How close is J.Julio to being dumped as CL??

[riverrat]

Hearing things like BJ.Ryan ready to be closer. Whats the word?
Thanks.

[stumpak]

In my opinion, he would already have been dumped if DeJean were not such a bum so far this year. It was obvious a long time ago that his rookie season was a complete aberration (his minor league stats suck, look them up) and the Os would have to be crazy to view him as a long-term solution. So why not try someone else, Ryan being the most likely candidate.

[NZF]

In close situations this season Julio has an ERA a little over 3.00 and he's converted 12 of 14 chances. That is a better conversion rate than a few supposed Top 10 closers.

There is no way he will be replaced as closer and he won't be traded. At this time his job is safer than guys like Lidge, Dotel, Hawkins and Takatsu.

Like Foulke and a few other closers this season, Julio has suffered through not getting regular work and close opportunities. There is no doubt he has focus problems but when he is on his stuff is pretty darn good.

Given the O's win at least another 35 odd games this season, I can see Jorge getting at least 20 saves from here on. That is an absolute minimum.

[stumpak]

20 is an absolute minimum with 35 wins? That doesn't make sense--the Os have 37 wins now and he has just 12 saves. T

he guy has a 1.50+ plus WHIP over the past 2 years, he is a piece of crap. No one is confusing him with Rivera, the Orioles are playing for next season and they would be stupid not give someone else a shot. If you want a closer with a really substandard WHIP and ERA, get Herges, at least he will get you a bunch of saves.

[NZF]

20 is an absolute minimum with 35 wins? That doesn't make sense--the Os have 37 wins now and he has just 12 saves. T

he guy has a 1.50+ plus WHIP over the past 2 years, he is a piece of crap. No one is confusing him with Rivera, the Orioles are playing for next season and they would be stupid not give someone else a shot. If you want a closer with a really substandard WHIP and ERA, get Herges, at least he will get you a bunch of saves.

It makes perfect sense to me. Save opps are totally luck. Based on him getting 60% of opps. when the O's win then 20 is a given. These things even out over a season and he had less than 40% opps. in the 1st half. Look at Graves. The O's win 35 games he could conceivably save 30 of them. In any case he will get over 30 saves this year and you're nuts if you think he was ever going to be replaced by DeJean as the closer.

No way his first season was a total fluke. Second year regression with pitchers is very common. He does have focus problems but he is way way better than crap. If he gets regular work like he did in April when he finished the month with an ERA below 1.00, he will be just fine.

[max1889]

His job is very very secure. Hes a pretty good pitcher, unlike some CLs (cough...Herges)

[jbones733]

i agree his job is real secure, but Id much rather have takastu, say what want, but hes giving up like 16 hits all season has a microscopic era, Will it last ?? who knows, but Sasaki was a stud closer,

[warrick95]

Yeah, his job is pretty safe. Like said above, he's been hurt by inconsistent save opportunites and work more than anything. If the O's get on a roll, he'll benefit. Of course, I doubt they'll get on much of a roll, because their pitching is horrible. It's not like they're as good as the Red Sox.

Ryan's the best lefty out of the pen, so they may be hesitant on letting him close. Much like Marte in Chicago, these lefties are used in spots where the managers feel the need to use them (usually when there is at least one good lefty due up).

[dawade]

I already cut Julio. I have Hoffman, Lidge, and LaTroy Hawkins. I'm tired of looking at the box score every morning and him pitching 1 inning, no K, no save, 9.00 ERA and 2.00WHIP.

[Bukoski77]

Ryan has been with the club since 1999. If the O's thought he really had it in him to be the closer then Julio would have never assumed the roll. DeJean as the O's have become aware is not an option.

Not trying to put Julio on too high of a pedastool at all, but he is their best option, and barring a trade, his job is secure. BTW, his 2002 ERA and WHIP is most likely an abberation, his arm is good enough to maintaine good K rates though.