Padres' Top 5 relievers: Cassavell's take

No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the top five players by position in the history of their franchise, based on their career while playing for that club. These rankings are for fun and debate purposes only. If you don’t agree with the order, participate in the Twitter poll to vote for your favorites at this position.

• Padres' all-time team: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | LF | CF | RF | Bench | RHP | LHP

Here is AJ Cassavell’s ranking of the Top 5 relievers in Padres history:

1. Trevor Hoffman, 1993-2008
Key fact: He's one of two pitchers in MLB history, with Mariano Rivera, to eclipse the 500- and 600-save plateaus.

In the midst of a rebuild in 1993, Padres general manager Randy Smith shipped Gary Sheffield to Florida for a trio of unproven prospects, including Trevor Hoffman. At the time, it was one of the most unpopular trades in franchise history. It has proven to be one of the most impactful.

• Hoffman among HOFers you may have forgotten were traded

Hoffman's credentials speak for themselves. He's arguably the second-best closer in baseball history, having racked up 601 career saves with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. He also made a serious impact on the greatest team in franchise history. His 1998 season is one of the greatest seasons for a reliever in baseball history. He posted 53 saves, then a National League record, with a 1.48 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP in a peak offensive era to finish second in the NL Cy Young Award voting.

Hoffman spent 16 seasons in San Diego, where he became arguably the most beloved figure in franchise history outside of Tony Gwynn. A statue of Hoffman mid-delivery adorns the left-field entrance at Petco Park. That's the type of legacy left by a closer with nine 40-save seasons, 14 30-save seasons, seven All-Star Games and a Hall of Fame selection.

2. Heath Bell, 2007-11
Key fact: Bell ranks second in Padres history with 389 relief K's and 134 saves.

How do you follow Hoffman as closer in San Diego? Somehow, Heath Bell found a way. In 2007 and '08, Bell served as the perfect setup man for an aging, but still effective Hoffman. Then Bell took the reins as closer and didn't miss a beat. He made three consecutive All-Star Games from 2009-11 and recorded 40 saves in all three seasons. He posted a 2.53 ERA across his five seasons with San Diego, including a 2.36 mark after taking over as closer. Bell's tenure was nowhere near as long as Hoffman's -- he signed as a free agent with the Marlins before the '12 season -- but for his short reign as closer, he was just as effective as the man he replaced.

3. Goose Gossage, 1984-87
Key fact: At the time of his signing, Gossage's five-year, $9.955 million contract was the richest ever given to a pitcher.

There are, perhaps, a few others on this list who should rank ahead of Goose Gossage based on their numbers. But Gossage's arrival in San Diego signaled a major shift in the trajectory of the franchise. He's arguably the most important free-agent signing in team history. Gossage spent four seasons in San Diego -- though, in truth, he was only his Hall of Fame-caliber self for two of them. But those two seasons were spectacular. Gossage posted a 2.90 ERA and finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting during the Padres' 1984 push to their first NL pennant. Then he recorded a 1.82 ERA and reached his second straight All-Star Game in '85.

4. Mark Davis, 1987-89, '93-94
Key fact: Davis remains the only reliever in franchise history to win a Cy Young Award.

In Padres lore, Mark Davis is known mostly for his brilliant 1989 season. But he spent parts of five years in San Diego and was excellent for most of them. The only left-hander on this list, Davis notched a 2.75 ERA, and he saved 78 games in San Diego -- often pitching multiple innings in relief. For a franchise known for its consistently elite closers, Davis might have its best relief season ever. He led the Majors with 44 saves in '89 and notched a 1.85 ERA in 92 2/3 innings. Davis took home the NL Cy Young Award and his 4.4 WAR that season is the highest single-season mark for any relief pitcher in franchise history.

5. Rollie Fingers, 1977-80
Key fact: Fingers was the first of five different Padres relievers to lead MLB in saves and is the only one to lead the league in consecutive seasons.

You know a franchise has a history of excellent relievers when a Hall of Fame weapon like Rollie Fingers drops all the way to fifth. A relief pitcher from a different era, Fingers averaged 107 innings per season across his four years with the Padres. Despite the workload, he still managed a sub-3.00 ERA in three of those seasons and finished with a 3.12 ERA overall. In his first year with the Padres, Fingers led the NL with 78 appearances and 35 saves. He followed it up with an MLB-high 37 saves a year later. The Padres’ history is littered with star-caliber relievers, and Fingers set that trend.

Honorable mention
• Kirby Yates is closing in on a place on this list. His 2.31 ERA in three seasons with the Padres is second among pitchers with as many innings, and he is No. 1 in franchise history with 14 strikeouts per nine innings.
• Craig Lefferts posted a 3.24 ERA across parts of seven seasons with the Padres and was a key contributor on the 1984 pennant-winning squad.
• Mike Adams pitched only 217 innings, but his 1.66 ERA is the lowest in franchise history.
• Huston Street's 80 saves are fifth in team history.
• Lance McCullers took over as closer after Gossage's departure. He recorded a 2.96 ERA over four seasons.
• Greg Harris split time between the rotation and the ‘pen, racking up 15.8 WAR.
• Unlike most relievers on this list, Scott Linebrink was never a closer. But he was excellent for five seasons in San Diego, recording a 2.73 ERA.