Tom Gordon of the Red Sox was tied for the American League lead
with 25 saves at week's end, which is particularly notable
because Gordon seems to have little idea what a save is. A
starter for most of his first nine seasons, Gordon had just
three saves before becoming a closer for Boston last August, and
he admitted on April 29 that he didn't understand the rules that
govern a save situation. He got his ninth save that day in an
8-4 win over the Angels after entering the game with two outs
and two runners on base in the ninth inning. He retired Cecil
Fielder on a fly-out and was credited with a save because the
tying run was in the on-deck circle. "I couldn't tell you how
that worked," Gordon said later. "[Dennis] Eckersley was trying
to explain it to me when we came in the clubhouse, but I really
don't even want to know."
After saving a June 17 game at Comiskey Park, Gordon still had
no clue. With the Red Sox leading 6-5, he came into the game
with one out and a runner on base in the eighth and retired the
next two hitters. Boston scored six runs in the top of the ninth
to take a 12-5 lead, and Gordon then closed out the win by
holding the White Sox scoreless in the bottom of the ninth. "I
thought in the eighth inning that I had a chance for a save," he
said afterward, "but when we scored six runs, I thought I was
done."
Apparently Gordon isn't the only closer who lacks a firm grasp
of the stat by which relievers are most commonly measured. Just
listen to several of his peers.
The Rangers' John Wetteland (22 saves): "I get real confused.
Sometimes I ask my teammates if it's a save situation."
The Giants' Robb Nen (25 saves): "I was a starter coming up, so
I haven't really kept up on all the ways to get a save. I still
don't realize whether I've gotten a save or not. Somebody has to
tell me. If it's a save, fine, but I'm not worried about it."
The Mariners' Heathcliff Slocumb (three saves): "I didn't know
until recently that you had to pitch a complete inning to get a
save. [He's wrong, of course.] And isn't there something about
pitching the fifth inning of a rainout?" No.
The Angels' Troy Percival (25 saves): "I made a bet with Lee
Smith on what was a save and what wasn't. I lost 50 bucks. Then
I learned the rules."
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Issue date: July 13, 1998
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