The voting cycle for the Baseball Corridor of Fame this 12 months marks the fourth time that former nearer Francisco Rodríguez has appeared on the poll. He hasn’t made a lot of a mark simply but, having gotten 10.8%, 7.8% and 10.2% of the vote in his first three years, respectively. Gamers get to hold round on the poll so long as they clear the 5% threshold, however 75% of the vote is required for induction into the Corridor of Fame. As will be seen above within the numbers, the participant generally known as Okay-Rod does not have any momentum towards induction. 

Ought to he? 

Rodríguez is sixth all-time in saves. The highest three (Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman and Lee Smith) are within the Corridor. The following two, Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrel, are nonetheless lively. Billy Wagner is eighth in saves and made the Corridor of Fame final 12 months. John Franco is seventh, although, and fell off the poll after getting simply 4.6% of the vote in his first cycle.

As at all times, there’s wanted context behind the quantity, particularly after we’re speaking about only one statistic. Saves in Okay-Rod’s period have been a lot simpler to come back by than in earlier eras, the place it was rather more uncommon to get to 40 saves in a season and rather more widespread to work a number of innings than only one. Plus, there are numerous of us voters who imagine that nearer is a specialization that calls for a a lot increased normal than different positions, provided that, whereas it is not straightforward in any respect, it is simpler to be an excellent nearer than a very good beginning pitcher. 

We have to throw out Rivera as a result of he is head and shoulders above everybody else, however let’s examine Okay-Rod to Wagner, Hoffman, Jansen, Kimbrel and Aroldis Chapman to see how issues look on a charge foundation after their saves numbers. 

Two issues leap out as apparent to me there. First off, Hoffman made the Corridor of Fame attributable to save quantity greater than the rest. Okay-Rod does not have that. Secondly, Rodríguez’s case will not be equal to Wagner’s on a charge foundation. He is noticeably behind. Not solely that, but it surely’s truthful to say that he is additionally behind Jansen, Kimbrel and Chapman — even when it is shut, he is behind — and we aren’t even certain any of that trio will make the Corridor of Fame.

There are at the moment 9 Corridor of Famers who’re thought-about aid pitchers. Utilizing the JAWS system, Rodríguez is properly beneath the typical Corridor of Fame reliever (the typical JAWS is 31.6 and Rodríguez is at 20.9). Rodríguez sits 14th all-time amongst relievers in JAWS. Rivera is first, clearly, with Dennis Eckersley second, Hoyt Wilhelm third and Goose Gossage fourth. Hoffman is fifth, Jansen sixth and Wagner seventh. Rodríguez is forward of Smith, Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter, however he is behind pitchers like Joe Nathan, Tom Gordon and Jonathan Papelbon. 

Rodríguez does have the single-season save report with 62 in 2008. He has a very good playoff resume, having pitched to a 2.95 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 36 ⅔ playoff innings. He received a hoop with the Angels at age 20 and was a phenom that postseason.

Is that sufficient to award bonus factors that get him over the road and into “worthy Corridor of Famer” territory? 

For me, no. It is my second 12 months as a Corridor of Fame voter and he did not get my vote both time. I famous that closers have a a lot increased bar than different positions for me. Wagner cleared the bar and Okay-Rod does not. I assume which means my line is in between these two, which means the Jansen, Kimbrel and Chapman selections within the coming decade will show themselves reasonably troublesome. 

Regardless, I do not assume the case of Francisco Rodríguez is sweet sufficient to get him into the Corridor of Fame and it seems the overwhelming majority of the voting physique agrees with me.