There are certain roles for major league relievers. Every team has a closer, one or two setup guys, a lefty specialist, and some guys to eat up innings in losses. Obviously, some of those roles are more likely to see save opportunities than others. Generally, bullpen roles (with the usual exceptions of closer and lefty specialist) are somewhat fluid. If a pitcher does well in a lesser role, he will soon pitch more important innings.
This makes it difficult for a relief pitcher to go a long time without a save. If a pitcher does well, he will continue to get innings and eventually have at least occasional chances at saves. If he does not do well, he will soon find himself out of the league.
Often, a reliever making his debut or joining a new team will find himself at the back of the bullpen, pitching in losses and far away from save opportunities. An example of this phenomenon on the current Brewers is Chris Smith. The closer for AAA Nashville in 2009 and 2010, Smith has appeared in 36 games for the big club. Of those 36 appearances, only three have given him an opportunity to protect a lead. Of course, the one time he entered in a save situation, he blew the lead. Perhaps there's a reason Smith is used primarily for mop-up duty.
Regardless, 36 games to begin his Brewers career seems like a long time to go without a save. In fact, it is. Only twenty-four relievers pitched in more games before their first save with the Brewers. Smith can obviously continue to climb this list. Given the options ahead of him in this year's bullpen, he will no doubt have the opportunity to climb into the top 20 before long.
Please note the list below is looking only at relief appearances and only at each pitcher's time with the Brewers. Chris Smith's 2008 appearances with the Red Sox are ignored, as are Chad Fox's 1997 games with Atlanta and Seth McClung's appearances, starts, and saves with Tampa Bay.
The idea is not to look for players who relieved for a long time without a save to begin their major league career (a record held by Cla Meredith--271 appearances), but to find players who took a while to record their first save for the Milwaukee Brewers. If you expect many lefthanders near the top of the list, you may be surprised.
Follow the jump for the list.
Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | HBP | WP | BK | Tm | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Valerio de los Sa | 1998-07-31 | 2003-04-14 | 141 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 158.1 | 130 | 71 | 68 | 68 | 131 | 19 | 3.87 | 4 | 6 | 1 | MIL |
2 | Chad Fox | 1998-03-31 | 2001-08-26 | 108 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 118.1 | 105 | 48 | 44 | 54 | 148 | 8 | 3.35 | 7 | 11 | 2 | MIL |
3 | Jose Capellan | 2005-08-14 | 2007-06-26 | 85 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 99.1 | 92 | 49 | 46 | 42 | 80 | 14 | 4.17 | 3 | 5 | 0 | MIL |
4 | Jim Austin | 1991-07-04 | 1993-07-20 | 83 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 100.0 | 74 | 36 | 34 | 56 | 48 | 6 | 3.06 | 6 | 6 | 0 | MIL |
5 | Seth McClung | 2007-08-21 | 2009-10-04 | 78 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 108.1 | 95 | 50 | 46 | 66 | 84 | 9 | 3.82 | 3 | 3 | 0 | MIL |
6 | Mark DiFelice | 2008-05-18 | 2009-09-13 | 74 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 70.2 | 66 | 28 | 27 | 19 | 68 | 10 | 3.44 | 1 | 2 | 0 | MIL |
7 | Brooks Kieschnick | 2003-05-02 | 2004-10-03 | 74 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 96.0 | 110 | 51 | 49 | 26 | 67 | 11 | 4.59 | 6 | 3 | 0 | MIL |
8 | Mike Ignasiak | 1991-08-22 | 1995-08-21 | 73 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 111.0 | 107 | 59 | 56 | 53 | 81 | 13 | 4.54 | 4 | 2 | 0 | MIL |
