Why is Bruce Sutter in the Hall of Fame?

Question

dryankee: Robb Nen has 300 saves and an ERA under 3.00. You think he should be in the Hall for the same reasoning as you used for Sutter?

Answer 1

Because he was an archetype for the modern day closer. He was the dominant closer in the league for almost a decade. And he also invented a little pitch called the split-finger fastball. Maybe you've heard of it?

Don't get wrapped up in the stats. The Hall of Fame is for players who were the dominant players at their position during their generation. Sutter fits the bill.

Answer 2

Sutter averaged about 100 more batters per year than Mariano has. Rivera's ERA is .50 lower than Sutter's, but it still tells me Sutter had many more 2 and 3 inning saves than relievers do nowadays.

In his era, the closer roll wasn't the same as it is now. They came into games in the 7th inning sometimes, and also pitched in games like a regular reliever would be used. No setup man, just a reliever coming in to get 9 outs (there was no stat called a "hold" either.)


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Answer 3

Sutter was A dominant closer, not THE best in the game at his time. Fingers and Quisenberry (and later Eck) were probably better.

However, Sutter is given much of the credit for developing the split-fingered fastball. That type of thing usually gets you into the Hall.

Answer 4

Sutter was a pioneer. He played in an era before closers were used by every team.

Answer 5

300 saves and 2.83 ERA, but oddly a losing record at 68-71
so I'm right there with you on wondering why. Mo Rivera is 62-44, 2.35 ERA, and 443 Saves and still going. So Sutter is a joke compared to that, and I liked him.

Answer 6

Well what can I say, he got enough votes to get into the hall of fame. Why do you think that he shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame?

Answer 7

300 saves and an ERA under 3.00

http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/suttebr01.shtml

Answer 8

very good question? is he? heavy drinking the night before the vote?