Closing Time

[elrockinMT]

Remind me why Hector was chosen to close? Ventura says he will stick with him fine, but it doesn't seem to just give up one hit or one bomb when he scuffles he gives up several of them or at least several hits. He is young and he and Reed don't have anything as far as experence over on the other and Reed seems good right now. And am I wrong in thinkig we haven't seen much of that fab screwball Santiago has? Looks like a lot of fastballs usually.

[elrockinMT]

I was replying to your post that said "Thornton's dealing right now." His last outing was good, but his 2 days ago he was bad. I don't exactly call that "dealing." I'm not opposed to Thornton closing only because Reed might not be ready. Thornton's definitely not a long term solution as a closer though.

 

 

When Matt lost that game to Oakland the run scoring double hit right on the line. Another couple inches or so and it would have been a foul ball. Plus maybe in that game Floyd shouldn't have been allowed to pitch the 8th?

[southsider2k5]

Remind me why Hector was chosen to close? Ventura says he will stick with him fine, but it doesn't seem to just give up one hit or one bomb when he scuffles he gives up several of them or at least several hits. He is young and he and Reed don't have anything as far as experence over on the other and Reed seems good right now. And am I wrong in thinkig we haven't seen much of that fab screwball Santiago has? Looks like a lot of fastballs usually.

 

There was an article in the last week about how the seams on a major league baseball are shorter than a minor league ball, so he is having trouble throwing the screwball.

[Kyyle23]

When Matt lost that game to Oakland the run scoring double hit right on the line. Another couple inches or so and it would have been a foul ball. Plus maybe in that game Floyd shouldn't have been allowed to pitch the 8th?

 

you know, if my Aunt had balls she would be my Uncle.

 

 

It landed fair.

[iamshack]

There was an article in the last week about how the seams on a major league baseball are shorter than a minor league ball, so he is having trouble throwing the screwball.

How could that be? Wtf are they doing using a different ball? Must be cheaper...

[Steve9347]

you know, if my Aunt had balls she would be my Uncle.

 

 

It landed fair.

Your Aunt does have balls.

[southsider2k5]

How could that be? Wtf are they doing using a different ball? Must be cheaper...

 

I don't know what MiLB uses, or any of the affiliated leagues, but I know I compared a ball from the league that the Gary Railcats are in, and one from a White Sox game, and there is a definite difference.

[oldsox]

How could that be? Wtf are they doing using a different ball? Must be cheaper...

Japanese league has had higher seams for years.

[oldsox]

Remind me why Hector was chosen to close? Ventura says he will stick with him fine, but it doesn't seem to just give up one hit or one bomb when he scuffles he gives up several of them or at least several hits. He is young and he and Reed don't have anything as far as experence over on the other and Reed seems good right now. And am I wrong in thinkig we haven't seen much of that fab screwball Santiago has? Looks like a lot of fastballs usually.

As much as I like Robin, a lot of the blame goes to him. He puts Santiago in there, and he gives up five hits, won't take him out no matter what. Lots of managers are doing that now, they prob don't want to hurt the closer's feelings, etc. Since Santiago wasn't exactly lights out in previous games, he should have been on a short leash, especially after the game tying home run.

[Dick Allen]

It shouldn't be about hurting his feelings. Keep him on the team, just change the line up a bit. If your clean up hitter has no track record and isn't getting the job done and everyone else is, he gets moved down Its time to move Santiago into another role. If Santiago had a history of saving games, or the Sox had no other decent options, I could understand the stubborness.

[greg775]

I get why Santiago. First he doesn't want to move Crain or Thornton who are incredibly good at his job. Second, it doesn't matter if Santiago fails in the long run. The guy came out of no where, and he could also go back to starting if this doesn't work out. Plus that screwball is a big pitch against righties, but it just isn't doing anything right now.

 

They want to make sure Reed is ready. If he fails, it looks much worse, as he is one of their top prospects, and if he doesn't close well, there is some answering to do.

 

I am sure if Santiago can't find the screwball very soon, there will be a change made.

 

Ventura also can't be seen as reactionary. His guys needs to know that they won't be yanked for one or two bad days.

 

 

Genius. The same veteran you laud in Thornton shat his pants when given the opportunity last year.

 

1.) That all makes a lot of sense.

2.) I thought most people on here were blaming Pierre for Thornton's failures at closer. Let him close again. Although I do despise lefty closers. At least when Thornton is on ... wow.

[southsider2k5]

As much as I like Robin, a lot of the blame goes to him. He puts Santiago in there, and he gives up five hits, won't take him out no matter what. Lots of managers are doing that now, they prob don't want to hurt the closer's feelings, etc. Since Santiago wasn't exactly lights out in previous games, he should have been on a short leash, especially after the game tying home run.

