Roloids Relief Man

SummaryLearn about the Rolaids Relief Man

n Major League Baseball, the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award, first awarded in 1976, is a distinction given to the top relief pitcher in each league at the end of each season. Unlike other honors such as the Cy Young Award or Most Valuable Player Award, the Relief Man of the Year award is based objectively on statistical performance, rather than subjective opinion.

A reliever is given 2 points for a win, 3 points for a save and - 2 points for a loss. Beginning in 1987, the statistic of a blown save has counted as - 2 points. In 2000, Rolaids began awarding 4 points for a so-called "tough save" when a reliever enters a game with the tying run already on base and gets the save. The reliever with the highest score at the end of the season is given the award.

Dan Quisenberry has won the most awards with 5. Rollie Fingers, Bruce Sutter and Mariano Rivera have all won 4.

As indicated by its name, the award is sponsored by Rolaids, whose slogan is "R-O-L-A-I-D-S spells relief." Because early closers were often nicknamed "firemen" (a reference to that they "put out the fire" of another team's rally), the trophy is a gold-plated firefighter's helmet.

American League (1976-present)

Year Pitcher Team Record Saves ERA

1976 Bill Campbell Minnesota Twins 17-5 20 3.01

1977 Bill Campbell Boston Red Sox 13-9 31 2.96

1978 Rich Gossage New York Yankees 10-11 27 2.01

1979 Jim Kern Texas Rangers 13-5 29 1.57

1980 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 12-7 33 3.09

1981 Rollie Fingers Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 28 1.04

1982 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 9-7 35 2.57

1983 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 5-3 45 1.94

1984 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 6-3 44 2.65

1985 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 8-9 37 2.37

1986 Dave Righetti New York Yankees 8-8 46 2.45

1987 Dave Righetti New York Yankees 8-6 31 3.51

1988 Dennis Eckersley Oakland Athletics 4-2 45 2.35

1989 Jeff Russell Texas Rangers 6-4 38 1.98

1990 Bobby Thigpen Chicago White Sox 4-6 57 1.83

1991 Bryan Harvey California Angels 2-4 46 1.60

1992 Dennis Eckersley Oakland Athletics 7-1 51 1.91

1993 Jeff Montgomery Kansas City Royals 7-5 45 2.27

1994 Lee Smith Baltimore Orioles 1-4 33 3.29

1995 José Mesa Cleveland Indians 3-0 46 1.12

1996 John Wetteland New York Yankees 2-3 43 2.83

1997 Randy Myers Baltimore Orioles 2-3 45 1.51

1998 Tom Gordon Boston Red Sox 7-4 46 2.72

1999 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees 4-3 45 1.83

2000 Todd Jones Detroit Tigers 2-4 42 3.52

2001 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees 4-6 50 2.34

2002 Billy Koch Oakland Athletics 11-4 44 3.27

2003 Keith Foulke Oakland Athletics 9-1 43 2.08

2004 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees 4-2 53 1.94

2005 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees 7-4 43 1.38

2006 Francisco Rodriguez Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2-3 47 1.73

National League (1976-present)

Year Pitcher Team Record Saves ERA

1976 Rawly Eastwick Cincinnati Reds 11-5 26 2.09

1977 Rollie Fingers San Diego Padres 8-9 35 2.99

1978 Rollie Fingers San Diego Padres 6-13 37 2.52

1979 Bruce Sutter Chicago Cubs 6-6 37 2.22

1980 Rollie Fingers San Diego Padres 11-9 23 2.80

1981 Bruce Sutter St. Louis Cardinals 3-5 25 2.62

1982 Bruce Sutter St. Louis Cardinals 9-8 36 2.90

1983 Al Holland Philadelphia Phillies 8-4 25 2.26

1984 Bruce Sutter St. Louis Cardinals 5-7 45 1.54

1985 Jeff Reardon Montreal Expos 2-8 41 3.18

1986 Todd Worrell St. Louis Cardinals 9-10 36 2.08

1987 Steve Bedrosian Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 40 2.83

1988 John Franco Cincinnati Reds 6-6 39 1.57

1989 Mark Davis San Diego Padres 4-3 44 1.84

1990 John Franco New York Mets 5-3 33 2.53

1991 Lee Smith St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 47 2.34

1992 Lee Smith St. Louis Cardinals 4-9 43 3.12

1993 Randy Myers Chicago Cubs 2-4 53 3.11

1994 Rod Beck San Francisco Giants 2-4 28 2.77

1995 Tom Henke St. Louis Cardinals 1-1 36 1.82

1996 Jeff Brantley Cincinnati Reds 1-2 44 2.41

1997 Jeff Shaw Cincinnati Reds 4-2 42 2.38

1998 Trevor Hoffman San Diego Padres 4-2 53 1.48

1999 Billy Wagner Houston Astros 4-1 39 1.57

2000 Antonio Alfonseca Florida Marlins 5-6 45 4.24

2001 Armando Benitez New York Mets 6-4 43 3.77

2002 John Smoltz Atlanta Braves 3-2 55 3.25

2003 Eric Gagne Los Angeles Dodgers 2-3 55 1.20

2004 Eric Gagne Los Angeles Dodgers 7-3 45 2.19

2005 Chad Cordero Washington Nationals 2-4 47 1.82

2006 Trevor Hoffman San Diego Padres 0-2 46 2.14

View the Website here. http://www.rolaidsreliefman.com/