Although only 4-10 in 1983, Lee Smith was one of the most dominating closers of the 1980s and early 90s. In the 1990s alone, Lee lead the league in saves three times, including the strike-shortened 1994 season. The first time Smith was the leader in saves was aforementioned 1983. And there was more to Smith than saves that season.
Lee completed a NL-leading 56 games and topped over 100 IP for the second straight season (He'd throw 100 IP in 1984, too). Opponents managed just 6.1 hits per 9 IP.
Notes
Baumgartner appeared as a starter twelve times
Wolfgang and Baskette appeared as a starter eleven times.
Danforth 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 and Chappelle appeared as a starter six times.
Marberry, Mossi, Lee, Ellis and Dubuc appeared as a starter five times.
Leever appeared as a starter four times.
Russell, Stanley, Adams and Keefe appeared as a starter three times.
Brown, McDaniel, Wood, Crandall, Brosnan and Lindsey appeared as a starter two times.
Beggs, Quinn, Narleski, McGraw and Aloma appeared once as a starter.
Maltzberger, Hyde, Konstanty, Duren, Brosnan, Tekulve and Henke all wore glasses.
References
Sports Reference LLC. "Lee Smith Pitching Stats." Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. <https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithle02-pitch.shtml> . Web. 30 Mar. 2018.
Lee completed a NL-leading 56 games and topped over 100 IP for the second straight season (He'd throw 100 IP in 1984, too). Opponents managed just 6.1 hits per 9 IP.
Stat Set 1
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Walsh | 1904 | 18 | 10 | 0.556 | 110.2 | 6 | 3 |
Griffith | 1905 | 25 | 17 | 0.680 | 101.2 | 9 | 6 |
Keefe | 1907 | 19 | 14 | 0.737 | 57.2 | 3 | 5 |
Chappelle | 1908 | 13 | 6 | 0.462 | 70.1 | 2 | 4 |
Leever | 1909 | 19 | 12 | 0.632 | 70.0 | 8 | 1 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Phillipe | 1910 | 31 | 19 | 0.613 | 121.2 | 14 | 2 |
Baskette | 1912 | 29 | 18 | 0.621 | 116.0 | 8 | 4 |
Crandall | 1913 | 35 | 27 | 0.771 | 97.2 | 4 | 4 |
Wolfgang | 1914 | 24 | 12 | 0.500 | 119.1 | 9 | 5 |
Mays | 1915 | 38 | 27 | 0.711 | 131.2 | 6 | 5 |
Danforth | 1917 | 50 | 26 | 0.520 | 173.0 | 11 | 6 |
Dubuc | 1919 | 36 | 22 | 0.611 | 132.0 | 6 | 4 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Morton | 1921 | 30 | 15 | 0.500 | 107.2 | 8 | 3 |
Baumgartner | 1925 | 37 | 9 | 0.243 | 113.1 | 6 | 3 |
Marberry | 1926 | 64 | 47 | 0.734 | 138.0 | 12 | 7 |
Haid | 1928 | 27 | 14 | 0.519 | 47.0 | 2 | 2 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Lindsey | 1931 | 35 | 19 | 0.543 | 74.2 | 6 | 4 |
Quinn | 1932 | 39 | 29 | 0.744 | 64.1 | 5 | 4 |
Russell | 1933 | 50 | 31 | 0.620 | 124.0 | 12 | 6 |
Brown | 1938 | 51 | 32 | 0.627 | 132.2 | 15 | 9 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Beggs | 1940 | 37 | 27 | 0.730 | 76.2 | 12 | 3 |
Murphy | 1941 | 35 | 31 | 0.886 | 77.1 | 8 | 3 |
Adams | 1943 | 70 | 52 | 0.743 | 140.1 | 11 | 7 |
Heving | 1944 | 63 | 38 | 0.603 | 119.2 | 8 | 3 |
Maltzberger | 1944 | 46 | 41 | 0.891 | 91.1 | 10 | 5 |
