All Time Saves Record

[Don Wassall]

The only significant record held by a black pitcher is the career saves mark of 478, held by Lee Smith. Smith was a lot like Hank Aaron. Aaron never hit 50 homers in a season, but he was almost always at or near the top of the home rundepartment each year and played at a high level for a long time. Smith was wasn't always the most dominant relief pitcher but he pitched at a high level for a long time.


Trevor Hoffman, 37,is now third all time with 396 saves. He bounced back after missing '03 with an injury and had a big year last year.


John Franco is second all time with 424, but he is all but done. Troy Percival is currently 12th all time with 317 saves. He turns 36 in August.


Hoffman is 82 saves short of Smith and still going strong. Do you think he'll break Smith's mark?

 

[Bear-Arms]

Eric Gagne of the Dodgers looks like he could climb up the charts. He is 29 and has 152 saves in 3 years as being the Dodgers closer. So he is on pace to break the record in 6 and a half years. That would make him still younger than both Hoffman and Percival. Thats if he followed his current pace. Not many teams have the patients for blown saves anymore.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Guys, I happen to know Lee Smith, and that he graduated from Castor, LA. High School in 1975. He is about 48 now, and retired just a few years back, so I can see his record being broken within the next ten to fifteen years or so. By the way, Lee was super about giving back to Castor and his old school there. I really looked up to the guy. I once gave his his brother a ride. His brother is not like him at all. It's a shame Lee's marriage didn't last, but hey, nobody's perfect and I don't think it was all his fault anyway. He was the pride of CHS and I'm proud to have graduated from the same school as him.Edited by: Colonel_Reb