Goose played 22 seasons from 1972 to 1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres.
He led the American League in saves three times and was runnerup twice; by the end of the 1987 season he ranked second in major league history in career saves, trailing only Rollie Fingers, although by the end of his career his final total of 310 had slipped to fourth all-time.
When he retired he also ranked third in major league history in career games pitched (1,002), and he remains third in wins in relief (115) and innings pitched in relief (1,556⅔) - his 1,502 strikeouts place him behind only Hoyt Wilhelm among pitchers who primarily pitched in relief.
From 1977 through 1983 he never recorded an earned run average over 2.62, including a mark of 0.77 in 1981, and in 1980 he finished third in AL voting for both the MVP Award and Cy Young Award as the Yankees won a division title.
Clutch in big games Goose recorded the final out to clinch a division, league or World Series title seven times. His eight All-Star selections as a reliever were a record until Mariano Rivera passed him in 2008; he was also selected once as a starting pitcher.
Career highlights and awards
9x All-Star selection (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985)
World Series champion (1978)
1978 AL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year
Gossage led the American League in saves in 1975 (26), 1978 (27) and 1980 (33).
Historical game winner -- on October 2, 1978, he earned the save in the Yankees' one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox for the AL East title, entering with one out in the seventh inning and a 4-2 lead following Bucky Dent's legendary home run he pitched 2.2 innings and held on (after giving up two runs in the 8th) for the 5-4 victory, getting Carl Yastrzemski to pop up to third baseman Graig Nettles with two out and two men on base in the ninth inning to clinch the division championship.
Goose was also on the mound five days later when the Yankees clinched the pennant in the ALCS against the Kansas City Royals, entering Game 4 in the ninth inning with a 2-1 lead and a runner on second base; he earned the save by striking out Clint Hurdle and retiring Darrell Porter and Pete LaCock on fly balls.
He was again on the mound ten days later when they captured the World Series title against the Los Angeles Dodgers for their second consecutive championship, coming on with no one out in the eighth inning of Game 6; he retired Ron Cey on a popup to catcher Thurman Munson to clinch the win.
IMO the 115 wins as a reliever is something today's relievers will never approach because they do not stay in games long enough to pick up wins and hardly ever enter games when their team is behind when they can pick up a come from behind win.
For example, Goose had saved 52 games in which he needed at least seven outs to close out the win; by comparison, Eckersley only had five such saves among his total of 390, while Trevor Hoffman had two out of 524, and Mariano Rivera just one out of 443 (that being his fifth-ever major league save in 1996). Gossage had 193 saves which lasted at least four outs, compared to 55 for Hoffman and 98 for Rivera, and 24 in which he pitched at least the final three innings.
There are no pitchers like Goose Gossage in todays game. Its one inning per appearance for the best closers or on rare occasions an extra out or two in big games.
He also gave up the famed George Brett "Pine Tar" home run in July of 1983. Those were some very lively years of rivalry between The Yankees and The Royals when both teams were the best in their Divisions for a long time.
Personally I have no problem with The Goose making the Hall but can see where some fans might say he is borderline deserving.
In the meantime right now baseball has bigger fish to fry than defending why it elected The Goose to the HOF.
wil.
