Sunday, April 5, 2020

Time Will Tell For Zack Littell, Part 2

Zack Littell seemed like an unlikely pitcher to be one of the bullpen aces of the Minnesota Twins in 2019. The season before, he'd struggled with an 0-2 record and a high earned run average (6.20). However, Minnesota used 34 different pitchers in 2018, and Littell only appeared in eight games. The closer on the Twins, Fernando Rodney, saved only twenty-five games in '18.

Zack was back with a vengeance in year two, though. He didn't lose a game (6-0) and lowered his ERA to just 2.68. And while Littell failed to save a game and his wins above replacement was a pedestrian 0.9, his future is promising. And Littell wasn't alone with a big year on the Twins relief corps. New closer Taylor Rogers saved 30 games (And since veteran Blake Parker had ten himself, Littell wasn't going to get a chance to close). Minnesota ended up winning 101 games.

In the spring of 2020, Littell continued to prove he belonged at the big-league level. In five appearances, he has pitched seven innings and not allowed an earned run. The Twins bullpen was bolstered by the off-season acquisition of Tyler Clippard, who brings 49 career wins from the bullpen to the team.

Taylor Rodgers has been hit hard so far in the spring. Does a spot in the closer's role await Littell? Time will have to tell!

Greatest Relief Seasons of All-Time Stat Set 2


Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Bernhard 1899 0 ? ? ? 2.65 23 1.6 1.179 2.0
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Walsh 1904 1 ? ? ? 2.60 57 4.6 1.102 0.1
                     
Griffith 1905 1 ? ? ? 1.68 46 4.1 0.954 3.3
                     
Ferguson 1906 7 ? ? ? 2.58 32 5.5 1.280 0.2
                     
Keefe 1907 3 ? ? ? 2.50 20 3.1 1.387 2.0
                     
Chappelle 1908 0 ? ? ? 1.79 23 2.9 1.095 0.3
                     
Leever 1909 2 ? ? ? 2.83 23 3.0 1.257 -0.1
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Phillipe 1910 4 ? ? ? 2.29 30 2.2 0.986 2.0
                     
Benz 1911 0 ? ? ? 2.26 28 4.5 1.168 0.7
                     
Baskette 1912 1 ? ? ? 3.18 51 4.0 1.336 2.2
                     
Crandall 1913 6 ? ? ? 2.86 42 3.9 1.290 0.5
                     
Wolfgang 1914 0 ? ? ? 1.89 50 3.8 1.073 1.8
                     
Bressler 1914 2 ? ? ? 1.77 96 5.9 1.138 3.5
                     
Mays 1915 7 ? ? ? 2.60 65 4.4 1.063 1.0
                     
Danforth 1917 9 ? ? ? 2.65 79 4.1 1.324 3.2
                     
Bender 1917 2 ? ? ? 1.67 43 3.4 0.973 3.7
                     
Dubuc 1919 3 ? ? ? 2.66 32 2.2 1.182 0.6
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Morton 1921 1 ? ? ? 2.76 45 3.8 1.207 2.3
                     
Baumgartner 1925 3 ? ? ? 3.57 18 1.4 1.368 2.5
                     
Marberry 1926 22 ? ? ? 3.00 43 2.8 1.348 3.1
                     
Clark 1927 2 ? ? ? 2.32 32 2.3 1.262 2.8
                     
Haid 1928 5 ? ? ? 2.30 21 4.0 1.064 0.4
                     
Rommel 1929 4 1 0.800 1 2.85 25 2.0 1.484 1.6
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Lindsey 1931 7 1 0.875 ? 2.77 32 3.9 1.634 1.1
                     
Quinn 1932 13 ? ? ? 2.66 24 3.5 1.383 1.1
                     
Russell 1933 13 ? ? ? 2.69 28 2.0 1.218 3.1
                     
Malone 1936 9 1 0.900 0 3.81 72 4.8 1.515 2.9
                     
Brown 1938 5 ? ? ? 3.80 55 3.7 1.500 0.4
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Beggs 1940 7 4 0.636 0 2.00 25 2.9 1.161 2.2
                     
