Quiz – Relief Men (stumped) |

These relievers are distinguished from their expansion era brethren by dint of an unusual seasonal accomplishment since 1961. What is it?

Rk	Player
1	Sean Green
2	Carl Willis
3	Bob Reynolds
4	Orlando Pena
5	Bobby Bolin
6	Dave Baldwin
7	Ed Roebuck

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 4/26/2014.

Looks as though this one is a stumper. The answer is that the quiz players are the only right-handed relief pitchers to post a season since 1961 with 100 ERA+ in 50+ IP, all in relief, while averaging one IP per apperance and one inherited runner per IP. While neither of those markers is unusual by itself, together they become very unusual indeed. More after the jump.

The reason the two criteria are so unusual together is that pitchers averaging one IP per appearance tend not to be the situational relievers who rack up the inherited runners by being called on in a tight spot to face one or two batters. Here are those seasons for our quiz players.

Rk	Player	IR	ERA+	IP	G	Year	Age	Tm	GF	W	L	W-L%	SV	ERA	FIP
1	Sean Green	68	115	68.0	64	2007	28	SEA	10	5	2	.714	0	3.84	3.70
2	Carl Willis	59	141	58.0	53	1993	32	MIN	21	3	0	1.000	5	3.10	2.80
3	Bob Reynolds	70	127	69.1	54	1974	27	BAL	30	7	5	.583	7	2.73	2.74
4	Orlando Pena	53	164	53.0	46	1974	40	TOT	28	5	2	.714	4	2.21	2.77
5	Bobby Bolin	63	150	53.1	39	1973	34	BOS	29	3	4	.429	15	2.70	3.41
6	Dave Baldwin	71	187	68.2	58	1967	29	WSA	26	2	4	.333	12	1.70	2.45
7	Ed Roebuck	53	102	50.1	44	1965	33	PHI	23	5	3	.625	3	3.40	3.07

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 4/26/2014.

Bobby Bolin’s season stands out on this list with an average appearance of more than 4 outs, and an average IR over 1.2 per IP, and over 1.6 per appearance, true fireman-style credentials.

While these seasons are especially rare for right-handers, they aren’t all that common for left-handers either, with only these southpaws recording such a campaign.

Rk	Player	IR	ERA+	IP	G	Year ▾	Age	Tm	GF	W	L	W-L%	SV	ERA	FIP
1	Mike Venafro	69	155	68.1	65	1999	25	TEX	11	3	2	.600	0	3.29	3.91
2	Dennis Cook	81	129	70.1	60	1996	33	TEX	9	5	2	.714	0	4.09	3.51
3	Graeme Lloyd	65	151	63.2	55	1993	26	MIL	12	3	4	.429	0	2.83	3.79
4	Ken Dayley	59	127	55.1	54	1988	29	STL	21	2	7	.222	5	2.77	2.95
5	Grant Jackson	85	132	82.0	72	1979	36	PIT	29	8	5	.615	14	2.96	4.56
6	Al Hrabosky	68	115	65.0	58	1979	29	KCR	37	9	4	.692	11	3.74	4.07
7	Dave Tomlin	60	145	58.1	53	1979	30	CIN	17	2	2	.500	1	2.62	3.35
8	Darold Knowles	72	149	72.0	60	1978	36	MON	27	3	3	.500	6	2.38	3.79
9	Bob McClure	86	162	71.1	68	1977	25	MIL	31	2	1	.667	6	2.52	2.98
10	Dave Hamilton	83	115	67.1	55	1977	29	CHW	21	4	5	.444	9	3.61	4.03
11	Mickey Scott	69	108	68.1	50	1975	27	CAL	21	4	2	.667	1	3.29	4.04
12	Steve Mingori	63	269	56.2	54	1971	27	CLE	24	1	2	.333	4	1.43	2.65
13	Don Shaw	54	137	51.0	45	1971	27	STL	18	7	2	.778	2	2.65	3.84
14	Sparky Lyle	68	103	67.1	63	1970	25	BOS	40	1	7	.125	20	3.88	3.65
15	Joe Hoerner	71	127	66.0	57	1967	30	STL	32	4	4	.500	15	2.59	2.96

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 4/26/2014.

Like Bobby Bolin’s season, Dennis Cook’s campaign stands out on this list, with average IP and average IR both significantly above one.

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John Autin

10 years ago

Dunno if Sean Green is the key to the puzzle, but he’s certainly the weak link here.

Voomo Zanzibar

Doug, what does the word “dint” mean, to you?

Author

Doug

Reply to Voomo Zanzibar

effort, exertion, struggle

Something like that.

Reply to Doug

I had to look up the word.
Google def provides the following, the second of which would be appropriate for a batting accomplishment:

1. an impression or hollow in a surface

2. a blow or stroke, typically one made with a weapon in fighting.

I wouldn’t have known what the word “dint” meant on its own, but the phrase “by dint of” just means “by means of” or “because of”.

Sort of like how we all know what “hoist by his own petard” means, but who the heck knows what a “petard” is?

Reply to RJ

The definition of petard is interesting, but the derivation is a gas:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petard

BTW, who knows where “in the hole” comes from? Read game notes, if you didn’t catch Vin Scully tonight.

Insert Name Here

So we are to presume that the solution is a single-season accomplishment?

Reply to Insert Name Here

Correct.

This is difficult. Green’s stats are just so average that any parameters that include him will bring with him dozens of others. Green never had an ERA below 3.50 (and only once above 5), never pitched 80+ IP in a season, never had WHIP below 1.4 or above 1.8, never had K/BB below 1.15 or above 1.75, and his highest single-season WAR total is 1.0. There must be something I’m not seeing here…

The fact that this post is about relievers rather than starters might provide a clue.

morsel…..

They all have seasons with either one or two official “at-bats.”

Stumped.
By the dint of my broadsword.

(but it is batting, yes?)

It’s not about batting.

Involves a stat that applies only to relievers.

Ah.
Your “Play Index Tool Used” link goes to the batting finder. Usually that is an accurate semi-hidden hint.