Author: scatty

In the early days of baseball, the closer position simply didn’t exist. Instead, pitchers that started the game would end up finishing it, and probably come back and pitch another nine innings a day or two later. These days, though, managers are changing pitchers throughout the entire game to get the best matchups, and the closer position has become an important one.

Since the advent of the closer spot, there has been a lot of great talent on the mound. Let’s take a look at the five best closers in MLB history. Before we get into the list, some of the honorable mentions include Bruce Sutter, Lee Smith, Aroldis Chapman, Rollie Fingers, and John Smoltz.

5. Billy Wagner

Those that started watching baseball during the mid-to-late 2000s might remember Billy Wagner better for his time with the Philadelphia Phillies or New York Mets, but fans from the late 1990s of National League Central teams certainly remember Wagner when he was with the Houston Astros. Wagner spent nine seasons with Houston and then played for four other teams during his 16-year career.

Over that time, Wagner didn’t make a single MLB start as he went straight into a closing role during his first full season. Wagner would finish with 422 career saves, including a whopping 44 during the 2003 season. Wagner also had an impressive earned run average of 2.31 in his career and was a seven-time All-Star.

4. Rich Gossage

Though his birth name is Richard, everyone will forever know Mr. Gossage simply as “Goose.” Gossage played for nine different franchises during his long MLB career, with much of that time being spent with the Yankees, White Sox, and Padres. Originally beginning his career as a starting pitcher, Gossage moved into the closer’s role in his fourth season, collecting 26 saves with Chicago.

Gossage would finish his career with a total of 310 saves and an earned run average of 3.01 over 22 seasons. Gossage had to wait a while to hear his name called for the Baseball Hall of Fame, but it finally happened for the nine-time All-Star when he was inducted in 2008. At the time, he had been on the ballot for nine seasons.

3. Dennis Eckersley

Winning the Most Valuable Player Award is difficult to do as a pitcher, especially since the position has its own award. Dennis Eckersley did just that, though, and also won a Cy Young Award in the process. Eckersley played in 24 different Major League seasons, making appearances for five different teams.

Much of Eck’s career was spent with the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics, combining for 17 seasons between the two franchises. Overall, Eckersley had an earned run average of 3.50 and notched 390 career saves. Prior to becoming a closer, Eckersley was a phenomenal starting pitcher and finished with a career record of 197 wins and 171 losses.

2. Trevor Hoffman

It’s easy to forget that Trevor Hoffman actually entered Major League Baseball as a member of the expansion Florida Marlins, but in his rookie season was traded to the San Diego Padres. A bit of a late bloomer, Hoffman made his MLB debut at 25 years old and instantly became the go-to for the Padres during the rest of the 1990s and almost the entirety of the 2000s.

Hoffman was a seven-time All-Star during his MLB career and was the two-time Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year. He finished with a career record of 61-75, notching just over 600 career saves, and held a low earned run average of 2.87 with three different franchises, ending with Milwaukee in the 2010 season.

1. Mariano Rivera

Pretty much a unanimous pick for the top closer in baseball history, Mariano Rivera was able to make a career out of having just one pitch: his cutter. Rivera was a member of the New York Yankees for all 19 of his Major League seasons, winning a whopping five World Series titles and five more Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year titles.

“Mo” was named to the All Star Game 13 times during his illustrious career and was an easy choice for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He would finish with the all-time record of 652 saves, carrying an ERA of just 2.21 while striking ou 1,173 batters with his devastating cutter. It’s unlikely we’ll see that type of career-long dominance from a closer again.

If there’s one sport in which you want to be a free agent, it’s baseball. Typically, teams will grant massive contracts, all of the money is guaranteed, and you tend to find a spot to call home for several years. However, not all players live up to these massive contracts, especially when they get to be eight years in length or longer. Then, there are those free agents that play well above their expectations.

Today, we look at some of the players that ended up being huge bargains for franchises, with some even leading them to championships. Here are our picks for the five best free agent signings in MLB history. Before we start the list, some of the honorable mentions include Manny Ramirez (Boston Red Sox), Roger Clemens (Toronto Blue Jays), Vladimir Guerrero (Anaheim Angels), and Adrian Beltre (Texas Rangers).

5. Reggie Jackson (New York Yankees)

The man that would eventually become known as “Mr. October” was an MVP with the Athletics organization, sticking with the team during their move from Kansas City to Oakland in the late 1960s. After a falling out with the team, though, Jackson departed prior to the 1976 season as he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles where he played for one season.

