Bomber Bites With Jumping Joe–Royals Greg Holland Wins First Mariano Rivera Award

The two newest MLB awards were announced last night, the Mariano Rivera Award and the Trevor Hoffman Award.  The two awards are given to be best regular season relief pitcher in their respective leagues.  Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News is reporting that the Royals  closer Greg Holland was the winner for the American League, while Dellin Betances was the runner up.

  Holland had a fantastic season for the American League Pennant winning Royals.  The All Star closer went 46 for 48 in save chances this season with a 1.44 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 90 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings.  However, Yankees superstar All Star Rookie  Betances, might have been the better choice. While Betances was a set up man for Yankees closer David Robertson in 2014, he had one of the best seasons for a reliever ever.  His 135 strikeouts broke the award’s namesake’s Yankee record for strikeout by a reliever in a single season.  He had a 1.40 ERA in 90 innings and compiled an unheard of 3.7 WAR for a setup man.  Betances truly had a season for the ages.

Mandatory Credit: Chad R. MacDonald.

Rivera was the greatest closer of all time and likely the greatest postseason closer ever as well.  He is lock for Cooperstown in a few years.  He is the all time saves leader (652), games finished (952) and ERA+ (205).  He was a 13 time All Star who garnered MVP votes as a closer in nine different seasons.  He has been MVP of the All Star Games, World Series and ALCS.  He finished second for the Cy Young in 2005 and third three other times.  He is one of the most decorated pitchers of all time and if the award which bears his name existed while he was a player he would likely have a bookshelf full of them. 

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This award is also unique due to the voters.  The voters for the award were Rivera, Hoffman, Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Rich Gossage, Bruce Sutter, Lee Smith, Billy Wagner and John Franco.  That is a “Who’s Who” of closers and probably the greatest collection of relief pitchers ever assembled.  Eckersley, Fingers Gossage and Sutter are already in the Hall of Fame.  Rivera and Hoffman will be joining them as soon as they are eligible.  Smith is number two all time in saves.  Wagner and Franco were also two of the top closers of their generation.  

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