Once upon a time, starting pitchers were expected to complete games. The bullpens were often occupied by aging pitchers who were not good enough to start.
One of the biggest changes in the game was adding a save as an official statistic for pitchers coming out of the 'pen. That took place in 1969. Saves elevated the importance of relief pitchers.
More and more games are now decided by the bullpen. Complete games are vanishing. Starters seldom go through a lineup for a third time, a decision that’s been determined by analytics. Velocity, spin rate, matchups, workload and video pitching lab sessions are now part of the game.
What follows are records and Phun Phacts involving Phillies relievers.
Bullpen Record Book
Games, Season: 90, Kent Tekulve, 1987 (RH) ... 84, Rheal Cormier, 2004 (LH)
Games, Rookie: 65, Jack Baldschun, 1961
Games, Consecutive: 7, Baldschun, 1962 (July 6-7-8-9-9-13-14; All-Star break, 10-11-12)
Games, Month: 19, Tekulve, August 1987
Games, Career: 473, Ryan Madson (RH) ... 460, Tug McGraw (LH)
Innings, Season: 164 2/3, RH Andy Karl, 1945 ... 65 games
Innings, Game: 10, RH Jim Konstanty, Sept. 15, 1950, G2
Innings, Month: 36 2/3, Konstanty, September 1950
Innings, Career: 763, Ron Reed (RH) ... 708, Tug McGraw (LH)
Innings, Consecutive Scoreless: 32 2/3, Larry Andersen, 1984
Immaculate inning (3 SO on 9 pitches): Juan Perez, 7/8/2011 vs. ATL, 10th
Wins, Season: 16, Jim Konstanty, 1950 (RH) ... 12, Mitch Williams, 1991 (LH)
Wins, Career: 54, Ron Reed (RH) . . . 49, Tug McGraw (LH)
Wins, Month: 8, Mitch Williams, August 1991
Wins, Consecutive Appearances: 3, Gene Garber, 5/15 (GM 2)-16-17/1975 (RH); a total of 5 2/3 innings ... Mitch Williams, 8/4-6-7/1991 (LH); a total of 4 innings.
Most Losses, Season: 12, Gene Garber, 1975 (10-12) (RH)
Saves, Season: 45, Jose Mesa, 2002 (RH) ... 43, Mitch Williams, 1993 (LH)
Saves, Month: 12, Heathcliff Slocumb, May, 1995 (14 games)
Rookie: 16, Jack Meyer, 1955; Seranthony Domínguez, 2018
Saves, Season: First to reach 40, Steve Bedrosian, 1987
Saves, Career: 123, Jonathon Papelbon (RH) ... 102, Mitch Williams (LH)
Saves, consecutive appearances: 13, Steve Bedrosian, 5/25-6/30/1987
Consecutive, without a blown save: 44, Brad Lidge, 4/7/2008-4/13/2009 (not including postseason)
Team: Most Saves, Season: 48 in 1987 (40, Bedrosian; 3, Wally Ritchie/Tekulve; 1, Jeff Calhoun/Mike Jackson)
Fewest, season: 15 in 1972 (7 different pitchers; most, 4, Mac Scarce; Steve Carlton 30 complete games)
Saves, All-Star Games: Craig Kimbrel (2023)
Strikeouts, Season: 153, Dick Selma, 1970 (RH) ... 100, Al Holland, 1983 (LH) and Jake Diekman, 2014 (LH)
Strikeouts, Career: 520, Hector Neris (RH) ... 483, Tug McGraw (LH)
Strikeouts, Consecutive: 6
Jack Meyer, 9/22/1958 vs PIT (GM 1), 12th-13th inn (1st 6 batters)
Willie Hernandez, 7/3/1983 vs NYM, 8th-9th inn (all 6 he faced)
Antonio Bastardo, 4/8/2011 at ATL, 6th-7th inn (final 6 he faced)
Antonio Bastardo, and 8/5/2014 vs HOU, 11th-(K K K), 12th inn (K K BB WP K)
Víctor Arano, 4/14/2019 at MIA, 12th-13th inn (all 6 he faced)
World Series champions!
Tug McGraw, striking out Kansas City’s Willie Wilson for the final out that saves the Phillies 4-1 win and their first World Series championship, Oct. 21, 1980. 2 innings pitched, 3 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 48 pitches.
Brad Lidge, striking out Tampa Bay’s Eric Hinske for the final out that saves the Phillies' 4-3 win and their second World Series championship, Oct. 27, 2008. 1 inning, 1 hit, 1 strikeout, 16 pitches.
Tug No. 45, Lidge No. 54 ... LH Tug struck out RH hitter; RH Lidge struck out a LH hitter ... Tug jumped, Lidge fell to his knees.
Rubber Arms
Jim Konstanty. A right-hander who featured a palm ball ... Obtained by the Phillies from Toronto (International League) as part of a Minor League working agreement prior to the 1948 season ... At age 33, he pitched in both games of a doubleheader six times in 1950 ... Faced 41 batters in 10-relief innings on Sept. 15 (Gm. 2) ... League leader in games (74), games finished (62) and saves (22) ... Started Game 1 of the World Series against the Yankees at Shibe Park and lost, 1-0, working 8 innings, 4 hits, 4 walks. Relieved in Game 3 (1/3) and Game 4 (6 2/3).
Jack Baldschun. A right-hander who featured a screwball ... Selected in the Rule 5 Draft from Cincinnati, 11/28/60 ... Appeared in 333 games during his five-year Phillies career, 1961-65 (65-67-65-71-65), an average of 66.6 appearances ... Innings pitched: 99 2/3; 112 2/3; 113 2/3; 118 2/3; 99 ... Led NL in games (65) in rookie season (1961)
Honors
1950, Jim Konstanty, National League MVP
1987, Steve Bedrosian, National League Cy Young Award
Phun Phacts
Rheal Cormier: Signed as a free agent, 11/30/2000 ... All 363 Phillies appearances were in relief ... Pitcher of record in the Phillies final victory at Veterans Stadium and first win at Citizens Bank Park.
Wayne Gomes: Phillies' first-round selection in 1993 out of Old Dominion University ... Winning pitcher in MLB debut, the Phillies first ever Interleague game (Toronto), 6/13/97.
Relief pitcher John Boozer was ejected without throwing a pitch in a game against the New York Mets. He was warming up to face the Mets in the bottom of the seventh when he put his fingers to his mouth, a violation of the anti-spitball rule that had been introduced that year. Home-plate umpire Ed Vargo gave Boozer two warnings, calling a ball to batter Bud Harrelson three times -- the last resulting in the pitcher’s ejection, along with manager, Gene Mauch. I don’t know how many people remembered the incident as the May 2, 1968, Shea Stadium crowd was only 9,795.