The Closer

As we approach Opening Day we still find that there are a couple of holes in our future roster projections. For starters, the second base predicament is the number one problem. Following up in a close second, and I mean close with starting pitching in third place, is the closers role. We find ourselves, yet again, without a "closer". I put closer in quotation marks because I dont believe that it is totally necessary to tab a pitcher as a "closer". It is kind of hard not to have a closer nowadays due to the closers statistical information and how important of a stat that is to a team. I know TLR thinks that the last three outs are the toughest three outs due to certain circumstances in any given game, but give the ball to whoever you think is capable of getting the job done. If it is two or more guys (like it is shaping up to be for us in 2009) then whoever has the hot hand, give it to them. You cannot rely on guys that continue to fail on us night in and night out just because they are our "closer". For example, in recent history, Jason Isringhausen. Just because Izzy was our closer didnt mean that we had to give him the ball every night, but we did because I assume TLR felt compelled to and we know how that ended up. I think that we have three capable guys of closing out a game for us this year. That would be Perez, Motte and Kinney. We need someone who can throw hard, along with good breaking pitches and it sounds like these are the three guys that we can count on. And NO, I did not forget about Ryan Franklin. I have yet to be impressed by him, especially as our "closer". Yes, I know we probably used him a little too much last year, but I cannot see him as a guy that we can depend on in the ninth inning. Last year, Franklin had a 6-6 record along with 17 saves in 25 save opportunities with a 3.55 ERA and 55 K's in 78.2 innings. He also gave up 86 hits over those 78.2 innings of work as a reliever. Now does that sound like a guy that you can depend on with the game on the line let alone a save opportunity?

I am pulling for Jason Motte, Chris Perez or Josh Kinney and maybe even McClellan to help bolster the back end of our bullpen this year. I know that we cannot carry all of them due to certain restrictions and the need of having left handed relievers, but all of these guys are capable of nailing down the 8th and/or 9th inning. I was very impressed with Perez and Motte last year. I am leaning more towards Motte who has the most potential in being a for sure closer. He is a converted catcher with raw pitching ability. The few times that I have seen Kinney pitch, I have also been very impressed especially in the 2006 playoffs. He came in and was absolutely solid during the 2006 playoffs and also at the tale end of last year. We all know McClellan's capabilities, plus, he is one year older with a lot more experience. I know TLR is very keen on naming a relief pitcher our closer, but if it is one of these young fireballers, then we should let it happen and see where it takes us. We will never know what these guys are made of or capable of unless we put them in certain situations. I dont know about you, but I think that we are looking good in the bullpen with a few pitchers capable of being our "go to" guys in the 9th inning. These guys might be inexperienced, but as history has shown us in the past, it does not mean that we will not be a successful ball club.