Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award

Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award

In Major League Baseball, the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award is a distinction given to the top relief pitcher in each league at the end of each season. Unlike other honors such as the Cy Young Award or Most Valuable Player Award, the Relief Man of the Year award is based objectively on statistical performance, rather than subjective opinion.

First awarded in 1976, a reliever is given 2 points for a win, 3 points for a save and -2 points for a loss. In 1987, it began counting the statistic of a blown save as -2 points. In 2000, Rolaids began awarding 4 points for a so-called "tough save" when a reliever enters a game with the tying run already on base and gets the save. The reliever with the highest score at the end of the season is given the award.

Dan Quisenberry has won the most awards with 5. Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter have both won 4.

As indicated by its name, the award is sponsored by Rolaids, whose slogan is "R-O-L-A-I-D-S spells relief." It is the only official baseball award that is commercially sponsored.

List of Rolaids Relief Men of the Year

American League (1976-present)

Year Pitcher Team Record Saves ERA

1976 Bill Campbell Minnesota Twins 17-5 20 3.01

1977 Bill Campbell Boston Red Sox 13-9 31 2.96

1978 Rich Gossage New York Yankees 10-11 27 2.01

1979 Jim Kern Texas Rangers 13-5 29 1.57

1980 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 12-7 33 3.09

1981 Rollie Fingers Milwaukee Brewers 6-3 28 1.04

1982 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 9-7 35 2.57

1983 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 5-3 45 1.94

1984 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 6-3 44 2.65

1985 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 8-9 37 2.37

1986 Dave Righetti New York Yankees 8-8 46 2.45

1987 Dave Righetti New York Yankees 8-6 31 3.51

1988 Dennis Eckersley Oakland Athletics 4-2 45 2.35

1989 Jeff Russell Texas Rangers 6-4 38 1.98

1990 Bobby Thigpen Chicago White Sox 4-6 57 1.83

1991 Bryan Harvey California Angels 2-4 46 1.60

1992 Dennis Eckersley Oakland Athletics 7-1 51 1.91

1993 Jeff Montgomery Kansas City Royals 7-5 45 2.27

1994 Lee Smith Baltimore Orioles 1-4 33 3.29

1995 Jose Mesa Cleveland Indians 3-0 46 1.12

1996 John Wetteland New York Yankees 2-3 43 2.83

1997 Randy Myers Baltimore Orioles 2-3 45 1.51

1998 Tom Gordon Boston Red Sox 7-4 46 2.72

1999 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees 4-3 45 1.83

2000 Todd Jones Detroit Tigers 2-4 42 3.52

2001 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees 4-6 50 2.34

2002 Billy Koch Oakland Athletics 11-4 44 3.27

2003 Keith Foulke Oakland Athletics 9-1 43 2.08

Year	Pitcher	Team	Record	Saves	ERA
1976	Bill Campbell	Minnesota Twins	17-5	20	3.01
1977	Bill Campbell	Boston Red Sox	13-9	31	2.96
1978	Rich Gossage	New York Yankees	10-11	27	2.01
1979	Jim Kern	Texas Rangers	13-5	29	1.57
1980	Dan Quisenberry	Kansas City Royals	12-7	33	3.09
1981	Rollie Fingers	Milwaukee Brewers	6-3	28	1.04
1982	Dan Quisenberry	Kansas City Royals	9-7	35	2.57
1983	Dan Quisenberry	Kansas City Royals	5-3	45	1.94
1984	Dan Quisenberry	Kansas City Royals	6-3	44	2.65
1985	Dan Quisenberry	Kansas City Royals	8-9	37	2.37
1986	Dave Righetti	New York Yankees	8-8	46	2.45
1987	Dave Righetti	New York Yankees	8-6	31	3.51
1988	Dennis Eckersley	Oakland Athletics	4-2	45	2.35
1989	Jeff Russell	Texas Rangers	6-4	38	1.98
1990	Bobby Thigpen	Chicago White Sox	4-6	57	1.83
1991	Bryan Harvey	California Angels	2-4	46	1.60
1992	Dennis Eckersley	Oakland Athletics	7-1	51	1.91
1993	Jeff Montgomery	Kansas City Royals	7-5	45	2.27
1994	Lee Smith	Baltimore Orioles	1-4	33	3.29
1995	Jose Mesa	Cleveland Indians	3-0	46	1.12
1996	John Wetteland	New York Yankees	2-3	43	2.83
1997	Randy Myers	Baltimore Orioles	2-3	45	1.51
1998	Tom Gordon	Boston Red Sox	7-4	46	2.72
1999	Mariano Rivera	New York Yankees	4-3	45	1.83
2000	Todd Jones	Detroit Tigers	2-4	42	3.52
2001	Mariano Rivera	New York Yankees	4-6	50	2.34
2002	Billy Koch	Oakland Athletics	11-4	44	3.27
2003	Keith Foulke	Oakland Athletics	9-1	43	2.08

