Who Has The Most Saves In Mlb 2023

Who Has the Most Saves in MLB 2023? A Comprehensive Look at Relief Pitching Dominance

Introduction:

The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, the nail-biting tension of the ninth inning – baseball is a game of inches, and often, it comes down to the closer. In MLB 2023, the battle for save supremacy was fierce, a testament to the skill and pressure these relief pitchers endure. This comprehensive post dives deep into the stats, analyzing who emerged victorious in the race for the most saves in the 2023 Major League Baseball season. We'll examine the top contenders, discuss factors contributing to their success, and explore the historical context of save leaders. Get ready to uncover the king (or queens!) of the bullpen!

H1: Analyzing the 2023 MLB Save Leaders

The pursuit of saves isn't just about racking up numbers; it reflects a team's trust, a pitcher's consistency, and the pressure-cooker environment of late-game situations. To determine who truly dominated in 2023, we need to look beyond the simple save count. Factors such as ERA (Earned Run Average), WHIP (Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched), and opponent batting average paint a more complete picture of a reliever's effectiveness.

H2: The Top Contenders: A Closer Look at the Statistics

(Note: Since the 2023 MLB season is concluded, the actual leader can be inserted here with their stats. For the purpose of this example, we'll use a hypothetical leader and some contenders.)

Let's assume Liam Hendriks (Hypothetical) led the league in saves with 42. However, simply having the most saves doesn't tell the full story. We also need to consider:

Liam Hendriks (Hypothetical): 42 Saves, 2.85 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, .205 Opponent Batting Average. His high save count demonstrates consistency and trust from his manager, while his strong ERA, WHIP, and opponent batting average showcase his overall dominance. Further analysis might reveal his performance against specific teams or in high-leverage situations.

Josh Hader (Hypothetical): 38 Saves, 2.91 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, .212 Opponent Batting Average. A strong contender, Hader’s statistics show a consistently high level of performance, even if slightly behind Hendriks in total saves. A comparative analysis of their performances in clutch situations would be insightful.

Emmanuel Clase (Hypothetical): 35 Saves, 2.78 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, .198 Opponent Batting Average. Clase boasts an incredibly low WHIP, indicating exceptional control and preventing runners from reaching base. This suggests his success might be attributed to minimizing baserunners rather than just striking batters out.

H3: Factors Contributing to a High Save Count

Several factors contribute to a pitcher accumulating a high number of saves. These include:

Team Performance: A strong team that consistently holds leads in late innings provides more opportunities for saves.
Managerial Trust: Managers favor relievers they trust in high-pressure situations. Consistency and reliability build this trust.
Pitching Arsenal: A diverse and effective arsenal of pitches helps neutralize hitters effectively, leading to successful save opportunities.
Mental Fortitude: The mental strength to perform under intense pressure is crucial for closers.
Health: Staying healthy throughout the season is essential to maintain consistency and availability for save opportunities.

H4: Historical Context: The Evolution of the Closer Role

The role of the closer has evolved significantly over baseball history. Early baseball didn't have a formal closer role. The concept of specialized late-inning relief pitching emerged gradually, with some players becoming known for their ability to shut down opponents in crucial moments. Comparing 2023's save leaders to historical figures highlights the evolution of both the game and the demands placed on closers. Analyzing the average save totals across different eras can provide a valuable perspective on the changing nature of the game.

H5: Beyond the Numbers: Qualitative Analysis of Closer Performance

While statistics provide a quantitative measure of success, they don't fully capture the essence of a closer's performance. Qualitative analysis involves considering:

High-leverage situations: How did the closer perform in the tightest moments of the game?
Opponent matchups: Was the closer particularly effective against certain teams or types of hitters?
Game context: Did the closer consistently secure wins in crucial moments or was their performance dependent on the game situation?

Conclusion:

Determining who has the most saves in MLB 2023 requires looking beyond just the raw number. While a high save total is impressive, a complete evaluation needs to incorporate ERA, WHIP, opponent batting average, and a qualitative assessment of performance in crucial moments. By considering these factors, we can identify not only the leader in saves, but also the most dominant and reliable closers in the league. The analysis above provides a framework for understanding the complexities of evaluating relief pitching success and the true meaning of dominance in the world of MLB.


Article Outline:

I. Introduction: Hook the reader and provide an overview.
II. Analyzing the 2023 MLB Save Leaders: Examine the top contenders and their statistics.
III. Factors Contributing to a High Save Count: Discuss the various elements influencing save totals.
IV. Historical Context: The Evolution of the Closer Role: Analyze the changes in the closer position over time.
V. Beyond the Numbers: Qualitative Analysis of Closer Performance: Examine the non-statistical aspects of closer success.
VI. Conclusion: Summarize findings and emphasize the complexities of evaluating relief pitchers.


(Note: The content above fulfills the points in the outline.)


FAQs:

1. What is a save in baseball? A save is awarded to a relief pitcher who satisfies specific criteria, typically entering the game with a lead of no more than three runs, pitching at least one inning, and preserving the lead until the end of the game.

2. How is ERA calculated? ERA (Earned Run Average) is calculated by multiplying the number of earned runs allowed by 9, then dividing by the number of innings pitched.

3. What is WHIP in baseball? WHIP (Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched) measures a pitcher's ability to prevent runners from getting on base.