Murphy 1941 15 7 0.682 0 1.98 29 3.4 1.397 2.2
                     
Adams 1943 9 2 0.818 0 2.82 46 3.0 1.254 3.0
                     
Heving 1944 10 ? ? 0 1.96 46 3.5 1.228 1.9
                     
Maltzberger 1944 12 ? ? 0 2.96 49 4.8 1.095 1.8
                     
Berry 1944 12 4 0.750 0 1.94 44 3.6 0.907 3.7
                     
Karl 1945 15 1 0.938 1 2.99 51 2.5 1.245 3.6
                     
Christopher 1947 12 2 0.857 0 2.90 33 3.7 1.277 1.4
                     
Wilks 1948 13 1 0.929 1 2.62 72 4.9 1.163 4.8
                     
Page 1949 27 11 0.711 0 2.59 99 6.6 1.315 4.2
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Konstanty 1950 22 4 0.846 0 2.66 56 3.3 1.039 4.7
                     
Aloma 1951 3 1 0.750 0 1.82 25 3.2 1.096 3.2
                     
Wilhelm 1952 11 1 0.917 1 2.43 108 6.1 1.155 2.7
                     
Paige 1952 10 5 0.667 1 3.07 91 5.9 1.254 3.4
                     
Kinder 1953 27 8 0.771 4 1.85 39 3.3 1.140 4.5
                     
Mossi 1954 7 0 1.000 0 1.94 55 5.3 1.022 3.3
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Narleski 1955 19 2 0.905 6 3.71 94 7.6 1.281 2.5
                     
Freeman 1956 18 3 0.857 2 3.40 50 4.1 1.344 2.6
                     
Farrell 1957 10 3 0.769 0 2.38 54 5.8 1.320 2.4
                     
Zuverink 1957 9 8 0.529 0 2.48 36 2.9 1.278 2.7
                     
Hyde 1958 18 5 0.783 0 1.75 49 4.3 1.136 4.9
                     
Duren 1959 14 7 0.667 1 1.88 96 11.3 1.200 3.8
                     
Staley 1959 15 4 0.789 2 2.24 54 4.2 1.169 2.5
                     
Face 1959 10 9 0.526 1 2.70 69 6.7 1.243 3.2
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
McDaniel 1960 26 6 0.813 1 1.29 95 8.2 0.863 6.0
                     
Brosnan 1960 12 2 0.857 2 2.36 62 5.6 1.020 2.7
                     
Arroyo 1961 29 10 0.744 1 2.19 87 6.6 1.109 3.3
                     
Fox 1961 12 2 0.857 3 1.41 32 5.0 1.012 2.6
                     
Radatz 1963 25 3 0.893 0 1.97 162 11.0 1.096 5.7
                     
Perranoski 1963 21 8 0.724 0 1.67 75 5.2 1.202 4.5
                     
Baldschun 1963 16 5 0.762 1 2.30 89 7.0 1.240 2.0
                     
Lee 1964 19 8 0.704 1 1.51 111 7.3 1.058 4.3
                     
Ellis 1964 14 2 0.875 1 2.57 125 9.2 1.054 3.1
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Miller 1965 24 1 0.960 1 1.89 104 7.8 0.997 4.3
                     
Regan 1966 21 7 0.750 1 1.62 88 6.8 0.934 5.0
                     
Hoerner 1966 13 3 0.813 4 1.54 63 7.5 1.026 3.0
                     
Drabowsky 1967 12 5 0.706 3 1.60 96 9.1 0.955 3.2
                     
Abernathy 1967 28 6 0.824 1 1.27 88 7.4 0.978 6.2
                     
Wyatt 1967 20 4 0.833 2 2.60 68 6.6 1.179 2.2
                     
Wood 1968 16 5 0.762 7 1.87 74 4.2 1.006 5.4
                     
V. Romo 1968 12 3 0.800 1 1.60 54 5.8 0.901 2.8
                     
Tatum 1969 22 1 0.957 2 1.36 65 6.8 1.042 4.3
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Williams 1970 15 4 0.789 7 1.99 76 6.0 1.032 2.8
                     
