Best Current Relief Pitcher (Non-Closer)

[edsachs1]

I went to the O's-Angels game yesterday. During batting practive Scot Shields was talking with alot of fans and was really friendly. Anyway it kinda got me thinking of who the best curret relief pitcher was in the bigs. Personally I always thought it was Scot Shields (thats how it got me thinking). But then again I never really thought about it. He just happens to be a popular name that I associate with relief pitchers. So who does everyone here think is the best relief pitcher in baseball that is not a closer?

[plask_stirlac]

It might be Francisco Liriano. I don't think anyone wants to face that buzzsaw. 8.1 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 13 K, 0.00 ERA, .72 WHIP.

But since 32 career IP is a small sample, it's probably Duchsherer or Shields

[Yankee Legend]

This can help you:

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=38920

[digglahhh]

Though Shields is probably the best choice here.

Duscherer and Linebrink deserve to be mentioned.

[edsachs1]

Sorry, I haven't posted here for a while. Cool polls though, wish I voted in them. Also it surprises me Jorge Julio got votes in the poll. He has shown flashes of brillance, but always made me nervous when he got into close games. He gave up quite a few homeruns.

[TheKingofKings]

I would of certainly said it was Tom Gordon but since he's a CL now , i would say it is Shields .

[Go Bravos!!!#1]

Gotta go with Scot Shields. Every year same ol same ol greatness. :lookitup

[geezer]

I always liked Jeff Nelson on his prime, right now not even Mota is good at this point of the early season.

[Mattingly]

I'm curious, what do you folks use to factor into your choices? Strikeouts? The several games they've saved? What they've done with inherited runners?

[TheKingofKings]

I'm curious, what do you folks use to factor into your choices? Strikeouts? The several games they've saved? What they've done with inherited runners?

Basically Ks , HLDS , K/9 , BB/9 , even Saves .

[geezer]

I find relievers overrated, sorry, what happened to the days when pitchers went the whole distance, I miss those days.

[Go Bravos!!!#1]

I find relievers overrated, sorry, what happened to the days when pitchers went the whole distance, I miss those days.

Who doesn't. However we are in a different stage of the game, where every team carries 6-8 relievers. So they are a valid part of the game.

And being a Braves fan, in which are bullpen was the best ever in 2002, and it's been awful since then, I definently do not take relievers for granted. Once you blow a few 4 run leads around the 8th inning, you begin to appreciate good relievers more and more.

[geezer]

Who doesn't. However we are in a different stage of the game, where every team carries 6-8 relievers. So they are a valid part of the game.

And being a Braves fan, in which are bullpen was the best ever in 2002, and it's been awful since then, I definently do not take relievers for granted. Once you blow a few 4 run leads around the 8th inning, you begin to appreciate good relievers more and more.


But I am the person that thinks that the bullpen should be used for "emergency" situations, sadly, every situation is an emergency, it ticks me off.

[KCGHOST]

You may want to take a look at Brendan Donnelly as he has a better ERA, BR/9, SO/9, and K/BB than Shields does. Shields does average more IP's per year even after you strip out his IP's for starting games.

[digglahhh]

But Shields was given the "higher degree of difficulty" situations...

[Erik Bedard]

Top 5:

1. Shields
2. Donnelly
3. Linebrink
4. Duchsherer
5. Hamulack (anyone who drills Barroid is cool in my book)

[KCGHOST]

But Shields was given the "higher degree of difficulty" situations...


I trust you are joking.

[digglahhh]

Over the past two seasons, Shields as leap-frogged Donnelly as the most trusted arm out of the pen that is not K-Rod.

Middle relievers are very inconsistent from year to year anyway, by the nature of the position (the guys not good enough to start or close). So this discussion is not only subjective but also unstable.

[Astro]

Hitters got better... Teams got smart, why have your starter throw the 7th, 8th and 9th when your up 5 runs? All its going to do is raise his risk of injury and cut many years off of his career

[geezer]

Pitching has never been the same since the 1960s, since then offense was dramatically changed and pitching quality had been down ever since.