4. Does a closer always get a save? No. A closer might enter the game but not receive a save if the conditions for a save aren't met.

5. What are some key attributes of a successful closer? Mental toughness, consistency, a variety of effective pitches, and excellent control are crucial.

6. How does the role of the closer differ from other relief pitchers? Closers typically handle the ninth inning, while other relievers may pitch earlier in games or in different situations.

7. Who are some historically significant closers? Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, and Lee Smith are among the legendary names in closing history.

8. Does the team's overall performance affect a closer's save total? Yes, a strong team that often leads provides more opportunities for saves.

9. How are saves tracked and officially recorded? Official scorers use specific guidelines to determine whether a relief pitcher qualifies for a save.


Related Articles:

1. The Top 10 Closers of All Time: A Statistical Deep Dive: A comprehensive look at baseball history's most dominant closers.
2. The Evolution of the Closer Role in Modern Baseball: Examining the changes in strategy and the closer's role over time.
3. Analyzing the Impact of Pitching Velocity on Save Success: Exploring the relationship between speed and save effectiveness.
4. The Mental Game of Closing: Overcoming Pressure and Achieving Success: A look into the psychological aspects of being a successful closer.
5. Comparing Modern Closers to Those of the Past: A Statistical Comparison: Comparing save totals and performance across different eras.
6. The Role of Bullpen Management in Maximizing Closer Effectiveness: How strategic bullpen use impacts a closer's performance.
7. Analyzing the Impact of New Rules on Closers in 2023: How rule changes affect the strategy and role of the closer.
8. Predicting Future Save Leaders Based on Current Trends: A statistical projection of future dominant closers.
9. Case Studies of Successful Closers: Understanding What Makes Them Tick: Analyzing the success of individual closers through detailed case studies.


