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Lee Smith

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Lee Smith
Relief Pitcher
Born: December 4 1957 (1957-12-04) (age 50)
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 1, 1980 for the Chicago Cubs
Final game
July 2, 1997 for the Montreal Expos
Career statistics
Record     71–92
ERA     3.03
Saves     478
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Lee Arthur Smith (born December 4, 1957) is a former American Major League Baseball relief pitcher. A native of Castor, Louisiana, Smith was scouted by Buck O'Neil and drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft. In his 18-year professional baseball career from 1980 through 1997, Smith played for eight teams; his longest tenure with one team was with the Chicago Cubs, with whom he spent his first eight seasons. He was known as an intimidating figure on the pitcher's mound at 6 feet, 6 inches and 265 pounds with a 95 mile per hour fastball.[1] As a closer, Smith's 478 saves were the most all-time until current San Diego Padres relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman broke his record on September 24, 2006.[2] Smith also set the career record for games finished, he ranks eighth on the all-time list for career games pitched in, as of the conclusion of the 2006 season. After the end of his Major League Baseball career, Smith spent time working as a pitching instructor at the minor-league level, and later served time as the pitching coach for the South Africa national baseball team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

Contents

Early life and career

Lee Smith was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Smith was raised in the small town of Castor, Louisiana. Buck O'Neil takes credit for having scouted him; partly on his recommendation, at age 17 Smith was drafted in the second round as the 28th overall pick by the Chicago Cubs in the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft.[3] Smith began his professional career as a starting pitcher. In 1978 with the Class AA minor league Midland Cubs, he was struggling as a starter with an ERA near 6.00, prompting manager Randy Hundley to move him into the bullpen. Smith resisted the move and briefly tried college basketball at Northwestern State University. At the behest of Billy Williams, Smith returned to Midland as a reliever for 1979 and excelled.[1] He was promoted to Class AAA baseball for 1980 and, with the Major League Chicago Cubs struggling to a last place finish, Smith came into the big leagues as a September call-up that season.

Chicago

Smith made his major league debut with the Cubs on September 1, 1980 against the Atlanta Braves, coming in relief for starting pitcher Dennis Lamp who had not fared well in the four innings he pitched. Smith pitched one inning, giving up no hits, striking out one and walking two.[4] Smith finished 1980 well for the lowly Cubs and was invited back to the majors for 1981. He was used mostly as a middle relief pitcher. A streak of poor pitching was interrupted by the 1981 Major League Baseball strike and he finished with an ERA of 3.51.

The Cubs' closer for 1981, Dick Tidrow, had a 3-10 season with a 5.06 ERA and, in 1982, closing duties were shared by Smith, Willie Hernández and Bill Campbell. Smith pitched well and even started five games from mid-June to early July.[5] In the last start (which was also the last start of his career), Smith picked up his first major league hit by hitting a home run off eventual Hall of Famer, Phil Niekro.[6] Smith managed only two singles for the rest of his career. He saved 17 games for the season and was locked in as the regular closer for the Cubs, a position he held for the next five years.

1983 was Smith's best season in the majors up to that point. By May 6, Smith had pitched ten games and had yet to give up a run while allowing only three hits and striking out twelve batters.[7] His ERA rose to only 1.85 by the end of May, but he allowed only one run in July and his ERA dropped to 1.15. Smith was selected for his first All-Star Game but did not fare well, surrendering the final two runs in the American League's 13-3 rout.[8] Although the Cubs continued losing, Smith pitched almost equally as well in the second half of the season as he had in the first. He finished with a career-best 1.65 ERA — more than two points below the league average — and a career-best 1.074 WHIP[9] while leading the National League with 29 saves and 56 games finished.[10] He also received a point in the National League Cy Young Award voting and eight points in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting.[11]

