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Why Is Addison Reed Still Closing?


Lillian

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Reed is a rookie. Rookies usually struggle. At the beginning of the year, the re-build crowd wanted Reed closing and were actually up in arms when he wasn't. Now that same crowd has already turned on the Sox #2 prospect. I think all the "rebuilders" should consider ever endorse a total rebuild ever again. You simply do not have the patience for it if you give up on prospects after less than a season.

 

Here are some rookie stats a surefire HOFer put up when he was 25. I realize it's apples and oranges as a lot of these numbers were put up as a starter not the reliever he became, but certainly if he was a White Sox prospect putting up these numbers, he would be deemed to be worthless. I'm also not saying Reed will have nearly the success of this guy. All I'm saying is rookies and young players struggle. Sometimes you have to be patient. Here's Mariano Riviera's rookie numbers:

 

 

 

5.51 ERA in 67 innings with 51 k's and 30 walks.

Edited by Dick Allen
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Reed and Jones both struggle way too much with command of their FB's to be effective closers at this point in their careers. Reed has better secondary pitches in his slider and straight change, can at least get some swings and misses there, and thats why he is closing. Nate Jones would be an awful closing candidate. Yes his FB is high 90s, but he falls behind a lot and is forced to throw his straight as an arrow FB for strikes too often. I get really upset when RV brings in Jones in need a strikeout/ground ball DP to get out of this situations. Jones often falls behind and has the hitters waiting for his FB on a tee, typically resulting in hard hit balls, the exact opposite of what is needed there. Its quite frustrating cuz duh 98 mph fastballs when contract is made get hit hard somewhere.

 

Anyway, in my time watching them both pitch this year Reed is the lesser of the two evils as I think Jones is more hittable. I dont care about velocity, big league hitters can handle 97 if they know its coming and its straight. Both have serious problems with walks and falling behind in counts, neither inspire confidence in high leverage closing situations, but at this point what else can we do? Myers I guess, he can at least command his pitches, but his stuff is average for a reliever at best...lets alone a closer.

Edited by joeynach
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QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Sep 15, 2012 -> 11:22 PM)
Who gives a s***. I would take a division title & Myers at $10mil in 2013 over none of the above. It's really hard to trust Reed right now.

No way that happens, however. I just wish we didn't use him to finish games that were well out of reach early on. From a fiscal standpoint there is no way you can justify 10% of your salary on Brett Myers in 2013. Period. Plus there's no convincing me he's any better than Crain could be in the role anyhow. I'd be shocked if he reaches the number this year, which, by the way, what are the current numbers? He needs another 5 finishes or so?

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QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ Sep 16, 2012 -> 03:26 AM)
No way that happens, however. I just wish we didn't use him to finish games that were well out of reach early on. From a fiscal standpoint there is no way you can justify 10% of your salary on Brett Myers in 2013. Period. Plus there's no convincing me he's any better than Crain could be in the role anyhow. I'd be shocked if he reaches the number this year, which, by the way, what are the current numbers? He needs another 5 finishes or so?

 

According to Fathom, it was 6.

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QUOTE (iamshack @ Sep 15, 2012 -> 08:43 PM)
It would be hilarious if we came full-circle and ended up with Hector again... :)

 

 

TRAUTMAN: When are you gonna come full circle?

RAMBO: What are you talking about?

TRAUTMAN You said that your war is over. Well, maybe the one out there is, but not the one inside you.

I think I know the reason that you're here John, but it doesn't work that way. You may try, but you can't get away from what you really are.

RAMBO: And what do you think I am?

TRAUTMAN: A full-blooded combat soldier.

RAMBO: Not anymore. I don't want it.

