Welcome to our community

Be apart of something great, join today!

Which long time closers are future HOF members?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

011873

New member
Jul 30, 2009
2,058
0
Which current and former long time closers are future Hall of Famers?

I say long time because Papelbon and K Rod still have a ways to go. Im also not including Mariano on this list for obvious reasons.

If Im leaving anyone out, please add him in. From the guys I can think of who would qualify as top flight closers, heres some names in no order:

Trevor Hoffman
Billy Wagner
Lee Smith
John Franco
Jeff Reardon
Troy Percival
Dan Quisneberry
 

wolfmanalfredo

Active member
Aug 7, 2008
8,606
5
Minnesota
It'd be a shame if Hoffman didn't make it. Other then him, maybe percival and Reardon, but doubt it. Wagner is a maybe but probably not as well.
 

subject to change

New member
Aug 7, 2008
1,417
0
Pittsburgh, PA
I think Smith and Hoffman both deserve to go in, but that's it.

I think this offseason will be very interesting in determining how the role is viewed going forward. The number of closers that have essentially been thrown into the role with fair success, including a few on contenders, in recent years, coupled with the high number of former and current closers currently on the market could show a change in the way managers and GM's are looking at the role. I never did understand teams like the Reds that would pay a hefty portion of their payroll to one player, when they have many other holes that could be filled with that money. Having a solid closer for the 9th doesn't do much good if you don't have the lead to begin with.
 

bodiaz

New member
Jan 19, 2009
2,675
0
Only Rivera and Hoffman to me. I feel they should be the only 2 closers in period. DH and closer should be REALLY special to make it.
 

i43770

New member
Aug 7, 2008
1,965
0
Portland, OR
NYCrulesU said:
Funny how many left Mo Rivera off their small lists. I say Hoffman, Smith and Rivera.

Did you read the original post? I assume most people's short list didn't include Rivera because he wasn't on the list of closers to choose from.

011873 said:
Im also not including Mariano on this list for obvious reasons.
 

NYCrulesU

New member
Jul 15, 2009
2,173
0
As salamu alaykum
i43770 said:
NYCrulesU said:
Funny how many left Mo Rivera off their small lists. I say Hoffman, Smith and Rivera.

Did you read the original post? I assume most people's short list didn't include Rivera because he wasn't on the list of closers to choose from.

011873 said:
Im also not including Mariano on this list for obvious reasons.


Did you?

011873 said:
If Im leaving anyone out, please add him in.
 

NYCrulesU

New member
Jul 15, 2009
2,173
0
As salamu alaykum
sportscardtheory said:
Does anyone know which relievers are in the Hall? Mariano Rivera is a shoe-in. The ones I know off-hand:

Dennis Eckersley (reliever/starter)
Bruce Sutter
Rich "Goose" Gossage


Gossage should have never be elected in. IMO. As much as many feel Rivera is a shoe-in (count me among them), then Hoffman should be equally counted as a shoe-in.
 

sportscardtheory

Active member
Aug 16, 2008
8,461
2
Buffalo, New York
NYCrulesU said:
sportscardtheory said:
Does anyone know which relievers are in the Hall? Mariano Rivera is a shoe-in. The ones I know off-hand:

Dennis Eckersley (reliever/starter)
Bruce Sutter
Rich "Goose" Gossage


Gossage should have never be elected in. IMO. As much as many feel Rivera is a shoe-in (count me among them), then Hoffman should be equally counted as a shoe-in.

I wouldn't say Hoffman is as deserving as Rivera. Rivera is simply the most dominant relief pitcher in the history of the game and has 5 World Series rings and 7 World Series appearances to prove it. Plus every single closer record besides saves in a season and all-time saves (which are really meaningless).
 

cowboysrule48

Active member
Aug 7, 2008
3,869
0
Orlando, FL
Percival was really good, but I don't think he was good for long enough to get in. He deserves consideration, but I don't think he should be in the Hall. The way he has bounced around lately makes people forget just how good he was with the Angels.
 

NYCrulesU

New member
Jul 15, 2009
2,173
0
As salamu alaykum
sportscardtheory said:
NYCrulesU said:
sportscardtheory said:
Does anyone know which relievers are in the Hall? Mariano Rivera is a shoe-in. The ones I know off-hand:

Dennis Eckersley (reliever/starter)
Bruce Sutter
Rich "Goose" Gossage


Gossage should have never be elected in. IMO. As much as many feel Rivera is a shoe-in (count me among them), then Hoffman should be equally counted as a shoe-in.

I wouldn't say Hoffman is as deserving as Rivera. Rivera is simply the most dominant relief pitcher in the history of the game and has 5 World Series rings and 7 World Series appearances to prove it. Plus every single closer record besides saves in a season and all-time saves (which are really meaningless).


