiller	33
11	Dan Quisenberry	33
12	Stu Miller	32
13	Billy Wagner	31
14	Trevor Hoffman	31
15	Jesse Orosco	30
16	Gene Garber	30
17	Tug McGraw	29
18	Bruce Sutter	29
19	Doug Jones	29
20	Clay Carroll	29
21	Mike Marhsall	28
22	Mike Jackson	28
23	Don McMahon	27
24	Tom Henke	27

I guess counting post-season, Rivera's got to be second. If any baseball fan reading this hasn't run into my explanation of PWAR yet and doesn't want to search for it, I'll post it as a response to a comment.

Comments

[freeko.livejournal.com]

I think Mariano at the very least is a first ballot hall of famer. Not just for the stats or the posts-season. He also had his share of disappointment. Even the greats sometimes fall short but to have 11 seasons of being a top closer? that is amazing.

How about the Mets. The team, the time, the collapse.

[barking-iguana.livejournal.com]

I've got tickets for Sunday's game. Ir was supposed to be a take-it-easy game, getting ready for the playoffs. They they're going, thy might be eliminated before it starts. Or it could be the clinching.

[freeko.livejournal.com]

Well for the Yankees to clinch after hearing from my family who are all Mets fans and a couple of obnoxious Mets fans at work who were telling me that the Yankees were washed up? for the Yankees to clinch is sweet. And think about it? it was the those who came up through the system Rivera, Posada and Jeter who are the foundation. The last 3 years Cano, Cabrera and Wang (Pretty Much the Yankees best pitcher the last 3 years). As well as this year with Chamberlin, Kennedy and Hughes. As well as Phillips and Duncan. Pettite was a product but came back as a free agent. As well as smart roster moves like Abreu, Minkewticz, Betmit and Molina. Never mind A-ROD. But all and all, it still wont be a success unless we win it all.

[bugsybanana.livejournal.com]

Speaking of tickets, call me tomorrow night (I won't be at GC tonight, probably, if you intend to be there).

I was getting so annoyed at the post-season ticket ads on SNY the other day. I've stopped watching. They're worse than the '64 Phillies if they don't stop losing right now.

[barking-iguana.livejournal.com]

> call me tomorrow night

Then please send your phone number to my email address.