Newsline

Welcome to the Season 17 of the USMLB.

Friday, May 7, 2010

USMLB ALL-DECADE TEAM (RELIEF PITCHERS)


(Seasons 1-10) Grade: A-
Career: 509 G, 0 GS, 584.1 IP, 3.11 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 7.35 H/9, 363 SV and 3.53 K/BB.
Haad is a good control pitcher with an arsenal of pitches that included a Change Up, Curveball, Cut FB, Slider and a 4-Seam FB. His best season was arguably during season 9. He pitched 56 G of relief and 53.2 IP. He recorded a 2.35 ERA and 48 saves. His best back to back seasons were seasons 8 and 9. He pitched 101 G of relief and 95.1 IP, during those two seasons combined and posted a 2.08 ERA and 86 saves. As you can see, Haad has really just pitched in the ninth inning, even though he could be stretched to pitch an extra inning if it’s called upon.


(Seasons 3-10) Grade: A-
Career: 457 G, 0 GS, 543.1 IP, 2.82 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 7.27 H/9, 177 SV and 3.69 K/BB.
Gunderson is a good control pitcher with a couple great pitches that included a 4-Seam FB and a Curveball. His best season was arguably during season 7. He pitched 63 G of relief and 59.1 IP. He recorded a 1.37 ERA and 54 saves. It’s on the short list of the great relief seasons of all time. His best back to back seasons were seasons 9 and 10. He pitched 101 G of relief and 92.1 IP, during those two seasons combined and posted a 2.54 ERA and 84 saves. As you can see, Gunderson had several great seasons as a relief pitcher and he posted extraordinary numbers for being a closer for only four seasons.


(Seasons 1-7) Grade: A+
Career: 338 G, 0 GS, 349.2 IP, 2.35 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 7.32 H/9, 198 SV and 3.63 K/BB.
Bolton was a great relief pitcher during the birth of the league and arguably the best overall relief pitcher during the first half of the league. He threw a couple nasty pitches that included a 4-Seam FB and Slider. His best season was arguably during season 3. He pitched 55 G of relief and 51 IP. He recorded a 1.24 ERA and 42 saves. It’s on the short list of the great relief seasons of all time. His best back to back seasons were seasons 2 and 3. He pitched 106 G of relief and 107.2 IP, during those two seasons combined and posted a 1.76 ERA and 79 saves. During his first five seasons Bolton was a shut down closer, with the only thing slowing him down was season long injury during season 4.


(Seasons 1-6) Grade: A-
Career: 324 G, 0 GS, 332 IP, 2.79 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 7.37 H/9, 138 SV and 3.50 K/BB.
During a three year span there wasn't a better closer in the game then Epstein. He threw a trio of nasty pitches that included a Sinker, Curveball and a Slider. His best season was arguably during season 2. He pitched 49 G of relief and 47 IP. He recorded a 0.57 ERA and 46 saves. It’s is probably the greatest relief season of all time. His best back to back seasons were seasons 2 and 3. He pitched 99 G of relief and 94 IP, during those two seasons combined and posted a 1.05 ERA and 91 saves. As you can see, Epstein lost his mojo during season five and his career was over the following season.


(Seasons 1-10) Grade: B
Career: 529 G, 0 GS, 482.2 IP, 2.87 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 7.71 H/9, 449 SV and 2.60 K/BB.
Jefferson’s career 449 saves is ranked number one for career saves in the USLMB. He has posted nine straight seasons with 40 or more saves. His 4-Seam FB and Split FB are just nasty. His best season was arguably during season 3. He pitched 49 G of relief and 48.2 IP. He recorded a 2.03 ERA and 49 saves. His best back to back seasons were seasons 2 and 3. He pitched 110 G of relief and 101.2 IP, during those two seasons combined and posted a 2.31 ERA and 98 saves. All of these facts in combination are part of the reasons why Jefferson will go down as one of the best relief pitchers in the history of USMLB.


