A hard-throwing reliever, Todd Worrell won the National League’s 1986 Rookie of the Year honors after proving his worth the year before. Signed as a first-round pick in the 1982 amateur draft by the Cardinals, he emerged in late August 1985 as the Cardinals’ closer after the loss of Bruce Sutter to free agency. Worrell saved five games down the stretch while compiling a 2.91 earned run average. He then pitched effectively in the postseason against the Dodgers in the NLCS and the Kansas City Royals in the 1985 World Series. He was still eligible as a rookie the following season and his 9-10 record with 36 saves earned him the rookie honors. The three time All-Stat became the first relief pitcher to save 30 or more games his first three full seasons.
A hard-throwing reliever, Todd Worrell won the National League’s 1986 Rookie of the Year honors after proving his worth the year before. Signed as a first-round pick in the 1982 amateur draft by the Cardinals, he emerged in late August 1985 as the Cardinals’ closer after the loss of Bruce Sutter to free agency. Worrell saved five games down the stretch while compiling a 2.91 earned run average. He then pitched effectively in the postseason against the Dodgers in the NLCS and the Kansas City Royals in the 1985 World Series. He was still eligible as a rookie the following season and his 9-10 record with 36 saves earned him the rookie honors. The three time All-Stat became the first relief pitcher to save 30 or more games his first three full seasons.