If Mike Marshall were pitching for the Reds today the way he pitched for the Dodgers 28 years ago, there would be no Scott Sullivan.

        Well, there would be a Scott Sullivan, but he wouldn't be the setup man. Marshall was a closer who was his own setup man.

        “I've talked to (Reds bullpen coach) Tom Hume about Marshall, and Tom told me Marshall had some four-inning saves,” Sullivan said. “The starter might go five (innings) and here comes Marshall going the last four.”

        Sullivan, 31, was 3 years old when Marshall set the major-league single-season record for relief appearances (106) and innings (208) in 1974. But Sullivan knew of Marshall's 1974 season because it was so astronomical.

        “I've been able to put some innings together the last few years,” Sullivan said, “but his numbers just belittle anything I accomplished.”

        Another of Marshall's numbers that raised Sullivan's eyebrows was his career ERA of 3.14.

        “I've had outings this year where I've just gotten shellacked, given up five or six runs,” Sullivan said. “If you're a reliever, and you want to have a good ERA, you just can't do that. It takes you the whole season to recover. To see him with a 2.41 ERA the year he made those 106 appearances is just incredible.

        Out of every 10 outings you have as a reliever, if you get your job done eight times, that's considered good ... For him to have a 2.41 ERA that year, he was getting it done. He wasn't getting shellacked.”

        Sullivan takes heart in knowing somebody — anybody — was able to have a 14-year career as a reliever while throwing so many innings.

        “Guys think that with the innings totals I've pitched the last few years that I'm going to break down, that the law of averages is going to catch up to me sooner or later,” Sullivan said. “These (Marshall's numbers) prove that you can extend yourself beyond the realm of what people think is possible.”

Reds 4, Pirates 3 Reds box, runs Reds clinging to first by any means necessary Reds Q&A Reds setup men share spotlight Well-traveled Chen happy to hit Cincinnati Inherited difference Legendary workhorse Marshall develops a better plan Marshall's mark has impact on Sullivan Cinergy Moment No. 23 - Sept. 7, 1974 On the farm Norfolk 4, Louisville 3, 10 innings Green homers in 4th straight at-bat Interleague roundup Notes from Saturday's games John Fay's MLB rankings

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