9 | Ray King | 2000-04-30 | 2001-06-18 | 71 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 54.0 | 36 | 16 | 13 | 22 | 47 | 4 | 2.17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | MIL |
10 | Mitch Stetter | 2007-09-01 | 2009-06-15 | 68 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 52.0 | 27 | 18 | 18 | 31 | 61 | 4 | 3.12 | 8 | 6 | 0 | MIL |
11 | Matt Wise | 2004-05-11 | 2005-08-02 | 66 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 96.0 | 69 | 43 | 41 | 33 | 79 | 8 | 3.84 | 4 | 3 | 0 | MIL |
12 | Juan Acevedo | 2000-04-05 | 2000-09-29 | 62 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 82.2 | 77 | 38 | 35 | 31 | 51 | 11 | 3.81 | 1 | 3 | 2 | MIL |
13 | Jeff Bennett | 2004-04-06 | 2004-10-03 | 60 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 71.1 | 78 | 43 | 38 | 26 | 45 | 12 | 4.79 | 2 | 6 | 0 | MIL |
14 | Graeme Lloyd | 1993-04-11 | 1994-04-13 | 58 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 65.1 | 65 | 24 | 20 | 13 | 34 | 5 | 2.76 | 4 | 4 | 0 | MIL |
15 | Chris Spurling | 2006-09-09 | 2007-09-29 | 56 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 60.0 | 75 | 39 | 34 | 18 | 31 | 9 | 5.10 | 2 | 4 | 0 | MIL |
16 | Mark Knudson | 1986-09-06 | 1991-06-30 | 56 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 136.0 | 149 | 70 | 59 | 33 | 65 | 19 | 3.90 | 2 | 4 | 0 | MIL |
17 | Carlos Villanueva | 2006-05-23 | 2007-08-18 | 55 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 91.2 | 80 | 50 | 48 | 38 | 84 | 14 | 4.71 | 4 | 3 | 0 | MIL |
18 | Jorge de la Rosa | 2005-04-06 | 2006-05-23 | 53 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 61.0 | 62 | 37 | 35 | 50 | 60 | 2 | 5.16 | 1 | 8 | 0 | MIL |
19 | Mike Adams | 2004-05-18 | 2004-09-30 | 46 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 53.0 | 50 | 21 | 20 | 14 | 39 | 5 | 3.40 | 2 | 2 | 0 | MIL |
20 | Jayson Durocher | 2002-06-11 | 2003-06-13 | 45 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 55.1 | 36 | 22 | 19 | 23 | 51 | 7 | 3.09 | 3 | 3 | 0 | MIL |
21 | Jose Mercedes | 1994-05-31 | 1998-04-14 | 43 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 72.0 | 72 | 47 | 44 | 39 | 35 | 16 | 5.50 | 2 | 3 | 1 | MIL |
22 | Justin Lehr | 2005-07-21 | 2006-05-22 | 39 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 50.1 | 56 | 35 | 30 | 25 | 35 | 6 | 5.36 | 2 | 2 | 1 | MIL |
23 | Jose Cabrera | 2002-04-02 | 2002-09-25 | 39 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 48.0 | 57 | 37 | 35 | 14 | 36 | 14 | 6.56 | 6 | 2 | 0 | MIL |
24 | Bryce Florie | 1996-08-02 | 1997-09-20 | 39 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 53.0 | 61 | 39 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 6 | 5.60 | 1 | 5 | 1 | MIL |
25 | Chris Smith | 2009-06-10 | 2010-06-09 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 47.1 | 42 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 37 | 11 | 3.99 | 3 | 1 | 0 | MIL |
Rk | Strk Start | End | Games | W | L | GS | CG | SHO | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | HBP | WP | BK | Tm | |
26 | Jay Aldrich | 1987-06-05 | 1989-05-31 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 65.1 | 74 | 34 | 33 | 17 | 24 | 9 | 4.55 | 2 | 1 | 1 | MIL |
27 | Rocky Coppinger | 1999-07-19 | 2001-10-04 | 34 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 44.1 | 44 | 25 | 24 | 30 | 42 | 8 | 4.87 | 0 | 1 | 0 | MIL |
28 | John Morris | 1969-04-09 | 1971-07-09 | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68.0 | 65 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 37 | 6 | 3.44 | 2 | 7 | 0 | SEP-MIL |
29 | Curt Leskanic | 2000-04-04 | 2000-06-28 | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 36.1 | 29 | 14 | 14 | 29 | 34 | 5 | 3.47 | 2 | 4 | 0 | MIL |
30 | Jerry Augustine | 1975-09-09 | 1979-05-31 | 33 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 51.0 | 45 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 26 | 2 | 2.29 | 2 | 1 | 1 | MIL |
