Closer Watch: 2011

[BuckyBuckner]

For f*ck's sake, people. Here is his page. Do the research yourself. http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx...861&position=P

RIGHT NOW he has four pitches. All four have positive value. IN HIS CAREER, he's thrown six pitches, four of which have positive value. Those two sets are not the same. Draw your own conclusions, use a five inning sample size to prove your point, throw out some snarky nonsense misrepresenting what I said about a different player, redirect the point toward whether he'll be the closer this year, compare him to Mariano Rivera, ask Tony LaRussa his personal opinion, opine about his time spent without landing the closer's role. I don't care, lol. I'm done.

I am not familiar enough with fangraphs so what numbers do I need to look at to see that it has positive value? Is that the number in parentheses? What are average numbers and what are great numbers?

[cardboardbox]

I am not familiar enough with fangraphs so what numbers do I need to look at to see that it has positive value? Is that the number in parentheses? What are average numbers and what are great numbers?

Pitch type values.

Basically the way to look at it is if a pitcher throws a pitch a lot and has positive value, thats probably a good pitch type for him. If he rarely throws a pitch type its probably because its not very good and the value doesnt tell you a whole lot.

So if you look at Mariano's pitch type values and see his cutter is "only" rated at around 2 value the last few years you'd think it isnt as good as everyone says. But he throws it 90% of the time so it actually is very good.

[Moonlight J]

Neftali Feliz comes back tonight

[Moonlight J]

Motte xFIP: 3.74
vs lhb: 5.36

Werent you the guy who said Boggs couldnt close because he couldnt get lhb out?

If he didn't say that, I did on Twitter.

Berry and I were going back and forth on that when I was advocating for Sanchez

[chancellor]

I don't think he's in the mix, but for a 41 year old, Miguel Batista is throwing some nasty stuff out there in his outings. 93ish fastball with decent location, good slider and some other weird looking pitch (moves like a cutter, velo like a change).

Anyone else notice how Aardsma fell on his sword in Seattle? Short of injury or major meltdown, I don't think he sniffs the closer role anymore this year.

[DMT]

Anyone else notice how Aardsma fell on his sword in Seattle? Short of injury or major meltdown, I don't think he sniffs the closer role anymore this year.

Details please, I haven't seen anything indicating this.

[fuhrdog]

Details please, I haven't seen anything indicating this.

Not sure but I did see this.

http://heraldnet.com/article/20110504/BLOG05/110509913/1009/SPORTS07

[The Dane]

Short of injury or major meltdown, I don't think he sniffs the closer role anymore this year.

I don't know... this is LaRussa and he loves his veterans, of which Batista is full-flush. I'd still rather have Sanchez or Salas, but I wouldn't count Batista out of the mix. Is it any stranger than what the Phillies did with Contreras? I could see him as a fill-in until someone steps up and owns the role unequivocally.

[revo]

revo, we need an :explodinghead: smiley, stat! :jackson:

Done.

:explode:

[revo]

Mattingly officially announced Padilla as the closer.

[chancellor]

Details please, I haven't seen anything indicating this.

Specifically, from the article:

Brandon League has converted all eight save chances with Aardsma on the DL. "It would not be smart," he said. "I have to pitch against big-league hitters and show that I can get guys out. I have to show that I can take a role in the bullpen. Brandon’s doing a heck of a job.

Bold mine.

[BuckyBuckner]

Do you folks think that Fransisco is about to take over as closer in Toronto?

RotoWorld seems to think so...

Blue Jays manager John Farrell indicated that while Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco are both options for saves, Francisco seems likely to get the bulk of the chances moving forward.
"He really has those types of weapons to shut some people down," Farrell said of Francisco. "He's gaining arm strength. The last three or four outings we're seeing better velocity and better command with his stuff." Farrell also indicated that Rauch is a better fit for the eighth because he has better control and he thinks hitters are more selective in the eighth than they are the ninth. Ideally, those that own Francisco would hang on to Rauch for at least a little while longer to see how this situation shakes out.

[Judge Jude]

McClellan, up 3-0 with a 3-hitter and 102 pitches entering the 9th, starts the inning, allows single to Fielder.
And now here comes closer ESanchez (still a SV since tying run is on deck, iirc)

geesh, walks McGehee to make it 1st and 2nd, none out
Betancourt fouls to catcher
Lucroy whiffs
Gomez walks to load 'em up..

Counsel down 0-2, battles to 2-2, 4 straight fouls.... now count at 3-2, runners will be going...foul on 10th pitch....another foul....another foul...infield single to make it 3-1, now 29 pitches for Sanchez....

and here comes Salas.

I have both McClellan AND Sanchez - Salas whiffs Weeks on 3 swings to end it.

One observation: LaRussa REALLY seems to want Sanchez to close; he was lousy, but got within an 0-2 pitch of ending it. My guess on likelihood of Sanchez getting next one (after a day off) is a little higher because he was allowed to face Counsell. LaRussa didn't have his finger on the "change" button until forced into it...

[fuhrdog]

McClellan, up 3-0 with a 3-hitter and 102 pitches entering the 9th, starts the inning, allows single to Fielder.
And now here comes closer ESanchez (still a SV since tying run is on deck, iirc)

geesh, walks McGehee to make it 1st and 2nd, none out
Betancourt fouls to catcher
Lucroy whiffs
Gomez walks to load 'em up..

Counsel down 0-2, battles to 2-2, 4 straight fouls.... now count at 3-2, runners will be going...foul on 10th pitch....another foul....another foul...infield single to make it 3-1, now 29 pitches for Sanchez....

and here comes Salas.

I have both McClellan AND Sanchez - if Salas botches this....

If he does, I'd blame Sanchez

[Judge Jude]

whoops

Astros manager Brad Mills indicated Monday that he still hasn't decided on Mark Melancon as his closer.
"We're still kind of going through a process," said Mills. "We can call Melancon the closer tonight and go from there. I'm not trying to dodge the question, but we might have to mix some things around and depending on what part of the lineup we're with and so on and so forth. There's no reason to think we're not going to be able to get some outs before we get to Mark either." Wilton Lopez would normally be the best alternative, but it's worth noting that he recently returned from a stint on the disabled list due to an elbow injury. Melancon is the one to own in mixed leagues. Source: Astros.mlb.com May. 9 - 9:49 pm et