After taking a look at the top starting pitchers, the B/R MLB 300 has now reached its final position: relief pitchers.
Our list of the top relievers contains 30 of our 300 overall players, and they were chosen based on a scoring system that adds up to a total of 80 possible points.
First, there are 25 points for control. The basic idea is to look at how well pitchers throw strikes and, by extension, avoid walks. But we'll also dive into how well pitchers hit their spots and whether there's any rhyme or reason to their location patterns.
Next, there are 30 points for whiffability. This is where we'll look at how well pitchers miss bats and rack up strikeouts, and that's pretty much all there is to it.
After that, there are 25 points for hittability. This is where we'll look at how well pitchers manipulate contact. Ground balls and pop-ups are preferred, and we'll also look at how well (or not) they keep the ball in the yard and how well they stifle hard contact.
A score in the middle is meant to denote average, not failing. For example, having 15 out of 30 whiffability points means the player has merely average whiffability, whereas 10 out of 30 is clearly below-average and 20 out of 30 is above-average. It's also important to note that if two or more players ended up with the same final score, the edge went to the player we'd choose if we had to pick just one.
Before we begin, here's an important reminder that, while we used what's happened in 2015 as a foundation for the scores, this list projects performances for the 2016 season. Players were evaluated based on the staying power of each of their skills with progression, decline and past luck in mind—which created different rankings than simply judging where each player stands today would have.
You may now start the show.
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