A random question, I don't have the answer but wondered if anyone would know...

I was just thinking how almost every reliever with any longevity in the majors ends up being on multiple teams. Outside of Mariano Rivera, are there any other relief pitchers with somewhat long careers who were only one team? A quick search told me that Pedro Feliciano was only on the Mets and for a long time. Anyone know of anyone else?

25 minutes ago, SilverBullet said:

A random question, I don't have the answer but wondered if anyone would know...

I was just thinking how almost every reliever with any longevity in the majors ends up being on multiple teams. Outside of Mariano Rivera, are there any other relief pitchers with somewhat long careers who were only one team? A quick search told me that Pedro Feliciano was only on the Mets and for a long time. Anyone know of anyone else?

John Smoltz? 

Trevor Hoffman spent 16 seasons with the Padres.

John Franco 14 with the Mets.

Jansen 12 with the Dodgers.

Scott Shields 10 with the Angels.

Billy Wagner 9 with the Astros.

Gagne, K-Rod, Joe Nathan, Jesse Orosco each 8 seasons with the Dodgers, Angels, Twins, Mets.

Edited September 1, 20241 yr by mystikol87

That’s a great question.

From what I understand you are asking specifically about relief pitchers who played their entire careers with just one team.

Thats a tricky one.

Trevor Hoffman as mentioned above was a good answer although of course he was an original Marlins player in 1993 and played 28 games with the Marlins that season and of course was traded mid season for Gary Sheffield that same year in 1993. And then of course Hoffman finished his career with the Brewers

So I don’t know if that is an answer for your original question. As far as relief pitchers who played long term for one team.

I did some research and there are quite a few starting pitchers who have spent entire career with one team: Adam Wainwright, Felix Hernandez, Bob Gibson, Matt Cain and Tim Salmon to name a few. Clayton Kershaw most likely will be another one but hasn’t retired yet so not for sure.

But as far as your original question about relief pitchers specifically who played their entire careers on just one team. It’s tricky because as you mentioned most relief pitchers are moved around so much. Starting pitchers seem to have a better chance of staying with just one team.

 

 

2 hours ago, K-Jazzzz said:

John Smoltz? 

He should have been a lifetime Brave but his final season he played with the Red Sox and Cardinals.

1 hour ago, SirFishFan said:

He should have been a lifetime Brave but his final season he played with the Red Sox and Cardinals.

Yeah, looking at stats, he was only a reliever/closer for 4 yrs anyway so I was way off. 

14 minutes ago, K-Jazzzz said:

Yeah, looking at stats, he was only a reliever/closer for 4 yrs anyway so I was way off. 

Yeah.. that guy was nasty as a closer though.. especially around that ‘03 time. Even though I’m not a Braves fan at all.. and I used to hate watching Smoltz pitch especially against the Marlins. Now looking back I have to give mad respect for how insane he was as a closer. Of course he was always top notch pitcher as a starter as well.. but those years he became a closer was definitely intimidating for the other team having him come in.

 

What’s the longest marlins RP?. Burke badenhop?

3 hours ago, SirFishFan said:

Yeah.. that guy was nasty as a closer though.. especially around that ‘03 time. Even though I’m not a Braves fan at all.. and I used to hate watching Smoltz pitch especially against the Marlins. Now looking back I have to give mad respect for how insane he was as a closer. Of course he was always top notch pitcher as a starter as well.. but those years he became a closer was definitely intimidating for the other team having him come in.

 

So true. That’s why I thought my answer was decent because he was so dominant.  I was surprised when I checked his stats he only closed for 4 yrs.  I really thought he had 250-300 saves😬

5 hours ago, pollythewog said:

What’s the longest marlins RP?. Burke badenhop?

Nope.

My first guess was Braden Looper.. but that wasn’t correct as he played 5 seasons for the Marlins.

From what I found it was a tie between Mike Dunn, AJ Ramos, Steve Cishek and Antonio Alfonseca who each played in 6 different seasons for the Marlins.

Fun fact: Mike Dunn holds the record for most games played by a Marlins pitcher with 405.

 

I would say out of all MLB teams the Marlins are probably at the very bottom of the list of teams that would potentially have a player play their entire MLB career on the same team.

 

On 9/1/2024 at 9:32 AM, SirFishFan said:

Nope.

My first guess was Braden Looper.. but that wasn’t correct as he played 5 seasons for the Marlins.

From what I found it was a tie between Mike Dunn, AJ Ramos, Steve Cishek and Antonio Alfonseca who each played in 6 different seasons for the Marlins.

Fun fact: Mike Dunn holds the record for most games played by a Marlins pitcher with 405.

 

I would say out of all MLB teams the Marlins are probably at the very bottom of the list of teams that would potentially have a player play their entire MLB career on the same team.

