MLB 2022: The Long and Winding Thread

Excellent hire (probably). I'm assuming Bochy hasn't gone full LaRussa.

 

A reliever should not be winning the Cy, but that's neither here nor there.

 

The first reliever to win the Cy was Mike Marshall of the Dodgers in 1974. He is one of nine relievers to win the award, out of 96 given out in that span. It's reasonably rare, and in fact the last one to get it was Eric Gagne, also of the Dodgers in 2023. Of those nine, Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers and the late Bruce Sutter are in the Hall. Also of note. In 1984, Tigers reliever Willie Hernandez won the AL Cy AND the MVP. So did Fingers with the Brewers in 1981. Fact only I may find odd. Mariano Rivera never won one.

 

Voters were smarter by the time Rivera was dominating.

 

No. Even managed France in WBC qualifying. Otherwise, a lot of fishing and a lot of commercials in the Bay area.

 

This will help some people make the Hall of Fame. He was going to be eligible next year after they changed the committees around again and was the No. 1 choice. Now that makes that group wide open.

 

Michael-

Steve Bedrosian also won it, for a horsecrap Phillies team. The name alone speaks to the ridiculousness of him actually winning it.

 

And seven of those nine — Sparky Lyle, Bruce Sutter, Fingers, Hernandez, Steve Bedrosian, Mark Davis and Eckersley — won it in a 15-year span from 1977-92. Guess the voters went through a phase for a little while.

 

In 1974, Marshall pitched 106 games and 208.1 innings, almost 2 innings per appearance with a 2.42 ERA. He was 15-12 with 21 saves. He was also a huge asshole and was hated by the Dodgers traveling secretary. Marshall complained about everything and got the team to pull out of the Ritz-Carlton in NYC, one of the best hotels they used. He said the lobby was too big and the players had to put up with too many fans as they walked from the elevators to the bus. The traveling sec's next biggest hassle was with Reggie Smith. On getaway days, trying to get everybody out of there in 45 minutes, they were always delayed because Reggie was in front of a mirror picking at his Afro endlessly.

 

In his career, Rivera finished third in Cy voting three times and second once, in 2005, when he was runner-up to Bartolo Colon. Probably his best shot, as even a cursory look at the numbers makes it clear Johan Santana, who finished third, should've won it going away.