31 | Tony Fossas | 1989-06-04 | 1989-08-19 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 38.1 | 37 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 31 | 2 | 3.76 | 1 | 1 | 3 | MIL |
32 | Jaime Cocanower | 1983-09-07 | 1986-07-12 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 74.2 | 62 | 38 | 29 | 55 | 32 | 3 | 3.50 | 3 | 12 | 0 | MIL |
33 | Jerry Bell | 1971-09-06 | 1973-04-07 | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 67.0 | 50 | 18 | 16 | 36 | 24 | 1 | 2.15 | 2 | 4 | 0 | MIL |
34 | Shane Nance | 2002-08-24 | 2003-09-28 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 30.2 | 38 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 30 | 6 | 4.70 | 1 | 1 | 0 | MIL |
35 | Will Cunnane | 2001-04-03 | 2001-07-24 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 47.2 | 59 | 28 | 25 | 21 | 33 | 5 | 4.72 | 2 | 0 | 0 | MIL |
36 | Bob Wickman | 1996-08-24 | 1997-05-21 | 30 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 41.2 | 39 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 35 | 7 | 4.10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | MIL |
37 | David Weathers | 1998-07-01 | 1999-04-05 | 29 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 51.1 | 47 | 23 | 18 | 14 | 45 | 4 | 3.16 | 2 | 2 | 1 | MIL |
38 | Bronswell Patrick | 1998-05-18 | 1998-09-22 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 58.2 | 57 | 32 | 31 | 24 | 41 | 7 | 4.76 | 0 | 2 | 0 | MIL |
39 | Kevin Wickander | 1995-08-30 | 1996-06-12 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 31.1 | 27 | 16 | 14 | 20 | 21 | 2 | 4.02 | 0 | 2 | 0 | MIL |
40 | Skip Lockwood | 1969-08-27 | 1973-09-22 | 29 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 84.0 | 80 | 32 | 30 | 20 | 46 | 8 | 3.21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | SEP-MIL |
41 | Matt Kinney | 2003-04-24 | 2004-08-05 | 28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 41.1 | 41 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 40 | 4 | 2.83 | 1 | 2 | 0 | MIL |
42 | Jim Colborn | 1972-04-19 | 1973-04-14 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 63.2 | 59 | 21 | 20 | 24 | 45 | 3 | 2.83 | 1 | 3 | 0 | MIL |
43 | Manny Parra | 2007-07-20 | 2010-05-23 | 27 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 48.1 | 54 | 25 | 22 | 15 | 48 | 7 | 4.10 | 2 | 4 | 0 | MIL |
44 | Scott Linebrink | 2007-07-27 | 2007-09-28 | 27 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 25.1 | 27 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 25 | 3 | 3.55 | 0 | 2 | 0 | MIL |
45 | Earl Stephenson | 1972-04-18 | 1972-09-30 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 40.0 | 34 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 3 | 3.15 | 1 | 5 | 0 | MIL |
46 | Chris Narveson | 2009-06-15 | 2010-04-24 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 38.1 | 46 | 24 | 21 | 17 | 33 | 5 | 4.93 | 2 | 3 | 0 | MIL |
47 | Rick Helling | 2005-07-28 | 2006-09-09 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 37.1 | 24 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 31 | 4 | 2.65 | 1 | 0 | 0 | MIL |
48 | Steve Woodard | 1998-04-03 | 2000-07-22 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 51.2 | 42 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 37 | 3 | 2.96 | 2 | 4 | 2 | MIL |
49 | Ray Sadecki | 1976-05-14 | 1976-08-14 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 23.1 | 26 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 19 | 2 | 4.24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | MIL |
50 | Bill Champion | 1973-04-06 | 1973-08-19 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 70.1 | 65 | 26 | 26 | 32 | 38 | 6 | 3.33 | 1 | 5 | 0 | MIL |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 6/13/2010.