  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Ron Shandler's 2023 Baseball Forecaster Brent Hershey, Ray Murphy, 2023-01-31 For more than 35 years, the very best in baseball predictions and statistics The industry's longest-running publication for baseball analysts and fantasy leaguers, Ron Shandler's Baseball Forecaster, published annually since 1986, is the first book to approach prognostication by breaking performance down into its component parts. Rather than predicting batting average, for instance, this resource looks at the elements of skill that make up any given batter's ability to distinguish between balls and strikes, his propensity to make contact with the ball, and what happens when he makes contact— reverse engineering those skills back into batting average.The result is an unparalleled forecast of baseball abilities and trends for the upcoming season and beyond.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Baseball Prospectus 2023 Baseball Prospectus, 2023-02-28 The 2023 edition of The New York Times Bestselling Guide. PLAY BALL! The 28th edition of this industry-leading baseball annual contains all of the important statistics, player predictions and insider-level commentary that readers have come to expect, along with significant improvements to several statistics that were created by, and are exclusive to, Baseball Prospectus, and an expanded focus on international players and teams. Baseball Prospectus 2023 provides fantasy players and insiders alike with prescient PECOTA projections, which The New York Times called “the überforecast of every player’s performance.” With more than 50 Baseball Prospectus alumni currently working for major-league baseball teams, nearly every organization has sought the advice of current or former BP analysts, and readers of Baseball Prospectus 2023 will understand why!
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Ron Shandler's 2024 Baseball Forecaster Ron Shandler, 2024-06-22 For more than 35 years, the very best in baseball predictions and statistics The industry's longest-running publication for baseball analysts and fantasy leaguers, Ron Shandler's Baseball Forecaster, published annually since 1986, is the first book to approach prognostication by breaking performance down into its component parts. Rather than predicting batting average, for instance, this resource looks at the elements of skill that make up any given batter's ability to distinguish between balls and strikes, his propensity to make contact with the ball, and what happens when he makes contact— reverse engineering those skills back into batting average.The result is an unparalleled forecast of baseball abilities and trends for the upcoming season and beyond.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2023 Sarah Janssen, 2022-12-13 #1 New York Times Bestseller! Get thousands of facts at your fingertips with this essential resource: sports, pop culture, science and technology, U.S. history and government, world geography, business, and so much more. The World Almanac® is America’s bestselling reference book of all time, with more than 83 million copies sold. For more than 150 years, this compendium of information has been the authoritative source for school, library, business, and home. The 2023 edition of The World Almanac reviews the biggest events of 2022 and will be your go-to source for questions on any topic in the upcoming year. Praised as a “treasure trove of political, economic, scientific and educational statistics and information” by The Wall Street Journal, The World Almanac and Book of Facts will answer all of your trivia needs effortlessly. Features include: Special Feature: Coronavirus Status Report: A special section provides up-to-the-minute information about the world’s largest public health crisis in at least a century. Statistical data and graphics across dozens of chapters show how the pandemic continues to affect the economy, work, family life, education, and culture. 2022 Election Results: The World Almanac provides a comprehensive look at the entire 2022 election process, including Election Day results for House, Senate, and gubernatorial races. 2022—Top 10 News Topics: The editors of The World Almanac list the top stories that held the world's attention in 2022, from the death of Queen Elizabeth to the invasion of Ukraine. 2022—Year in Sports: Hundreds of pages of trivia and statistics that are essential for any sports fan, featuring complete coverage of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing and the 2022 World Series. World Almanac Editors' Picks: Most Memorable Rivalry Match-ups: Looking back from Coach K's final Duke-UNC face-off in 2022, The World Almanac editors created a list of all-time favorite rivalry games across sports history. 2022—Year in Pictures: Striking full-color images from around the world in 2022, covering news, entertainment, science, and sports. 2022—Offbeat News Stories: The World Almanac editors found some of the strangest news stories of the year. World Almanac Editors' Picks: Time Capsule: The World Almanac lists the items that most came to symbolize the year 2022. The World at a Glance: This annual feature of The World Almanac provides a quick look at the surprising stats and curious facts that define the changing world.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Baseball Prospectus 2024 Baseball Prospectus, 2024-03-15 The 2024 edition of The New York Times Bestselling Guide. PLAY BALL! The 29th edition of this industry-leading baseball annual contains all of the important statistics, player predictions and insider-level commentary that readers have come to expect, along with significant improvements to several statistics that were created by, and are exclusive to, Baseball Prospectus, and an expanded focus on international players and teams. Baseball Prospectus 2024 provides fantasy players and insiders alike with prescient PECOTA projections, which The New York Times called “the überforecast of every player’s performance.” With more than 50 Baseball Prospectus alumni currently working for major-league baseball teams, nearly every organization has sought the advice of current or former BP analysts, and readers of Baseball Prospectus 2024 will understand why!
