Hindsight is 20-20, Even When Your Picks Aren't

[WebHamster]

This thread contains comments on Erik Blomain's Article "Hindsight is 20-20, Even When Your Picks Aren't", which was posted in the Cafe's Articles section on June 15, 2008. The full article can be read here.

[AussieDodger]

I agree with all your points except for the closer one.
I'd rather pay for one dead-on lock closer then continually have to be in a season long lolly scramble.
Anybody you draft can get injured or play badly.

[Yanks_Baby]

I agree with all your points except for the closer one.
I'd rather pay for one dead-on lock closer then continually have to be in a season long lolly scramble.
Anybody you draft can get injured or play badly.

I don't know...

i drafted Manny Corpas the same round Josh hamilton was drafted. In the pre-season Manny was considered a dead-lock closer, having only blown one save last year, yet I ended up dropping him. Now my closers are Kerry Wood, Fuentes, Borowski, and Rauch, all of whom I picked up off the FA wire, and had I only picked Hamilton instead of Corpas, I would have an even bigger lead.

[cyberer]

I agree with all your points except for the closer one.
I'd rather pay for one dead-on lock closer then continually have to be in a season long lolly scramble.
Anybody you draft can get injured or play badly.

you just repeated my point verbatim!

anyone can get hurt- "dead lock" closer or not, so why break the bank for a dead-lock closer? You don't "know" he's going to play well. You admitted yourself- if elite closers can play bad and get hurt just as much as bad closers, why break the bank for them? THAT is my point!

[AussieDodger]

if elite closers can play bad and get hurt just as much as bad closers, why break the bank for them? THAT is my point!

You could say that about any position. "If elite SS can play bad/get hurt why pay for Hanley?" etc. You have to spend your picks on someone.
A 6th or 7th round pick isn't breaking the bank by any means. And if it nets a Papelbon or Nathan, there's one roster spot (injury permitting) you don't have to worry about for the rest of the year. Getting the best of a position with a 6th or 7th round pick is pretty good in my opinion.

[cyberer]

but my point was that, statistically, it happens the MOST at closer. Look at the top 10 closers each year, they change DRAMATICALLY every year.