Sports Illustrated - Hoffman best closer ever?

[WiredTiger]

New sports Illustrated just arrived and Trevor Hoffman is on the cover with the byline... best Closer ever.

I don't know about best closer ever but he has been very good. He does have a decent shot at finishing with the career saves record.

Is Hoffman HOF worthy? Is he the best reliever of our generation?

[moose]

Here's the list of top RSAA for people with 300 games finished and 100 saves, through a few days ago:

RSAA                           RSAA      GF       SV     
1    Hoyt Wilhelm                282      651      227   
2    Dennis Eckersley            209      577      390   
3    Goose Gossage               159      681      310   
4    John Franco                 153      741      422   
T5   Dan Quisenberry             148      553      244   
T5   Kent Tekulve                148      638      184   
7    Lee Smith                   144      802      478   
8    John Hiller                 134      363      125   
9    Bob Stanley                 132      376      132   
10   Tom Henke                   128      548      311   
11   Mariano Rivera              127      323      223   
T12  Bruce Sutter                123      512      300   
T12  Jesse Orosco                123      482      141   
14   Sparky Lyle                 122      634      238   
15   John Wetteland              119      523      330   
16   Doug Jones                  117      640      303   
17   Mike Jackson                114      398      142   
T18  Jeff Montgomery             110      549      304   
T18  Roberto Hernandez           110      544      294   
20   Rollie Fingers              103      709      341   
21   Gene Garber                 102      609      218   
22   Clay Carroll                 93      373      143   
23   Trevor Hoffman               92      480      325    
T24  Stu Miller                   89      405      154   
T24  Tom Burgmeier                89      370      102   

Here are the top 10 actives in the same category:

RSAA                           RSAA      GF       SV     
1    John Franco                 153      741      422   
2    Mariano Rivera              127      323      223   
3    Jesse Orosco                123      482      141   
4    Mike Jackson                114      398      142   
5    Roberto Hernandez           110      544      294   
6    Trevor Hoffman               92      480      325    
7    Troy Percival                81      325      214   
T8   Robb Nen                     77      495      280   
T8   Bob Wickman                  77      319      143   
10   Mike Timlin                  73      333      114  

So one might argue that Rivera is at least the best active closer, at least now that Franco is quasi-done. In my book, Rivera *is* better, but maybe that's the Yankee Fan in me talking. In any event, if Rivera is first on my list of active closers, Hoffman is most certainly second.

[cubfan33]

Hoffman wasn't even the best closer last year, let alone ever. There's reasons that I stopped reading SI once I learned about sports. This is one of them.

Ok, I'll still look at the swimsuit issue, but that's it.

It doesn't matter how awesome he is

now that he's on the cover we all know whats coming soon

down the rode he may be on under the knife

[Duque]

Hoffman has been great, and I still think he should have won the Cy in '98, but he's probably only the 2nd best closer of the generation, right behind Rivera, and ahead of Nen.

[poorme]

It said "best closer ever". That's completely absurd. Shows what a rag SI is. Anything to sell a few copies, truth be damned!

[moose]

Originally posted by poorme
It said "best closer ever". That's completely absurd. Shows what a rag SI is. Anything to sell a few copies, truth be damned!

does it say "Best closer ever." or "Best Closer Ever?" ?

If it's the first, I agree with comments in the "too provocative and not substantive enough" vein. On the other hand, if it's "Best Closer Ever?", then that kind of provocation I consider ok, because then they're presenting an argument and trying to start discussions...

[Duque]

Or, maybe it's just a general topic on great closers, and because they had to find a closer to put on the cover, they picked Hoffman?

[TGwynn19]

Wow. Two of my all time favorite players have been on the cover of SI and SI blew it twice.

3 or 4 years ago they said Tony was the best hitter since Williams. WRONG. Now this. Geeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzz.

Can anyone post a link because I would love to see the reasoning/methodology behind that absurd conclusion.

[Duque]

Here's the cover:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/fea...large0513.html

They don't post the article on the site, though.

[WiredTiger]

Originally posted by moose

does it say "Best closer ever." or "Best Closer Ever?" ?

The exact headline is....

Why trevor hoffman of the Padres is the best closer (ever)

They base a lot of their ranking on number of saves and number of saves per appearance.

Have they been reading Joe Morgan? They praise his intimidation.

[Glyndwr]

.< personal rant>
Whenever I hear 'best <anything> ever', I get Tim McCarver cold sweats. He was driving me up the wall during the world series with his attempts to find some skill everyone was the best ever at.
.</personal rant>

[SmedIndy]

Well, best designated ninth-inning pitcher is hard to put on a headline.

We need to praise Hoffman, not bury him, though. He's one pitcher I think could do what Gossage, Wilhelm, Fingers and the Quiz did.

And you all remember who the closer was when he got to San Diego. Don't you??? Anyone???

That's right...he's another closer who "stumbled" into the job.

[Skip]

Originally posted by cubfan33
There's reasons that I stopped reading SI once I learned about sports. This is one of them.

So true. I got disgusted with SI well over a decade ago but the feelings are still strong. Just a few months ago at a family dinner my niece was selling mag subscriptions and my wife signed my son up for SI for Kids. I went off on a rant right there in the restaurant. How embarrassing - a whole of people just sat there looking like

[Slippery Pedro]

Here's an interesting list -

MOST SEASONS WITH:
GAMES FINISHED >= 40 and
GAMES >= 50 and
SAVES >= 20

1 Lee Smith 12
2 Jeff Reardon 10
T3 John Franco 9
T3 Randy Myers 9
T3 John Wetteland 9
T3 Dennis Eckersley 9
T7 Roberto Hernandez 8
T7 Rollie Fingers 8
T7 Rick Aguilera 8
T7 Bruce Sutter 8
T7 Dave Righetti 8
T7 Tom Henke 8
T13 Trevor Hoffman 7
T13 Goose Gossage 7
T13 Robb Nen 7
T13 Doug Jones 7