While I do agree Rivera is among the most dominant (if not THE most), I count WS and any Post Season records seperately. Not taking away from their importance. When looking at a closer I count the one glaring stat, saves. Season saves. Hoffman leads that category and therefore should be acknowledged just as much as Rivera. Not his fault he has played on teams that were not dominant enough to gain him 5 rings.

Just like when looking at a hitter. I count HR's, not pot season HR's. Hits, not post season hits. Rivera and Hoffman are viewed the same to me. Saves, not post season saves. Of course, when talking about post season accolades ( a whole other discussion), Rivera is THE man.
 

sportscardtheory

Active member
Aug 16, 2008
8,461
2
Buffalo, New York
NYCrulesU said:
sportscardtheory said:
NYCrulesU said:
sportscardtheory said:
Does anyone know which relievers are in the Hall? Mariano Rivera is a shoe-in. The ones I know off-hand:

Dennis Eckersley (reliever/starter)
Bruce Sutter
Rich "Goose" Gossage


Gossage should have never be elected in. IMO. As much as many feel Rivera is a shoe-in (count me among them), then Hoffman should be equally counted as a shoe-in.

I wouldn't say Hoffman is as deserving as Rivera. Rivera is simply the most dominant relief pitcher in the history of the game and has 5 World Series rings and 7 World Series appearances to prove it. Plus every single closer record besides saves in a season and all-time saves (which are really meaningless).


While I do agree Rivera is among the most dominant (if not THE most), I count WS and any Post Season records seperately. Not taking away from their importance. When looking at a closer I count the one glaring stat, saves. Season saves. Hoffman leads that category and therefore should be acknowledged just as much as Rivera. Not his fault he has played on teams that were not dominant enough to gain him 5 rings.

Just like when looking at a hitter. I count HR's, not pot season HR's. Hits, not post season hits. Rivera and Hoffman are viewed the same to me. Saves, not post season saves. Of course, when talking about post season accolades ( a whole other discussion), Rivera is THE man.

Players play to get into the playoffs and to win the WS, so in my mind, playoff stats are FAR more important than regular season garbage time stats. Rivera very well may be the best post season PITCHER of all time. Hoffman is a Hall of Famer, but he's no Mariano Rivera. I only take into account what a player does/did, not what I think they "could have" done on a different team.
 

NYCrulesU

New member
Jul 15, 2009
2,173
0
As salamu alaykum
sportscardtheory said:
NYCrulesU said:
sportscardtheory said:
NYCrulesU said:
sportscardtheory said:
Does anyone know which relievers are in the Hall? Mariano Rivera is a shoe-in. The ones I know off-hand:

Dennis Eckersley (reliever/starter)
Bruce Sutter
Rich "Goose" Gossage


Gossage should have never be elected in. IMO. As much as many feel Rivera is a shoe-in (count me among them), then Hoffman should be equally counted as a shoe-in.

I wouldn't say Hoffman is as deserving as Rivera. Rivera is simply the most dominant relief pitcher in the history of the game and has 5 World Series rings and 7 World Series appearances to prove it. Plus every single closer record besides saves in a season and all-time saves (which are really meaningless).


While I do agree Rivera is among the most dominant (if not THE most), I count WS and any Post Season records seperately. Not taking away from their importance. When looking at a closer I count the one glaring stat, saves. Season saves. Hoffman leads that category and therefore should be acknowledged just as much as Rivera. Not his fault he has played on teams that were not dominant enough to gain him 5 rings.

Just like when looking at a hitter. I count HR's, not pot season HR's. Hits, not post season hits. Rivera and Hoffman are viewed the same to me. Saves, not post season saves. Of course, when talking about post season accolades ( a whole other discussion), Rivera is THE man.

Players play to get into the playoffs and to win the WS, so in my mind, playoff stats are FAR more important than regular season garbage time stats. Rivera very well may be the best post season PITCHER of all time. Hoffman is a Hall of Famer, but he's no Mariano Rivera. I only take into account what a player does/did, not what I think they "could have" done on a different team.

That's all I was saying, Hoffman deserves to be in the Hall as much as Rivera. Never said he was a better closer than Rivera. He is/was one helluva closer though.
 

sportscardtheory

Active member
Aug 16, 2008
8,461
2
Buffalo, New York
NYCrulesU said:
That's all I was saying, Hoffman deserves to be in the Hall as much as Rivera. Never said he was a better closer than Rivera. He is/was one helluva closer though.

Agreed. And if Hoffman retires any time soon, his saves record may be in jeopardy. Rivera said following the WS that he wants to pitch for many more years. Scary thought.
 

011873

New member
Jul 30, 2009
2,058
0
I forgot to add Nathan.

The reason I didnt list Mo is because they have already started the sculpture of his plack.
 

Members online

Latest posts

Top