In another two or three years, B.J. Ryan may well belong on this list -- let's see if homer votes net "Other" a runawawy in this category.

FWIW, Ryan is not (yet?) on the top 100 RPs of all time list provided by the Baseball Page.

Objectively, you would have to choose Wagner.  Subjectively, I'd rather have Tug McGraw out there when the going got tough, and seeing as the competition was pretty weak, I went with my gut.

Exactly my reasoning for going with Franco.

Franco was darn good but Wagner appears to almost be the Rivera of this group

Seasons over 200 ERA+ = 3
Seasons below 140 ERA+ = 1, an injury filled 2000
Lifetime ERA+ = 181

Franco hit 200+ 3 times as well but is 'just' a 137 ERA+ lifetime and played a LOT more seasons.

Orosco was a personal favorite (he played semi-pro in Cambridge where I grew up and threw a no-hitter) but cracked double digits in saves just 5 times, just once over 21.

Myers had 3 great seasons but that was it for ERA+ over 140 and was too often a one or two batter pitcher (a curse for lefties it seems).

Lots of good pitchers, but only Wagner catches me as a real closer (despite the massive save totals for a couple of these guys). Thus, BJ could easily sneak onto this list.

Looking at this list, what finally struck me is that it's amazing we can list arguably the nine greatest players at a position in the game's history, and not only are none in the Hall of Fame, none will be or really deserve to be. Looking back at the other lists, there's even a DH in the Hall already, as well as a couple of RHRP -- the only other position with a real influx of non-HOFers is third base.

The lefty reliever lives on, just not immortally!

Wagner could make it, but needs a strong late 30's kick to make it to 500 saves (he is in the low 300's right now and is 34) which I suspect will become the standard for closers. 4 more years as a closer with 40 saves a year is possible and would put him just shy of 500, and with a great post season or two with the Mets he would make it. Still, not an easy road ahead by any means.

John, I agree that Wagner is the most likely on the list to make it, but honestly, I thought of that -- and Orosco, Myers, McGraw and Lyle all won rings in NYC (Lyle won two, and Myers won a second one in Cincy as well) and that didn't really help them all that much ...

I guess Wagner could blow in with a couple of WS MVPs, but I don't see him lasting past the first ballot ... and he has the best chance?