The 1984 Cubs were the best team Smith pitched for in his career. In seven of Smith's eight seasons in Chicago, the Cubs failed to win as many as 80 games.[12] In 1984, however, they led the National League with 96 wins -- second only to the Detroit Tigers in the entire majors. While the Cubs finished with the franchise's best record and had their first postseason appearance since 1945,[13] Smith compiled his worst ERA of the decade -- although he saved more than 30 games for the first time in his career. In Game 2 of the 1984 National League Championship Series, Smith recorded two outs for the save to put Chicago up 2-0 in the best-of-5 series against the San Diego Padres.[14] The Padres won Game 3 by a score of 7 to 1, behind an eight-inning performance by pitcher Ed Whitson.[15] In Game 4, the score was tied when Smith started the 8th inning. After a scoreless 8th and a strikeout to start the bottom of the 9th, Smith allowed a single to Tony Gwynn. Steve Garvey followed with a two-run homer to force Game 5.[16] The Cubs led that game in the 7th inning but Smith watched from the bench as the underdog Padres scored four runs and won a trip to the 1984 World Series. The Cubs have still not been to a World Series since 1945 and have not won since 1908.[17]

1985 was Smith's first big year for piling up strikeouts. After averaging less than eight strikeouts per nine innings in each season prior, that number jumped to 10.32 in 1985. He finished the season with a career-high 112 strikeouts in only 97.2 innings.[9] The Cubs were in first place until a 13-game losing streak from June 12 to June 25 from which they never recovered.[18]

Smith saved more than 30 games while the Cubs had a losing record in 1985, 1986 and 1987. In 1987, Smith was on pace for his first 40-save season. While he finished short of 40, he was chosen for his second All-Star Game.[9] When the midsummer classic went into extra innings, Smith pitched the 10th, 11th and 12th innings, striking out four and getting credit for the win when the National League scored the only two runs of the game in the 13th.[19]

With his 30th save in 1987, Smith became only the second pitcher, after Dan Quisenberry, to reach the mark in four consecutive seasons. But rumors were swirling about his weight and its effect on his knees and Smith was requesting a trade out of Chicago.[1][20] On December 8, 1987, Smith, the team's career leader in saves,[21] was traded to the Boston Red Sox for pitchers Al Nipper and Calvin Schiraldi.[22] Nipper pitched only 104 more innings in the majors and Schiraldi was out of baseball before age 30. Smith, meanwhile, registered nearly 300 saves after the trade. The trade started him on a journey that included seven teams in eight seasons and that some feel contribute to him not being in the Baseball Hall of Fame.[23]

Boston

After losing the 1986 World Series in shocking fashion, the Red Sox fell below .500 for 1987.[24] One of the main problems was a bullpen full of pitchers with high ERAs. Smith was brought in to rectify the relief problems.

He gave up a game-winning home run in his 1988 opening day Fenway Park debut, but Smith recovered to post his best ERA in five years.[25] The Red Sox had the fortune of being in a weak division: in September, they caught up with Detroit and held off every other team to clinch Smith's second and last trip to the postseason. In Game 2 of the 1988 ALCS against Oakland, Smith came into a crucial tie game but gave up three singles in the 9th inning capped off by Walt Weiss' game-winner.[26] The loss put Boston in an 0-2 series deficit going to Oakland. After Boston lost Game 3, Smith was put in to prevent Oakland from increasing a 2-1 A's lead in Game 4. Instead, he gave up two insurance runs and Oakland finished off the four-game sweep.[27]

Smith's salary rose to over $1.4 million but he followed up his 1988 season with a mediocre 1989, finishing with his worst ERA in five years.[9] For the seventh consecutive season, his number of innings pitched decreased or remained the same. In contrast, he went on a season-long strikeout tear finishing with 12.23 strikeouts per nine innings, nearly two higher than any other season of his career.[9] It was also the last of his four seasons with more than 10 strikeouts per nine innings.[9]

