MLB to name reliever awards after Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman
Trevor Hoffman (right) presented Mariano Rivera with a bike last season. (Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
Major League Baseball will name its annual reliever awards after two of the best closers in history.
Mariano Rivera (652) and Trevor Hoffman (601), who rank Nos. 1 and 2 in career saves, will have their name on the awards given to the best reliever in each league, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Rivera's name will be attached to the AL award, as he pitched his entire career for the Yankees, and Hoffman's to the NL since he pitched his entire career in that league, mostly with the Padres.
An announcement by Major League Baseball is expected Wednesday afternoon.
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Writes Heyman: "The sport has sought for years to properly honor the game's best relievers, and this would seem to be about the most perfect way possible, adding dignity to an award that to this point has been overshadowed, even overlooked. Rivera and Hoffman are not only the two greatest savers in MLB history but two of the classiest gentleman ever to play the game."
A panel of all-time great relievers, including Rivera and Hoffman, will vote on the annual honor, according to Heyman.
The Delivery Man of the Year award was handed out from 2005-13 to honor the game's top reliever, and the Rolaids Relief Man was awarded from 1976-2012 to one reliever in each league. Rivera won the former three times and the latter five times, while Hoffman was awarded the Rolaids Relief Man twice in his 18-year career.
