Jay Jaffe has Lee Smith ranked as the 14th best relief pitcher in Baseball history, ahead of enshrined immortals Bruce Sutter, Rollie Fingers, and Trevor Hoffman. His recent election to the Hall of the Fame by the Today’s Game Era Committee is justified and overdue.
Unfortunately, Lee Smith is remembered more for his postseason failures than his trailblazing performance as a closer. In two postseason series, Smith had a 8.10 ERA in 5.1 innings of work, which includes the famous home run to Steve Garvey.
Over the years, Lee Smith’s accomplishments have been overlooked and minimized. A seven-time All-Star, Smith was the all-time saves leader when he retired and held it until 2006. In 1991, Lee recorded 47 saves, which was a NL record. He also finished second in the Cy Young voting that season. Smith teterred on on the Eras of the relief man and the closer. In our postmodern era, it’s impressive for a reliever to reach 70 innings pitched. Lee Smith took over the closer duties for the Chicago Cubs in 1982. Between 1982 and 1984, Smith averaged 107 innings a season. Over his 18-year career, Lee averaged 85 innings pitched a season, and eight times threw 80+ innings. Like the generation of relievers before him, Smith was durable and dependable.
Four times in his career, Lee Smith lead the league in saves. More impressively, he lead the league in games finished three times. Smith retired with 478 career saves, but I’m more impressed with his 802 games finished. Lee pitched in 1022 career games and finished 78% of them, win or lose. That’s impressive.
| Split | W | L | W-L% | ERA | G | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | HBP | BF | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Totals | 0 | 1 | .000 | 5.82 | 25 | 14 | 5 | 21.2 | 28 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 100 | 1.662 |
Not surprisingly, Lee Smith’s final season was a struggle. Smith only managed 25 appearances and a 5.82 ERA in 1997. Correctly, APBA awarded the 39-year old with a D* grade. By the end of the season, Smith knew it was time to call it quits.
The polar vortex descended on Michigan during the past week. One of the ways I battle the negative degree temperatures, -30 wind chill factors, and 12+ inches of snow is thinking about baseball. Thinking ahead to to the six new Hall of Fame inductees speeches this summer warms my heart. In the end , there are really only two seasons: winter and baseball.
