Trivia time: 200 games started and 200 games finished
Posted by Andy on January 14, 2009
Since 1901, only 8 pitchers have started 200 games and finished 200 games. Before anybody writes it in the comments, look up what the Games Finished stat means. It does not includes complete games, but only relief appearances where the pitcher records the last out for his team in the game.
Anyway, give yourself some time to think about it, then click here for the answer.
It's interesting to note that these guys fit into one of three categories:
First half of career as a starter and second half as a reliever: Eckersley, Reed, and Kline
First half of career as a reliever and second half as a starter: Gordon and Hough
Mixed career: Smoltz, Johnson, Quinn
For these mixed career guys, Smoltz is much different from the other two. Smoltzie had a long solid block as a starter, followed by four year (2001-2004) as a reliever, and has been a starter ever since. Reports out of Boston suggest that they will try to use him as a starter in 2009 as well. The other two fellows, Johnson and Quinn, had starts and finishes peppered throughout their careers.
January 14th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
It's a trivial point, but you have Gordon mis-classified; like Eck, Reed, and Kline, Flash started his career in the rotation and finished his career in the pen.