At the end of the 1980s, Smith's statistics showed him as one of the best closers of the decade. One of the few that could lay claim to being even better was Jeff Reardon. While Smith had four consecutive 30-save seasons, Reardon finished the decade with five consecutive.[28] Smith saved 234 games by the end of 1989, Reardon had 266. Reardon was also a member of the 1987 World Series winning Minnesota Twins. On December 6, 1989, the Boston Red Sox had both closers on their roster when they signed Reardon as a free agent.[28] Two of the past decade's most dominating closers in history were even pitching in games together for Boston for the first month of 1990 with Reardon setting up Smith for a save on April 18 - a game started by a third famous pitcher, Roger Clemens.[29] The unusual double-closer situation lasted less than a month before Smith was traded to St. Louis for slugging outfielder, Tom Brunansky, on May 4, 1990.[9]

Breaking records in St. Louis

As was the case in Boston, Lee Smith's first game with St. Louis went poorly as he gave up two runs in his only inning.[30] He recovered quickly, registered a 0.00 ERA for the entire month of July,[31] and finished his partial season with St. Louis with a 2.10 ERA and 27 saves.[32] The Cardinals, however, were at a low point in 1990, finishing in last place for the only time since 1918. In 1991, St. Louis righted their ship and Smith accumulated saves at a record pace. With his salary roughly doubled to nearly $2.8 million, Smith reached 40 saves for the first time in his career.[33] On September 28, he picked up save number 45[34] to tie Bruce Sutter's National League record from 1984 (coincidentally, when Sutter and Smith reached 45 saves in their respective seasons, both were ex-Cubs pitching for St. Louis against the Cubs). Smith claimed the league record for himself three days later and finished the season with a career-high 47 saves.[9] One difference for him in 1991 was walks as he surrendered only 1.60 walks per nine innings, by far the best in his career to that point. Smith won his first Rolaids Relief Award,[35] received the most significant consideration for league MVP in his career, and finished second in Cy Young Award voting behind only Tom Glavine who had a breakout twenty-win season in 1991.[36]

In the early 1990s, records were falling quickly for closers. Lee Smith's single season National League record for saves was threatened after only a year - by Smith himself. He fell four short of his own record which did fall the following season. In 1992, Smith's former teammate, Jeff Reardon, broke the career saves record held for over a decade by Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers.[37] However, Smith was registering saves at a faster pace than Reardon and by the end of 1992, he was not far behind him on the career list. Just two weeks into the 1993 season, Smith passed Reardon with career save number 358.[38] At age 37, Reardon was slowing down and Smith was well in front of him when Reardon retired in 1994. The day after setting the career major league record, he saved his 301st National League game to break that record as well (similarly to the single-season N.L. record, the career N.L. record had been held by Bruce Sutter). Smith had 15 saves in June 1993, the most ever in one month for a pitcher, until he was tied by John Wetteland in June 1996 and Chad Cordero in June 2005.[39] He reached 30 saves in only the 83rd game of the season tying the record set by Bobby Thigpen in 1990 for the earliest any pitcher had reached 30 saves (Éric Gagné broke the record in 2002).[40] While only in August, Smith logged his 40th save for the third consecutive year but his ERA had ballooned to a career-worst 4.50. Also, the Cardinals were ten games behind Philadelphia, seemingly out of contention, and Smith was poised to become a free agent after the season.[41] On August 31, 1993, the Cardinals traded Smith to the Yankees for a career minor leaguer. Smith left the team as their all-time save leader until Jason Isringhausen passed him on June 13, 2006.[42]

Journeyman

The Yankees were just 1½ games behind the Toronto Blue Jays when they acquired Lee Smith and he pitched nearly perfectly for the last month of the season. In eight games, Smith did not allow a single run and picked up three saves and 11 strikeouts.[43] The Yankees as a team, however, did poorly during the remainder of the season, and Toronto easily pulled away to win the division. Smith's New York career lasted just those eight games as he filed for free agency after the season.[44] He signed with Baltimore for 1994 for $1.5 million plus incentives.[45]

