The pressure is truly intense as these pitchers / closers step onto the mound knowing they only have to pitch an inning or two at most; however, they also know that the entire game is riding on their skill as a pitcher, their shoulders, and in their arms. They should be able to "mow" down the opposing batters and save the game for a team victory, but will they?
Here are those stoppers, along with some basic statistical information, who withstood the pressure and were honored with the Rolaids Relief Man Award. An award that was started in 1976 in an effort to honor the top closer from each league and calculated by giving four points for a tough save (entering the game with the tying run on base), three points for a save, two points for a win, loss of two points for a loss, and a loss of two points for a blown save.
On January 7, 2013, Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE : SNY) announced that its US Consumer Healthcare Division, Chattem, Inc., completed the acquisition of the worldwide rights to the Rolaids ® brand from McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. effectively ending the sponsorship program.
Rolaids Relief Man Award Official Logo
In Chronological Order
Bill Campbell (1)
Minnesota
Bill Campbell (2)
Boston
Rich Gossage (1)
New York
Jim Kern (1)
Texas
Dan Quisenberry (1)
Kansas City
Rollie Fingers (4)
Milwaukee
Dan Quisenberry (2)
Kansas City
Dan Quisenberry (3)
Kansas City
Dan Quisenberry (4)
Kansas City
Dan Quisenberry (5)
Kansas City
Dave Righetti (1)
New York
Dave Righetti (2)
New York
Dennis Eckersley (1)
Oakland
Jeff Russell (1)
Texas
Bobby Thigpen (1)
Chicago
Bryan Harvey (1)
California
Dennis Eckersley (2)
Oakland
Jeff Montgomery (1)
Kansas City
Lee Smith (3)
Baltimore
Jose Mesa (1)
Cleveland
John Wetteland (1)
New York
Randy Myers (2)
Baltimore
Tom Gordon (1)
Boston
Mariano Rivera (1)
New York
Todd Jones (1)
Detroit
Mariano Rivera (2)
New York
Billy Koch (1)
Oakland
Keith Foulke (1)
Oakland
Mariano Rivera (3)
New York
Mariano Rivera (4)
New York
Los Angeles
J.J. Putz (1)
Seattle
Los Angeles
62
1
7
2
3
2.24
Mariano Rivera (5)
New York
2
3
3
Award Discontinued (x)
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American League Rolaids Relief Man | Bold Denotes Cy Young Award | Baseball Awards Menu
Rolaids Relief Man Award Official Logo
In Chronological Order
Rawly Eastwick (1)
Cincinnati
Rollie Fingers (1)
San Diego
Rollie Fingers (2)
San Diego
Bruce Sutter (1)
Chicago
Rollie Fingers (3)
San Diego
Bruce Sutter (2)
St. Louis
Bruce Sutter (3)
St. Louis
Al Holland (1)
Philadelphia
Bruce Sutter (4)
St. Louis
Jeff Reardon (1)
Montreal
Todd Worrell (1)
St. Louis
Steve Bedrosian (1)
Philadelphia
John Franco (1)
Cincinnati
Mark Davis (1)
San Diego
John Franco (2)
New York
Lee Smith (1)
St. Louis
Lee Smith (2)
St. Louis
Randy Myers (1)
Chicago
Rod Beck (1)
San Francisco
Tom Henke (1)
St. Louis
Jeff Brantley (1)
Cincinnati
Jeff Shaw (1)
Cincinnati
Trevor Hoffman (1)
San Diego
Billy Wagner (1)
Houston
Florida
Armando Benitez (1)
New York
John Smoltz (1)
Atlanta
Eric Gagne (1)
Los Angeles
Eric Gagne (2)
Los Angeles
Chad Cordero (1)
Washington
Trevor Hoffman (2)
San Diego
Jose Valverde (1)
Arizona
Brad Lidge (1)
Philadelphia
41
0
0
2
0
1.95
Heath Bell (1)
San Diego
Award Discontinued (x)
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National League Rolaids Relief Man | Bold Denotes Cy Young Award | Baseball Awards Menu
Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers had the lowest earned run average of any Rolaids Relief Award recipient ever 1.04 and until 2003, Rod Beck was the only receipient with no blown saves (where data is actually available).
Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox had the most saves of any Rolaids Relief Award recipient ever with fifty-seven and details about that amazing season can be seen in our Fabulous Feats section.
Did you know that ace closer Quiz , a five time recipient of the Rolaids Relief Award, has one of the most popular quotations sections here on Baseball Almanac?