So, saves as a stat isn’t much better than wins. It’s a stat of opportunity, sure, but once again, as long as we keep track of the stat, I’ll keep a record book of it. So, here are the top ten save totals in the past 11 seasons!
| 1 | Adam Zipko | New Market | 2013 | 18 |
| 2 | Chris Dennis | Winchester | 2004 | 15 |
| 3 | Derrik Lutz | Front Royal | 2004 | 14 |
| 4 | Brandon Dickson | New Market | 2005 | 13 |
| Joel Brookens | Front Royal | 2007 | 13 | |
| Jimmy Stanley | Waynesboro | 2007 | 13 | |
| Shawn Griffith | Fauquier | 2008 | 13 | |
| 8 | Bobby Hernandez | Staunton | 2007 | 12 |
| 9 | Chris Fessler | Harrisonburg | 2005 | 11 |
| Daniel Bridgeman | Strasburg | 2013 | 11 |
There are a number of pro players on this list: Chris Dennis, Brandon Dickson, Shawn Griffith, Bobby Hernandez, and Chris Fessler. Only Dickson is still active: He pitched in Japan last season. (Which I’d love to talk to him about!)
Zipko was amazing in 2013. Not only did he top the previous save total by 20%, but he didn’t give up an earned run all year!
All Things Valley League 
I’m a bit confused with the comment about saves not being much better than wins, and being a stat of opportunity. I wish there was a stat that determined wins attributed to offensive run production. Some times it is much harder for a reliever to keep a tight lead for an inning or two vs. a starter who pads his wins with blowouts. Closers are usually thrown into games that are about to fall apart, and need to bail out a starter by preserving his win with a save. The pressure on relief pitchers is much greater than a starter, in many cases. And closers almost never come into a game with a comfortable lead, let alone base runners inherited from previous pitchers!
Thanks for your comment, Ken! My comment was not intended to compare wins and saves- it was to point out that both stats are perhaps less than ideal. I feel the same way about RBIs. Joe Carter, for example, had some rather mundane major league seasons in which he had high RBI totals, mostly because RBIs are also a stat of opportunity. I would love to use WAR (Wins Above Replacement) or win expectancy instead, but those stats do not exist for the Valley League. Maybe some day! Regardless, Adam had an amazing year for New Market in ’13- he’ll be on my lists for years to come!