Rolaids Relief Man Award on Baseball Almanac

Rolaids Relief Man Award

The pressure is truly intense as these pitchers / closers step onto the mound — knowing they only have to pitch an inning or two at most; however, they also know that the entire game is riding on their skill as a pitcher, their shoulders, and in their arms. They should be able to "mow" down the opposing batters and save the game for a team victory, but will they?

Here are those stoppers, along with some basic statistical information, who withstood the pressure and were honored with the Rolaids Relief Man Award. An award that was started in 1976 in an effort to honor the top closer from each league and calculated by giving four points for a tough save (entering the game with the tying run on base), three points for a save, two points for a win, loss of two points for a loss, and a loss of two points for a blown save.

"I want to thank all the pitchers who couldn't go nine innings, and manager Dick Howser who wouldn't let them go." - Dan Quisenberry (Five time receipient of the Rolaids Relief Award)

American League Rolaids Relief Man Award Rolaids Relief Man Award Official Logo In Chronological Order
Year	Name	Team	Saves	Tough Saves	Blown Saves	Wins	Losses	ERA
1976	Bill Campbell ⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	20	Not Available	Not Available	17	5	3.01
1977	Bill Campbell ⁽²⁾	Boston	31	Not Available	Not Available	13	9	2.96
1978	Rich Gossage ⁽¹⁾	New York	27	Not Available	Not Available	10	11	2.01
1979	Jim Kern ⁽¹⁾	Texas	29	Not Available	Not Available	13	5	1.57
1980	Dan Quisenberry ⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	33	Not Available	Not Available	12	7	3.09
1981	Rollie Fingers ⁽⁴⁾	Milwaukee	28	Not Available	Not Available	6	3	1.04
1982	Dan Quisenberry ⁽²⁾	Kansas City	35	Not Available	Not Available	9	7	2.57
1983	Dan Quisenberry ⁽³⁾	Kansas City	45	Not Available	Not Available	5	3	1.94
1984	Dan Quisenberry ⁽⁴⁾	Kansas City	44	Not Available	Not Available	6	3	2.64
1985	Dan Quisenberry ⁽⁵⁾	Kansas City	37	Not Available	Not Available	8	9	2.37
1986	Dave Righetti ⁽¹⁾	New York	46	Not Available	Not Available	8	8	2.45
1987	Dave Righetti ⁽²⁾	New York	31	Not Available	13	8	6	3.51
1988	Dennis Eckersley ⁽¹⁾	Oakland	45	Not Available	8	4	2	2.35
1989	Jeff Russell ⁽¹⁾	Texas	38	Not Available	6	6	4	1.98
1990	Bobby Thigpen ⁽¹⁾	Chicago	57	Not Available	8	4	6	1.83
1991	Bryan Harvey ⁽¹⁾	California	46	Not Available	6	2	4	1.60
1992	Dennis Eckersley ⁽²⁾	Oakland	51	Not Available	3	7	1	1.91
1993	Jeff Montgomery ⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	45	Not Available	6	7	5	2.27
1994	Lee Smith ⁽³⁾	Baltimore	33	Not Available	6	1	4	3.29
1995	Jose Mesa ⁽¹⁾	Cleveland	46	Not Available	2	3	0	1.13
1996	John Wetteland ⁽¹⁾	New York	43	Not Available	4	2	3	2.83
1997	Randy Myers ⁽²⁾	Baltimore	45	Not Available	1	2	3	1.51
1998	Tom Gordon ⁽¹⁾	Boston	46	Not Available	1	7	4	2.72
1999	Mariano Rivera ⁽¹⁾	New York	45	Not Available	4	4	3	1.83
2000	Todd Jones ⁽¹⁾	Detroit	42	4	4	2	4	3.52
2001	Mariano Rivera ⁽²⁾	New York	50	3	7	4	6	2.34
2002	Billy Koch ⁽¹⁾	Oakland	44	2	3	11	4	3.27
2003	Keith Foulke ⁽¹⁾	Oakland	43	4	5	9	1	2.08
2004	Mariano Rivera ⁽³⁾	New York	53	2	4	4	2	1.94
2005	Mariano Rivera ⁽⁴⁾	New York	43	5	4	7	4	1.38
2006	Francisco Rodriguez ⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	47	3	4	2	3	2.28
2007	J.J. Putz ⁽¹⁾	Seattle	40	8	2	6	1	1.38
2008	Francisco Rodriguez ⁽²⁾	Los Angeles	62	1	7	2	3	2.24
2009	Joe Nathan ⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	47	1	5	2	2	2.10
2009	Mariano Rivera ⁽⁵⁾	New York	44	4	2	3	3	1.76
2010	Not Yet Annouced^(10-2009)	--	--		--	--	--	--
Year	Name	Team	Saves	Tough Saves	Blown Saves	Wins	Losses	ERA
American League Rolaids Relief Man \| Bold Denotes Cy Young Award Winner

