The Rolaids Relief Man Award, established in 1976, was an annual accolade bestowed upon the most outstanding relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. This coveted honor recognized the pitcher who consistently provided reliable and effective relief efforts throughout the season.
The award was originally sponsored by Rolaids, a well-known antacid brand, and was determined by a point system based on saves, wins, and losses. While the award was discontinued in 2012, it remains a significant part of baseball history, showcasing the dedication and skill of those who thrived in the high-pressure role of a reliever – extinguishing late-game fires and preserving leads.
At Super 70s Sports we strive to bring back the best things of days past – and this award is one of them. The point system changed slightly throughout the years, but we will be using the original standard: two points are awarded for each save, two points are added for each win, and one point is subtracted for each loss.
Check out the MLB Sports Page daily to see the leaders. Final winner will be awarded at the conclusion of the regular season.
Note: If Rolaids (or any other big-time brand) would like to sponsor this award, email [email protected] or drop us a line.
1976: Bill Campbell, Minnesota
1977: Bill Campbell, Boston
1978: Goose Gossage, New York
1979: Jim Kern, Texas
1980: Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City
1981: Rollie Fingers, Milwaukee
1982: Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City
1983: Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City
1984: Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City
1985: Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City
1986: Dave Righetti, New York
1987: Dave Righetti, New York
1988: Dennis Eckersley, Oakland
1989: Jeff Russell, Texas
1990: Bobby Thigpen, Chicago
1991: Bryan Harvey, California
1992: Dennis Eckersley, Oakland
1993: Jeff Montgomery, Kansas City
1994: Lee Smith, Baltimore
1995: Jose Mesa, Cleveland
1996: John Wetteland, New York
1997: Randy Myers, Baltimore
1998: Tom Gordon, Boston
1999: Mariano Rivera, New York
2000: Todd Jones, Detroit
2001: Mariano Rivera, New York
2002: Billy Koch, Oakland
2003: Keith Foulke, Oakland
2004: Mariano Rivera, New York
2005: Mariano Rivera, New York
2006: Francisco Rodriguez, Anaheim
2007: J.J. Putz, Seattle
2008: Francisco Rodriguez, Anaheim
2009: Mariano Rivera, New York
2010: Rafael Soriano, Tampa Bay
2011: Jose Valverde, Detroit
2012: Jim Johnson, Baltimore
1976: Rawly Eastwick, Cincinnati
1977: Rollie Fingers, San Diego
1978: Rollie Fingers, San Diego
1979: Bruce Sutter, Chicago
1980: Rollie Fingers, San Diego
1981: Bruce Sutter, St. Louis
1982: Bruce Sutter, St. Louis
1983: Al Holland, Philadelphia
1984: Bruce Sutter, St. Louis
1985: Jeff Reardon, Montreal
1986: Todd Worrell, St. Louis
1987: Steve Bedrosian, Philadelphia
1988: John Franco, Cincinnati
1989: Mark Davis, San Diego
1990: John Franco, New York
1991: Lee Smith, St. Louis
1992: Lee Smith, St. Louis
1993: Randy Myers, Chicago
1994: Rod Beck, San Francisco
1995: Tom Henke, St. Louis
1996: Jeff Brantley, Cincinnati
1997: Jeff Shaw, Cincinnati
1998: Trevor Hoffman, San Diego
1999: Billy Wagner, Houston
2000: Antonio Alfonseca, Florida
2001: Armando Benitez, New York
2002: John Smoltz, Atlanta
2003: Eric Gagne, Los Angeles
2004: Eric Gagne, Los Angeles
2005: Chad Cordero, Washington
2006: Trevor Hoffman, San Diego
2007: Jose Valverde, Arizona
2008: Brad Lidge, Philadelphia
2009: Heath Bell, San Diego
2010: Heath Bell, San Diego
2011: John Axford, Milwaukee
2012: Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta
