ATL fans Reisma blows another one-Whose up in the pen

[divelaw71]

Read this-from Rotoworld tonight.

Manager Bobby Cox showed a short leash with Reitsma, pulling him after he allowed a walk and later an RBI double. Reliever Macay McBride was brought in with left-handers Chad Tracy and Luis Gonzalez due up, and struck out Gonzalez after walking Tracy. Reitsma has blown three saves on the season, so he has little in the way of job security. Still, he remains the favorite for saves for now. McBride remains behind Oscar Villarreal in line

Villareal? I would go with Remlinger too...check out Villareal stats lately????

[brandnew]

Rotoworld doesn't know what they're talking about. Villarreal isn't going to become closer, and if he does, he won't last more than a day.

A lot of Braves fans (myself included) have thought McBride would be the best option right now, but I don't think today meant that he's closer. It was just to face a couple lefties, who can't hit him. I think eventually he might get the job, though.

[divelaw71]

I really don't think they know jack either, I was was just posting the only news I had on the issue. As a Braves fan, Brandnew: who do you think is the guy? Reitsma?

[NZF]

I'd say it's likely Kenny Ray gets the job after this latest effort from Reitsma. I doubt very much that McBride will and the only reason he came into today's game for the save opp. was to face back to back lefties.

Villarreal has been bad lately but he may also be an option.

The whole situation is really a mess.

[divelaw71]

The thing about Ray that bothers me is if he is next in line, why didn't he pitch tonight? Was it a matchup thing? It really shouldn't matter if he is to be the new closer. He needs to be able to get all hitters out, not just left-handers. In fact, Ray hasn't pitched all weekend. I would think if Cox wanted to get Reitsma and his team out of a jam he would have used his "best reliever", and that reliever would be the new closer? I am way off here?

[bleach168]

CBC imo.

[rainman23]

Closer groupies kill me. People won't be happy until guys like Devine or Orvella are on their rosters, designated as closers, and killing their ratios. Be careful what you wish for.

Sometimes the Devines and the Orvellas of the fantasy baseball world become Turnbows. Part of the game.

Agreed. I'm not disputing the simple joys of discovering and snagging new closers. It's one of my favorite parts of the game. What gets to me are the names that people start fixating upon. It becomes a mantra. Orvella orvella orvella. Devine devine devine. Even after a guy like Devine demonstrates to Cox quite clearly that he's not ready for the job, and to fantasy owners that they don't want him on their team even if Cox was foolish enough to give him the job...even after that, they just won't let go. It just starts to get sad.

[rainman23]

Villareal 4 blown saves MEAN NOTHING. People don't understand ALL OF Those blown saves where when he came into the game with like the bases loaded and up by 1 run. ...

I don't think that constitutes a blown save.

Of course it does. A guy like Villareal who comes in before the 9th is going to invariably have a crappy Save/Blown Save ratio. He's never going to get a save coming in in the 7th or 8th, but if there's a lead he sure can get credit for blowing it. That's not to say he's better than his record -- I'll bow to the judgments of the Braves watchers here.

[Jack-In-A-Box]

Braves didn't address their biggest need in the offseason- Closer. They instead trade away their top prospect for Renteria, although doing great, we had a viable option with Betemit. If the Braves thought that SS was more important than fixing the bullpen, than the Braves can only blame themselves for the mess they have now. They saw the trouble coming from last year. They thought they addressed the problem with the trade of Estrada? Come on. I don't believe they actually thought either of those guys was gonna be a real boost to the pen.

The guy I've been impressed with so far that seems to have come out of nowhere is Paronto. The guy has good stuff. He doesn't walk batters. He's got more K's than IP. Low BAA. I know CBS doesn't see him as a threat to contend for the closer role right now but, I wouldn't mind mixing it up and giving the big boy a shot. If nothing else he's kinda intimadating to look at which might give him an edge in the 9th. Something has to change. They might as well see what they have with what they've got. Maybe they'll find the diamond in the rough.

[ravenmad22]

Braves didn't address their biggest need in the offseason- Closer. They instead trade away their top prospect for Renteria, although doing great, we had a viable option with Betemit. If the Braves thought that SS was more important than fixing the bullpen, than the Braves can only blame themselves for the mess they have now. They saw the trouble coming from last year. They thought they addressed the problem with the trade of Estrada? Come on. I don't believe they actually thought either of those guys was gonna be a real boost to the pen.

The guy I've been impressed with so far that seems to have come out of nowhere is Paronto. The guy has good stuff. He doesn't walk batters. He's got more K's than IP. Low BAA. I know CBS doesn't see him as a threat to contend for the closer role right now but, I wouldn't mind mixing it up and giving the big boy a shot. If nothing else he's kinda intimadating to look at which might give him an edge in the 9th. Something has to change. They might as well see what they have with what they've got. Maybe they'll find the diamond in the rough.

Inside pitch thinks Paronto is second in line. Who knows at this point? McBride is a lefty specialist, so he won't be the closer. Villarreal folds under pressure, Ray is old and has a crappy K/BB rate (though his ERA is OK), so why not this other guy? Why not pull Smoltz from the rotation again and save the wear on his arm?

Who knows what will happen but the answer does not appear to be in house.