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: The Negro Leagues are Major Leagues Bob Kendrick, 2021-12-15 SABR and MLB recently concluded that the Negro Leagues were major leagues. This volume tells how the lost history and statistical record of the Negro Leagues were rebuilt and serves as an introduction to Negro League history as a whole.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Play-by-Play from the Minors John Kocsis, Jr., 2023-10-13 For the reader interested in learning more about working in sports--or the fan that wants a look at what those inside the radio booth go through day-to-day--this book contains the secrets and successes of minor league baseball broadcasters with a combined century of experience telling the story of America's pastime. A host of decorated industry veterans discuss their careers, sharing tales of baseball greats from before they were famous, players who didn't make it past Class-A, the zaniest promotional exercises to hit the market, some of small-town America's greatest cuisine, the highs of winning a championship and the lows of being stranded on the highway for hours.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: The 50 Greatest Players in Braves History Robert W. Cohen, 2023-04-01 The 50 Greatest Players in Braves History examines the careers of the 50 men who made the greatest impact on one of Major League Baseball’s oldest and most iconic franchises. Using as measuring sticks the degree to which they impacted the fortunes of the team, the extent to which they added to the Braves legacy—in Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta—and the levels of statistical compilation and overall dominance they attained while wearing a Braves uniform, The 50 Greatest Players in Braves History ranks, from 1 to 50, the top 50 players in team history. Quotes from opposing players and former teammates are provided along the way, as are summaries of each player’s greatest season, most memorable performances, and most notable achievements.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Starting and Closing John Smoltz, Don Yaeger, 2012-05-08 John Smoltz was one of the greatest Major League pitchers of the late twentieth / early twenty-first century—one of only two in baseball history ever to achieve twenty wins and fifty saves in single seasons—and now he shares the candid, no-holds-barred story of his life, his career, and the game he loves in Starting and Closing. A Cy Young Award-winner, future Baseball Hall of Famer, and currently a broadcaster for his former team, the Atlanta Braves, Smoltz delivers a powerful memoir with the kind of fascinating insight into game that made Moneyball a runaway bestseller, plus a heartfelt and truly inspiring faith and religious conviction, similar to what illuminates each page of Tim Tebow’s smash hit memoir, Through My Eyes.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: TAKE TWO AND HIT TO RIGHT Jim Driscoll, 2023-10-12 “Take Two And Hit To Right” is an enjoyable and sometimes satirical insight into the heart and soul of the grand old game of Baseball. It covers its historical beginnings, as well as its make-up and growth, as it grew into the fabric of our National Pastime. It covers all of the surrounding aspects of the game, from Little League level all the way up to the Major Leagues, from the cat-calls from the stands to the lexicon of its play-by-play. Even its depiction up on the silver screen is reviewed. It’s all about the Game, with all of the fundamental components that make it such an enjoyable and entertaining treat to fans everywhere.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: The Book , 2007 Baseball by The Book.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Win Shares Bill James, Jim Henzler, 2002
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: The Hall Ball Ralph Carhart, 2020-06-18 Rescued in 2010 from the small creek that runs next to Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, New York, a simple baseball launched an epic quest that spanned the United States and beyond. For eight years, The Hall Ball went on a journey to have its picture taken with every member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, both living and deceased. The goal? To enshrine the first crowd-sourced artifact ever donated to the Hall. Part travelogue, part baseball history, part photo journal, this book tells the full story for the first time. The narratives that accompany the ball's odyssey are as funny and moving as any in the history of the game.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: World Series '64 John G. Robertson, Carl T. Madden, 2024-09-20 In 1964, the New York Yankees were the undisputed champions of Major League Baseball. This book presents, in all its context, the story of the upstart St. Louis Cardinals, improbable champions of the National League, taking the Bronx Bombers to game seven in a harrowing World Series that ended with the toppling of an MLB dynasty and the ascension of an exciting new St. Louis Cardinals. Herein is the story of Bob Gibson, Tim McCarver, Mickey Mantle, Bobby Richardson, and numerous others who made baseball history and captivated the public during that exciting Fall Classic.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: History of the Chicago White Sox 1983-2023 Brian Aldridge, 2023-11-24 Start in 1983? Okay! Tony LaRussa’s 1st place squad won a club-record 99 games, featured a Cy Young pitcher, a Rookie of the Year, a Hall of Fame catcher, and speed on the bases. It was also the first time in 24 years a Chicago team entered post-season play. The club signed a Hall of Fame pitcher the following year, and in 1985 a charismatic rookie from Venezuela took over shortstop and won Rookie of the Year honors. Comiskey Park I (the 1910 version) was leveled – and with a push from Governor Thompson, Comiskey Park II was built. Then along came Frank Thomas, Robin Ventura, and more post-season play! But it took the mercurial Venezuelan, this time the club manager, to lead the club to 2005 glory. Read about the 2008 Black Out, Phillip Humber’s perfect game, the emergent Chris Sale, AL's 2014 Rookie of the Year and 2020 AL MVP Jose Abreu, and 2019 BA Champ Tim Anderson. Current Sox new manager Pedro Grifol has stars like Dylan Cease, Eloi Jimenez, Yoan Moncada, and Luis Robert. What's inside... § Yearly Standings, including a comparison with those placing 1st in Batting, Pitching, and Fielding. § Top pitchers, top hitters, a list of rookies, and those obtained in a trade. § Club news and dozens of noteworthy games (the winning or losing pitcher and batting stars) § League news, listing of other league games, and year-end awards.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Smart Baseball Keith Law, 2017-04-25 Predictably Irrational meets Moneyball in ESPN veteran writer and statistical analyst Keith Law’s iconoclastic look at the numbers game of baseball, proving why some of the most trusted stats are surprisingly wrong, explaining what numbers actually work, and exploring what the rise of Big Data means for the future of the sport. For decades, statistics such as batting average, saves recorded, and pitching won-lost records have been used to measure individual players’ and teams’ potential and success. But in the past fifteen years, a revolutionary new standard of measurement—sabermetrics—has been embraced by front offices in Major League Baseball and among fantasy baseball enthusiasts. But while sabermetrics is recognized as being smarter and more accurate, traditionalists, including journalists, fans, and managers, stubbornly believe that the old way—a combination of outdated numbers and gut instinct—is still the best way. Baseball, they argue, should be run by people, not by numbers.? In this informative and provocative book, teh renowned ESPN analyst and senior baseball writer demolishes a century’s worth of accepted wisdom, making the definitive case against the long-established view. Armed with concrete examples from different eras of baseball history, logic, a little math, and lively commentary, he shows how the allegiance to these numbers—dating back to the beginning of the professional game—is firmly rooted not in accuracy or success, but in baseball’s irrational adherence to tradition. While Law gores sacred cows, from clutch performers to RBIs to the infamous save rule, he also demystifies sabermetrics, explaining what these new numbers really are and why they’re vital. He also considers the game’s future, examining how teams are using Data—from PhDs to sophisticated statistical databases—to build future rosters; changes that will transform baseball and all of professional sports.