Before baseball called them closers, relief pitchers were sometimes referred to as stoppers. Today’s conventional wisdom means teams wait until the 9th inning to bring in their best pitcher. But in the past, the best guy, their stopper, would come in for any jam, any big at-bat, even if it wasn’t at the end of the game. It’s logical – why wait to use your closer if the rest of your bullpen can’t hang onto the lead? The pitcher wasn’t a closer; he was a matchup guy. Your best versus their best. Let’s dance.
Morgan Burnett, reportedly about to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is their new stopper.