I cant understand how Leyland can continue to bring Todd Jones out in the 9th. I understand that Jones is a veteran and that they have a lot of money invested in him but he is costing them games left and right. Over the last month hes giving up almost 2 hits/walks and over 1 ER for every inning pitched.
Rodney and Zumaya are obviously better suited to handle the closer job. Zumaya has better stuff and is obviously the closer of the future but why not give him a chance now.
I know closing duties can be too high pressure for 21 year old rookies, but look at Papelbon. If Detroit keeps putting Jones out in the 9th they wont be in first for long. Hes already cost them a bunch of games, and he isnt getting better. He gave up 4 hits and 4 ER last night blowing the game for the Tigers, while Zumaya gave up 0 hits/walks and struck out 5.
This situation reminds me a lot of Lidge's situation 2 years ago, and when he took over he became a superstar. Hopefully Leyland wises up and lets Zumaya take over the closer role by the break.
Use Jones as a set up man, or just euthanize him, hes a joke.
It's the pressure factor, you don't want to put all the pressure on a 21 year old to close for a first place team. Nobody doubts that Zumaya could definitely be something special and has nasty stuff, but Papelbon is one in a thousand. Most rookies feel the pressure. Rodney would be the go to guy first.
I wonder if Jones is hurt. He was doing fine and leading the league in saves until about a couple of weeks ago when he just imploded. He was fine all of last season too, so you just have to wonder if something is wrong with the guy. Or maybe age has all of a sudden caught up with him. Either way, I have had Jones benched now for the past week and he is getting close to a cut should this pattern continue. He is not only blowing saves but blowing saves with 1 IP 4 ER performances.
TheYanks04 wrote:I wonder if Jones is hurt. He was doing fine and leading the league in saves until about a couple of weeks ago when he just imploded. He was fine all of last season too, so you just have to wonder if something is wrong with the guy. Or maybe age has all of a sudden caught up with him. Either way, I have had Jones benched now for the past week and he is getting close to a cut should this pattern continue. He is not only blowing saves but blowing saves with 1 IP 4 ER performances.
He hasn't led the league in saves, Papelbon has led all year
TheYanks04 wrote:I wonder if Jones is hurt. He was doing fine and leading the league in saves until about a couple of weeks ago when he just imploded. He was fine all of last season too, so you just have to wonder if something is wrong with the guy. Or maybe age has all of a sudden caught up with him. Either way, I have had Jones benched now for the past week and he is getting close to a cut should this pattern continue. He is not only blowing saves but blowing saves with 1 IP 4 ER performances.
He hasn't led the league in saves, Papelbon has led all year
TheYanks04 wrote:I wonder if Jones is hurt. He was doing fine and leading the league in saves until about a couple of weeks ago when he just imploded. He was fine all of last season too, so you just have to wonder if something is wrong with the guy. Or maybe age has all of a sudden caught up with him. Either way, I have had Jones benched now for the past week and he is getting close to a cut should this pattern continue. He is not only blowing saves but blowing saves with 1 IP 4 ER performances.
He hasn't led the league in saves, Papelbon has led all year
I do not buy the pressure arguement. Leyland has been happy to make Zumaya a late inning guy from the get go. A tied game in the 8th is more pressure than the 50%+ of save situations where there is a 1 or 2 run lead.
He has not seemed have any problem putting Granderson at the top of the order either.
It coudl be that Jones is terrible, but he stinks and Zumaya or Rodney could clearly do a better job. Particularly Rodney, who did damn well colsing in April.
My prediction is that Jones is traded for some other garbage overpriced contract before the deadline. In situations like that, it is easiest for the team just to get him out of town instead of having evidence of Dombrowski's stupid move pitching in junk time a couple of times a week.
for what it's worth, they interviewed the Tigers beat writer on the radio today and asked this very question. he said Leyland is behind Jones, and the biggest concern is, what if you put Zumaya in as closer and he can't handle it? then you've shattered the confidence of your 7th inning guy.
...and does anyone really want Jones coming in in the 7th or 8th to blow the game then?
Dan Lambskin wrote: ...and does anyone really want Jones coming in in the 7th or 8th to blow the game then?
Does it matter? The guy is terrible, and never should have gotten that contract. Whether he blows the game in the 7th, 8th, or 9th doesn't matter, cuz he's still blowing the game.
If I were the Tigers I would rather have it then, then in the ninth. Because then you automatically have at least one inning to come back. Rodney has been filthy and so has Zumaya so why is Jones still closing? Because they have money invested in him? Who cares I would rather have a couple more wins with Jones not closing even if that money is wasting then a couple less wins with Jones closing. And since when did money become more important then getting to the playoffs?
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by ToTheMax2005 » Thu Jun 15, 2006 11:49 am 
