Cormier Was RHEAL Trouble For Batters in 2003, Part 2!

 So the Canadian Kid from Moncton, New Brunswick only had one save in 2003, and he shouldn't be on my list?

But that doesn't begin to show you how effective Rheal Cormier was for the Philadelphia Phillies that year. If you want saves, the City of Brotherly Love turned the ball over to Jose Mesa. Mesa got 24. But Cormier got him into some of those opportunities.

For one, Rheal didn't lose a game all season. For another, his earned run average was just 1.70. It had sort of been the first time Cormier had put together such effectiveness.

As a starter for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1992, Cormier had been a win one, lose one pitcher, but with a respectable ERA, 3.68. As a reliever in the 2000s, though, it seemed like he was good, but not great. In 1999 with the Boston Red Sox, Cormier's earned run average was 3.69, but that was his best until this great year of '03.

So Mesa got his 24 saves. It was Cormier with thirteen holds for Philly that year. Plus he fanned 67 batters (7.1 per 9) that season. Jose Mesa's WHIP? 1.759. Cormier's? 0.933! Looks like we have got a good argument that the Canadian was the best reliever on the Phillies that season.

And as if that wasn't enough: Mesa was a -1.9 wins above replacement, compared to Cormier's 2.6. And let's look further at the Phillies entire pitching staff of 2003. Cormier actually was not only tops among relievers (Terry Adams the second best at 1.4), but even better than that of the starter with the highest WAR (Vicente Padilla, 2.4).

So, getting away from those kind of stats, how about Rheal's 2003 earned run average? Try 1.70. Now, he wasn't the most overpowering / intimidating pitcher, but the Canadian kid averaged 7.1 K/9 (71 strikeouts in 84 2/3 innings pitched).

Cormier's effectiveness continued in the ensuing years, however, he would never reach his 2003 level again. In 2003, he'd appeared in 65 contests and logged 84 2/3 innings. In 2004, Cormier appeared in 84 games but ran up a total of just 81 innings. So he was now just a one-inning guy 90 percent of the time.

Rheal's earned run average climbed to 3.56 in '04, which is still good, but more than double his previous season. Although 4-2 for Philadelphia in 2005, Cormier's ERA climbed over five (5.89) and was now under an innings pitched per appearance (57 GP, 47 1/3 IP).

Cormier bounced back in 2006. In fact, he looked better for Philly that season than he had three years earlier. Through fifteen appearances and 12 1/3 innings, Rheal's earned run average was 0.00. Sure, he finally gave up some runs, but not many. Through July 25th (43 appearances), his record might have been just 2-2 and no saves, however Cormier had fourteen holds and an earned run average of just 1.59.

But he was traded to the Reds.

For Cincinnati, Cormier's 2006 season ended on a downer: 21 games pitched, 0-1, 4.50 ERA. While with Philadelphia, the batters couldn't touch him: 34 innings pitched, 27 hits allowed. With Cincy, it just just 14 innings pitched and 21 hits allowed!

The slump continued into 2007. 6 appearances, 3 innings pitched, 3 runs allowed. On May 7th, he was released by the Reds. The Atlanta Braves picked Rheal up, and he assigned to their "AAA" team, Richmond. It was just a two-week contract, but the kid from up North still had it.

Cormier pitched well for them. In 5 appearances, (7 2/3 IP) the batters couldn't touch him. His ERA was just 1.17. But then his elbow flared up with tendonitis. Cormier called it a career by June.

That was not the end for Rheal. Returning to his native New Brunswick, he pitched for the Moncton Mets, a senior amateur team. And...He wasn't about to go back to the Olympics, was he?

It had all started for Cormier back in 1988 when Rheal Cormier had pitched for Team Canada in the Olympics in Seoul, Korea. The sports was only played as a demonstration that year. And Canada came back empty, but not before beating Team USA. It was significant, as it was United States only loss of the competition.

So twenty years later, Cormier was back, past forty years old, to pitch on the National Team in the 2008 Olympics. Needless to say, Rheal was the oldest competitor on the diamond. Four years later, he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

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
Coumbe	1917	5	2	0.714	1	2.14	30	2.0	1.146	1.1
Dubuc	1919	3	?	?	?	2.66	32	2.2	1.182	0.6
Luque	1919	3	0	1.000	?	2.63	26	3.4	1.179	1.1
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
Craig	1955	2	0	1.000	0	2.78	48	4.8	1.368	1.8
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
Sherry	1959	3	1	0.750	0	2.19	23	6.9	1.251	3.6
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
Hall	1964	9	2	0.818	2	1.85	52	5.3	0.844	3.0
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
Monge	1979	19	7	0.731	5	2.4	108	7.4	1.221	3.0
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
Pena	1988	12	2	0.857	9	1.91	83	7.9	1.081	1.7
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
Dibble	1990	11	6	0.647	17	1.74	136	12.5	0.980	4.0
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
Cormier	2003	1	3	0.250	13	1.70	67	7.1	0.933	2.6
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	7.8	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.

Craig and Coumbe appeared as a starter ten times.

Danforth, Malone, Stewart, Sherry and Luque 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 September 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

Harrison, Doug. “Rheal Cormier Gives Back to Locals | CBC Sports.” CBC.ca, CBC/Radio Canada, 13 Aug. 2009, www.cbc.ca/sports/2.720/rheal-cormier-gives-back-to-locals-1.757718. Web. 15 Oct. 2020.

“Rheal Cormier.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 July 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheal_Cormier. Web. 14 Oct. 2020.

Rheal Cormier News, Rotowire, 1 June 2007, www.rotowire.com/baseball/player.php?id=4823. Web. 

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 13 Oct. 2020.