DAMASO MARTE should no doubt be the closer this year, absolutely no questions asked. I cannot remember a time last year when I ever got really disappointed with him. How could you with these stats:

 

W L ERA G GS CG SHO SV SVO IP H R ER HR HBP BB SO

 

4 2 1.58 71 0 0 0 11 18 79.2 50 16 14 3 3 34 87

 

Unless Koch has a huge transformation he's out of the question. Gordan was alright I guess, but he got in trouble a lot, and it seemed that people were always on base. I could see Gordon coming in for a inning or 2 in mid relief, and then Marte for the save. You dont f*** around with a guy who has a 1.58 era...

Yeah, but what role does Krotch bring to us?

DamasOwned.

 

He should be our closer, the guy is a freak.

Yeah, but what role does Krotch bring to us?

Heartache, dissension, second-guessing..... need me to go on?

Based on financial implications, and bullpen roles, I'm pretty sure that you will see Damaso as the setup guy, and Koch as the closer again, barring injuries. Without Marte setting up, we have no bridge to the 9th inning. And face it, if Koch comes back in Spring Training relatively close to 100%, it will be this way. Gordon will almost certainly walk, to the Phillies or another club dumb enough to pay him $5 mill per year for 2 years.

And face it, if Koch comes back in Spring Training relatively close to 100%, it will be this way.

Koch was 100% in '03. He's done. His arm is dead. Millions wasted cause KW wanted to show up Keith Foulke.

Heartache, dissension, second-guessing..... need me to go on?

But Koch is a lot of $$ dude...we need him to produce or nothing will save us in this...it will end up being Boston of '03 IMO...Unless we get Gordo back and a good relief pitcher

Koch as closer. Marte as setup. Wunsch as lefty specialist and occasional inning relief. Sullivan as a middle reliever. Wright as long reliever. Ginter as another middle reliever. Sign Lightenberg as a 7th inning guy.

But Koch is a lot of $$ dude...we need him to produce or nothing will save us in this...it will end up being Boston of '03 IMO...Unless we get Gordo back and a good relief pitcher

Boston in '03, you mean making it to a game 7 of the ALCS. I'll take that.

Best lefthanded mid reliever in BASEBALL? yes.

Best lefthanded mid reliever in BASEBALL? yes.

I do agree as middle reliever, easily best lefty noncloser. Wagner was the best lefty reliever this year. That is only guy I can think of that has showed me more than Dam. Man, I love Dam on this team, he's a stud.

Koch was 100% in '03. He's done. His arm is dead. Millions wasted cause KW wanted to show up Keith Foulke.

Can you prove that Killa? Cuz no one else seems to think he was 100% at all. Like I said, it is my wish that he doesnt pick up a baseball until February. Give him 5 months without putting any pressure on that surgically repaired arm.

But Koch is a lot of $$ dude...we need him to produce or nothing will save us in this...it will end up being Boston of '03 IMO...Unless we get Gordo back and a good relief pitcher

I know what we need and what I expect out of Koch. It just isn't going to happen. Botch is toast and so is his arm. All that money..... wasted.

 

This offseason should be KW's make or break point of his tenure. His three big trades of the past three offseasons have been MONUMENTAL BUSTS..... minor exception Colon and Colon didn't put up his '02 numbers keep in mind. There is no reason to think that KW is going to turn into a MLB Trade Savant overnight.

Can you prove that Killa? Cuz no one else seems to think he was 100% at all. Like I said, it is my wish that he doesnt pick up a baseball until February. Give him 5 months without putting any pressure on that surgically repaired arm.

No more than anyone here can prove that Botch was injured. My opinion is based strictly on speculation, Botch's admission that he wasn't hurt (until his DL stint which was brief), and the Organization's failure to find anything wrong with him through medical testing.

No more than anyone here can prove that Botch was injured. My opinion is based strictly on speculation, Botch's admission that he wasn't hurt (until his DL stint which was brief), and the Organization's failure to find anything wrong with him through medical testing.

KIlla, you are completely wrong about Koch. He was definitely hurt. His feelings were hurt, couldn't you tell?? Medical testing won't detect that, bu I think it was obvious.

KIlla, you are completely wrong about Koch.  He was definitely hurt.  His feelings were hurt, couldn't you tell?? Medical testing won't detect that, bu I think it was obvious.

Botch's feelings being hurt would be about all that I would agree with as far as Botch's "injuries" go Rex

I don't want to use Marte as our closer. That is wasting him, in my opinion. I want him available when we need that BOG out late in a ballgame. If he happens to finish some games from that point and gets a few saves, fine. But do not limit this guy to just a closer's role. He's too good for that.

 

When it comes to Billy Koch, we will just have to wait and see which Koch shows up in Arizona next spring. Unless, of course, he's traded to the Mets. Which, considering Howe is there and the A's pitching coach is probably headed there too, that may be exactly what happens.

I agree with Yasny. If you make Marte the closer, his arm will be dead by mid-July. Plus, we need him at any given time - he's more valuable that way.

 

BTW, Scott Sullivan filed for free agency.

Once again I will say this, Damaso is way to important to save until the 9th inning. There were so many games last year that we would have never gotten to use the closer, if it hadn't have been for Marte. He needs to be out there in the key situations in the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings, to get the game to the closer.

No more than anyone here can prove that Botch was injured. My opinion is based strictly on speculation, Botch's admission that he wasn't hurt (until his DL stint which was brief), and the Organization's failure to find anything wrong with him through medical testing.

Hurt pride isn't detectable

KIlla, you are completely wrong about Koch.  He was definitely hurt.  His feelings were hurt, couldn't you tell?? Medical testing won't detect that, bu I think it was obvious.

Day late and a dollar short again....

DamasOwned.

 

He should be our closer, the guy is a freak.

and to think, some people on WSI made fun of me for suggesting him as the closer when foulke was doing s***ty.

Guy's if it ain't broke don't fix it. I DO NOT want to see Damaso closing games this year. First of all he is left-handed and I think for the most part you want a hard-throwing righty as your closer unless he can throw 100mph like Billy W. Makes me wish our Billy could throw 100mph too

 

Anyways, Damaso has been lights out one of the top 2 or 3 setup men in all of baseball the past couple years and I say don't f*** that up. Find someone else to solve your ninth inning problems because this guy can solve your 7th and 8th innings.

Botch will not return to much form and if he does he'll just be throwing slightly harder dead straight cock shot fastballs. Which means pepto

Guy's if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

Problem is......... It IS broken.....

 

If Gordon signs elsewhere, who is your closer? If Koch bounces back, then problem solved, but there is no guarantee that will happen and no one will know until the season gets going. Damaso may end up closing because it IS broken.