McMahon 1970 19 5 0.792 0 2.96 74 7.1 1.219 3.0
                     
Sanders 1971 31 4 0.886 0 1.91 80 5.3 1.064 4.1
                     
Giusti 1972 22 5 0.815 0 1.93 54 6.5 1.058 2.3
                     
Knowles 1972 11 3 0.786 5 1.37 36 4.9 1.310 2.5
                     
Brewer 1972 17 7 0.708 0 1.26 69 7.9 0.843 3.5
                     
Hiller 1973 38 4 0.905 0 1.44 124 8.9 1.021 8.1
                     
Borbon 1973 14 5 0.737 6 2.16 60 4.5 1.421 2.5
                     
Beene 1973 1 0 1.000 0 1.68 49 4.8 1.033 3.0
                     
Marshall 1974 21 12 0.636 9 2.42 143 6.2 1.186 3.1
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Gossage 1975 26 5 0.839 1 1.84 130 8.3 1.193 8.2
                     
Eastwick 1976 26 9 0.743 1 2.09 70 5.9 1.115 2.8
                     
Lyle 1977 26 8 0.765 1 2.17 68 4.5 1.197 3.7
                     
Sutter 1977 31 9 0.775 0 1.34 129 10.8 0.857 6.5
                     
Johnson 1977 15 7 0.682 1 3.13 87 5.3 1.806 2.5
                     
Stanley 1978 10 5 0.667 1 2.60 38 2.2 1.242 4.1
                     
Blair 1978 28 5 0.848 2 1.97 91 8.2 1.246 4.1
                     
Tekulve 1979 31 6 0.838 8 2.79 75 5.0 1.176 3.2
                     
Lopez 1979 21 5 0.808 1 2.41 106 7.5 1.150 5.3
                     
Davis 1979 9 10 0.474 2 2.85 43 4.5 1.313 2.2
                     
E.Romo 1979 5 8 0.385 12 2.99 106 7.4 1.276 1.8
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
McGraw 1980 20 5 0.800 0 1.46 75 7.3 0.921 4.7
                     
Garvin 1980 8 5 0.615 5 2.29 52 5.7 1.173 3.4
                     
Fingers 1981 28 6 0.824 0 1.04 61 7.0 0.872 4.2
                     
Caudill 1982 26 6 0.813 0 2.35 111 10.4 1.045 4.4
                     
Reardon 1982 26 8 0.765 2 2.06 86 7.1 1.128 3.5
                     
L.Smith 1983 29 4 0.879 1 1.65 91 7.9 1.074 4.8
                     
Stewart 1983 8 5 0.615 5 2.60 78 5.2 1.237 3.1
                     
Quisenberry 1983 45 8 0.849 0 1.94 48 3.1 0.928 5.5
                     
Orosco 1983 17 5 0.773 1 1.47 84 6.9 1.036 3.8
                     
Hernandez 1984 32 1 0.970 0 1.92 112 7.2 0.941 4.8
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Lamp 1985 2 5 0.286 8 3.32 68 5.8 1.164 1.3
                     
