Jason Isringhausen
Isringhausen came next, in July 1995, and was the Mets’ best pitcher down the stretch with a 9–2 record and a 2.81 ERA. In 1996 he struggled with a pulled rib-cage muscle, bone spurs, and a torn labrum contributing to a 4.71 ERA. He had only six starts in 1997 and was ineffective before suffering a broken wrist. He missed all of 1998 recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery but was traded to the Oakland Athletics for reliever Billy Taylor.
Oakland made Isringhausen their closer. He posted a 2.13 ERA in his half-season with Oakland. His 96 mph fastball and jaw-dropping knuckle-curve, which moves so much and breaks so sharply that he sometimes has trouble keeping it out of the dirt, have made him one of the most untouchable closers in the league when healthy. With the St. Louis Cardinals, from 2002 to 2008, he pitched a minimum of 42 innings per season with a maximum era of 3.55, though he topped out in 2008 with a 5.70 ERA in 42.2 innings; he posted ERAs below 2.50 in each of his first two seasons with the club and led the National League with 47 saves in 2004.
Injuries eventually led to his release by the Cardinals after the 2008 season. He signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays for the 2009 season. In earning his first decision of the 2009 season, Isringhausen topped off what was a catastrophic performance by the Tampa Bay Rays' bullpen. The Rays blew a 10-0 lead in Cleveland on May 25, 2009. Isringhausen faced 4 batters, gave up three straight walks and then the game-winning hit. Officially in the game, Izzy did not record an out. Gave up 1 hit, 3 walks, 0 strikeouts, 2 runs, both earned. He threw 23 pitches and only 9 were strikes - including the game-winning hit.
After missing the 2010 season (save for a brief stint in the Cincinnati Reds organization), in February 2011, Isringhausen returned to the Mets, signing a minor league deal with the team. After spending time in the minors, Isringhausen performed well in his return to the Majors with the Mets and eventually landed the job of setup man man for Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez. After Rodriguez was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in the middle of the season, Isringhausen was slotted into the closer role and eventually earned his 300th save against the San Diego Padres.
Isringhausen would then pitch the 2012 season with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Following the season, Isringhausen said that he is likely to retire, but has not formally done so. To date, his pitching line is 51-55 with a 3.64 ERA and 300 saves in 724 appearances.
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