Heading into the 1977 season, Jackson found a new home in the form of the New York Yankees, with owner George Steinbrenner handing him $2.9 million over five years. That sounds like nothing now, but at the time it was a huge deal, and Jackson delivered. During his five seasons with the Yankees, Jackson had a batting average of .281 with 144 home runs, including many clutch postseason dingers that helped the Yankees win two World Series titles.

4. Larry Walker (Colorado Rockies)

Larry Walker was one of the many eventual greats that started with the Montreal Expos but was allowed to leave after the 1994 strike season. Walker was a one-time All-Star in Montreal, with a lot of teams vying for his services.

The Colorado Rockies took, what was at the time, a huge chance by giving Walker $22.5 million over four seasons. He certainly didn’t disappoint as he hit 126 home runs during his original contract despite missing half of one season. Walker stuck around for a total of 10 years in Colorado, hitting 258 home runs and winning an MVP Award.

3. Randy Johnson (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Though most associate Randy Johnson with the Seattle Mariners early in his career, The Big Unit actually came up with the Montreal Expos before being traded to Seattle during the 1989 Major League season. Johnson was a dominant force with the Mariners, winning 130 games in his 10 seasons and racking up over 2,100 strikeouts.

After the Mariners traded him to Houston to end the 1998 season, Johnson became a free agent and signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks who shelled out a massive $52.4 million contract for four years (and a fifth-year option). Arizona broke the bank with their deal, but it ended up paying off as Johnson won 81 games during that four-year stretch and the 2001 World Series MVP.

2. Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants)

A star from the get-go with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Barry Bonds spent seven seasons with the team and won the 1990 MVP Award. After a second MVP title in 1992, the Pirates were simply too cheap to sign him to a long-term contract and he became a free agent.

Prior to the 1993 season, the San Francisco Giants signed Bonds to a six-year contract worth $43.7 million. At the time, that was an insane amount, but somehow, Bonds still exceeded the expectations on the contract. Bonds stuck around the Giants beyond his original contract and finished with a .312 batting average and 586 home runs as a member of the Giants in 15 seasons.

1. Greg Maddux (Atlanta Braves)

Greg Maddux originally came up as part of the Chicago Cubs organization after being a second-round draft selection and made his Major League debut in 1986 at just 20 years old. Maddux went on to become a two-time All-Star in Chicago and even won the Cy Young Award, but the team inexplicably let him walk.

Maddux then signed with the Atlanta Braves for five years and $28 million, which was not even close to the highest offer that he received as the Yankees offered $34 million. Maddux was a perfect fit in Atlanta where he went 194-88 with a 2.63 earned run average during his 11 seasons with the Braves en route to a Hall of Fame career. While $28 million was a lot at the time, it was certainly worth it, especially by today’s standards.

Every major sport in North America has a Hall of Fame, but none is more exclusive than baseball’s. Located in Cooperstown, New York, the Baseball Hall of Fame only truly selects the best of the best to make it to enshrinement, with writers selecting from a long list of former players each year, but often only getting one or two people selected.

As a result, there have been plenty of great players that have been left out. Unlike the Basketball Hall of Fame where someone that won a single Sixth Man of the Year Award can get in, you need to do a lot to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Here are the five best players that still haven’t been let in. Before we get into the list, some of the other greatest players that aren’t in the Hall of Fame include Curt Schilling, Joe Jackson, Manny Ramirez, and Mark McGwire

5. Alex Rodriguez

Why he should be in: It doesn’t matter what team Alex Rodriguez was playing with during his career, he was one of the best shortstops in the game, and was one of the best players at that position in MLB history. Rodriguez crossed just about every major milestone to get into the Hall of Fame, including knocking out just shy of 700 home runs over his 22-year career while having a .295 batting average.

Why he’s not in the Hall of Fame: Simply put, Alex Rodriguez is one of the few people that actually got caught using performance-enhancing drugs. That alone will likely keep him out of the Hall of Fame for good. 

4. Pete Rose

Why he should be in: No player in Major League Baseball history has more base hits than Pete Rose, which alone should get him into the Hall of Fame. Even with that out of play, Rose was still able to lead the Major Leagues in batting average on three different occasions while also winning two Gold Gloves, Rookie of the Year, an MVP Award, and three World Series titles while being named an All-Star 17 times.