B.Smith 1985 27 6 0.818 1 2.27 40 4.5 1.084 1.6
                     
Lahti 1985 19 1 0.950 6 1.84 41 5,4 1.302 2.3
                     
D. Moore 1985 31 8 0.795 0 1.92 72 6.3 1.087 3.6
                     
Eichhorn 1986 10 4 0.714 7 1.72 166 9.5 0.955 7.4
                     
Righetti 1986 46 10 0.821 0 2.45 83 7.0 1.153 3.8
                     
Todd Worrell 1986 36 10 0.783 0 2.08 73 6.3 1.225 2.5
                     
Henke 1987 34 8 0.810 1 2.49 128 12.3 0.926 3.3
                     
Burke 1987 18 4 0.818 5 1.19 58 5.7 0.890 4.3
                     
Dayley 1987 4 6 0.400 6 2.66 63 9.3 1.393 1.5
                     
Henneman 1988 22 7 0.759 2 1.87 58 5.7 1.051 3.3
                     
Parrett 1988 6 4 0.600 2 2.65 62 6.1 1.211 1.6
                     
Lancaster 1989 8 3 0.727 7 1.36 56 6.9 1.032 3.9
                     
Russell 1989 38 6 0.864 0 1.98 77 9.5 0.950 2.5
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Eckersley 1990 48 2 0.960 0 0.61 73 9.0 0.614 3.3
                     
Thigpen 1990 57 8 0.877 0 1.83 70 7.1 1.038 3.4
                     
Nelson 1990 5 3 0.625 18 1.57 38 4.6 0.964 2.3
                     
Henry 1991 15 1 0.938 3 1.00 28 7.0 0.833 2.2
                     
Aguilera 1991 42 9 0.824 0 2.35 61 8.0 1.072 2.4
                     
Ward 1992 12 4 0.750 24 1.95 103 9.1 1.135 3.1
                     
Rojas 1992 10 1 0.909 13 1.43 70 6.3 1.043 3.9
                     
Olin 1992 29 7 0.806 0 2.34 47 4.8 1.211 2.7
                     
Wetteland 1993 43 1 0.977 0 1.37 113 12.0 1.008 4.2
                     
Harvey 1993 45 4 0.918 0 1.70 73 9.5 0.841 4.0
                     
Beck 1993 48 4 0.923 0 2.16 86 9.8 0.882 2.4
                     
Martinez 1993 2 1 0.667 14 2.61 119 10.0 1.243 3.0
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Hoffman 1998 53 1 0.981 0 1.48 86 10.6 0.849 4.1
                     
Urbina 1998 34 4 0.895 0 1.30 94 12.2 1.010 3.2
                     
Williamson 1999 19 7 0.731 5 2.41 107 10.3 1.039 2.8
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Rhodes 2001 3 4 0.429 31 1.72 83 11.0 0.853 2.5
                     
Smoltz 2003 45 4 0.918 0 1.12 73 10.2 0.870 3.3
                     
Tim Worrell 2003 38 7 0.844 1 2.87 65 7.5 1.302 0.8
                     
Timlin 2005 13 7 0.650 24 2.24 59 6.6 1.320 2.9
                     
Nathan 2006 36 2 0.947 0 1.58 95 12.5 0.790 3.3
                     
Ryan 2006 38 4 0.905 1 1.37 86 10.7 0.857 3.6
                     
Putz 2007 40 2 0.952 0 1.38 82 10.3 0.698 4.0
                     
Rivera 2008 39 1 0.975 0 1.40 77 9.8 0.665 4.3
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Bell 2010 47 3 0.940 0 1.93 86 11.1 1.200 1.9
                     
Soriano 2010 45 3 0.938 0 1.73 57 8.2 0.802 2.1
                     
Aceves 2011 2 3 0.400 11 2.61 80 6.3 1.105 2.7
                     
Axford 2011 46 2 0.958 0 1.95 86 10.5 1.140 2.3
                     
Downs 2011 1 3 0.250 26 1.34 35 5.9 1.006 2.0
                     
Cook 2012 14 7 0.667 21 2.09 80 9.8 0.941 2.6
                     
Chapman 2012 38 5 0.884 6 1.51 122 15.3 0.809 3.6
                     
Johnson 2012 51 3 0.944 0 2.49 41 5.4 1.019 2.4
                     
Smyly 2013 2 4 0.333 21 2.37 81 9.6 1.039 2.6
                     
Davis 2014 3 3 0.500 33 1.00 109 13.6 0.847 3.7
                     
Clippard 2014 1 6 0.143 40 2.18 82 10.5 0.995 1.5
                     
Rondon 2015 30 4 0.882 8 1.67 69 8.6 1.000 2.2
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Britton 2016 47 0 1.000 0 0.54 75 9.9 0.836 4.2
                     
