2 days into the season, 4 projected closers already down

[cardboardbox]

I don't see him getting put into any high pressure situations for a while yet, perhaps not all year. He's had a meteoric rise this year, moving up from high A and skipping AAA altogether, so I think they'll put the breaks on, let him get acclimated and see what he can do on the big league level. Let's not forget that using the Doolittle Comp, it took him 3 years to get into the closers seat, and he's only there because Jim Johnson blew up.

Skipping AAA doesnt mean much. I'm speculating way ahead here... He's got 2 guys definitely ahead of him now but I believe he can pitch great and get up to 2nd in line at some point and then its out of his hands, have to wait for Frieri to implode again. The announcers during a couple nights ago were talking all about how Bedrosian is going to close at some point. Maybe this year, maybe next.

The year before Doolittle was in the majors as a pitcher, he had 1 IP on his pro resume and when he was promoted in 2012 he had a total of 26 IP in the minors. He could have closed right away but had two problems, Balfour was doing great as closer, and he throws with the wrong arm to be a closer. In 2013 he wasnt as good and Balfour was still doing well. Had Doolittle been a RHP, he may have been closing prior to this year.

Bedrosian is RH and doesnt have a Balfour in front of him closing.

[Hornsby]

Skipping AAA doesnt mean much. I'm speculating way ahead here... He's got 2 guys definitely ahead of him now but I believe he can pitch great and get up to 2nd in line at some point and then its out of his hands, have to wait for Frieri to implode again. The announcers during a couple nights ago were talking all about how Bedrosian is going to close at some point. Maybe this year, maybe next.

The year before Doolittle was in the majors as a pitcher, he had 1 IP on his pro resume and when he was promoted in 2012 he had a total of 26 IP in the minors. He could have closed right away but had two problems, Balfour was doing great as closer, and he throws with the wrong arm to be a closer. In 2013 he wasnt as good and Balfour was still doing well. Had Doolittle been a RHP, he may have been closing prior to this year.

Bedrosian is RH and doesnt have a Balfour in front of him closing.

Meh, I think that with the success of Glen Perkins, and now Doolittle, the hand the RP throws with is starting to fade a bit...if you're a dominant pitcher, you're eventually going to get a shot. There will always be a place for a good LOOGY, but i'm not sure that it's going to matter as the game evolves. Shifting on defense was fairly unusual 5 years ago, reserved for the most feared sluggers...now, every team shifts and MLB is on pace to have nearly 14,000 shifts on balls in play this season. So the game is slow to evolve, but when it does, it's a monkey see monkey do proposition. And I think that the success of lefties as closers will mushroom as well.

That said, I agree that Bedrosian is a high level relief prospect, but I don't see his time as coming soon.

[cardboardbox]

Meh, I think that with the success of Glen Perkins, and now Doolittle, the hand the RP throws with is starting to fade a bit...if you're a dominant pitcher, you're eventually going to get a shot. There will always be a place for a good LOOGY, but i'm not sure that it's going to matter as the game evolves. Shifting on defense was fairly unusual 5 years ago, reserved for the most feared sluggers...now, every team shifts and MLB is on pace to have nearly 14,000 shifts on balls in play this season. So the game is slow to evolve, but when it does, it's a monkey see monkey do proposition. And I think that the success of lefties as closers will mushroom as well.

That said, I agree that Bedrosian is a high level relief prospect, but I don't see his time as coming soon.

it wont unless Frieri implodes again and Bedrosian has had enough time to establish himself and pitch great. And even then Smith could be an issue. I'm not predicting it will happen, just that it could and Bedrosian could be an elite closer very quickly. There's other pens I'd speculate in before this one though...

[rhd]

Bedrosian tonite: 2/3 IP, 4 BB, 3 ER.

[cardboardbox]

Bedrosian tonite: 2/3 IP, 4 BB, 3 ER.

well that sucks. Typical rookie performance.

I'm watching right now and he only threw 2 definite balls to Carter, 1 borderline that the vets quite often get, the rest all strikes. Should have had Carter looking.

Walk to Grossman had some balls that were just off the plate. Bed wasnt wild but perhaps he's used to minor leaguers swinging at those pitches.

To Corporan it seemed like Bed was getting a little wild.

Had Fowler out on a foul tip but Ianetta couldnt hold the ball. Then had Fowler out looking on a slider that was pretty clearly a strike but wasnt called.

I think this outing was a combo of inexperience, a bad call, and of course Salas inability to prevent any of the inherited runners from scoring.

[TranaGreg]

well that didn't take long ... Tampa going to closer by committee

yesterday:

Rays manager Joe Maddon said Sunday that he's sticking with Grant Balfour at closer "as of today."

today:

Rays manager Joe Maddon announced Monday morning that he will begin using a committee at closer.

nobody can say he isn't a man of his word, at least literally.

[red]

Putting all the closer stuff in one big thread makes searching for the information later on very difficult. I'm trying to find opinions on the Rays closer situation. I realize I can search within the thread, but every post I find containing "McGee", for instance, is surrounded by a bunch of other posts about Hawkins, Mejia, and Bellisario. There is no continuity of discussion.

Can I humbly propose that we go back to having each distinct subject within its own thread (such as "Rays closer situation")? Same thing with all the team threads.

[heyelander]

Putting all the closer stuff in one big thread makes searching for the information later on very difficult. I'm trying to find opinions on the Rays closer situation. I realize I can search within the thread, but every post I find containing "McGee", for instance, is surrounded by a bunch of other posts about Hawkins, Mejia, and Bellisario. There is no continuity of discussion.

Can I humbly propose that we go back to having each distinct subject within its own thread (such as "Rays closer situation")? Same thing with all the team threads.

Or we already started team specific threads... Phillies 2014 or whatnot... we could put stuff in there.

[cavebird]

And after announcing the closer by committee, Balfour gets a 2.1 IP save. So much for blowing the last of my FAAB money on Oviedo and Peralta.

[Hammer]

And after announcing the closer by committee, Balfour gets a 2.1 IP save. So much for blowing the last of my FAAB money on Oviedo and Peralta.

I was just about to blow my wad on McGee last night but saw Balfours save and pulled back.

[cardboardbox]

I just traded KRod for Wacha so I'm back in the hunt for new closers.

[cardboardbox]

I'm looking to drop one of my crappy SP (McCarthy, Stroman, Smyly) and speculate on some RP who might close. The TB pen is all rostered already but there are some other possibilities. I might even drop 2 of those 3 SP in order to speculate on two RP.

Ottavino - 5.1 ERA over past 28 days, Hawkins has a lower ERA over that time which gives Col little incentive to switch the two of them right now

Chamberlain - if Nathan is demoted, I think DET trades for a closer.

Neil Ramirez - Rondon ytd is doing great and I think he has decent job security but Ramirez appears to be even better.

Vic Black - Mejia and Familia are rostered in my league but Mejia has been kind of crappy and Black is just a little better control away from being a good closer

I think if I had to pick up two of these guys today I'd go with Chamberlain and Black.

[cardboardbox]

On second thought, Familia has been pitching well so he should easily be ahead of Black. Maybe I'll just get Joba for now.

[overkill94]

Is there any reason to hold onto a cheap Ryan Cook anymore, even if I'm not playing for this year?

[virgonomic]

Is there any reason to hold onto a cheap Ryan Cook anymore, even if I'm not playing for this year?

He's 4th on the depth chart, so I would cut him if I needed the spot for someone with more upside (for 2015 or as a trade chip).