Best Bullpen Ever??? Nasty Boys?

Regular season-wise, I'll go with the Nasties' World Series counterparts, the 1990 Oakland A's:

Dennis Eckersley: 4-2, 0.61 ERA, 48 saves.
Todd Burns: 3-3, 2.97 ERA, 3 saves
Gene Nelson 3-3, 1.57 ERA, 5 saves
Rick Honeycutt: 2-2, 2.70 ERA, 7 saves
Joe Klink: 0-0, 2.04 ERA 1 save

 

I'm sure it's long gone, but I had an autograph book signed by every member of that year's team.

 

And they had Lee Smith pitching at Double A Midland that year.

 

So you'll take the team they swept?

 

98 Yanks Rivera, Nelson, Stanton, Llyod and Mendoza

 

This was the bullpen that came to mind for me, too.

They also featured early career Bob Wickman, rookie Ramiro Mendoza, tall Australian lefty Graeme Lloyd and an ineffective old Steve Howe.

 

I said, regular season-wise.

 

Jays' 'pen in 1992 was pretty good with Henke as the closer, Ward as the set-up guy. They had guys like Timlin, Hentgen, Wells and Eichorn pitching out of the 'pen too.

 

The Mets also had Myers for a spell that year (although he wasn't yet dominant) and future longtime closer Rick Aguilera, who was mostly a starter.

 

Was this the first "modern" pullben where every guy had an assigned roll based on the situation? Whereas in the past, it was a little of "shit, let's bring in Joe and see how he does."

 

Yes, according to "Men at Work" by George Will. I believe Eck was the first closer where it was expected that he would start the 9th only. Just another reason I despise LaRussa, killing the closer coming into a real fire situation. Can your closer get a strike out in the 8th with runners on 2nd and 3rd and 1 out with a one run lead?