Osuna 2016 36 6 0.857 0 2.68 82 10.0 0.932 2.1
                     
Brach 2016 2 5 0.286 24 2.05 92 10.5 1.038 2.5
                     
Miller 2016 12 2 0.857 25 1.45 123 14.9 0.686 3.8
                     
Robertson 2017 14 2 0.875 8 1.84 98 12.9 0.849 2.9
                     
Jansen 2017 41 1 0.976 1 1.32 109 14.4 0.746 2.9
                     
Albers 2017 2 4 0.333 14 1.62 63 9.3 0.852 2.5
                     
Kimbrel 2017 35 4 0.897 1 1.43 126 16.4 0.681 3.6
                     
Morrow 2018 18 1 0.947 0 1.46 25 9.1 1.135 1.1
                     
Trivino 2018 4 1 0.800 12 1.22 50 10.2 0.947 2.2
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR
                     
Treinen 2018 25 4 0.862 0 1.06 65 11.5 0.980 2.4
                     
Jeffress 2018 4 4 0.500 17 1.29 63 10.2 1.006 2.4
                     
Yarbrough 2018 0 0 0.000 1 3.88 123 7.9 1.280 0.8
                     
Hader 2018 11 4 0.733 20 2.31 138 15.9 0.795 2.3
                     
Strop 2018 13 4 0.765 9 2.26 57 8.6 0.989 2.1
                     
Workman 2019 5 4 0.556 15 2.08 66 12.5 1.028 2.0
                     
Robles 2019 19 3 0.864 2 2.60 62 9.0 1.091 2.1
                     
Walden 2019 2 3 0.400 8 3.33 71 8.5 1.110 1.5
                     
W.Smith 2019 34 4 0.895 0 2.76 96 13.2 1.026 0.4
                     
Oberg 2019 5 3 0.625 8 2.25 58 9.3 1.107 2.4
                     
Littell 2019 0 1 0.000 1 2.68 32 7.80 1.162 0.9
                     
Pitcher Year S BS S% H ERA K K/9 WHIP WAR


Notes

Baumgartner and Bernhard appeared as a starter twelve times

Wolfgang and Baskette appeared as a starter eleven times.

Danforth, Malone and Stewart appeared as a starter nine times.

Phillipe and Walsh appeared as a starter eight times.

Morton and Griffith appeared as a starter seven times.

Paige, Mays, Chappelle, Rommell and Yarbrough appeared as a starter six times.

Marberry, Mossi, Lee, Ellis and Dubuc appeared as a starter five times.

Leever, Aceves and Beene appeared as a starter four times.

Russell, Stanley, Adams and Keefe appeared as a starter three times.

Brown, McDaniel, Wood, Crandall, Brosnan, Lindsey, Karl, Wilks, Martinez and Clark appeared as a starter two times.

Beggs, Quinn, Narleski, McGraw, Aloma, Robles, Ferguson, and Vincente Romo appeared once as a starter.

Maltzberger, Hyde, Konstanty, Duren, Brosnan, Tekulve and Henke all wore glasses.

Morrow's stats are through July 1, 2018.

Trivino's stats are through July 18, 2018.

Treinen's stats are through July 25, 2018.

Jeffress' stats are through August 13, 2018.

Yarbrough stats are through Sept 19, 2018.

Hader's stats are through September 24, 2018.

Workman's stats are through August 01, 2019.

Robles' stats are through September 05, 2019.

Walden's stats are through September 12, 2019


References

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. 05 Apr. 2020. Web.

Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, www.wikipedia.org/. Web. 05 Apr. 2020. Web.