Why he’s not in the Hall of Fame: Pete Rose was banned from baseball for life due to gambling on games while he was still a player/manager. The Baseball Hall of Fame followed suit and deemed him ‘permanently ineligible’ to be enshrined.

3. Sammy Sosa

Why he should be in: Sammy Sosa was one of the biggest reasons that people tuned back into baseball following the player’s strike, going toe-to-toe with Mark McGwire in 1998 for the new home run title. Sosa was an MVP with the Chicago Cubs and finished his career with 609 home runs and 1,667 runs batted in while being named an All-Star seven times and winning six Silver Slugger Awards.

Why he’s not in the Hall of Fame: Sosa was one of the many players that were brought in front of Congress during the steroid scandal of the 2000s. Sosa denied taking performance-enhancing drugs, but writers haven’t been convinced and have kept him out of the Hall of Fame.

2. Roger Clemens

Why he should be in: Roger Clemens played with four Major League teams during his 24-season career, including extended stops with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. During that time, Clemens was one of the most dominant pitchers in the Major Leagues, finishing with 354 career wins and 4,672 strikeouts. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards and an MVP while also adding a pair of World Series titles.

Why he’s not in the Hall of Fame: The story with Clemens is the same that it is for Sosa. There was always the suspicion that Clemens was on PEDs, and he testified that he hadn’t taken any. Even though he was found not guilty of perjury, Clemens has still been left out.

1. Barry Bonds

Why he should be in: Barry Bonds is perhaps the best hitter in Major League Baseball history. He was a 14-time All-Star that won a dozen Silver Slugger Awards across his career with the Pirates and Giants. During that time, Bonds hit a record 762 career home runs with a .298 batting average, but perhaps his most staggering stat is his on-base percentage of .444, which will never be topped in modern baseball.

Why he’s not in the Hall of Fame: Baseball writers simply didn’t like Bonds as the relationship between the two was often contentious. Bonds was also one of the main players in the BALCO scandal and was originally charged with perjury and obstruction of justice in the case, though the charges were dropped.

When it comes to the world of hip-hop, a lot of rappers end up having the same career length as that of a professional football player. Not all of them get to stick around into their 50s and 60s as they can lose that edge once the money and success come, or just do not really gel with what younger audiences are listening to.

There are plenty of great rappers who have retired before turning 40, with some even doing so before turning 30 years old. Out of the many rappers that have called it a career in their younger years, which ones stand out as the best? Here are our picks for the five best rappers who retired early, leaving their fans wishful for a big return somewhere down the road.

Jay-Z

Shawn Carter, widely known by his stage name Jay-Z, has had an extremely successful career. He became the co-founder of the record label Roc-A-Fella Records and released his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996. 

Some of his greatest hits throughout his illustrious career include Big Pimpin’, Can I Get A…, Hard Knock Life(Ghetto Anthem), and 99 Problems. He announced his retirement following his 2003 album “The Black Album“, after the constant flow of album releases. Though he says making music may still be in his future. 

Logic

Robert Hall, who goes by his stage name Logic, has had a huge impact through his socially conscious and wildly talented rap career. Logic got his start in 2010 after he released his debut mixtape Young, Broke, & Infamous. 

Three years and another music venture later, he signed on with Def Jam Recordings. His following albums Under Pressure, The Incredible True Story, and Everybody gained him worldwide notoriety and topped the charts. After his 2020 album No Pressure, he decided to retire to focus on his personal life and start a family. Logic has since released two albums with Def Jam, before his departure. 

Ma$e

Mason Betha, also known by his stage name Ma$e, began his rap career in 1996 when he befriended Notorious B.I.G’s road manager Cudda Love. After attending a convention and performing in front of Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs he acquired a deal with Bad Boy Records. 

He was featured on songs by Notorious B.I.G and Puff Daddy, like Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems, Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down, and Been Around the World. Ma$e later released his debut album Harlem World, reaching the top of the charts and hitting platinum status. In 1999 Ma$e called it quits and retired from rap to become a minister and pursue his faith. 

Kid Cudi

Scott Mescudi, widely known by his stage name Kid Cudi, started rapping while he was growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, and decided to move to New York City to further his career. Kid Cudi made it big when his songs started to take off on the social media site MySpace, and in 2009 he released his debut album titled “Man on the Moon: The End of Day”.