Christopher | 1947 | 44 | 38 | 0.864 | 80.2 | 10 | 7 |
Page | 1949 | 60 | 48 | 0.800 | 135.1 | 13 | 8 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Konstanty | 1950 | 74 | 62 | 0.838 | 152.0 | 16 | 7 |
Aloma | 1951 | 25 | 11 | 0.440 | 69.1 | 6 | 0 |
Wilhelm | 1952 | 71 | 32 | 0.451 | 159.1 | 15 | 3 |
Paige | 1952 | 46 | 35 | 0.761 | 138.0 | 12 | 10 |
Kinder | 1953 | 69 | 52 | 0.754 | 107.0 | 10 | 6 |
Mossi | 1954 | 40 | 18 | 0.450 | 93.0 | 6 | 1 |
Sain | 1954 | 45 | 39 | 0.867 | 77.0 | 6 | 6 |
Narleski | 1955 | 60 | 36 | 0.600 | 111.2 | 9 | 1 |
Freeman | 1956 | 64 | 47 | 0.734 | 108.2 | 14 | 5 |
Farrell | 1957 | 52 | 32 | 0.615 | 83.1 | 10 | 2 |
Zuverink | 1957 | 56 | 37 | 0.661 | 112.2 | 10 | 6 |
Hyde | 1958 | 53 | 44 | 0.830 | 103.0 | 10 | 3 |
Duren | 1959 | 41 | 29 | 0.707 | 76.2 | 3 | 6 |
Staley | 1959 | 67 | 37 | 0.552 | 116.1 | 8 | 5 |
Face | 1959 | 57 | 47 | 0.825 | 93.1 | 18 | 1 |
Henry | 1959 | 65 | 36 | 0.554 | 134.1 | 9 | 8 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Brosnan | 1960 | 57 | 27 | 0.474 | 99.0 | 7 | 2 |
McDaniel | 1960 | 63 | 47 | 0.746 | 104.1 | 12 | 4 |
Arroyo | 1961 | 65 | 54 | 0.831 | 119.0 | 15 | 5 |
Fox | 1961 | 39 | 25 | 0.641 | 57.1 | 5 | 2 |
Radatz | 1963 | 66 | 58 | 0.879 | 131.1 | 15 | 6 |
Perranoski | 1963 | 69 | 47 | 0.681 | 129.0 | 16 | 3 |
Lee | 1964 | 64 | 39 | 0.609 | 137.0 | 6 | 5 |
Ellis | 1964 | 52 | 32 | 0.615 | 122.1 | 10 | 3 |
Schultz | 1964 | 30 | 22 | 0.733 | 49.1 | 1 | 3 |
Miller | 1965 | 67 | 55 | 0.821 | 112.1 | 14 | 7 |
Regan | 1966 | 65 | 48 | 0.738 | 116.2 | 14 | 1 |
Drabowsky | 1967 | 43 | 26 | 0.605 | 95.1 | 7 | 5 |
Abernathy | 1967 | 70 | 61 | 0.871 | 106.1 | 6 | 3 |
Wood | 1968 | 88 | 46 | 0.523 | 159.0 | 13 | 12 |
Tatum | 1969 | 45 | 33 | 0.733 | 86.1 | 7 | 2 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Williams | 1970 | 68 | 36 | 0.529 | 113.1 | 10 | 1 |
McMahon | 1970 | 61 | 44 | 0.721 | 94.1 | 9 | 5 |
Sanders | 1971 | 83 | 77 | 0.928 | 136.1 | 7 | 12 |
Giusti | 1972 | 54 | 44 | 0.815 | 74.2 | 7 | 4 |
Knowles | 1972 | 54 | 29 | 0.537 | 65.2 | 5 | 1 |
Hiller | 1973 | 65 | 60 | 0.923 | 125.1 | 10 | 5 |
Jackson | 1973 | 43 | 33 | 0.767 | 80.1 | 8 | 0 |
Borbon | 1973 | 80 | 36 | 0.450 | 121.0 | 11 | 4 |
Marshall | 1974 | 106 | 83 | 0.783 | 208.1 | 15 | 12 |
Gossage | 1975 | 62 | 49 | 0.790 | 141.2 | 9 | 8 |
Eastwick | 1976 | 71 | 59 | 0.831 | 107.2 | 11 | 5 |
Lyle | 1977 | 72 | 60 | 0.833 | 137.0 | 13 | 5 |
Sutter | 1977 | 62 | 48 | 0.774 | 107.1 | 7 | 3 |
Blair | 1978 | 70 | 56 | 0.800 | 100.1 | 7 | 6 |
Stanley | 1978 | 52 | 35 | 0.673 | 141.2 | 15 | 2 |
Tekulve | 1979 | 94 | 67 | 0.713 | 134.1 | 10 | 8 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
McGraw | 1980 | 57 | 48 | 0.842 | 92.1 | 5 | 4 |
Fingers | 1981 | 47 | 41 | 0.872 | 78.0 | 6 | 3 |
Caudill | 1982 | 70 | 64 | 0.914 | 95.2 | 12 | 9 |
Reardon | 1982 | 75 | 53 | 0.707 | 109.0 | 7 | 4 |
Smith | 1983 | 66 | 56 | 0.848 | 103.1 | 4 | 10 |
Hernandez | 1984 | 80 | 68 | 0.850 | 140.1 | 9 | 3 |
Lamp | 1985 | 53 | 11 | 0.208 | 105.2 | 11 | 0 |
