Late & Close

by Paul Votano

"Relief pitchers often come in to perform at some of baseball's most exciting moments, but they have not always been a part of the game. This work provides a history of relief pitching in the major leagues and explains how, why, and when it began to evolve." "The book discusses the first managers - John McGraw, Leo Durocher, and Joe McCarthy - to use relief pitchers to win games, and the managers who took full advantage of them in later years - Casey Stengel, Early Weaver, and Tony LaRussa." "How and when the idea of a pitcher's hurling a complete game began to disappear, great World Series performances by relievers, how relief pitchers are rated, what exactly are long and middle relievers, setup men, and closers, and what the future holds are also discussed. Profiles of leading relief pitchers over the years are included."--Jacket.