 

For players with careers at least 3 years in length, anyway 

Alfonseca's tenure with the Fish included two stints-he was involved in the D-Train trade 

As for the original question Mariano might have the record, a quick look at baseball reference career games pitched he's the only one I can see in the top 50 for games pitched to have played for one team. I found only one other pitcher with one team with any longevity was a starter, Walter Johnson. I did see a lot of former Marlins in the all-time games pitched list though. 

On 9/1/2024 at 12:13 AM, SirFishFan said:

It’s tricky because as you mentioned most relief pitchers are moved around so much. Starting pitchers seem to have a better chance of staying with just one team.

Yes this is the point of my question. Even the best relievers switch teams a lot. Its also the way bullpens are built nowadays. Teams don't commit to relievers anymore so it'll be even less moving forward.

Heath Bell was here way too long.

On 9/5/2024 at 9:37 AM, Piazza31 said:

Heath Bell was here way too long.

One long-ass year of no accountability for Fatty FatFuck.

 

I remember we got rid of him that offseason and then Stanton hit a go-ahead homer off him the next season. It was so cathartic. Lol.

 

 

On 9/3/2024 at 11:41 AM, SilverBullet said:

Yes this is the point of my question. Even the best relievers switch teams a lot. Its also the way bullpens are built nowadays. Teams don't commit to relievers anymore so it'll be even less moving forward.

Another factor is, how many pitchers begin their careers straight out as dominant relief pitchers? I mean I’m sure there are some right now. But I guess what I’m trying to say is most of the time if a younger pitcher has amazing pitching ability probably the team will try to have him as a starter and then perhaps later on if it’s determined that he’s better suited for a relief role might get converted to RP.

Thats exactly what happened to Mariano Rivera. In his first season in 1995 he pitched in 19 games and 10 of those were starts. After that season, he never started another game again the rest of his career and was full time relief pitcher from 1996-2013.

So in that case Mariano Rivera just might go down as the only relief pitcher to have a career that long and outstanding on just one team. The Nationals for example could have done something similar with Stephen Strasburg. Of course he was way more valuable as a starting pitcher. But he was with the Nats his entire career and if he was a RP.. chances are he would have also stayed on the Nats his entire career as a RP. But he didn’t. So that’s a dumb hypothetical. 😂

 

Marlins should go a similar route with Eury Perez. In fact I think that @Michael should ask his friend who is friends with Craig Mish to ask Craig Mish to bring up the idea to Bendix about making Eury Perez a RP after this year and then keeping him on the Marlins for his entire career so he can be another Mariano Rivera and answer @SilverBullet question in about 15 years. Thanks!

1 hour ago, SirFishFan said:

Another factor is, how many pitchers begin their careers straight out as dominant relief pitchers? I mean I’m sure there are some right now. But I guess what I’m trying to say is most of the time if a younger pitcher has amazing pitching ability probably the team will try to have him as a starter and then perhaps later on if it’s determined that he’s better suited for a relief role might get converted to RP.

Thats exactly what happened to Mariano Rivera. In his first season in 1995 he pitched in 19 games and 10 of those were starts. After that season, he never started another game again the rest of his career and was full time relief pitcher from 1996-2013.

So in that case Mariano Rivera just might go down as the only relief pitcher to have a career that long and outstanding on just one team. The Nationals for example could have done something similar with Stephen Strasburg. Of course he was way more valuable as a starting pitcher. But he was with the Nats his entire career and if he was a RP.. chances are he would have also stayed on the Nats his entire career as a RP. But he didn’t. So that’s a dumb hypothetical. 😂

 

Marlins should go a similar route with Eury Perez. In fact I think that @Michael should ask his friend who is friends with Craig Mish to ask Craig Mish to bring up the idea to Bendix about making Eury Perez a RP after this year and then keeping him on the Marlins for his entire career so he can be another Mariano Rivera and answer @SilverBullet question in about 15 years. Thanks!

Stop tagging me in your stupid shit.

SirHeathBell

11 minutes ago, Michael said:

Stop tagging me in your stupid shit.

SirHeathBell

I’m sorry @Michael I won’t do it again.

@Admin can you please have a word with @Michael about his profanity use. Thanks!

5 hours ago, SirFishFan said:

I’m sorry @Michael I won’t do it again.

@Admin can you please have a word with @Michael about his profanity use. Thanks!

@Michael word. 

1 hour ago, Admin said:

@Michael word. 

Thanks for having a word with @Michael I’m sure the whole site will benefit from less profanity from @Michael

Edited September 7, 20241 yr by SirFishFan

28 minutes ago, SirFishFan said:

Thanks for having a word with @Michael I’m sure the whole site will benefit from less profanity from @Michael

I do what I can