(Seasons 1-10) Grade: C
Career: 587 G, 0 GS, 633.1 IP, 3.23 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 7.69 H/9, 237 SV and 3.07 K/BB.
Rizzo has had a really up and down career from being a closer to a set-up man back to a closer and then back to a set-up man. His Sinker, Change Up and Curveball can make any hitter look silly at the plate. His best season was arguably during season 6. He pitched 66 G of relief and 56.2 IP. He recorded a 2.70 ERA and 39 saves. His best back to back seasons were seasons 8 and 9. He pitched 106 G of relief and 128 IP, during those two seasons combined and posted a 2.24 ERA and 62 saves. It really doesn't matter what position Rizzo seems to be in, he just finds a way to get people out and bottom line that is the only thing that matters as a relief pitcher.


(Seasons 1-10) Grade: A
Career: 524 G, 0 GS, 485.2 IP, 2.99 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 7.27 H/9, 300 SV and 2.55 K/BB.
Hines was a great relief pitcher during the birth of the league and arguably one of the best overall relief pitcher during the first half of the league. He threw a couple nasty pitches that included a 4-Seam FB and Curveball. His best season was arguably during season 2. He pitched 57 G of relief and 49.2 IP. He recorded a 1.27 ERA and 48 saves. It’s on the short list of the great relief seasons of all time. His best back to back seasons were seasons 1 and 2. He pitched 108 G of relief and 101.2 IP, during those two seasons combined and posted a 1.60 ERA and 86 saves. Hines had an amazing career and he was able to do this, in part, because he almost never walked anyone until his control started to split during the later stages of his career.


(Seasons 4-10) Grade: B-
Career: 482 G, 0 GS, 604.1 IP, 3.02 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 8.10 H/9, 204 SV and 2.86 K/BB.
McClellan is simply a hard guy to rattle out there, his 81% save percentage is not what you want from a closer but he somehow gets the job done season after season. His Sinker and Slider has gotten him a ton of strikeouts so far in his career. His best season was arguably during season 6. He pitched 66 G of relief and 82.1 IP. He recorded a 2.62 ERA and 38 saves. His best back to back seasons were seasons 8 and 9. He pitched 131 G of relief and 163 IP, during those two seasons combined and posted a 2.48 ERA and 66 saves. The fans in Cincinnati call McClellan “Die Hard” because he may be get beat up a little but in the end he saves the day.



(Seasons 1-10) Grade: A-
Career: 444 G, 0 GS, 355.1 IP, 3.19 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 7.48 H/9, 136 SV and 2.91 K/BB.
Washington really has only had average regular seasons has his save chances are rare while playing for the Stars but during the post-season the Monterrey fans start screaming his name in the ninth inning. His 4-Seam FB, Curveball and Change Up are nasty. His best season was arguably during season 9. He pitched 45 G of relief and 39.2 IP. He recorded a 1.82 ERA and 34 saves, with no blown saves. His best back to back seasons were seasons 9 and 10. He pitched 84 G of relief and 74 IP, during those two seasons combined and posted a 2.31 ERA and 62 saves. The playoffs is where El Presidente makes is living collecting 20 saves (only 2 blown) in 48 G, a 2.83 ERA and 1.11 WHIP.



(Seasons 4-10) Grade: C+
Up until is season 10, Unroe has really struggled when put into the closer role. No matter though he will go down as one of the best set-up men the USMLB has ever seen. His 4-Seam FB, Curveball and Change Up give hitters nightmares. His best season was arguably during season 10. He pitched 55 G of relief and 60.2 IP. He recorded a 1.78 ERA and 40 saves. His best back to back seasons were seasons 9 and 10. He pitched 108 G of relief and 142.2 IP, during those two seasons combined and posted a 2.28 ERA and 42 saves, with two different teams. There's never been a question that Unroe’s got the stuff to be a great closer but the pressure has always gotten to him until last season and the league will be watching to see if the his past is truely behind him.