Bret Cecil as Closer

[The Black Panther]

Is it just me or do you also not feel comfortable with Cecil as closer?

[Axeman33]

I didnt feel comfortable with Casey Janssen as a closer so Brett Cecil doesn't really give me the warm and fuzzies either.

[Zorro]

I'm definitely not a fan.. From the bullpen, Loup scares me too..

[Zorro]

Wow is Cecil stinking it up.. My god..

[havanablast21]

Wow is Cecil stinking it up.. My god..

Yes... Indeed.

Who's back up ??

Sanchez?
Castro?

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Wow is Cecil stinking it up.. My god..

Yes... Indeed.

Who's back up ??

Sanchez?
Castro?

[Dobber]

I love Cecil as the set-up man. I'm not dead against him closing for now. Sanchez would have been great though

They should kick tires on Soriano again

[Axeman33]

I love Cecil as the set-up man. I'm not dead against him closing for now. Sanchez would have been great though

They should kick tires on Soriano again

Agreed. At least he has the experience and if the Jays are serious this year about making a run, they need to be serious about closing out games. I realize it's one game, but confidence is a big thing and that one game sure instilled a bit of doubt already.

[Zorro]

We should actually see what Tom Henke is up too.. I saw Duane Ward kicking around the clubhouse a few times last season, maybe give him a call..

Please don't call BJ Ryan, what a dud..

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We should actually see what Tom Henke is up too.. I saw Duane Ward kicking around the clubhouse a few times last season, maybe give him a call..

Please don't call BJ Ryan, what a dud..

[TheNugeCooge]

Agreed. At least he has the experience and if the Jays are serious this year about making a run, they need to be serious about closing out games. I realize it's one game, but confidence is a big thing and that one game sure instilled a bit of doubt already.

Experience should be completely irrelevant when we're talking about who should be closing out games. "Closer experience" is a joke. You should pitch the guy who has the best match-up history against the batters coming up, stuff and current streak.

AA please do not trade for Papelbon, the guy is a complete waste of money.

Soriano is only worth looking into if he comes cheap and it means we're sending Osuna back down and stretching him back out to be a starter for the future.

[Axeman33]

Experience should be completely irrelevant when we're talking about who should be closing out games. "Closer experience" is a joke. You should pitch the guy who has the best match-up history against the batters coming up, stuff and current streak.

AA please do not trade for Papelbon, the guy is a complete waste of money.

Soriano is only worth looking into if he comes cheap and it means we're sending Osuna back down and stretching him back out to be a starter for the future.

I don't think closer experience is a joke at all. It takes a certain type of pitcher to be a quality closer. Not everyone has the makeup. It's like being a goalie in hockey. Some people simply don't deal with the pressure that well.

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Experience should be completely irrelevant when we're talking about who should be closing out games. "Closer experience" is a joke. You should pitch the guy who has the best match-up history against the batters coming up, stuff and current streak.

AA please do not trade for Papelbon, the guy is a complete waste of money.

Soriano is only worth looking into if he comes cheap and it means we're sending Osuna back down and stretching him back out to be a starter for the future.

I don't think closer experience is a joke at all. It takes a certain type of pitcher to be a quality closer. Not everyone has the makeup. It's like being a goalie in hockey. Some people simply don't deal with the pressure that well.

[The Black Panther]

The Yankees didn't hit him hard at all. It was the fluke double (on loup)and wildness(1st game closer and in Yankee stadium jitters?) that killed him. I actually blame martin on the passed pall or wild pitch. Otherwise I thght his stuff was pretty good. Guess though he worries me I'll give him benefit of doubt. Let's see how he bounces back. That will be a big indicated.

[TheNugeCooge]

I don't think closer experience is a joke at all. It takes a certain type of pitcher to be a quality closer. Not everyone has the makeup. It's like being a goalie in hockey. Some people simply don't deal with the pressure that well.

I don`t think it`s like being a goalie at all. When you are a pitcher, your job is to go out there and get three outs. If you`re a reliever you get to do it for around one inning. If you`re a starter you are asked to do it for 6 or more innings. The point of the game is irrelevant when it comes to who is capable of being a closer. The seventh inning means just as much to the outcome of a game as the ninth.

[Axeman33]

There's a difference when you are tasked to come into the 9th inning and protect the lead. You are the guy expected to shut it down. Unlike a middle reliever who can afford to give up a run or two because you still have more opportunities for your offense to bail you out.

I am sure if you asked any major league pitcher, he will tell you the hardest outs to get are the last three. You have a special guy for that reason and you can't expect just anyone to go in there and do that job. Some guys just aren't cut out to do it.

Every pitcher is expected to get outs, some just do it better when the game is on the line, and some don't.

[TheNugeCooge]

Good read from Grantland (2013) on the reason why the closer role doesn`t matter...

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/th...of-the-closer/

Key point from the article:

As for the question of how you can tell when a pitcher has the mentality, the simple answer would be, “Because he’s done it before.” Which is fine, to a point. There’s value in having something resembling a reliable commodity, even if relief pitchers can and do turn into pumpkins in a hurry. But there’s a difference between handing Rivera a multiyear deal for being Rivera and handing your closer job to someone like League or Valverde, for little reason other than, “They’ve saved games before.” It’s not that all relief pitchers are fungible. It’s that the game is stuffed with mediocre closers who rode short hot streaks into their jobs and never excelled at them, or were once good but are no longer. Those relievers are fungible — keeping them in high-leverage roles should be assessed and reassessed almost daily, and they can safely be tossed overboard the minute they’re due to make real money.

[Dobber]

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