At age 36, Smith started 1994 pitching better than ever. In his first 12 games, he had 12 saves and a 0.00 ERA.[46] After nearly two months, his ERA was still under 1.00 and it was still under 2.00 in mid-July.[46] Smith had been selected for the All-Star Game in 1991, 1992 and 1993 but had not played. After his sixth selection in 1994, Smith was brought into the game to hold a two-run lead in the 9th inning. Instead, he gave up a two-run home run to Fred McGriff and the National League lost in ten innings.[47] Smith's bad streak continued for the next several weeks until the 1994 Major League Baseball strike ended the season. He filed for free agency again and signed a two-year contract with the California Angels for over $2.5 million while the strike was still in progress.[1]

While Smith had started 1994 at the top of his game at age 36, he started 1995 even better. He registered a save in every appearance from April 28 through all of May and into June.[48] On June 11, he saved his 16th consecutive game to break the major league record set by Doug Jones in 1988.[49] He ran his streak to 19 games before finally blowing a save on June 28 (John Wetteland broke the record the next year by saving 24 straight).[1] After keeping his ERA at 0.00 through the first two months of the season, he was selected to his seventh and final All-Star Game, thereby becoming only the fourth player to be an All-Star for four different teams (after Walker Cooper, George Kell and Rich Gossage).[50] Smith did not fair well for the next month, pushing his ERA all the way up to 5.40. Regardless, the Angels held a double-digit lead in the division and seemed set for the postseason. Instead, California suffered one of the worst collapses in major league history, blowing the entire double-digit lead in less than six weeks. While the rest of the team was reeling, Smith reverted back to his early-season form and pitched fantastically for the last two months, only blowing one save attempt in that span.[48] He finished the season with thirty-seven saves and a 3.47 ERA, which was more than a point higher than the league average.[9]

For 1996, the Angels replaced Smith in the closer role with second-year pitcher, Troy Percival. After only eight games as a setup pitcher, Smith, who was unhappy in California, was traded to Cincinnati for Chuck McElroy on May 27.[51] He resumed setup duty for the Reds — this time for Jeff Brantley, who was in the midst of his best season — but did not fare as well in his return to the National League. His ERA was nearly as high as the league average, his strikeout rate was the lowest in 15 years, and the Reds granted him free agency after the season.[52]

He was picked up by the Montreal Expos for 1997 for only $400,000, and had his worst season of his career. His last game of the season was two innings of relief during extra innings of an all-Canada interleague game (sometimes called the Pearson Cup) won by Toronto on July 2.[53] It turned out to be the last game of his major league career. On July 15, 1997, Lee Smith announced his retirement.[1]

After posting career-worsts in ERA (5.82), hits per nine innings (11.63) and several other statistics, and then announcing his retirement in mid-July, the Expos released Smith on September 25, 1997.[54] Regardless, the Kansas City Royals signed Smith as a free agent and invited him to spring training for 1998. When he refused to start the season in the minor leagues, the Royals released him. Later in 1998, he signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros but, with an ERA near 7.00 at AAA, he retired from the majors again.[1]

Career

Career Statistics:
Pitching

G GS Wins Losses ERA GF SV IP Hits ER HR BB K WHIP
1022 6 71 92 3.03 802 478 1289.3 1133 434 89 486 1251 1.256

Post-retirement

Two years after his retirement in 1998, Smith went to work as a roving minor league pitching instructor for the San Francisco Giants. A former teammate, Dick Tidrow, and the manager of the Double-A Shreveport Captains, Jack Hiatt, offered the job to Smith, who gladly agreed, since it was right in his hometown.[20]

In the 2006 World Baseball Classic, Smith served as the pitching coach of the South Africa national baseball team which was given 20,000 to 1 odds of winning the tournament.[55] So far this summer, Smith participated as a coach in the second annual European Baseball Academy for Major League Baseball International in Tirrenia, Italy. The Academy provides instruction to young players from Europe and Africa, several of which have signed professional contracts.[56]

Lee Smith became the father of twins, Nicholas and Alana, in mid-2003. He also has three children from a previous marriage, Nikita (born c. 1987), Lee Jr. (born c. 1989) and Dimitri (born c. 1993).[20]

Hall of Fame

There has been much speculation about Lee Smith's chances of becoming a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame specifically, as well as the criteria for relief pitchers and closers in general. Only Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley and Bruce Sutter have been inducted into the Hall of Fame based primarily on their relief pitching and only Sutter has been inducted with fewer starting appearances than Smith.[57] Wilhelm and Eckersley each started more than 50 games in their careers and Fingers started 37. Sutter never started in his career and Smith started only six games, none in his last 15 seasons.

