LEE SMITH
Fourteenth Year on Ballot (30.2% 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:
This is not to disparage Lee Smith, but …
STOP WASTING A HALL OF FAME VOTE ON LEE FREAKING SMITH IF YOU'RE NOT VOTING FOR EDGAR.
— Joe Veyera (@JoeVeyera) December 29, 2015
Nobody will be able to explain voting for Lee Smith for the Hall of Fame and not @wagsk13wjs_e – does anyone watch baseball anymore?
— commish joe (@commishjoe) December 28, 2015
How come Bruce sutter is in the hall of fame, and Lee Smith is not ?
— Jason Guevarra (@LateBloomer87) December 4, 2015
HOVG THOUGHTS: Smith is a guy that, when you meet him, seems larger than life. Shaking his hand was 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 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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