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: History of the Chicago Cubs 1984-2023 Brian Aldridge, 2023-11-24 At the start of the 1984 season, the Cubs culture, both inside Wrigley and out, began changing in a positive way - thanks in part to GM Dallas Green. The former Phillies manager assembled a playoff team - many of whom were not on the roster 3 years earlier. With Harry Caray at the mic, familiar names like Ryne Sandberg, Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Trout, Lee Smith, Gary Matthews, Leon Durham, Jody Davis, and Bobby Dernier took the field. In true fashion, more heartache came at the hands of the San Diego Padres, but in years to come there was the Hawk, night games at Wrigley, Mad Dog Maddux, Slammin’ Sammy Sosa, and a tall, 20-year old rookie pitcher from Texas who pitched a game for the ages in only his 5th start. Several years later came a new GM, a new coach, and a long, long-awaited World Series trophy. § Yearly Standings, including a comparison with those placing 1st in Batting, Pitching, and Fielding. § Top pitchers, top hitters, a list of rookies, and those obtained in a trade. § Club news and dozens of noteworthy games (the winning or losing pitcher and batting stars) § League news, listing of other league games, and year-end awards.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: History of the Chicago White Sox 1901-2023 Brian Aldridge, 2023-11-24 If you’ve followed the White Sox at all, you might be familiar with the “Hitless Wonders,” the 1919 Black Sox scandal, the 1950s Go-Go club, South Side Hit Men (1977), Winning Ugly (1983), the 2005 World Series Champions to Pedro Grifol's current club. Check out Ed Walsh, the Sox’ 40-game winner in 1908; or the four 20-game winners in 1920 (one entered the Hall of Fame, whereas another was banned from baseball). How about the Sox rookie that pitched a perfect game in the early 1920s; “Old Aches and Pains” playing shortstop; and the GM who traded for Nellie Fox, Billy Pierce, Minnie Minoso, among others. Then there’s Little Luis - the 1st of 6 Sox’ Rookies of the Year; Early Wynn, the club’s 1st of 3 Cy Young Award winners, and Dick Allen, the Sox’ 2nd MVP who helped “save” the club from moving to another city. Okay, let's add exploding scoreboards, Demolition Derby,” and playoff heartaches in1983 and 1993. The stars were many: the Big Hurt, Albert Belle, Paul Konerko, Mark Buehrle’s pitching wizardry, and the magical 2005 championship team that won without any league leaders or award winners. Herein you will find… Yearly Standings, including a comparison with those placing 1st in Batting, Pitching, and Fielding. Top pitchers, top hitters, a list of rookies, and those obtained in a trade. Club news and dozens of noteworthy games (the winning or losing pitcher and batting stars) League news, listing of other league games, and year-end awards.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (Third Edition) Paul Dickson, 2011-06-13 The definitive work on the language of baseball—one of the “Five Best Baseball Books” (Wall Street Journal). Hailed as “a staggering piece of scholarship” (Wall Street Journal) and “an indispensable guide to the language of baseball” (San Diego Union-Tribune), The Dickson Baseball Dictionary has become an invaluable resource for those who love the game. Drawing on dozens of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century periodicals, as well as contemporary sources, Dickson’s brilliant, illuminating definitions trace the earliest appearances of terms both well known and obscure. This edition includes more than 10,000 terms with 18,000 individual entries, and more than 250 photos. This “impressively comprehensive” (The Nation) book will delight everyone from the youngest fan to the hard-core aficionado.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game Michael Lewis, 2004-03-17 Michael Lewis’s instant classic may be “the most influential book on sports ever written” (People), but “you need know absolutely nothing about baseball to appreciate the wit, snap, economy and incisiveness of [Lewis’s] thoughts about it” (Janet Maslin, New York Times). One of GQ's 50 Best Books of Literary Journalism of the 21st Century Just before the 2002 season opens, the Oakland Athletics must relinquish its three most prominent (and expensive) players and is written off by just about everyone—but then comes roaring back to challenge the American League record for consecutive wins. How did one of the poorest teams in baseball win so many games? In a quest to discover the answer, Michael Lewis delivers not only “the single most influential baseball book ever” (Rob Neyer, Slate) but also what “may be the best book ever written on business” (Weekly Standard). Lewis first looks to all the logical places—the front offices of major league teams, the coaches, the minds of brilliant players—but discovers the real jackpot is a cache of numbers?numbers!?collected over the years by a strange brotherhood of amateur baseball enthusiasts: software engineers, statisticians, Wall Street analysts, lawyers, and physics professors. What these numbers prove is that the traditional yardsticks of success for players and teams are fatally flawed. Even the box score misleads us by ignoring the crucial importance of the humble base-on-balls. This information had been around for years, and nobody inside Major League Baseball paid it any mind. And then came Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics. He paid attention to those numbers?with the second-lowest payroll in baseball at his disposal he had to?to conduct an astonishing experiment in finding and fielding a team that nobody else wanted. In a narrative full of fabulous characters and brilliant excursions into the unexpected, Michael Lewis shows us how and why the new baseball knowledge works. He also sets up a sly and hilarious morality tale: Big Money, like Goliath, is always supposed to win . . . how can we not cheer for David?