On July 30, 2006, at Bruce Sutter's induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Smith talked with reporters about his current situation regarding getting into the Hall of Fame. Like many others, Smith is himself puzzled as to why he has not yet been selected into the Hall of Fame. "This confuses the hell out of me. But I've always been baffled by it."[58]

Hall of Fame voting

To be eligible for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, a candidate needs at least one vote on 75% of the total ballots casted by the Baseball Writers Association of America. However, if the candidate receives less than 5%, that would end eligibility for future Hall of Fame balloting consideration. Smith was first eligible for the ballot five years after he retired, and is granted to be on the ballot for up to fifteen years, or up to the time of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. In his first year of eligibility, 2003, Smith received 210 votes, or 42.34% of the 596 total ballots casted.[59] The following year, Paul Molitor and Dennis Eckersley were inducted into the Hall of Fame, but Smith only received 185 votes this time, or 36.56% of the 506 total ballots casted.[60] In 2005, Smith improved from the previous year's results, and received a total of two hundred votes, or 38.8% of the 516 total casted.[61] Smith came closer to joining the Hall of Fame in 2006 by receiving forty-five percent of the ballots casted, or 234 votes.[62] First-time inductees Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, Jr. were easily inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007, and Smith's votes received decreased to 217, just 39.8% of the 545 total ballots casted.[63]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Long, Shepard C.. Lee Smith. BaseballLibrary.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-13.
  2. ↑ Padres closer Trevor Hoffman to catch ceremonial first pitch delivered by Lee Smith prior to Thursday's game. MLB.com (October 4, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  3. ↑ Eskew, Alan. Pierre, Rollins two of many to win Legacy Awards. MLB.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-13.
  4. ↑ September 1, 1980 Game - Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago Cubs. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2006-08-18.
  5. ↑ Lee Smith 1982 Pitching Gamelogs. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  6. ↑ July 5, 1982 Game - Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago Cubs. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  7. ↑ Lee Smith 1983 Pitching Gamelogs. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  8. ↑ July 6, 1983 All-Star Game - American League vs. National League. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 Lee Smith Statistics. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  10. ↑ 1983 National League Expanded Leaderboards. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  11. ↑ Awards Voting for 1983. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  12. ↑ Chicago Cubs Team Index. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  13. ↑ History: Cubs Timeline. MLB.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  14. ↑ October 3, 1984 Game 2 of the NLCS - Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  15. ↑ October 4, 1984 Game 3 of the NLCS - Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  16. ↑ October 6, 1984 Game 4 of the NLCS - Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  17. ↑ World Series History. Baseball Almanac. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  18. ↑ 1985 Chicago Cubs Schedule, Box Scores and Splits. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  19. ↑ July 14, 1987 All-Star Game - American League vs. National League. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Goode, Jon (2004-06-19). Close up with the ultimate closer. Boston.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-19.
  21. ↑ Chicago Cubs Pitching Leaders. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  22. ↑ 1987 Chicago Cubs Trades and Transactions. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  23. ↑ Smith's chances of Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2006-08-18.