Eichhorn | 1986 | 69 | 38 | 0.551 | 157.0 | 14 | 6 |
Righetti | 1986 | 74 | 68 | 0.919 | 106.2 | 8 | 8 |
Henke | 1987 | 72 | 62 | 0.861 | 94.0 | 0 | 6 |
Burke | 1987 | 55 | 30 | 0.545 | 91.0 | 7 | 0 |
Henneman | 1988 | 65 | 51 | 0.785 | 91.1 | 9 | 6 |
Lancaster | 1989 | 42 | 15 | 0.357 | 72.2 | 4 | 2 |
Russell | 1989 | 71 | 66 | 0.930 | 72.2 | 6 | 4 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Eckersley | 1990 | 63 | 61 | 0.968 | 73.1 | 4 | 2 |
Thigpen | 1990 | 77 | 73 | 0.948 | 88.2 | 4 | 6 |
Henry | 1991 | 32 | 25 | 0.781 | 36.0 | 2 | 1 |
Aguilera | 1991 | 63 | 60 | 0.952 | 69.0 | 4 | 5 |
Ward | 1992 | 79 | 35 | 0.443 | 101.1 | 7 | 4 |
Rojas | 1992 | 68 | 26 | 0.382 | 100.2 | 7 | 1 |
Wetteland | 1993 | 70 | 58 | 0.829 | 85.1 | 9 | 3 |
Harvey | 1993 | 59 | 54 | 0.915 | 69.0 | 1 | 5 |
Beck | 1993 | 76 | 71 | 0.934 | 79.1 | 3 | 1 |
Myers | 1997 | 61 | 57 | 0.934 | 59.2 | 2 | 3 |
Hoffman | 1998 | 66 | 61 | 0.924 | 73.0 | 4 | 2 |
Urbina | 1998 | 64 | 59 | 0.922 | 69.1 | 6 | 3 |
Williamson | 1999 | 62 | 40 | 0.645 | 93.1 | 12 | 7 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Rhodes | 2001 | 71 | 16 | 0.225 | 68.0 | 8 | 0 |
Smoltz | 2003 | 62 | 55 | 0.887 | 64.1 | 0 | 2 |
Lidge | 2004 | 80 | 44 | 0.550 | 94.2 | 6 | 5 |
Timlin | 2005 | 81 | 27 | 0.333 | 80.1 | 7 | 3 |
Nathan | 2006 | 64 | 61 | 0.953 | 68.1 | 7 | 0 |
Ryan | 2006 | 65 | 57 | 0.877 | 72.1 | 2 | 2 |
Putz | 2007 | 68 | 65 | 0.956 | 71.2 | 6 | 1 |
Rivera | 2008 | 64 | 60 | 0.938 | 70.2 | 6 | 5 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Bell | 2010 | 67 | 57 | 0.851 | 70.0 | 6 | 1 |
Cook | 2012 | 71 | 23 | 0.324 | 73.1 | 6 | 2 |
Chapman | 2012 | 68 | 52 | 0.765 | 71.2 | 5 | 5 |
Johnson | 2012 | 71 | 63 | 0.887 | 68.2 | 2 | 1 |
Davis | 2014 | 70 | 11 | 0.157 | 72.0 | 9 | 2 |
Rondon | 2015 | 72 | 47 | 0.653 | 70.0 | 6 | 4 |
Britton | 2016 | 69 | 63 | 0.913 | 67.0 | 2 | 1 |
Osuna | 2016 | 72 | 61 | 0.847 | 74.0 | 4 | 3 |
Brach | 2016 | 71 | 16 | 0.225 | 79.0 | 10 | 4 |
Miller | 2016 | 70 | 23 | 0.329 | 74.1 | 10 | 1 |
Robertson | 2017 | 61 | 34 | 0.557 | 68.1 | 9 | 2 |
Jansen | 2017 | 65 | 57 | 0.877 | 68.1 | 5 | 0 |
Albers | 2017 | 63 | 23 | 0.365 | 61.0 | 7 | 2 |
Pitcher | Year | GP | GF | GF% | IP | W | L |
Notes
Baumgartner appeared as a starter twelve times
Wolfgang and Baskette appeared as a starter eleven times.
Danforth 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 and Chappelle appeared as a starter six times.
Marberry, Mossi, Lee, Ellis and Dubuc appeared as a starter five times.
Leever appeared as a starter four times.
Russell, Stanley, Adams and Keefe appeared as a starter three times.
Brown, McDaniel, Wood, Crandall, Brosnan and Lindsey appeared as a starter two times.
Beggs, Quinn, Narleski, McGraw and Aloma appeared once as a starter.
Maltzberger, Hyde, Konstanty, Duren, Brosnan, Tekulve and Henke all wore glasses.
References
Sports Reference LLC. "Lee Smith Pitching Stats." Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. <https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithle02-pitch.shtml> . Web. 30 Mar. 2018.