Fireman of the Year Award / Reliever of the Year Award by The Sporting News on Baseball Almanac

Fireman of the Year Award / Reliever of the Year Award by The Sporting New

The Sporting News is nothing short of the most respected and legendary magazine / newspaper in sports history. Their coverage of baseball has no rival and they are simply the most respected source of baseball statistics anywhere.

Listed below in chronological order are the pitchers chosen by The Sporting News as recipients of the TSN Fireman of the Year Award. From 1960 forward, only one pitcher, a closer, from each league has been chosen to receive this honor.

In 2001 the award name was changed from the Fireman of the Year to The Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award and they have begun to award one pitcher from each league.

"That State American Legion championship was one of the highlights of my career. I didn't have to do anything, of course, just give the ball to Eddie Fisher, Lindy McDaniel or Tony Risinger." - Coach Elwood Riley

Fireman of the Year Award by The Sporting News ©
Year	A.L. Winners^(Quantity)	Team	N.L. Winners^(Quantity)	Team
1960	Mike Fornieles⁽¹⁾	Boston	Lindy McDaniel⁽¹⁾	St. Louis
1961	Luis Arroyo⁽¹⁾	New York	Stu Miller⁽¹⁾	San Francisco
1962	Dick Radatz⁽¹⁾	Boston	Roy Face⁽¹⁾	Pittsburgh
1963	Stu Miller⁽²⁾	Baltimore	Lindy McDaniel⁽²⁾	Chicago
1964	Dick Radatz⁽²⁾	Boston	Al McBean⁽¹⁾	Pittsburgh
1965	Eddie Fisher⁽¹⁾	Chicago	Ted Abernathy⁽¹⁾	Chicago
1966	Jack Aker⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	Phil Regan⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles
1967	Minnie Rojas⁽¹⁾	California	Ted Abernathy⁽²⁾	Cincinnati
1968	Wilbur Wood⁽¹⁾	Chicago	Phil Regan⁽²⁾	Chicago
1969	Ron Perranoski⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	Wayne Granger⁽¹⁾	Cincinnati
1970	Ron Perranoski⁽²⁾	Minnesota	Wayne Granger⁽²⁾	Cincinnati
1971	Ken Sanders⁽¹⁾	Milwaukee	Dave Giusti⁽¹⁾	Pittsburgh
1972	Sparky Lyle⁽¹⁾	New York	Clay Carroll⁽¹⁾	Cincinnati
1973	John Hiller⁽¹⁾	Detroit	Mike Marshall⁽¹⁾	Montreal
1974	Terry Forster⁽¹⁾	Chicago	Mike Marshall⁽²⁾	Los Angeles
1975	Rich Gossage⁽¹⁾	Chicago	Al Hrabosky⁽¹⁾	St. Louis
1976	Bill Campbell⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	Rawly Eastwick⁽¹⁾	Cincinnati
1977	Bill Campbell⁽²⁾	Boston	Rollie Fingers⁽¹⁾	San Diego
1978	Rich Gossage⁽²⁾	New York	Rollie Fingers⁽²⁾	San Diego
1979	Jim Kern⁽¹⁾	Texas	Bruce Sutter⁽¹⁾	Chicago
1979	Mike Marshall⁽³⁾	Minnesota	Bruce Sutter⁽¹⁾	Chicago
1980	Dan Quisenberry⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	Rollie Fingers⁽³⁾	San Diego
1980	Dan Quisenberry⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	Tom Hume⁽¹⁾	Cincinnati
1981	Rollie Fingers⁽⁴⁾	Milwaukee	Bruce Sutter⁽²⁾	St. Louis
1982	Dan Quisenberry⁽²⁾	Kansas City	Bruce Sutter⁽³⁾	St. Louis
1983	Dan Quisenberry⁽³⁾	Kansas City	Al Holland⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia
1983	Dan Quisenberry⁽³⁾	Kansas City	Lee Smith⁽¹⁾	Chicago
1984	Dan Quisenberry⁽⁴⁾	Kansas City	Bruce Sutter⁽⁴⁾	St. Louis