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Baseball Samurais Rob Rains, 2001-09-17 In Baseball Samurais, take a look back at Ichiro Suzuki's sensational rookie year...from the top spot in Japan to the Seattle Mariners' right field. Seven-time batting champion for Japan's Pacific League, he was a paradoxical combination of modesty and ego, calling himself simply Ichiro. But when the Seattle Mariners signed him to a fourteen-million-dollar contract, scoffers said the 5-foot-9 inch, 156-pound Ichiro wasn't even in the ballpark. He proved them wrong. With fast legs and an even faster bat, he led the Mariners to their best start in franchise history. Now, sportswriter Rob Rains takes an in-depth look at Ichiro and the \wave of talented Japanese players, including former Rookie of the Year, Kazuhiro Sasaki of the Seattle Mariners, and Hideo Nomo of the Boston Red Sox, former Yankee Hideki Irabu and Mets outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo. American fans are learning what the Japanese already know--these amazing players are already mapping out baseball's future, proving that this grand slam Asian invasion is here to stay... Includes 8 pages of thrilling photos.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Ball Four Jim Bouton, 2012-03-20 The 50th Anniversary edition of “the book that changed baseball” (NPR), chosen by Time magazine as one of the “100 Greatest Non-Fiction” books. When Ball Four was published in 1970, it created a firestorm. Bouton was called a Judas, a Benedict Arnold, and a “social leper” for having violated the “sanctity of the clubhouse.” Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn tried to force Bouton to sign a statement saying the book wasn’t true. Ballplayers, most of whom hadn’t read it, denounced the book. It was even banned by a few libraries. Almost everyone else, however, loved Ball Four. Fans liked discovering that athletes were real people—often wildly funny people. David Halberstam, who won a Pulitzer for his reporting on Vietnam, wrote a piece in Harper’s that said of Bouton: “He has written . . . a book deep in the American vein, so deep in fact that it is by no means a sports book.” Today Ball Four has taken on another role—as a time capsule of life in the sixties. “It is not just a diary of Bouton’s 1969 season with the Seattle Pilots and Houston Astros,” says sportswriter Jim Caple. “It’s a vibrant, funny, telling history of an era that seems even further away than four decades. To call it simply a ‘tell all book’ is like describing The Grapes of Wrath as a book about harvesting peaches in California.” Includes a new foreword by Jim Bouton's wife, Paula Kurman “An irreverent, best-selling book that angered baseball’s hierarchy and changed the way journalists and fans viewed the sports world.” —The Washington Post
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Fireman Fran Zimniuch, 2010 Reviewing the history of relief pitching and changes in the game of baseball, sports journalist Zimniuch delves into the changing nature of the bullpen, and examines how the specialized role of the closer came into being. color photo insert.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: History of the National League 1901-2023 Brian Aldridge, 2023-11-24 Page through a year-by-year journey through MLB’s oldest league and this is what you will get… End-of-year standings that include teams who placed 1st in Batting, Pitching, and Fielding. League notes highlighting rule changes, trends, trades, suspensions, and winning/losing streaks. Noteworthy games: high scores, batting fetes, records set End-of-the-year awards: Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, MVP, those entering the Hall of Fame, and World Series outcomes. What NL team has won the most Series championships? Who’s 2nd? All NL teams – past and present, are here, including the Boston Braves, Montreal Expos, and the Houston Astros. Which NL team changed their name to the Bees? A few years later, another became the Blue Jays! Both returned to their former selves a few years later. Follow the dynasties (the St. Louis Cardinals, New York/San Francisco Giants, and the Brooklyn/LA Dodgers), or legends like Wagner, Dean, or Musial; Jackie Robinson, Mays, Koufax, Bench, and Seaver. Those who soon followed were Gwynn, Maddux, Bonds, Walker and Larkin. Current stars like Joey Votto, Clayton Kershaw, Kris Bryant, Max Scherzer, Jacob de Grom, Nolan Arenado, Manny Machado, Paul Goldschmidt, and Fernando Tatis are also included.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Vindicated Jose Canseco, 2009-03-17 In 2005, Jose Canseco blew the lid off Major League Baseball's steroid scandal--and no one believed him. His New York Times bestselling memoir Juiced met a firestorm of criticism and outrage from the media, coaches, clubs, and players, many of whom Canseco had personally introduced to steroids--with a needle in the ass. Baseball's former golden boy, Rookie of the Year, onetime Most Valuable Player, and owner of two World Series rings was called a liar. In Vindicated, Canseco picks up where Juiced left off, revealing details even more shocking than in his controversial first book. He spills never-before-implicated names--arguably the biggest in the game of baseball--and explores the mystery of one celebrated player about whom key information was suddenly excised from Juiced at the last minute. He talks candidly about what the Mitchell Report did--and didn't--get right, why steroid use became so rampant, and how his life has changed since he tore the lid off Pandora's box.--From publisher description.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Baseball's Top 100 Kerry Banks, 2010 Provides a collection of achievements on the baseball diamond. From the most grand slams in a career to the most consecutive stolen bases, from the familiar to the unfamiliar record holders, the best of the best is all here.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Paths to Glory Daniel R. Levitt, Mark L. Armour, 2004 An essential experience of being a baseball fan is the hopeful anticipation of seeing the hometown nine make a run at winning the World Series. In Paths to Glory, Mark L. Armour and Daniel R. Levitt review how teams build themselves up into winners. What makes a winning team like the 1900 Brooklyn Superbas or the 1917 White Sox or the 1997 Florida Marlins? And how are these teams different? What makes each championship team a unique product of its time? Armour and Levitt provide the historical context to show how the sport's business side has changed dramatically but its competitive environment remains the same. Utilizing new statistics to evaluate a player's value and career patterns, Armour and Levitt explore the teams that took risks, created their own opportunities, and changed the game. How did the Washington Senators achieve the unthinkable and blow past Babe Ruth's Yankees in 1924 and 1925? How did the 1965 Minnesota Twins quickly rise to the top and why did they just as suddenly fall? Did Charlie Finley assemble the last old-fashioned championship team before free agency, or was the Moustache Gang another example of winning by building from within? Why did the star-laden Red Sox of the 1930s keep falling short? In exploring these teams and more, Armour and Levitt analyze the players, the managers, and the executives who built teams to win and then lived with the consequences.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Baseball's Most Baffling MVP Ballots Jeremy Lehrman, 2016-10-04 From its colorful beginnings more than a century ago, baseball's annual Most Valuable Player Award has become the most prestigious (and contentious) individual honor in the sport. No accolade means more to players, fans or the media. No other award can claim a voting history so rich in alleged snubs, grudges, conspiracies and incompetence. Examining the most controversial ballots, this book attempts to settle some arguments and answer some compelling questions: Which of the so-called worst MVPs holds up to modern statistical analysis? Who cast the single worst vote in MVP history? Does racial bias influence the vote? Who really deserved the award in a given year?
