Top 10 Pitchers of My Lifetime-7. Dennis Eckersley

7. Dennis Eckersley 1975-1988 Indians Red Sox Cubs As & Cardinals

Year	IP	W	ERA	SO	BB	S
1978	268.3	20	2.99	162	71	0
1990	73.3	4	0.61	73	4	48
1992	80	7	1.91	93	11	51

1 World Series
6 All Star Appearances
1 CY Young Award
1 MVP

Many times in Baseball history has a starting pitcher attempted to resurrect his career by becoming a relief pitcher. Out of the guys who have made this transition, many have been successful, but none more so then number 7 on the list Dennis Eckersley.

Eck began his career as a starter with the Indians pitching three seasons each over 10 wins and an ERA 3.5 or lower. Eckersley was then traded to the Boston Red Sox and in Boston is where his career began to flourish. Dennis’ first year in Fenway he led a 99 win Red Sox team to a one game playoff for the AL East (which they lost to the Yankees in the infamous Bucky bleepin Dent game) by going 20-8 with a 2.99 ERA and 16 complete games. One year later Eck posted the same 2.99 ERA winning 17 games and pitching another 17 complete games.

Over the next 6 years Eckersley remained a solid starter posting an ERA under 4 in 3 of those years and ran his career win total up to 151. As he began to grow in age, Eck ability to throw 200 plus innings and 17 complete games began to diminish, but he remained a solid starter.

In 1987 Eckersley’s career changed when he was traded from the Cubs to the A’s and was teamed up with Oakland’s manager Tony LaRussa. LaRussa had plans to use Dennis out of the pen and when an injury to the A’s best reliever happened Eckersley was promoted to number one. I hesitate to use the word that we know that number now as, closer, because it was Eckersley and LaRussa who revolutionized the position to what we know it as today. The A’s were the first team to use a player predominately as a pitcher who pitched the last inning or two to end the game.

Starting in 1987 Eckersley began the second phase of his Hall of Fame career, and proved to the Baseball world exactly how great he was. During his career with the A’s Eck recorded 320 Saves and had some of the most dominant seasons in Baseball history. From 1987 until 1995 Eck posted an astonishing 92 Walks to 658 Strikeouts. That works out to be a 7.15 K/BB ratio, which is almost unheard of for one season, let alone as long as Eck did it. To magnify the greatness of the accomplishment, Eckersley walked only 16 batters from 89-91. Just to put that into perspective, there are pitchers who walk 16 batters in two starts, and Eck was able to do it over 3 seasons.

In a five year span Dennis posted an ERA under 3 and three times under 2. It was however in 1992 that Eckersley has his best season. During the 92 campaign Eck went 7-1 with 51 saves a 1.91 ERA and 93 strikeouts to only 11 walks. Dennis was selected as both the AL CY young winner as well as AL MVP. Eckersley became the first man to ever win 20 games and record 50 saves in his career.

Of course I must also mention the postseason achievements that Eckersley was able to accomplish. Over his post season career, Eck pitched to a 3 ERA recording 15 saves and striking out 22 batter on just 3 walks. Eckersley was also selected as the 1988 ALCS MVP, and was able to maintain his dominance in the postseason as well.

Dennis Eckersley is the only man to record a 20 Win and 50 Save season and ranks 5th on the all time save list. With his master control and dominant fastball Eckersley was able to prove himself as one of the all time greats and a Major League Hall of Famer.