Maris09 wrote:No closer can be considered a lock IMO, and I think Casilla has a good shot to close in Oakland for sure. But if I had to pick, I say Streets doesn't get it done in Colorado. I think both Casilla and Ziegler (and Devine for that matter) are all better than Street.
I would disagree here. I agree no closer is a lock but it took a long bout of ineffectiveness and injury for Ziegler to overtake Street and it likely would have been Casilla if he was healthy at the time. The statement that Ziegler is a better than Street seems very wrong. Street is someone who's closed full-time before, has much better stuff, a much longer track record of success, was '05 AL ROY, and he's still just 25. Ziegler's shortcomings will be exposed as he's a long-term situational reliever and not a full-time closer as proven as he was getting hit hard the end of the year (teams had a .362 BAA, 1.82 WHIP, and they had a collective 1.040 OPS in Sept). As hitters saw Ziegler more, they started to figure him out. Street on the other hand wore down both mentally and physically in Oakland and he's pitched up to his capabilities for the Rockies so far in ST. A GM is going to take Street's potential and stuff over Zeigler's trick delivery every time and rightly so imo. http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... r=2008&t=p
Now, on to Casilla. He was lights out for a period last year and wore down and was close to the opposite for the 2nd half. He may have more potential and both, and certainly Ziegler, but he's inconsistent and an even bigger injury risk than Street. To me, he's sorta like Juan Cruz. Tons of talent, small frame, big pitches, injury-prone, a lot of potential, but terribly inconsistent so far. Still, I don't think Colorado can afford Street and I look for him to be moved sometime this season but if he is moved, I expect him to close just about anywhere he goes. Casilla, barring injury, should be the A's closer sometime in '09 as I fear Devine will need TJ. I rank them this way for the future and in '09...
Havok1517 wrote:To be honest the save category rules can be confusing,
Yes they are but the King of Closers should know that someone can't create their own save opp.
I also don't know why Soriano was up with the lefties coming up. From what I could tell he was the only guy up. Perhaps if Gonzalez didn't get Howard and Ibanez out they were going to bring in Soriano to face Victorino (who has more power vs. lefties).
Havok1517 wrote:To be honest the save category rules can be confusing,
Yes they are but the King of Closers should know that someone can't create their own save opp.
I also don't know why Soriano was up with the lefties coming up. From what I could tell he was the only guy up. Perhaps if Gonzalez didn't get Howard and Ibanez out they were going to bring in Soriano to face Victorino (who has more power vs. lefties).
Who else should Cox have had getting ready? O'Flaherty? WIth only one lefty in the pen, and not the greatest one at that, Cox may not have the luxury of playing matchups... in that case he'll probably bring in his other best reliever (Soriano) if Gonzalez has trouble.
I think the (sad) reality is that Cox is going to play match-ups all year with Soriano and Gonzalez. I know the Phillies are an extreme example, but they mentioned last night that Cox would have gone to Gonzo in the 8th if the lefties were up. He showed last year too that he prefers to play match-ups in the 8th and 9th rather than have a "capital C" closer.
Im wondering if M. Lindstrom is hurt. Yahoo is posting this
Sun, Apr 5
RHP Matt Lindstrom, the team's new closer, will be available to pitch in the season opener Monday, but Manager Fredi Gonzalez will try not to use him on consecutive days just yet. Lindstrom was shut down for the final two weeks of spring training after suffering a strained right rotator cuff in the World Baseball Classic, and there was a chance in the final week of camp that he might start the season on the disabled list. Lindstrom hasn't pitched competitively since March 15 when he was taken from the WBC game with shoulder soreness. He insists he's ready to pitch the ninth inning Monday.
The Mariners have permanently moved pitching prospect Phillippe Aumont to the bullpen.
In the wake of the Brandon Morrow decision, this almost feels like an April Fool's joke. The M's must really value a strong relief staff. After all, the organization has now used its last three first round draft picks --- Morrow, Aumont and Josh Fields -- on relievers. "We felt that this was a guy, who, if used in a relief role, could be on a real fast-track to the major leagues,'' GM Jack Zduriencik said of Aumont. "And we're talking a real fast track." Aumont, who stands 6' 7", was the club's No. 1 pick in 2007 and had been progressing nicely as a starter in the minor leagues. Source: Seattle Times
Havok1517 wrote:The Mariners are sooooooooo dumb...
The Mariners have permanently moved pitching prospect Phillippe Aumont to the bullpen.
In the wake of the Brandon Morrow decision, this almost feels like an April Fool's joke. The M's must really value a strong relief staff. After all, the organization has now used its last three first round draft picks --- Morrow, Aumont and Josh Fields -- on relievers. "We felt that this was a guy, who, if used in a relief role, could be on a real fast-track to the major leagues,'' GM Jack Zduriencik said of Aumont. "And we're talking a real fast track." Aumont, who stands 6' 7", was the club's No. 1 pick in 2007 and had been progressing nicely as a starter in the minor leagues. Source: Seattle Times
Did Aumont have trouble staying healthy, or were they just having trouble stretching him out to a full-time starter role?
I knew there was no chance Downs would be the closer, and yet I was dumb enough to use my waiver on him. In my league you can only pick up a player once a week via waivers, and I threw my waiver in the garbage this week.
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by Havok1517 » Mon Apr 06, 2009 3:22 am 
