Get 500 saves and you should be Hall shoo-in

[HollywoodLeo]

SignOnSanDiego.com > San Diego Padres -- Get 500 saves and you should be Hall shoo-in

by Bill Center

There are three sacred numbers in baseball: 3,000 hits, 300 wins and 500 homers.

Reach any of those plateaus and induction into the Hall of Fame is guaranteed, although in the age of steroids the home run milestone might no longer be an automatic qualifier.


I'd like to inject another number into the equation: 500 saves.


Record 500 saves and you should be in the Hall.


Thus far, no one qualifies under that guideline. Since the save rule was adopted in 1969, no closer has reached 500. Trevor Hoffman, who last season eclipsed Lee Smith as the all-time leader in saves, is close – 497 and counting.

If he reaches 500, he should be considered a lock for the Hall of Fame.

Consider these statistics:


There are 26 players with 3,000 hits. Ten of them got all 3,000 since 1969 and eight more joined the 3,000-hit club since 1969.


There are 22 pitchers with 300 wins. Two of them, Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux, got all of their victories after 1969 and six others joined the 300-win club after '69.


There are 20 sluggers with 500 homers. Six of them, most recently Ken Griffy Jr., hit all of their homers after 1969 and at least three more could reach that milestone this season.


Although no one has 500 saves yet, you hear people say 500 saves are not the equivalent of 500 homers.


Simple mathematics say that is wrong. And there are other compelling arguments on the side of the pitcher who reaches 500 saves.


Yes, not all saves are created equal. Protecting a three-run lead with three outs to go is not exactly walking a tightrope. And closers of the modern era were not the workhorses along the lines of Goose Gossage, Rollie Fingers and Mike Marshall.


But 500 saves mean your team won those 500 games. Not every homer resulted in a victory. Nor did every hit. OK, every win did for the 300-win club.


Actually, Hoffman is approaching two milestones – 500 saves, and a hand in 550 victories by his club. He has 51 wins, 49 as a Padre. Hoffman believes that more than 95 percent of his 841 career appearances have been made with the game on the line.


“Statistically, I think you could draw a parallel in the numbers,” Padres manager and former pitcher/pitching coach Bud Black said of the 500/500 question.

[love_that_reefer]

This goes under the "No Shit" category.

[Molina00]

Couldn't agree more. I actually think 400 saves should be enough for enshrinement. John Franco and Lee Smith should be in there. I wish Wetteland had chance but thanks to his back problems that forced him to retire he has no shot.

[padrefanforever]

should be 600 HR's now........the late 90's and early 2000's wrecked this catagory