 

It was the 14th inning and they had blown through most of the pen already. That game belonged to the closer, no matter who it was out of necessity.

[greg775]

It was the 14th inning and they had blown through most of the pen already. That game belonged to the closer, no matter who it was out of necessity.

 

That is true. So true.

[oldsox]

It was the 14th inning and they had blown through most of the pen already. That game belonged to the closer, no matter who it was out of necessity.

Crain? Stewart? They could have pitched. After the long home run, he gave up two more hits, and it was still tied. What if Santiago went in with a four run lead, are you going to leave him in until he gives up five? Play to win the game. Plus, Oakland had already used their two best bullpen guys. I would take my chances going into the 15th all tied up.

 

Don't get me wrong, I still like Ventura.

[southsider2k5]

Crain? Stewart? They could have pitched. After the long home run, he gave up two more hits, and it was still tied. What if Santiago went in with a four run lead, are you going to leave him in until he gives up five? Play to win the game. Plus, Oakland had already used their two best bullpen guys. I would take my chances going into the 15th all tied up.

 

Don't get me wrong, I still like Ventura.

 

Crain is out with an oblique injury. Stewart is the last man in the pen yesterday. If he comes in and keeps it tied, then we have to start using starters once he is done. In the 14th inning you want to put that off if possible.

[Balta1701]

Crain is out with an oblique injury. Stewart is the last man in the pen yesterday. If he comes in and keeps it tied, then we have to start using starters once he is done. In the 14th inning you want to put that off if possible.

Stewart would have been "Done" once the game was won or lost.

[southsider2k5]

Stewart would have been "Done" once the game was won or lost.

 

At that point, what is to say the game doesn't go 20 innings? The kid hasn't been conditioned to start for a month now. He probably only had 3/4 innings in him.

[Balta1701]

At that point, what is to say the game doesn't go 20 innings? The kid hasn't been conditioned to start for a month now. He probably only had 3/4 innings in him.

At which point, he gives up a run in the bottom half of an inning which wins the game. Don't even have to worry about the "He's too tired to throw a pitch so he's just walked 9 straight guys" problem because we're the visiting team. If the A's bullpen outlasted the Sox's, despite coming in earlier, then at somepoint you do tip your cap, and be proud of Stewart for giving you however many scoreless innings he did.

[southsider2k5]

At which point, he gives up a run in the bottom half of an inning which wins the game. Don't even have to worry about the "He's too tired to throw a pitch so he's just walked 9 straight guys" problem because we're the visiting team. If the A's bullpen outlasted the Sox's, despite coming in earlier, then at somepoint you do tip your cap, and be proud of Stewart for giving you however many scoreless innings he did.

 

It also means you have destroyed the pen for the next few days as well, as you don't have a long man either.

[Balta1701]

It also means you have destroyed the pen for the next few days as well, as you don't have a long man either.

Better than burning a starter when you don't have an offday.

[southsider2k5]

Better than burning a starter when you don't have an offday.

 

Or doing both...

[sunofgold]

I have an old school solution. We have 5 closers on our team.

 

 

Peavy, Sale, Humber, Danks, Floyd. Let them go 9! lol

 

 

 

[kitekrazy]

+1

To put Santiago in this situation is having mixed results at best. Yes Hector has four saves, but an ERA over 8 now. He's never closed in his life.

Hector should be in AAA building up his arm for starters' innings.

 

Addison Reed's future is to close games. It may not be the right time yet to give him the nod, but it just inched closer.

 

This has Kenny W. written all over it. Let's test success/failure at something new at major league level.

 

[Dick Allen]

It also means you have destroyed the pen for the next few days as well, as you don't have a long man either.

If Robin had to use Stewart for a significant stretch yesterday after 14, someone, probably Stewart, would have been sent down to Charlotte.

[oldsox]

If Robin had to use Stewart for a significant stretch yesterday after 14, someone, probably Stewart, would have been sent down to Charlotte.

That would be okay.

 

I have two points here. 1) The game was winable if they get Santiago out of there before hit # 5. Leaving him in there for the duration was tantamount to giving up when tied. 2) Managers are copycats, and they often will leave the closer in there in situations like this, as I mentioned in my earlier post. It happened again today in Mets/Marlins game. Marlins are up 2-1, Ozzie brings in closer Heath Bell, who, like Santiago, has been ineffective lately and should have been on short leash. He gives up 4 straight walks, game tied, and he has thrown 40 some pitches. Why leave him in? So Ozzie goes by the 2012 book on how to mishandle the bullpen, and Bell gives up the winning hit.