Some of Cudi’s hit songs included “Day ‘n’ Nite”, “Pursuit of Happiness” and “Erase Me”, though he faded from the mainstream spotlight during the early 2010s. He returned in a big way in 2020 by releasing songs with Travis Scott and Eminem but shortly thereafter announced his retirement at just 38 years old. “I want to be done with it,” he said. “I think, closing the chapter on Kid Cudi…I’ve made a lot of music, man.”

Run DMC

Run DMC is arguably one of the most popular and highly successful rap groups of our time. They got their start when members Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell founded the group and signed with Profile Records in 1983. 

That same year they released their single “It’s Like That” which did well commercially. The group’s fame grew after releasing a few albums in the following years. Things really took off when they released their best-selling and most renowned album “Raising Hell”. Tragically, in 2002 Mizell was murdered at a recording studio and the group announced they would be retiring. 

There are a lot of hobbies to pick from when you’re a celebrity, but not many of them end up picking surfing as a hobby. Some don’t want to be bothered while at the beach, receiving a lot of paparazzi attention, while others might not want to be photographed. However, these five celebrities have shown that it’s worth getting into the water for one of the world’s greatest hobbies:

Matthew McConaughey

Among the biggest stars in Hollywood since the early 1990s, Matthew McConaughey has appeared in a wide range of roles that includes “Dazed and Confused” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” while also winning an Academy Award for his role in “Dallas Buyers Club”.

One of the films that McConaughey has starred in was called “Surfer, Dude”, which was the brainchild of McConaughey himself. When talking about his character, he’s talking about himself. “He’s a guy who loves to surf,” McConaughey said. “The one thing he needs in life is a good wave. A board and a swell. He’s addicted to a very pure thing…so when it is taken away, how do you navigate the drought?”

Chris Hemsworth

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Chris Hemsworth was a surprise pick and a relative unknown when he was selected to play the role of Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since then, Hemsworth has been synonymous with the character, while also starring in films including “Red Dawn”, “Men in Black: International” and “Ghostbusters”.

Everyone in the Hemsworth family is all about surfing, and Chris especially is one that can be seen on the open waters with his children. “I started surfing when I was 6,” Hemsworth said. “The ocean gives me such joy. It’s my place of grounding any time I feel out of balance.” Early on in his career, many thought Hemsworth was just a surfer guy from Australia, but he would wind up being a huge star in Hollywood.

Helen Hunt

After spending the 1980s playing smaller roles, Helen Hunt broke through into stardom during the early 1990s when she landed a leading role on the sitcom “Mad About You”. She would use her TV fame to land big screen roles in movies such as “What Women Want”, “Cast Away” and “Twister”, just to name a few.

Hunt has not just picked up surfing as a hobby, but a true passion, to the point where she has starred in two films about surfing. No matter what continent she’s on, Hunt grabs her surfboard to take on the trip, and it dates back to when she was nine months pregnant and staring at the ocean. She took on the lead role in the film “Ride” about a middle-aged woman learning to surf, essentially becoming a documentary.

Liev Schreiber

A darling of the independent scene during the 1990s and early 2000s, Liev Schreiber first started getting mainstream attention thanks to his roles in the “Scream” films, as well as “The Hurricane” and “The Sum of All Fears”. In 2009 he had a breakthrough playing Sabretooth in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and has starred as the title character in “Ray Donovan”.

If you don’t see Schreiber at work, there’s a good chance that you’ll find him out in the water. There have been countless photos of Schrieber surfing over the years, including teaching his sons how to surf off the coast of Malibu. Thankfully, Schrieber was able to survive a surfing accident that he suffered back in 2009. “It was like a washing machine,” he said. “I’ve never experienced a break like it.”

Rob Lowe

Originally a member of the “Brat Pack” during the 1980s, Rob Lowe starred in films including “The Outsiders” and “St. Elmo’s Fire” before transitioning into television roles in the 21st century including “The West Wing” and “Parks and Recreation”.

Lowe has been known for his calm demeanor ever since the 2000s started, and a lot of that stems from his passion for surfing. “I learned to surf when I was 40 and it’s become a huge thing for me,” Lowe said. “If I had learned (as a teenager), I promise you, we would not be here having this conversation (in regards to doing celebrity interviews).” Lowe added that if he could be in the water all day, he would, and that he appreciates nature when on the waves and that life is bigger than him.