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Last night Jose Valverde not only made good on his prediction that the Tigers would move past the Yankees in the playoffs but he also joined a select group of relievers.
Throwing the final pitch of a post season series (a minor obsession of mine) is the pinnacle for any closer. But only handful have done it for multiple franchises.
They are...
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TUG McGRAW
closed out the 1973 NLCS for the Mets and the 1980 World Series for the Phillies.
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GOOSE GOSSAGE
clinched the 1978 ALCS and World Series and the 1981 Division Series and ALCS for the Yankees and the 1984 NLCS for the Padres.
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DENNIS ECKERSLEY
closed out the 1988 ALCS and 1989 ALCS and World Series for the A's and finished the 1996 Division Series for the Cardinals.
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RANDY MYERS
finished the 1990 NLCS and World Series for the Reds and then the 1996 and 1997 Division Series as a member of the Orioles.
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ROBB NEN
clinched the 1997 Division Series for the Marlins and the 2002 Division Series for the Giants.
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JOE BOROWSKI
finished the 2003 Division Series with the Cubs and the 2007 Division Series with the Indians.
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JOSE VALVERDE
clinched the 2007 Division Series for the Diamondbacks and the 2011 Division Series for the Tigers.
That's some pretty cool company for Papa Grande.
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