Soriano Soared to New Heights in 2010, Part 2

Rafael Soriano was a pedestrian 3-2 as the Tampa Bay Rays' closer in 2010. However, that doesn't really do his effectiveness justice that year. The Rays starting five were very solid. David Price won nineteen games against just six losses. Mark Garza was 15-10. James Shields was only 13-15 with an ERA over five, but Jeff Neiman was 12-10 and Wade Davis was 12-8. They won the majority of the games, leaving the bullpen little.

But Joaquin Benoit, Lance Cormier, Dan Wheeler, Randy Choate, Andy Sonnanstine and Grant Balfour made for one awesome bullpen. They were able to hold the fort when the starters couldn't. Those six relievers combined for 72 holds. Here's where Rafael Soriano comes into the equation.

Soriano saved a league-leading 45 saves. Amazingly, he only blew three saves all year. And there were more eye-popping stats Rafael put up that year. In his 62 1/3 innings pitched, Soriano averaged nearly a strikeout per inning (Rafael got 57 K's that year, or 8.2 per 9 innings).

Perhaps most impressive was the Rays' closer's WHIP. Soriano had actually set a career-low of 0.792 back in 2003 with Seattle. It seemed unlikely Soriano could do better. But here Rafael was seven years later with a 0.802 WHIP! He came close to topping his '03 career-best. Also in 2003, Rafael posted a career-low 1.53 ERA. Seven seasons later, it was 1.73. But the difference between 2003 and 2010 was more than just a different team. Rafael was pitching a new role.

The New York Yankees signed Soriano as a free agent for the 2011 season, but Rafael didn't exactly do what they were hoping for that season. Obviously, he wouldn't be the closer, as Mariano Rivera posted 44 saves. The Yankees' bullpen that season had David Robertson with his 1.08 ERA, Rivera with his 1.91 earned run average, and two more excellent relievers. Luis Ayala was only 2-2 but had a 2.09 ERA. Corey Wade was not only 6-1, but his earned run average was 2.04.

Soriano was inconsistent. Although he made 42 appearances, Rafael was able to pitch just 39 1/3 innings. His ERA rose to over four. But Soriano rebounded the next season. 42 saves, 2.26 ERA. 2013 saw Rafael join the Washington Nationals. Now in the National League, Rafael actually had more saves in '13 than he did in 2012, 43. Soriano had one last good season in 2014, posting a 4-1 record with 32 saves for the 'Nats.

The next year, Rafael was on the Chicago Cubs. He was 2-0 in six appearances, but was cut on September 5th, so Soriano wasn't with 'em when they went to the postseason. Although he tried to catch on with the Toronto Blue Jays in the spring of next season, Rafael retired in March of 2016.

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
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
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
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
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
Wood	1968	16	5	0.762	7	1.87	74	4.2	1.006	5.4
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 and Ferguson 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. https://www.baseball-reference.com/.  25 Jan. 2020. Web.