LEE SMITH
Final Year on Ballot (34.1% last year)
PLAYING CAREER: Chicago Cubs (1980–1987), Boston Red Sox (1988–1990), St. Louis Cardinals (1990–1993), New York Yankees (1993), Baltimore Orioles (1994), California Angels (1995–1996), Cincinnati Reds (1996) and Montreal Expos (1997)
ACHIEVEMENTS: Ranks third all-time with 478 saves. Career ERA of 3.03 in 1022 games with 1251 strikeouts. All-time leader in saves and games finished at the time of his retirement. Thirteen consecutive seasons (1983-1995) with more than 20 saves, ten seasons with 30 or more…and three seasons with 40 or more. Led the league in saves four times (1983, 1991, 1992 and 1994). Three-time Rolaids Relief Man of the Year (1991, 1992 and 1994). All-time Chicago Cubs saves leader. Holds National League record for most consecutive errorless games by a pitcher with 546. Seven-time All-Star (1983, 1987 and 1991-1995). 2015 inductee into The Hall of Very Good.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ON TWITTER:
Well somehow Paul Sullivan thinks Trevor Hoffman and Lee smith belong in the hall of fame but mussina doesn't. Lol
— 23datruth (@23datruth) January 8, 2017
Lee Smith needs to get in the Baseball Hall of Fame #HOF2017
— Turnip (@vernebert) December 30, 2016
I won't reveal my Hall ballot till voting is announced, but will say I painfully left Lee Smith off. I think he belongs. But won't win. . .
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) December 21, 2016
HOVG THOUGHTS: Smith is a guy that, when you meet him, seems larger than life. Shaking his hand is like grabbing a tractor tire. I can only imagine what it was like having him throw something in your direction from sixty feet, six inches.
Now, while that is not a reason to induct someone (if it was, Tim Stoddard would already be enshrined), Smith’s 478 saves were pretty darn good. For 13 years, Smith was the all-time saves leader and up until recently, he held the record for most games finished. I mean, when a guy is getting his records broken by the likes or Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera he had to have been decent, right? Right?!?
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