2018 Eckersley Rolaids Relief Man of the Year

Chad Green and Andrew Miller were dueling relievers in 2018 as their teams, Marietta and Sardine City, respectively, battled it out for the division last year.

The pair arguably were the two top relievers in DMBL. Green finished the season as the league leader in saves, with 34, against 4 blown saves, to go with a reliever record 200 strikeouts in 86 appearances. Miller was right behind him with 33 saves against just 2 blown saves, but his 10-4 mark out of the pen is what put him over the top for the 2018 Eckersley Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award:

1. MillerA, SCS - 33 Sv, 2 BSv, 10-4 ---> 80 points
2. GreenC, MAR - 34 Sv, 4 BSv, 4-2 ---> 70 points
3. Claudio, HPG - 30 Sv, 4 BSv, 3-4 ---> 58 points
4. Kimbrel, TUC - 25 Sv, 1 BSv, 5-1 ---> 58 points
5. Petit, PHI - 24 Sv, 4 BSv, 7-5 --------> 53 points
6. Doolittle, VAN 20 Sv, 3 BSv, 6-5 ----> 44 points
7. Giles, ARK - 24 Sv, 5 BSv, 3-8 -----> 41 points
8. Osuna, BR - 20 Sv, 5 BSv, 4-4 -----> 39 points
9. AllenC, ALN - 17 Sv, 2 BSv, 2-5 ----> 31 points
10. Jansen, SF - 13 Sv, 4 BSv, 6-4 ----> 30 points

Points are compiled based on a combination of saves, blown saves, wins and losses. Pitchers earn 2 points for each save and win but lose 1 point for each blown save and loss.

Miller finished 7th in the Eck standings in 2017 and 3rd in 2016. Both years, he blew just one save while logging 27 saves and 24 saves, respectively, for the Vancouver Iron Fist.

The Fisters dealt Miller to Sardine City just before the 2018 protected lists deadline in exchange for a 2nd round pick that year. (Vancouver took SP Brandon McCarthy with the pick, 31st overall). The stout left-hander had been a Fister since Vancouver used a 3rd round pick (42nd overall) on him in the 2015 draft (after SP Trevor Bauer went to Blue Ridge and before Marietta tapped RP Pat Neshek).

The 80 points compiled by Miller is tied for the fifth-highest total all-time (with Rob Nen, 2003, Brooklyn, who lost that year to John Smoltz, who compiled 94 points for Newark).

In other relief categories in 2018, three relievers tied for the league lead in holds with 21: El Paso's double-barrel action of Edwin Diaz and Archie Bradley, with Shane Greene of Hillsborough. Hopatcong's Adam Warren (20) and Tyler Lyons (19) were not far behind, with Lyons the top lefty.

Green's bullpen mate, Dellin Betances, led all relievers in wins with a 13-4 mark. The Marietta bullpen had the top three relievers by inherited runners scored percentage: Betances, .087 (4 of 46); Neshek, .107 (3 of 28), and Green, .121 (4 of 33). As a team, Marietta boasted a league-best .175 IR%. Sardine City was the only other team below .200 at .181 (37 of 204), led by Keone Kela at .135 (5 of 37).