TRAUTMAN: That's too bad, 'cause you're stuck with it. Let me tell you a story, John. There was a sculptor NAMED DON COOPER, and he found this stone: a special stone. He dragged it home and he worked on it for months, until he finally finished. When he was ready, he showed it to everyone on the coaching staff and they said he had created a great statue, and the sculptor said he hadn't created anything. The statue was always there. He just cleared away the small pieces. We didn't make Hector Santiago into this CLOSING machine. We just chipped away the rough edges. You're always going to be tearing away at yourself until you come to terms with what you are. Until you come full circle.

RAMBO: I guess I'm not ready yet.

TRAUTMAN: Well . . . I gotta move. Promise me you'll look me up when you get stateside.

RAMBO: Colonel, I'm sorry, but it's gotta end for me sometime.

TRAUTMAN: I understand . . .

 

Edited by caulfield12
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For those of you who don't think that Nate Jones is a viable option to close, all I can say is I don't know what games your watching. He looks very dominant to me.

I'd rather see him face 3 batters in the 9TH.

The difference is that he has gotten better as the season has progressed, while Reed has gotten worse. Moreover, he has thrown 10 more innings than Reed, so he has demonstrated more stamina and durability.

 

While he had a couple of appearances where he failed to retire the two batters he faced, he nevertheless has not given up a run in 15 consecutive appearances.

Edited by Lillian
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QUOTE (Lillian @ Sep 17, 2012 -> 10:07 PM)
For those of you who don't think that Nate Jones is a viable option to close, all I can say is I don't know what games your watching. He looks very dominant to me.

I'd rather see him face 3 batters in the 9TH.

The difference is that he has gotten better as the season has progressed, while Reed has gotten worse. Moreover, he has thrown 10 more innings than Reed, so he has demonstrated more stamina and durability.

 

While he had a couple of appearances where he failed to retire the two batters he faced, he nevertheless has not given up a run in 15 consecutive appearances.

Not this year and that is all I care about right now. He is doing great as a middle

Reliever and picking up wins

 

I think at this point Reed is still the closer, but RV will go

By situation.

It was a great move to get him out of the game in Minnesota when he just didn't have it

And it was a great move to have him just get one out today.

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QUOTE (sunofgold @ Sep 17, 2012 -> 09:20 PM)
Not this year and that is all I care about right now. He is doing great as a middle

Reliever and picking up wins

 

I think at this point Reed is still the closer, but RV will go

By situation.

It was a great move to get him out of the game in Minnesota when he just didn't have it

And it was a great move to have him just get one out today.

That said, he threw a roller or two up there against Jackson, very hittable pitches that you never want seen thrown in a one run game. If Jackson wasn't banged up a little, you gotta wonder if he would've made it a 5-5 game.

 

At least he attacked the strike zone though- but that rolling slider he threw to Jackson yesterday is bound to go a long way more times than not.

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QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ Sep 18, 2012 -> 03:38 AM)
That said, he threw a roller or two up there against Jackson, very hittable pitches that you never want seen thrown in a one run game. If Jackson wasn't banged up a little, you gotta wonder if he would've made it a 5-5 game.

 

At least he attacked the strike zone though- but that rolling slider he threw to Jackson yesterday is bound to go a long way more times than not.

 

I thought those 0-2 pitches were brutal. Right in the middle of the zone. At least throw one pitch down and away, hope he goes fishing for it. It worked out in the end of course.

Edited by LittleHurt05
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QUOTE (JohnCangelosi @ Sep 18, 2012 -> 03:38 AM)
That said, he threw a roller or two up there against Jackson, very hittable pitches that you never want seen thrown in a one run game. If Jackson wasn't banged up a little, you gotta wonder if he would've made it a 5-5 game.

 

At least he attacked the strike zone though- but that rolling slider he threw to Jackson yesterday is bound to go a long way more times than not.

 

That was the pitch that Cain destroyed.

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Reed has to start his slider on the outside portion and let it cut out of the zone, hoping guys swing and flail. When he tries inside, it always ends up hanging and down the middle.

 

Like others say, he is a rookie and learning while on a winning team. Gonna be some bumps.

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