At the end of the game, there's no one more reliable to finish the job than the late-inning ace, the closer. The title speaks for itself.
Though many say it is the most "overrated" position in baseball, that's hard to agree with especially because these men come in when the games are at their climax and the pressures that come with it, make this position a daunting challenge.
After all, the last three outs are also the toughest. Few know this better than the men who have excelled in these situations.
Closing games has been a part of baseball for almost a century. Back in the dead-ball era, few pitchers if any had the closer role as a full-time job like today.
At an age when pitching complete games was mandatory, many starters during their "off-days" also had a second role late in the game.
But as baseball became more of a hitter's game, starters were asked to do less and relief pitching was evolving as a position.
Today, almost all closers have only one duty, to close out the 9th inning; an approach that began when Tony La Russa managed the Oakland A's.
These firemen, many hall of famers, have had legendary careers that defy belief. Some use intelligence and many rely on fear but either way they've made their case as all-time greats.
10. Jeff Reardon (880 G|3.16 ERA|367 SV)
Nicknamed the "Terminator", this four-time all-star was one of the greatest closers in the 1980s. This led him to help the Minnesota Twins capture their first World Championship in 1987.
He was the all-time saves leader from 1992 to 1993 before Lee Smith broke his record.
9. Dan Quisenberry (674 G|2.76 ERA|244 SV)
The first pitcher in Major League history to record multiple 40 save seasons, Quisenberry was not your prototypical closer relying on control rather than velocity.
This led "Quiz" to have the lowest Walks Per 9 Innings (BB/9IP) since 1926. His adjusted ERA+ of 146 ties him for third all-time.
8. Lee Smith (1,022 G|3.03 ERA|478 SV)
Held the record for saves for 14 years before Hoffman surpassed him, Smith was one of baseball's most intimidating and underrated closers.
The seven-time all-star dominated MLB with 1,251 strikeouts in 1,022 games pitched. Also he holds the all-time record for games finished (802).
7. Bruce Sutter (661 G|2.83 ERA|300 SV)
Known for his "Lief Erickson beard" and his signature split-fingered fastball, Sutter was a prominent closer in the late 70s and 80s.
Intimidating and dominant in his prime, Sutter retired with 300 saves, at the time, third highest in history. The six-time all-star won the 1979 NL Cy Young award and closed out the 1982 World Series for the Cardinals.
6. Goose Gossage (1,002 G|3.01 ERA|310 SV)
One of the most intimidating closers in his time, Gossage used a power fastball and fear to tame hitters. His 1,502 strikeouts are second all-time for relievers behind Hoyt Wilhelm.
He finished with 310 saves, which was fourth all-time when he retired. Gossage is famous for closing out crucial games, he closed out a clincher seven times including the 1978 World Series for the Yankees.
5. Rollie Fingers (944 G|2.90 ERA|341 SV)
The ace in the hole for the A's dynasty that won three straight World Series from 1972 to 1974, Fingers was one of baseball's first dominant closers.
Known for his mustache, Fingers pitched with style and outwit his opponents. He won the 1974 World Series MVP and 1981 NL MVP & Cy Young Awards to complement a hall of fame career.
4. Dennis Eckersley (1,071 G|3.50 ERA|390 SV)
The most impressive stat about Eckersley is that he began as a starter for the first 12 seasons of his career and still managed to save 390 games.
The 1992 AL MVP, "Eck" was the first pitcher to have a 20-win season and a 50-save season. The six-time all-star was inducted into the Baseball hall of fame in 2004.
3. Hoyt Wilhelm (1,070 G|2.52 ERA|227 SV)
One of the greatest knuckleballers of all-time. This hall of famer pitched eight seasons of over 100 innings as a relief pitcher, piling up innings at rate that relievers can only dream of today.
He has more wins (124) than any other reliever in MLB history. A workhorse in his prime, Wilhem was the first pitcher to save 200 games and appear in 1,000 games.
2. Trevor Hoffman (985 G|2.73 ERA|591 SV)
Baseball's all-time saves leader, Hoffman holds numerous other records as one of the best closers of our generation.
He holds the best save percentage in MLB history going 591 for 621 in save opportunities. Using his signature changeup, he is second all-time with 774 games finished.
1. Mariano Rivera (917 G|2.25 ERA|526 SV)
Truly deserving of the No. 1 spot because of the impact of his dominance. His lifetime ERA of 2.25 is the lowest for relievers thus leading him to be selected to a record ten all-star games.
He also has the highest career adjusted ERA+ of 202. His durability is unparalleled with 13 straight seasons with at least 25 saves. A five-time World Series champion, Rivera closed out four of those championships.
His postseason success is unmatched in MLB history, with an ERA of 0.74, 39 saves, and 70 games finished. The 1999 World Series MVP led the Yankees to a record-tying 14 consecutive playoff appearances between 1995 and 2007. He is without a doubt the greatest relief pitcher in MLB history
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