1985	Dan Quisenberry⁽⁵⁾	Kansas City	Jeff Reardon⁽¹⁾	Montreal
1986	Dave Righetti⁽¹⁾	New York	Todd Worrell⁽¹⁾	St. Louis
1987	Jeff Reardon⁽²⁾	Minnesota	Steve Bedrosian⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia
1987	Dave Righetti⁽²⁾	New York	Steve Bedrosian⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia
1988	Dennis Eckersley⁽¹⁾	Oakland	John Franco⁽¹⁾	Cincinnati
1989	Jeff Russell⁽¹⁾	Texas	Mark Davis⁽¹⁾	San Diego
1990	Bobby Thigpen⁽¹⁾	Chicago	John Franco⁽²⁾	New York
1991	Dennis Eckersley⁽²⁾	Oakland	Lee Smith⁽²⁾	St. Louis
1991	Bryan Harvey⁽¹⁾	California	Lee Smith⁽²⁾	St. Louis
1992	Dennis Eckersley⁽³⁾	Oakland	Doug Jones⁽¹⁾	Houston
1992	Dennis Eckersley⁽³⁾	Oakland	Lee Smith⁽³⁾	St. Louis
1993	Jeff Montgomery⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	Randy Myers⁽¹⁾	Chicago
1994	Lee Smith⁽⁴⁾	Baltimore	John Franco⁽³⁾	New York
1995	Jose Mesa⁽¹⁾	Cleveland	Randy Myers⁽²⁾	Chicago
1996	John Wetteland⁽¹⁾	New York	Trevor Hoffman⁽¹⁾	San Diego
1997	Mariano Rivera⁽¹⁾	New York	Jeff Shaw⁽¹⁾	Cincinnati
1998	Tom Gordon⁽¹⁾	Boston	Trevor Hoffman⁽²⁾	San Diego
1999	Mariano Rivera⁽²⁾	New York	Ugueth Urbina⁽¹⁾	Montreal
2000	Todd Jones⁽¹⁾	Detroit	Antonio Alfonseca⁽¹⁾	Florida
Reliever of the Year Award by The Sporting News ©
Year	A.L. Winners^(Quantity)	Team	N.L. Winners^(Quantity)	Team
2001	Mariano Rivera⁽³⁾	New York	Armando Benitez⁽¹⁾	New York
2001	Mariano Rivera⁽³⁾	New York	Robb Nen⁽¹⁾	San Francisco
2002	Billy Koch⁽¹⁾	Oakland	John Smoltz⁽¹⁾	Atlanta
2003	Keith Foulke⁽¹⁾	Oakland	Eric Gagne⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles
2004	Mariano Rivera⁽⁴⁾	New York	Eric Gagne⁽²⁾	Los Angeles
2005	Joe Nathan⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	Chad Cordero⁽¹⁾	Washington
2005	Mariano Rivera⁽⁵⁾	New York	Chad Cordero⁽¹⁾	Washington
2006	Francisco Rodriguez⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	Trevor Hoffman⁽³⁾	San Diego
2007	Joe Borowski⁽¹⁾	Cleveland	Jose Valverde⁽¹⁾	Arizona
2008	Francisco Rodriguez⁽²⁾	Los Angeles	Brad Lidge⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia
2009	Mariano Rivera⁽⁶⁾	New York	Ryan Franklin⁽¹⁾	St. Louis
2010	Rafael Soriano⁽¹⁾	Tampa Bay	Heath Bell⁽¹⁾	San Diego
2011	Not Yet Announced^(10-2011)	--	Not Yet Announced^(10-2011)	--
Year	A.L. Winners^(Quantity)	Team	N.L. Winners^(Quantity)	Team
Fireman / Reliever of the Year Award

The American League recipient, during their award winning season, with the most saves was Bobby Thigpen with fifty-seven in 1990, and the recipient with the best earned run average was Jose Mesa with 1.13 in 1995.

The National League recipient, during their award winning season, with the most saves was Eric Gagne with fifty-five in 2003, and the recipient with the best earned run average was Ted Abernathy with 1.27 in 1967.

Do you agree or disagree with The Sporting News winners? Who will win the award next season? Take a moment and share your thoughts with fellow fans on our message board.

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