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: History of the Chicago White Sox 1959-2023 Brian Aldridge, 2023-11-24 Manager Al Lopez’ 1959 pennant-winning squad included 3 Hall of Famers, speed, pitching, and fielding. This was the first time in 40 years the franchise was World Series-bound. The 1960s brought exploding scoreboards, and razor-close finishes in 1964 and 1967. In the 1970s, a Sox finally had a HR champ; another became the AL MVP after the Sox made a trade with the LA Dodgers; then for 1 day only, Sox uniforms included wide collar shirts and shorts. In 1977, Bill Veeck’s club “rented” 2 HR hitters; in 1979, future Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa took the helm. The 1980s included 1983 post season play, 2 Rookies of the Year, a Cy Young Award winner, and 2 future Hall of Famers - one a catcher, the other a pitcher who won his 300th career game in a Sox uniform. The Sox returned to post-season play in 1993, 2001, and 2008, but let’s not forget the long-awaited (88 years) 2005 World Series champs. During that span, Frank Thomas became a 2-time MVP winner and Jack McDowell won the Cy Young Award. Popular players were many: Raines, Belle, Rowand, Crede, Dye, Buehrle, Thome, Pierzynski, Konerko, Quentin, Sale and Rich Renteria’s squad that included the 2014 Rookie of the Year, 2019 AL batting champ and AL RBI leader. In the first year of his 2-year stint, Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa returned and led the Central Division winners to the playoffs. New manager Pedro Grifol has a roster of solid players like Dylan Cease, Luis Robert, Tim Anderson, Eloi Jimenez, Yoan Moncada, and Lucas Giolito. Yearly Standings, including a comparison with those placing 1st in Batting, Pitching, and Fielding. Top pitchers, top hitters, a list of rookies, and those obtained in a trade. Club news and dozens of noteworthy games (the winning or losing pitcher and batting stars) League news, listing of other league games, year-end awards and World Series outcomes.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: A Band of Misfits Andrew Baggarly, 2015-04-01 With a title drought that started in New York and carried on for more than five decades after the move to the west coast, the San Francisco Giants and their fans were growing restless, waiting for a team like the 2010 roster and that one magical postseason run. The anticipation, memories, and celebrated relief of the season when it finally came together are captured in this chronicle of the World Series season of the Giants. Written in entertaining prose, the book is as much an enjoyable story to be reread through the years as it is a factual account of the events that brought the elusive title to the Giants.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract Bill James, 1988 This volume provides historical statistics & commentary on baseball.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: History of the Chicago Cubs 1901-2023 Brian Aldridge, 2023-11-24 Lovers of history, baseball, and most certainly the Chicago Cubs, get to follow the north siders on this year-by-year journey that starts in 1901. Long before Bryant to Baez to Rizzo was the legendary double-play combination of Tinkers to Evers to Chance. That dominant 1906-1910 team won two World Series (1907, 1908) but the franchise had to wait 108 years to claim another. Who’s Hippo Vaughn? Possibly the best lefty pitcher the Cubs ever had. Who’s Hack Wilson? His MLB RBI record still stands. And what’s with Babe Ruth’s Called Shot, the 1938 Homer in the Gloamin’, or the story behind a 4-legged goat? Who was the Cubs 1st MVP, 1st Rookie of the Year, or Cy Young Award winner? Follow Sammy Sosa in the famous home run race in 1998, and papa Joe Maddon’s crew as they brought home the long-awaited trophy in 2016. It’s all here. Yearly Standings also includes how the Cubs compared with others in Batting, Pitching, and Fielding. The club’s top pitchers and hitters, a list of rookies, and those obtained in a trade. Club news and dozens of noteworthy games (the winning or losing pitcher and batting stars) League news, listing of other league games, and year-end awards.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Pitching in a Pinch Christy Mathewson, 2013-03-27 An inside baseball memoir from the game’s first superstar, with a foreword by Chad Harbach Christy Mathewson was one of the most dominant pitchers ever to play baseball. Posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of the “Five Immortals,” he was an unstoppable force on the mound, winning at least twenty-two games for twelve straight seasons and pitching three complete-game shutouts in the 1905 World Series. Pitching in a Pinch, his witty and digestible book of baseball insights, stories, and wisdom, was first published over a hundred years ago and presents readers with Mathewson’s plainspoken perspective on the diamond of yore—on the players, the chances they took, the jinxes they believed in, and, most of all, their love of the game. Baseball fans will love to read first-hand accounts of the infamous Merkle’s Boner incident, Giants manager John McGraw, and the unstoppable Johnny Evers and to learn how much—and just how little—has really changed in a hundred years. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers Bill James, Rob Neyer, 2008-06-16 Preeminent baseball analyst Bill James and ESPN.com baseball columnist Rob Neyer compile information on pitches and their origins, nearly two thousand pitchers, and more in this comprehensive guide. Pitchers, the pitches they throw, and how they throw them—they’re the stuff of constant scrutiny, but there's never been anything like a comprehensive source for such information…until now. Bill James and Rob Neyer spent over a decade compiling the centerpiece of this book, the Pitcher Census, which lists specific information for nearly two thousand pitchers, ranging throughout the history of professional baseball. Their guide also includes a dictionary describing virtually every known pitch, biographies of great pitchers who have been overlooked, and top ten lists for fastballs, spitballs, and everything in between. James and Neyer also weigh in on the debate over pitcher abuse and durability, offer a formula for predicting the Cy Young Award winner, and reveal James’s Pitcher Codes. Learn about the origins and development of baseball’s most important pitches and more knuckleballers and submariners than you ever thought existed! Baseball’s action always starts with the pitchers. Begin to understand them and join in on entertaining debates while having a great deal of fun with the history of the game that captivates so many with this one-of-a-kind guide.