“Relievers are relievers for a reason” (baseball adage)
“Relievers are relievers for a reason” is a baseball adage. A pitcher with great command of several pitches is a starting pitcher. A reliever has some flaws, but can be strong in one or two pitches.
“A lot of relievers are relievers for a reason anyway” was cited in April 2001 and “Middle relievers are middle relievers for a reason” was cited in July 2001. It’s not known who first said the baseball adage.
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GYMSOX71
4/28/01
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A lot of relievers are relievers for a reason anyway. They may lack stamina or being killed by a lefty or righty may be the other reasons.
8 July 2001, Rockford (IL) Register Star, “Quick Shots: Middle relievers aren’t All-Stars” by Matt Trowbridge, pg. 1B, col. 1:
Middle relievers are middle relievers for a reason—they aren’t good enough to be starters or closers.
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David Cameron
8/8/01
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Mateo may have a shot at a major league career, but he’s a reliever for a reason.
29 April 2005, Daily News of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA), “Playing a waiting game”:
And, when a (starter) gets his pitch count up, you get to face middle relievers, and those guys are middle relievers for a reason. They make more mistakes and big-league hitters hit mistakes.
1 June 2006, Akron (OH) Beacon Journal, “Dealing with the bullpen is a crapshoot,” pg. C1:
Relievers are relievers for a reason. They usually don’t have as many pitches as a good starter. They also may have more weaknesses.
Google Books
Dealing:
The Cleveland Indians’ New Ballgame:
How a Small-Market Team Reinvented Itself as a Major League Contender
By Terry Pluto
Cleveland, OH: Gray & Co.
2008
Pg. 193:
Relievers are relievers for a reason. They usually don’t have as many pitches as a good starter. They also may have more weaknesses. Their edge is slight, and that’s why fatigue or even a minor injury can make a major impact.
River Ave Blues (NY Yankees blog)
February 13, 2010
On the volatility of relief pitchers
By Mike Axisa
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“The first thing you’ve got to remember,” said another GM, “is they’re relievers for a reason. The reason they become relievers in the first place is because they have some flaws. They don’t have a third pitch. They can’t repeat their delivery. They’ve got an unorthodox arm angle. So we made them relievers — because if we had a choice, we’d make them starters. Just the fact that we made them relievers means you’re looking at an imperfect crop to begin with.”
Washington (DC) Post
2013 MLB All-Star Game: Stuck with the middle
By Harry Pavlidis, Published: July 13 at 4:05 pm
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If he’s not a starter and not your closer, maybe he’s quietly racking up high-leverage appearances. Still, does anyone think he’s among the best pitchers on the team, let alone in the league? As the old saying goes, they’re middle relievers for a reason.