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“Blown save” has gotta be one of the harshest terms in sports. Not only does it mean that you squandered a hard-earned lead, but the reminder that you blew the entire game is right there in the name. Every closer is going to blow some saves, but making a habit of it is the quickest way out of town. I’m not sure there’ll ever be a Sporcle that makes our readers as angry as this one.
First, some technicalities. MLB’s definition of a blown save is “when a relief pitcher enters a game in a save situation, but allows the tying run to score. The run does not have to be charged to that pitcher. If a reliever enters with a man already on third base, and he allows that runner to score the tying run, he is charged with a blown save.
Although many blown saves occur in the ninth inning or later, they aren’t limited to the ninth inning. If a pitcher enters in the eighth inning and surrenders the tying run in a save situation, he is given a blown save — regardless of whether he pitches the ninth. A pitcher can still receive either a win or a loss (or a no-decision) after recording a blown save, depending on the ensuing results.”
All of the men on this list have accomplished that feat at least 10 times. If you’re the type of sicko who wonders about these things, the Mariners’ record for blown saves in a single season is 12. That record does not belong to the person you’re thinking of. He topped out at nine in 1998.