  24. ↑ 1987 Boston Red Sox Statistics and Roster. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  25. ↑ April 4, 1988 Boston Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers game. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  26. ↑ October 6, 1988 Game 2 of ALCS - Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  27. ↑ October 9, 1988 Game 4 of ALCS - Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Jeff Reardon Statistics. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  29. ↑ April 18, 1990 Boston Red Sox vs. Chicago White Sox game. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-01-07.
  30. ↑ May 6, 1990 Game - Cincinnati Reds vs. St. Louis Cardinals. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  31. ↑ Lee Smith 1990 Pitching Gamelogs. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  32. ↑ 1990 St. Louis Cardinals Statistics and Roster. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  33. ↑ 1991 St. Louis Cardinals Statistics and Roster. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  34. ↑ September 28, 1991 Game - St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  35. ↑ Rookie of the Year and Rolaids Relief Award Winners. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  36. ↑ Awards Voting for 1991. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  37. ↑ Year in Review: 1992 American League. Baseball Almanac. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  38. ↑ On April 13, 1993 in Baseball history. Baseball Almanac. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  39. ↑ Svrluga, Barry (2005-06-28). C. Cordero Could Tie a Saves Mark. The Washington Post. Retrieved on 2006-08-13.
  40. ↑ Nomo wins seventh straight, hits go-ahead double. Associated Press (2002-07-01). Retrieved on 2006-08-16.
  41. ↑ Cards trade ace reliever Lee Smith to N.Y. Yankees. Jet (1993-09-20). Retrieved on 2006-08-21.
  42. ↑ Leach, Matthew (2006-06-13). Izzy now Cards all-time saves leader. MLB.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-20.
  43. ↑ Lee Smith 1993 Pitching Gamelogs. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  44. ↑ 1993 New York Yankees Trades and Transactions. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  45. ↑ Lee Smith Is a New Oriole. Retrieved on 2007-01-08.
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Lee Smith 1994 Pitching Gamelogs. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  47. ↑ July 12, 1994 All-Star Game - American League vs. National League. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Lee Smith 1995 Pitching Gamelogs. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  49. ↑ June (Sports Year in Review). CNN.com (1995). Retrieved on 2006-08-17.
  50. ↑ Baseball quick quiz. Baseball Digest (July 2003). Retrieved on 2006-08-21.
  51. ↑ Nightengale, Bob (1996-06-10). Bowden's move makes division rivals see Reds. The Sporting News. Retrieved on 2006-08-21.
  52. ↑ 1996 Cincinnati Reds Trades and Transactions. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  53. ↑ July 2, 1997 Game - Toronto Blue Jays vs. Montreal Expos. Retrosheet. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  54. ↑ 1996 Montreal Expos Trades and Transactions. Sports Reference, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-05-07.
  55. ↑ Bowers, Faye (2006-03-09). South Africa takes to a new diamond. The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved on 2006-08-18.
  56. ↑ Major League Baseball International to conduct European Baseball Academy July 27-Aug. 18 in Italy. MLB.com (2006-07-19). Retrieved on 2006-08-18.
  57. ↑ Bloom, Barry (2006-07-30). Sutter Closes Out Historic Day in Cooperstown. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved on 2006-08-19.
  58. ↑ Jenkins, Chris (2006-07-30). Confused Lee Smith still waiting. The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved on 2006-08-19.
  59. ↑ History of BBWAA Hall of Fame Voting: 2003 Election. Baseball Writers Association of America (April 7, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-03.
  60. ↑ History of BBWAA Hall of Fame Voting: 2004 Election. Baseball Writers Association of America (April 7, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-03.
  61. ↑ History of BBWAA Hall of Fame Voting: 2005 Election. Baseball Writers Association of America (April 7, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-03.
  62. ↑ History of BBWAA Hall of Fame Voting: 2006 Election. Baseball Writers Association of America (April 7, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-03.
  63. ↑ Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. Elected to the Hall of Fame on First Ballot. Baseball Writers Association of America (January 9, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-03.

