In baseball and softball,a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher has been removed because of fatigue,ineffectiveness,injury,or ejection,or for other strategic reasons,such as inclement weather delays or pinch hitter substitutions. Relief pitchers are further divided informally into various roles,such as closers,setup men,middle relief pitchers,left/right-handed specialists,and long relievers. Whereas starting pitchers usually throw so many pitches in a single game that they must rest several days before pitching in another,relief pitchers are expected to be more flexible and typically pitch in more games with a shorter time period between pitching appearances but with fewer innings pitched per appearance. A team's staff of relievers is normally referred to metonymically as a team's bullpen,which refers to the area where the relievers sit during games,and where they warm-up prior to entering the game.
Howard Bruce Sutter was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1976 and 1988. He was one of the sport's dominant relievers in the late 1970s and early 1980s,making effective use of the split-finger fastball. A six-time All-Star and 1982 World Series champion,Sutter recorded a 2.83 career earned run average and 300 saves,the third-most in MLB history at the time of his retirement. Sutter won the National League's (NL) Cy Young Award in 1979 as its top pitcher,and won the NL Rolaids Relief Man Award four times. He became the only pitcher to lead the NL in saves five times.
Lee Arthur Smith is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) for eight teams. Serving mostly as a relief pitcher during his career,he was a dominant closer,was the first pitcher to reach 400 saves,and held the major league record for career saves from 1993 until 2006,when Trevor Hoffman passed his total of 478. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2019 by the Today's Game Era Committee.
Richard Raymond Radatz was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Nicknamed "The Monster",the 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m),230 lb (100 kg) right-hander had a scorching but short-lived period of dominance for the Boston Red Sox in the early 1960s. He got his nickname by striking out several New York Yankees in a row at a game in Fenway Park in 1963.
Bradley Thomas Lidge,nicknamed "Lights Out",is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Lidge played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB),from 2002–2012. He played for the Houston Astros,Philadelphia Phillies,and Washington Nationals. As a relief pitcher Lidge saved 225 games during his career. He was a two-time All-Star,and in 2008 won the Delivery Man of the Year Award and the National League (NL) Rolaids Relief Man Award. Lidge is currently a host on SiriusXM's MLB Network Radio.
Blaine Neal is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. Neal played with the Florida Marlins (2001–2003),San Diego Padres (2004),Boston Red Sox (2005),and Colorado Rockies (2005) of Major League Baseball (MLB). He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.
Mark William Davis is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Davis played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies,San Francisco Giants (1983–1987),San Diego Padres,Kansas City Royals (1990–1992),Atlanta Braves (1992),and Milwaukee Brewers (1997). He won the National League Cy Young Award in 1989,as a relief pitcher for the Padres. Davis batted and threw left-handed. He was the Minor League Pitching Coordinator for the Kansas City Royals organization,but stepped aside after the 2011 season to coach a single short-season affiliate in 2012.
Bertram Ray Burris is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB),and the current rehabilitation pitching coordinator in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He played in MLB from 1973 through 1987 for seven different teams. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 200 pounds (91 kg),he threw and batted right-handed.
William Richard Campbell was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1973 to 1987. He played for the American League (AL) Minnesota Twins,Boston Red Sox,and Detroit Tigers and the National League (NL) Chicago Cubs,Philadelphia Phillies,St. Louis Cardinals,and Montreal Expos.
Larry Eugene Andersen is an American former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and current radio color commentator for the Philadelphia Phillies. From 1975 through 1994,Andersen played for the Cleveland Indians,Seattle Mariners (1981–1982),Philadelphia Phillies,Houston Astros (1986–1990),Boston Red Sox (1990),and San Diego Padres (1991–1992).
John Allen Denny is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals,Cleveland Indians,Philadelphia Phillies,and Cincinnati Reds,from 1974 to 1986. Denny won the National League (NL) Cy Young Award,in 1983.
Roy Justin Thomas is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for the Houston Astros,St. Louis Cardinals and Seattle Mariners in all or parts of eight seasons spanning 1977–1987. Listed at 6' 5" and 215 pounds,Thomas batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Quantico,Virginia.
Darrel Wayne Akerfelds was a professional baseball pitcher. He also served as the bullpen coach of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres,from 2001 until his death. Akerfelds pitched in the major leagues in parts of five seasons,from 1986 to 1991 for the Oakland Athletics,Cleveland Indians,Texas Rangers,and Philadelphia Phillies.
James William Gott is an American professional baseball pitcher and coach. Gott pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 years for the Toronto Blue Jays,San Francisco Giants,Pittsburgh Pirates,and Los Angeles Dodgers,from 1982 to 1995. He was the bullpen coach for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2018 through 2020.
Kenneth Howell,Jr. was an American professional baseball pitcher and pitching coach,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the National League (NL) Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies (1984-1990). During his playing days,Howell stood 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) tall,weighing 200 pounds (91 kg). He batted and threw right-handed.
Darold Duane Knowles is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1965 through 1980,most notably as a member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive World Series championships between 1972 and 1974. In the 1973 World Series,Knowles became the first pitcher to appear in all seven games of a World Series. He also played for the Baltimore Orioles,Philadelphia Phillies,Washington Senators / Texas Rangers,Chicago Cubs,Montreal Expos,and St. Louis Cardinals. Knowles batted and threw left-handed. In 2014,he was hired as the pitching coach of the Florida State League's Dunedin Blue Jays.
Ronald Lee Reed is a former two-sport star who spent two seasons as a power forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before spending nearly two decades as a Major League Baseball pitcher.
Vernon Gerald Ruhle was an American professional baseball right-handed pitcher and coach,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB),primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros for 13 seasons,from 1974 to 1986.
Robert Wayne Kipper is an American professional baseball coach and a former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. He has also spent two terms as bullpen coach of MLB's Boston Red Sox.
Dyar K. Miller is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach. A graduate of Utah State,Miller pitched 13 seasons in professional baseball between 1968 and 1984,including seven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles,California Angels,Toronto Blue Jays,and New York Mets. After his playing career,Miller coached and instructed for 28 seasons,mainly in the minor leagues. He most recently served as the Cardinals' bullpen coach in 2012.
