Koch -- Pros - Has saved 40 games in 3 different seasons -- Cons-Has not performed in a Sox jersey, loss of velocity, no control

 

Shingo -- Pros - Proven to "big game closer" 0.00 ERA in japan WS -- Cons- Hasn't performed this season

 

Marte -- Pros - BAA less than .200 last 2 seasons, low ERA -- Cons- Poor performance with inherited runners, injured? , season opener

 

Politte -- Pros - Has closed before, looked good so far

 

Adkins -- Pros - Has looked good so far, got the win to day cleaning up Koch's mess (IIRC, he was closing games at AAA for a short period last year, Could be wrong here )-- Cons - VERY little ML experience

 

Cotts -- Pros -- Not too many I was just naming guys in the pen

 

Jackson -- Pros - same as above.

 

Wright -- Pros - Would move Cotts to the rotation, proved he's good out of the pen last season, Could really get behind his pitches(ala Gagne/smoltz -- add velocity to his fastball, plus use that nasty hook) Cons -- He's convinced he's a starter, no closing experience

marte, give him his job back, it's his to lose now.

Has the franchise talked about Wright going to close spot.

For the time being, I am going to continue to say Koch.

Damaso

Has the franchise talked about Wright going to close spot.

Maybe in the future, but very doubtful for this season.

I went with Danny. I wouldnt mind seeing Cliff though.

Wright is one of the few on that list that have never tried closing a game. In fact he's never even done any relieving besides long relief really. Somebody PLEASE give him a chance!! I think he has closer stuff and a closer mindset. Just watch him in the first 3 innings of any of his starts.

if koch performs it's gotta be him but right now i say by committee. give each of the guys a couple of chances and if one or two gives awesome performances in the closer role decide between or split the closer role between them.

Politte, as he did with Tor and he could do it agin for us.

Politte has been shutting hitters down and his fastball has much more zip than Koch has.

Im willing to give koch 1 more chance

I hated seeing Koch come out yesterday. We're up a lot, give Shingo or somebody else who you aren't going to use as often an inning of work. I have always thought it hurts closers pitching in non-close situations, and while Koch got out of it fine, wouldn't it have been nice if he was completely rested instead of pitching on the second consecutive day today? Maybe he would have had a little better stuff.

 

Keep Koch as closer for now, he hasn't helped us to win much, but he has only contributed to one loss.

Id like to see Politte as our closer.

I've been in wrights camp for Closer since last year... I just think he's got the make-up of a closer -- I know I'm not the only one who sees it -- The comparison between DW and Gagne may seem a bit crazy, but think about it for a second --

 

Check out some of his numbers when Gagne came up as a starter --

 Year Ag Tm  Lg  W   L   G   GS  IP     H    R   ER   HR  BB   SO  HBP  WP  BFP   ERA
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
1999 23 LAD NL   1   1   5   5   30.0   18    8    7   3   15   30   0   1  119  2.10
2000 24 LAD NL   4   6  20  19   101.3  106   62   58  20   60   79   3  4  464  5.15
2001 25 LAD NL   6   7  33  24   151.7  144   90   80  24   46  130  16  3  649  4.75

 

Danny's first three seasons

 Year Ag Tm  Lg  W   L   G   GS   IP     H    R   ER   HR  BB   SO  HBP  WP  BFP   ERA
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
2001 23 CHW AL   5   3  13  12  66.3   78   45   42  12   39   36   2   5   307  5.70
2002 24 CHW AL  14  12  33  33  196.3  200  124  113 32   71  136   6  10   855  5.18
2003 25 CHW AL   1   7  20  15  86.3   91   63   59  16   46   47   3   6   388  6.15

 

Both pitchers were wild with high ERA's as starters.... It's true that gagne possesses 4 good "out" pitches, but he only was able to command them, and set them up properly with the added velocity he got from going shorter stints out of the pen.

 

If Danny can just throw the ball at 95 and snap and locate that hook, he would be dominant... in DW's first start, he was throwing his fastball in the low 90's. I've seen him throw in 95 range, so that wouldn't be a stretch to expect that type of speed out of him.. If he was able to add a couple more MPH and hit 97, plus locate that hook, he'd save 45 games for us. I doubt we'd see it this year, but I see tons of potential in DW.

MARTE PARTAY!!!

 

Please put Marte in as closer and dump Billy Botch before he can do some more damage!

Marte is head and shoulders above all the rest. Pollite sucked ass last year, Koch sucks for evermore, Shingo throws as hard as I do, Adkins, Cotts, Jackson I'd rather be dead.

Wright is one of the few on that list that have never tried closing a game.  In fact he's never even done any relieving besides long relief really.  Somebody PLEASE give him a chance!!  I think he has closer stuff and a closer mindset.  Just watch him in the first 3 innings of any of his starts.

If someone wants to give him a chance sometime in the future, fine. But as for now, a closer needs to do "just that".........CLOSE!!! Wright's inconsistency with control has not earned him that spot. The last thing you want a closer to do is walk someone and get jacked. Wright's history so far has enabled him to get in trouble in both of these areas quite frequently.

If he can't handle the pressure of being a starter, a closer only brings more pressure, which he has proved that he is not quite ready for more of.

Politte has been shutting hitters down and his fastball has much more zip than Koch has.

I agree! Regardless of his past history, THIS YEAR so far he has shown some "Giddy-up" on his fastball, and location has been good. For now, I'll stick with Koch, but if need be, I think Politte's next in line for the chance. He has the experience there as well. Marte is great, but I also believe that he is the best set-up man in baseball.

Koch for now....I'd like to see Danny do it in the future.

I voted closer by committee, although Koch deserves another shot for the time being.

 

Politte was awful in TOR and even made the comment this season that it requires a completely different mindset to close out games as opposed to being a set up man. I think Cliff was pretty much saying that he doesn't possess that mindset.

 

Damaso is weak with runners on base and also blew several games himself last season. I think he'd be a good component of a closer by committee scenario, but he proved last season that he can't handle the load alone.

 

DW, it'd be worth a shot, and again he'd fit into a closer by committee deal once he's moved out of the rotation and Cottsy is moved in.

 

Adkins has good stuff and would actually be worth a look as well.

Koch for now....I'd like to see Danny do it in the future.

I told you at the beginning that Botch would have more blown saves than actual saves. So far I am being vindicated. How much damage does he have to do before he grabs some bench?

It's gotta be closer by committee.

Oz has no choice.

Koch no longer can be considered the old Koch.

He's the Koch of last year and this year.

He's not reliable.

 

It's gotta be Marte, Cliff and Koch by committee.

How can it be otherwise?

That was ridiculous today. Thank God Oz got him out

of there before the Royals scored even more.

 

I don't hate Koch, it's just sad that he is no good.

I told you at the beginning that Botch would have more blown saves than actual saves.  So far I am being vindicated.  How much damage does he have to do before he grabs some bench?

I do have to admit today's the first time I've wavered.....I DO think that if he f***s up again anytime soon.....it's gotta be someone new.

I would say Pollite cause he's consistant especially in one or two innings (not three) and he has a + fastball and a + slider. Wright would be my second option..