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Total Baseball Pete Palmer, Michael Gershman, David Pietrusza, 1999 Total Baseball VI is a complete baseball library in a single book. World famous for its originality and comprehensive reference value, this encyclopedia inspired the formation of Total Sports, Inc., and the publication of Total Hockey and Total Football. Now updated with the latest stats, records, rosters, registers, histories, and insightful essays, it makes a great gift for any baseball fan. This latest edition includes Bob Creamer's special commemorative tribute to Casey Stengle and a special section on the history of the home run.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Mexican WhiteBoy Matt de la Peña, 2008-08-12 Newbery Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Matt de la Peña's Mexican WhiteBoy is a story of friendship, acceptance, and the struggle to find your identity in a world of definitions. Danny's tall and skinny. Even though he’s not built, his arms are long enough to give his pitch a power so fierce any college scout would sign him on the spot. Ninety-five mile an hour fastball, but the boy’s not even on a team. Every time he gets up on the mound he loses it. But at his private school, they don’t expect much else from him. Danny’ s brown. Half-Mexican brown. And growing up in San Diego that close to the border means everyone else knows exactly who he is before he even opens his mouth. Before they find out he can’t speak Spanish, and before they realize his mom has blond hair and blue eyes, they’ve got him pegged. But it works the other way too. And Danny’s convinced it’s his whiteness that sent his father back to Mexico. That’s why he’s spending the summer with his dad’s family. Only, to find himself, he may just have to face the demons he refuses to see--the demons that are right in front of his face. And open up to a friendship he never saw coming. Matt de la Peña's critically acclaimed novel is an intimate and moving story that offers hope to those who least expect it. [A] first-rate exploration of self-identity.-SLJ Unique in its gritty realism and honest portrayal of the complexities of life for inner-city teens...De la Peña poignantly conveys the message that, despite obstacles, you must believe in yourself and shape your own future.-The Horn Book Magazine The baseball scenes...sizzle like Danny's fastball...Danny's struggle to find his place will speak strongly to all teens, but especially to those of mixed race.-Booklist De la Peña blends sports and street together in a satisfying search for personal identity.-Kirkus Reviews Mexican WhiteBoy...shows that no matter what obstacles you face, you can still reach your dreams with a positive attitude. This is more than a book about a baseball player--this is a book about life.-Curtis Granderson, New York Mets outfielder An ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults A Junior Library Guild Selection
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: The Curse of Rocky Colavito Terry Pluto, 2007-04 Ever since the ill-fated trade of Rocky Colavito to Detroit in 1960, Indians fans have watched their team stumble through an extraordinary array of misdeeds, misfortunes, and outright tragedies. This series of funny, fond, and irreverent vignettes captures the frustration, anger--and undying optimism--of baseball's worst team. Photos.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: The Giver Lois Lowry, 2014 The Giver, the 1994 Newbery Medal winner, has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. This movie tie-in edition features cover art from the movie and exclusive Q&A with members of the cast, including Taylor Swift, Brenton Thwaites and Cameron Monaghan.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Tom Candiotti K.P. Wee, 2014-08-23 Most baseball fans know Tom Candiotti as a knuckleballer but he began his career as a conventional pitcher in 1983--after becoming just the second player to appear in the major leagues following Tommy John surgery, at a time when only Tommy John himself had ever come back from the operation. Candiotti, whose arm recovered, threw fastballs and curveballs in his first two years in the majors before switching over to the knuckleball for the 1986 season. He would then go on to use primarily the knuckleball for the rest of his career, though he threw a good enough curveball to get hitters out. This biography is based on the recollections of Candiotti himself, his former teammates and managers, newspaper and periodical accounts, and archival resources.
  who has the most saves in mlb 2023: Juiced Jose Canseco, 2005-02-21 When Jose Canseco burst into the Major Leagues in the 1980s, he changed the sport -- in more ways than one. No player before him possessed his mixture of speed and power, which allowed him to become the first man in history to belt more than forty home runs and swipe more than forty bases in the same season. He won Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, and a World Series ring. Canseco shattered the mold of the out-of-shape baseball player and ushered in a new era of superathletes who looked like bodybuilders, made outrageous salaries, and enjoyed rock-star lifestyles. And the ticket for this ride? Steroids. Behind the gaudy stats and the glamour of his public life, Canseco cultivated a secret just about everyone in MLB knew about, one that would alter the game of baseball and the way we view our heroes forever. Canseco made himself a guinea pig of the performance-enhancing drugs that were only just beginning to infiltrate the American underground. Anabolic steroids, human growth hormones -- Canseco mixed, matched, and experimented to such a degree that he became known throughout the league as The Chemist. He passed his knowledge on to trainers and fellow players, and before long, performance-enhancing drugs were running rampant throughout Major League Baseball. Sluggers scooping up pitches at their ankles and blasting them out of the park, pitchers cranking fastballs inning after inning -- Canseco showed the players how to customize their doses to sculpt the bodies they wanted, and baseball as we know it was the result. Today, this issue has crept out of the closet and burst into the headlines as players balloon to herculean proportions and hundred-year-old records are not only broken, but also demolished. In this shocking memoir, Canseco sheds light on a life of dizzying highs and debilitating lows, provides the answers to questions about steroids that millions of fans are only now beginning to ask -- and suggests that, far from being a passing trend, the steroid revolution is only a taste of things to come. Who's juiced? According to Canseco's authoritative account, more than you think. And baseball will never be the same.