National League Rolaids Relief Man Award Rolaids Relief Man Award Official Logo In Chronological Order
Year	Name	Team	Saves	Tough Saves	Blown Saves	Wins	Losses	ERA
1976	Rawly Eastwick ⁽¹⁾	Cincinnati	26	Not Available	Not Available	11	5	2.09
1977	Rollie Fingers ⁽¹⁾	San Diego	35	Not Available	Not Available	8	9	2.99
1978	Rollie Fingers ⁽²⁾	San Diego	37	Not Available	Not Available	6	13	2.52
1979	Bruce Sutter ⁽¹⁾	Chicago	37	Not Available	Not Available	6	6	2.22
1980	Rollie Fingers ⁽³⁾	San Diego	23	Not Available	Not Available	11	9	2.80
1981	Bruce Sutter ⁽²⁾	St. Louis	25	Not Available	Not Available	3	5	2.62
1982	Bruce Sutter ⁽³⁾	St. Louis	36	Not Available	Not Available	9	8	2.90
1983	Al Holland ⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia	25	Not Available	Not Available	8	4	2.26
1984	Bruce Sutter ⁽⁴⁾	St. Louis	45	Not Available	Not Available	5	7	1.54
1985	Jeff Reardon ⁽¹⁾	Montreal	41	Not Available	Not Available	2	8	3.18
1986	Todd Worrell ⁽¹⁾	St. Louis	36	Not Available	Not Available	9	10	2.08
1987	Steve Bedrosian ⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia	40	Not Available	8	5	3	2.83
1988	John Franco ⁽¹⁾	Cincinnati	39	Not Available	3	6	6	1.57
1989	Mark Davis ⁽¹⁾	San Diego	44	Not Available	4	4	3	1.85
1990	John Franco ⁽²⁾	New York	33	Not Available	6	5	3	2.53
1991	Lee Smith ⁽¹⁾	St. Louis	47	Not Available	6	6	3	2.34
1992	Lee Smith ⁽²⁾	St. Louis	43	Not Available	8	4	9	3.12
1993	Randy Myers ⁽¹⁾	Chicago	53	Not Available	6	2	4	3.11
1994	Rod Beck ⁽¹⁾	San Francisco	28	Not Available	0	2	4	2.77
1995	Tom Henke ⁽¹⁾	St. Louis	36	Not Available	2	1	1	1.82
1996	Jeff Brantley ⁽¹⁾	Cincinnati	44	Not Available	5	1	2	2.41
1997	Jeff Shaw ⁽¹⁾	Cincinnati	42	Not Available	7	4	2	2.38
1998	Trevor Hoffman ⁽¹⁾	San Diego	53	Not Available	1	4	2	1.48
1999	Billy Wagner ⁽¹⁾	Houston	39	Not Available	3	4	1	1.57
2000	Antonio Alfonseca ⁽¹⁾	Florida	45	0	4	5	6	4.24
2001	Armando Benitez ⁽¹⁾	New York	43	3	3	6	4	3.77
2002	John Smoltz ⁽¹⁾	Atlanta	55	5	2	3	2	3.25
2003	Eric Gagne ⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	55	2	0	2	3	1.20
2004	Eric Gagne ⁽²⁾	Los Angeles	45	3	2	7	3	2.19
2005	Chad Cordero ⁽¹⁾	Washington	47	2	7	2	4	1.82
2006	Trevor Hoffman ⁽²⁾	San Diego	46	0	5	0	2	2.14
2007	Jose Valverde ⁽¹⁾	Arizona	47	1	7	1	4	2.66
2008	Brad Lidge ⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia	41	0	0	2	0	1.95
2009	Heath Bell ⁽¹⁾	San Diego	42	3	6	6	4	2.71
2010	Not Yet Annouced^(10-2010)	--	--		--	--	--	--
Year	Name	Team	Saves	Tough Saves	Blown Saves	Wins	Losses	ERA
National League Rolaids Relief Man \| Bold Denotes Cy Young Award Winner

Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers had the lowest earned run average of any Rolaids Relief Award recipient ever — 1.04 and until 2003, Rod Beck was the only receipient with no blown saves (where data is actually available).

Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox had the most saves of any Rolaids Relief Award recipient ever with fifty-seven and details about that amazing season can be seen in our Fabulous Feats section.

Did you know that closer ace Quiz, a five time recipient of the Rolaids Relief Award, has one of the most popular quotations sections here on Baseball Almanac?

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