2017 Eckersley Rolaids Relief Man of the Year

Seung Hwan Oh was a model of efficiency as Tucson's closer, saving 32 of 33 opportunities for the Kingsnakes last season, on his way to the 2017 Eckersley Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award.

The Japanese import outdistanced Blue Ridge's Alex Colome, the league's save leader, by seven points to win the award. Oh is probably the first rookie to take home the accolade since probably Joey Devine who won it in 2009 with Newark. He's certainly the only 35-year-old rookie to win the award.

Oh matched the point total of last year's winner (Mark Melancon) with 69 points, which was the lowest point total for an Eck winner since 2008 (and doesn't come close to the top 10 relief seasons of all-time, which starts at 78 points):

1. Oh, TUC -- 32 Sv, 1 BSv, 4-2 ---> 69 points
2. Colome, BR -- 33 Sv, 8 BSv, 5-6 ---> 62 points
3. Familia, EC -- 23 Sv, 2 BSv, 7-2 ---> 56 points
4. Chapman, HPG -- 20 Sv, 3 BSv, 8-1 ---> 52 points
5. H. Rondon, SAR -- 19 Sv, 2 BSv, 9-2 ---> 52 points
6. Jansen, SF -- 24 Sv, 3 BSv, 3-3 ---> 48 points
7. A. Miller, VAN -- 24 Sv, 1 BSv, 1-2 ---> 47 points
8. Kimbrel, ALN -- 25 Sv, 6 BSv, 3-5 ---> 45 points
9. Devenski, LIV -- 19 Sv, 9 BSv, 10-5 ---> 44 points
10. Britton, ARK -- 23 Sv, 2 BSv, 2-7 ---> 41 points

The Eckersley Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award is named for Dennis Eckersley, who revolutionized the closer position while playing for Vancouver and Toledo in the 1990s. The Eck is the only postseason award not voted up on by owners but instead uses a formula: Pitchers earn 2 points for each 2 and each win while 1 point is deducted for each blown save and loss. Holds don't come into play but middle relievers shouldn't go unnoticed so we'll mention them later on.

The rest of the 2017 awards -- the McDonald Award for most valuable pitcher, the Mitchell Award for most valuable batter and the Listach Award for the best rookie -- will be doled out this week. Remember to get those ballots in!

Colome was one better than Oh in saves but had 8 blown saves, second only to Livingston rookie Chris Devenski, who had 9. It's the second season in a row that Andrew Miller recorded just one blown save. Allentown's Craig Kimbrel led the league in inherited runners scored percentage (.074), allowing just 2 of 27 inherited runs to cross the plan, ahead of Poovey Farms' lefty Kevin Siegrest (.100, 5-of-50).

El Paso rookie Edwin Diaz inherited the most runners all season, 22 of 83 (.265) -- 10 more than Cam Bedrosian of Hillsborough (20-of-72, .278) -- thanks to a league-high 116 appearances. Diaz also finished tied for 4th in holds with 21. Among left-handers, Sardine City's Brian Flynn inherited the most runners (23-of-78, .338), 4th overall.

Despite 21 saves, ranking 8th in the league, Shawn Kelley finished 11th with 36 points. Vancouver's AJ Schugel led relievers in wins (11-5) and was 7-for-8 on saves but finished 12th with 30 points. Chad Allen of Hillsborough, who led the league in holds last year with 21, finished tied for 13th, including 18 saves but a 2-8 mark, with 29 points. Marietta's Dellin Betances also had 29 points, 15 saves.

Last year's winner, Melancon, had a mediocre year with 12 saves and 5 blown saves after losing his full-time closer job early in the season. He finished about 17th for the Eck.

Middle relievers didn't fare as well in this year's Eck standings. League-leader Steve Cishek of El Paso had 23 holds to lead the league, along with 8 saves but 7 blown saves. Poovey's Ryan Dull had 22 holds but a 4-7 mark while blowing 8 saves to his 6 saves.