National League (1976-present)

Year Pitcher Team Record Saves ERA

1976 Rawly Eastwick Cincinnati Reds 11-5 26 2.09

1977 Rollie Fingers San Diego Padres 8-9 35 2.99

1978 Rollie Fingers San Diego Padres 6-13 37 2.52

1979 Bruce Sutter Chicago Cubs 6-6 37 2.22

1980 Rollie Fingers San Diego Padres 11-9 23 2.80

1981 Bruce Sutter St. Louis Cardinals 3-5 25 2.62

1982 Bruce Sutter St. Louis Cardinals 9-8 36 2.90

1983 Al Holland Philadelphia Phillies 8-4 25 2.26

1984 Bruce Sutter St. Louis Cardinals 5-7 45 1.54

1985 Jeff Reardon Montreal Expos 2-8 41 3.18

1986 Todd Worrell St. Louis Cardinals 9-10 36 2.08

1987 Steve Bedrosian Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 40 2.83

1988 John Franco Cincinnati Reds 6-6 39 1.57

1989 Mark Davis San Diego Padres 4-3 44 1.84

1990 John Franco New York Mets 5-3 33 2.53

1991 Lee Smith St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 47 2.34

1992 Lee Smith St. Louis Cardinals 4-9 43 3.12

1993 Randy Myers Chicago Cubs 2-4 53 3.11

1994 Rod Beck San Francisco Giants 2-4 28 2.77

1995 Tom Henke St. Louis Cardinals 1-1 36 1.82

1996 Jeff Brantley Cincinnati Reds 1-2 44 2.41

1997 Jeff Shaw Cincinnati Reds 4-2 42 2.38

1998 Trevor Hoffman San Diego Padres 4-2 53 1.48

1999 Billy Wagner Houston Astros 4-1 39 1.57

2000 Antonio Alfonseca Florida Marlins 5-6 45 4.24

2001 Armando Benitez New York Mets 6-4 43 3.77

2002 John Smoltz Atlanta Braves 3-2 55 3.25

2003 Eric Gagne Los Angeles Dodgers 2-3 55 1.20

Year	Pitcher	Team	Record	Saves	ERA
1976	Rawly Eastwick	Cincinnati Reds	11-5	26	2.09
1977	Rollie Fingers	San Diego Padres	8-9	35	2.99
1978	Rollie Fingers	San Diego Padres	6-13	37	2.52
1979	Bruce Sutter	Chicago Cubs	6-6	37	2.22
1980	Rollie Fingers	San Diego Padres	11-9	23	2.80
1981	Bruce Sutter	St. Louis Cardinals	3-5	25	2.62
1982	Bruce Sutter	St. Louis Cardinals	9-8	36	2.90
1983	Al Holland	Philadelphia Phillies	8-4	25	2.26
1984	Bruce Sutter	St. Louis Cardinals	5-7	45	1.54
1985	Jeff Reardon	Montreal Expos	2-8	41	3.18
1986	Todd Worrell	St. Louis Cardinals	9-10	36	2.08
1987	Steve Bedrosian	Philadelphia Phillies	5-3	40	2.83
1988	John Franco	Cincinnati Reds	6-6	39	1.57
1989	Mark Davis	San Diego Padres	4-3	44	1.84
1990	John Franco	New York Mets	5-3	33	2.53
1991	Lee Smith	St. Louis Cardinals	6-3	47	2.34
1992	Lee Smith	St. Louis Cardinals	4-9	43	3.12
1993	Randy Myers	Chicago Cubs	2-4	53	3.11
1994	Rod Beck	San Francisco Giants	2-4	28	2.77
1995	Tom Henke	St. Louis Cardinals	1-1	36	1.82
1996	Jeff Brantley	Cincinnati Reds	1-2	44	2.41
1997	Jeff Shaw	Cincinnati Reds	4-2	42	2.38
1998	Trevor Hoffman	San Diego Padres	4-2	53	1.48
1999	Billy Wagner	Houston Astros	4-1	39	1.57
2000	Antonio Alfonseca	Florida Marlins	5-6	45	4.24
2001	Armando Benitez	New York Mets	6-4	43	3.77
2002	John Smoltz	Atlanta Braves	3-2	55	3.25
2003	Eric Gagne	Los Angeles Dodgers	2-3	55	1.20

External links

History of the award from MLB.com

Rolaids Relief Award Standings from ESPN