External links

Preceded by
John Franco		 National League Rolaids Relief Man of the Year
1991 & 1992		 Succeeded by
Randy Myers
Preceded by
Jeff Montgomery		 American League Rolaids Relief Man of the Year
1994		 Succeeded by
José Mesa
1984 National League East Champion Chicago Cubs
  Starting Lineup: 1. Bobby Dernier CF | 2. Ryne Sandberg 2B | 3. Gary Matthews LF | 4. Leon Durham 1B | 5. Keith Moreland RF | 6. Ron Cey 3B | 7. Jody Davis C | 8. Larry Bowa SS  

 Starting Pitchers: Rick Sutcliffe | Steve Trout | Dennis Eckersley | Scott Sanderson | Dick Ruthven | Rick Reuschel 
 Bullpen: Lee Smith | Warren Brusstar | Tim Stoddard | Rich Bordi | George Frazier  
 Role Players: Thad Bosley | Henry Cotto | Dave Owen | Ron Hassey | Richie Hebner | Steve Lake | Tom Veryzer | Gary Woods 
 Manager: Jim Frey, Coaches: John Vukovich | Don Zimmer | Billy Connors | Johnny Oates | Ruben Amaro
Al Yellon's | 100 Greatest Players in Chicago Cubs History

100. Ivan DeJesús | 99. Rick Wilkins | 98. Heinie Zimmerman | 97. Bill Lange | 96. Dennis Eckersley | 95. Mitch Williams | 94. Bob Rush | 93. George Altman | 92. Jerry Morales | 91. Walt "Moose" Moryn | 90. Jimmy Archer | 89. Milt Pappas | 88. Ted Abernathy | 87. Randy Myers | 86. Jose Cardenal | 85. Jack Taylor | 84. Hank Borowy | 83. Guy Bush | 82. Jim Hickman | 81. Bill Hands | 80. Dick Ellsworth | 79. Joe Girardi | 78. Manny Trillo | 77. Riggs Stephenson | 76. Jimmy Sheckard | 75. Rogers Hornsby | 74. Dave Kingman | 73. Derrek Lee | 72. Ned Williamson | 71. Ron Cey | 70. Harry Steinfeldt | 69. Phil Regan | 68. Shawon Dunston | 67. Pat Malone | 66. Glenn Beckert | 65. Johnny Kling | 64. Kerry Wood | 63. Randy Hundley | 62. Leon Durham | 61. Larry French | 60. Keith Moreland | 59. Carlos Zambrano | 58. Gary Matthews, Sr. | 57. Bill Madlock | 56. Aramis Ramirez | 55. Fred Pfeffer | 54. Bruce Sutter | 53. Jody Davis | 52. Bill Nicholson | 51. Ken Holtzman | 50. Lon Warneke | 49. Clark Griffith | 48. George Gore | 47. Frank Demaree | 46. Woody English | 45. Bill Lee | 44. Augie Galan | 43. Don Kessinger | 42. Billy Jurges | 41. Mike "King" Kelly | 40. Jack Pfiester | 39. Larry Corcoran | 38. Rick Sutcliffe | 37. Claude Passeau | 36. Lee Smith | 35. Bill Buckner | 34. Orval Overall | 33. Frank "Wildfire" Schulte | 32. Johnny Evers | 31. Rick Reuschel | 30. Rick Monday | 29. Andy Pafko | 28. Charlie Grimm | 27. Joe Tinker | 26. Andre Dawson | 25. Jim "Hippo" Vaughn | 24. Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander | 23. Hank Sauer | 22. Hack Wilson | 21. Kiki Cuyler | 20. John Clarkson | 19. Bill Dahlen | 18. Greg Maddux | 17. Ed Reulbach | 16. Mark Grace | 15. Frank Chance | 14. Charlie Root | 13. Jimmy Ryan | 12. Stan Hack | 11. Phil Cavarretta | 10. Billy Herman | 9. Fergie Jenkins | 8. Mordecai Brown | 7. Ron Santo | 6. Gabby Hartnett | 5. Billy Williams | 4. Ryne Sandberg | 3. Sammy Sosa | 2. Adrian "Cap" Anson | 1. Ernie Banks



Persondata
NAME Smith, Lee
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Major League Baseball relief pitcher; once had record for number of career saves
DATE OF BIRTH December 4, 1957
PLACE OF BIRTH Shreveport, Louisiana, United States of America
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Retrieved from "http://sports-library.info/index.php/Lee_Smith"
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