Guardians' Top 5 relief pitchers: Bell¡¯s take

November 23rd, 2021

CLEVELAND -- No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the top five players by position in the history of their franchise, based on their career while playing for that club. These rankings are for fun and debate purposes only.

Here is Mandy Bell¡¯s ranking of the top 5 relievers in Guardians history.

? Guardians' all-time team: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | LF | CF | RF | DH | RH SP | LH SP

1. , 2012-18
Key fact: Guardians¡¯ all-time saves leader

Allen may not have been as sharp in his last season with Cleveland in 2018, but from ¡¯14-¡®17, he was as successful as the team could have asked for. In those four seasons, Allen never posted an ERA above 2.99, fanned 369 batters in 274 1/3 innings, posted a combined 1.097 WHIP, a 2.82 FIP and recorded 120 saves. During the postseason, he was absolutely dominant, making 10 appearances (13 2/3 innings) during Cleveland's playoff run in ¡¯16 without allowing a run.

After a shaky 2018, Allen became a free agent. Despite a 4.70 ERA that year, he ended his seven seasons with Cleveland with a combined 2.98 ERA, averaging 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings. His 149 saves are the most in club history and his 564 strikeouts lead all other Guardians relievers. He ranks 15th in franchise history in ERA, ninth in FIP (3.17) and fourth in strikeout percentage (30.9).

¡°His strikeouts to innings, he's right there with all those [top relievers],¡± manager Terry Francona said of Allen in 2015. ¡°Career-wise, his strikeouts to innings is silly.¡±

2. Doug Jones, 1986-91, ¡®98
Key fact: Owns third-most saves and second-best bWAR of Guardians relievers

During his first stint in Cleveland, Jones was a three-time All-Star and received MVP votes after the 1988 and ¡¯90 seasons. During those three All-Star years, Jones¡¯ highest ERA was 2.56 and he made more than 50 appearances. His 129 saves during his Cleveland tenure (with one coming in ¡®98) was the club record until 2006.

Jones¡¯ 10.7 bWAR and 2.64 FIP are the second highest among relievers in club history. His 5.5 walk percentage is the fourth lowest, while his 367 strikeouts rank ninth and his 3.06 ERA is tied for 17th. His success stemmed from his ability to change speeds, as he was often known for his ¡°slow, slower, slowest¡± method of attacking hitters. It was an approach that served him well enough to extend his career into his 40s, rejoining Cleveland at age 41 before he played two more seasons in Oakland, ending his career at 43.

3. , 2016-18
Key fact: Leads all Guardians relievers in FIP

Miller may not have been around Cleveland for long, but he certainly made his time count. Like Allen, Miller¡¯s 2018 season wasn¡¯t up to par with his previous two, posting a 4.24 ERA in 37 games, but his dominance in ¡¯16 and ¡¯17 was enough to earn his spot on the list. The left-hander was acquired from the Yankees at the ¡¯16 Trade Deadline, and he went on to post a 1.55 ERA in 26 appearances (29 innings) with a 1.53 FIP and a 0.55 WHIP. His 11 2/3 scoreless frames during the American League Division and Championship Series led Cleveland to the World Series, earning him the ALCS Most Valuable Player Award. He tossed two more scoreless outings in the Fall Classic before giving up one run in Game 4 and two in Game 7.

The lefty came back just as dominant in 2017, pitching to a 1.44 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings before his injury-marred ¡®18 season. In just 120 games with Cleveland, Miller struck out 186 batters, placing him 25th on the Guardians¡¯ all-time list among relievers. He sits atop the leaderboard in career FIP (2.30), strikeout percentage (37.1) and WHIP (0.915).

¡°We were positioned to win this year,¡± team owner Paul Dolan said during the 2016 playoffs, ¡°and it's very clear now that Andrew Miller was the big difference in terms of getting us there, because of what he meant to our pitching staff and our bullpen, particularly."

4. , 1992-98
Key fact: Won Reliever of the Year Award in 1995

When Cleveland fans read his name, their minds will likely go straight back to Mesa¡¯s blown save in Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. But let¡¯s not forget that there was more to the reliever than that moment. It¡¯s hard to have a better year than Mesa did in ¡¯95. The then-29-year-old recorded a Major League-best 46 saves and posted a 1.13 ERA (418 ERA+) in 64 innings. He earned his first All-Star selection, finished fourth in the AL MVP vote and second in the AL Cy Young Award race. That postseason, he owned a 2.70 ERA in eight appearances (10 innings) with a save in the ALCS and a save and a win in the World Series.

Mesa¡¯s 10.4 bWAR ranks third among all Guardians relievers. He tossed the second-most frames (647 1/3), owns the fifth-most saves (104) and struck out the fifth-most batters (447). Although his 1995 season was undeniable, the rest of his time in Cleveland was not nearly as dominant. Still, the righty was a solid reliever, compiling a 3.88 ERA, 3.84 FIP and 1.361 WHIP in 341 games with Cleveland.

5. Ray Narleski, 1954-58
Key fact: Owns highest bWAR of all Guardians relievers

It wasn¡¯t until 1969 that saves became official, marking the transition into the modern era of relief pitching. When Narleski toed the rubber in the ¡®50s, it was much more difficult to identify just how effective a reliever was, but that didn¡¯t mean great relievers didn¡¯t exist.

In his first three seasons, Narleski strictly came out of the ¡®pen, starting just three of 134 games. In 1955, his 60 appearances were the most in the Majors, and he placed sixth in AL MVP voting. He made more starts in ¡¯57 and ¡¯58, but most of his appearances still came in relief. The right-hander was a two-time All-Star in five years with Cleveland and accumulated a 12.4 bWAR, which is the highest of all relievers in franchise history. He also threw the third-most innings (597 2/3) and recorded the seventh-most strikeouts (383).

Honorable mentions
appeared in 135 games from 1975-77. In those 197 1/3 frames, he tallied the third-best ERA in club history among relievers who appeared in at least 85 games (2.51). His 2.86 FIP ranks fourth, while his 26.3 strikeout percentage is ninth.

accumulated a 7.8 bWAR (eighth-most among relievers) in seven years with Cleveland. He finished his time in Cleveland with a 3.25 ERA, an identical FIP, 409 strikeouts and a 1.139 WHIP. He fanned the sixth-most batters of all relievers and posted the 11th-best FIP.

owns the second-most saves in club history with 139. In his All-Star season in 2005, he collected the most saves in the AL with 45.

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
mfhoudan.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
jerusalemdispatch.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
worldhealthstory.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
techguroh.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com