2008 Mid-Season Closers Thread

[mblax10]

With Wagner out for next year, who looks like the front runner for 09? Ayala? Kunz? I don't think Heilman but he's also a possibility.

What does the cafe think here?

K-Rod

[claudish21]

dooz wrote:
With Wagner out for next year, who looks like the front runner for 09? Ayala? Kunz? I don't think Heilman but he's also a possibility.

What does the cafe think here?

Fuentes!!

[racrzeke]

Looks like Qualls is the new closer effective sunday

[soty]

Any update on Percival? Thinking of dropping him for Qualls.

[BitterDodgerFan]

is anyone in ny going to replace ayala after his blowup today?

[NatsFan10]

Anyone know if Sherrill is going to be in the closer's role this week? I need to drop him if not.

[A Fleshner Fantasy]

Anyone know if Sherrill is going to be in the closer's role this week? I need to drop him if not.

He's supposed to be back, but with the team going nowhere, they aren't going to play him until he's 100% and there's no chance of a setback, so it's really hard to say.

[dorje3]

Searched back a few pages and couldn't find anything on the saito/Broxton situation. Is Saito supposed to reclaim the job?

What are your thoughts on Frank Francisco? The guy has been filthy for about a month with a K/9 close to 18 and a whip under .60...is he just in a grove right now with a propensity to fold at any moment?

[jackie hayes]

Searched back a few pages and couldn't find anything on the saito/Broxton situation. Is Saito supposed to reclaim the job?

What are your thoughts on Frank Francisco? The guy has been filthy for about a month with a K/9 close to 18 and a whip under .60...is he just in a grove right now with a propensity to fold at any moment?

Good question on Saito/Broxton. I've read some blurbs suggesting that Saito is not expected to get the closer role back (rotoworld: "He is not expected to resume closer duties with Jonathan Broxton pitching well in that role"). But nothing I've seen from Torre rules it out. He's only said they'll run him out in low-stress situations first. And either the LA Times or Broxton seem to think Saito is a strong possibility: "Jonathan Broxton says he knows that Takashi Saito could be activated this weekend and his days as the Dodgers' closer could be nearing an end."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedit ... 5825.story

I think it's completely up in the air, and I wouldn't trust anyone who sounds too sure about what will happen unless he gives me a clear, direct quote from Torre.

As for Francisco, I like him, but you look at his numbers, and you wonder how long the whip will last (and with it, the era). It's a boom/bust proposition. He could keep up striking out guys in bunches, but if it goes wrong, it could go real wrong. Take yr chances.

[greenandgold]

Does anyone know the situation with Chad Cordero? It sounds like he will be non-tendered but the Nationals might try to sign him anyway. Does anyone think he will be closing again next year?

Rotoworld:

Nationals GM Jim Bowden said he's informed Chad Cordero's agent of his intention to non-tender the closer in December.
The Nats would have to offer Cordero at least $4.96 million and they'd risk him getting more in arbitration, so non-tendering him is an easy call. But there's just no reason at all to announce it in July. Besides maybe J.P. Ricciardi, we can't imagine any GM other than Jim Bowden doing such a thing. "We have told his agent, Larry Reynolds, that we are not going to do that, based on the surgery he had," Bowden said. "His agent acknowledged that no team in baseball would do that. He certainly understands. We explained to Larry Reynolds very clearly that we have interest in keeping Chad here at a very low base salary with incentives to protect us from his shoulder. But certainly we want him here. So that's what's taken place. That's our position. I've been very clear about that."