I was looking over Jenks stats and wanted to see how he compared to other Closers.

 

Then I got to Papelbon. I knew the guy was having a good season, but not this good.

 

In 35.2 IP, he has let up 1 run, walked 4, and allowed 19 hits with 35 Ks. His ERA is 0.25 and his WHIP is 0.64. He also has not allowed a HR, has only 1 Blown Save (which the Sawks won), and 1 Loss (the game where he allowed the one run).

 

Does anyone remember any Closer being this dominant for this length of time?

He'd be right up there for the AL Cy Young reckoning as well.

 

Also, his next scoreless inning of relief won't lower is ERA. It'll take it from 0.252 to 0.245.

Yeah,

He is in the lead according to the ESPN Cy Predictor:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/features/cy

 

Jenks in 5th, Contreras in 8th.

I was looking over Jenks stats and wanted to see how he compared to other Closers.

 

Then I got to Papelbon. I knew the guy was having a good season, but not this good.

 

In 35.2 IP, he has let up 1 run, walked 4, and allowed 19 hits with 35 Ks. His ERA is 0.25 and his WHIP is 0.64. He also has not allowed a HR, has only 1 Blown Save (which the Sawks won), and 1 Loss (the game where he allowed the one run).

 

Does anyone remember any Closer being this dominant for this length of time?

 

Dustin Hermanson last year? He was pretty awesome to start the year off...

I've never seen anything remotely like what Papelbon is doing as a rookie, and maybe not from anybody. They wanted to put him in the rotation, but he's so damn good as a closer that even if he's a GOOD starter, he's more valuable as a closer. His only "blown save" came when he came into a game with 1st and 3rd 2 outs in the top of the 8th up 1, and gave up a bloop single (inherited runner scores) before getting out of it, and getting a win when Boston scored in the bottom of the 8th anyways.

Yeah, i don't think Papelbon will ever see the starting roation again. He has made comments that if he were to close games for the rest of his career he would be happy with that. I don't think if he went into the rotation and then tried to close games again he would pull a Danny Graves, but why ruin a good thing, esp since elite closers are rare.

Yeah, i don't think Papelbon will ever see the starting roation again. He has made comments that if he were to close games for the rest of his career he would be happy with that. I don't think if he went into the rotation and then tried to close games again he would pull a Danny Graves, but why ruin a good thing, esp since elite closers are rare.

Well, I understand the desire to keep him in the Closer's spot, but right now, I think if the BoSox had another option at the back of their bullpen, Papelbon would be in their rotation. Their bullpen has been all right, but the thing that is really killing them is their starting rotation. They have no idea about Wells and Clement, who have both been ineffective, Beckett has been disappointing, they have another rookie, Lester, in their 4th starter spot, and their rotation as a whole has an ERA of 5.

 

If Papelbon could give them a starter with an ERA of under 3.5, which he probably could right now, then they'd probably put him there, just to get him throwing as many innings for them as they can. Problem is, if they put him into the rotation, they go back to that disasterous end of the bullpen situation that cost them in 03.

FWIW, their future plan is Papelbon in the rotation and Craig Hanson as the closer (pretty sure I saw that in a Sports Illustrated blurb).

Does anyone remember any Closer being this dominant for this length of time?

 

Eric Gagne in 2003 comes to mind

SEASON TEAM G GS CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB SO W L SV HLD BLSV ERA

2003 LA 77 0 0 0 82.1 37 12 11 2 20 137 2 3 55 0 0 1.20

Eric Gagne in 2003 comes to mind

SEASON TEAM G GS CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB SO W L SV HLD BLSV ERA

2003 LA 77 0 0 0 82.1 37 12 11 2 20 137 2 3 55 0 0 1.20

 

That was the year he won the Cy Young and dominated the voting.

He's been video game good.

Didn't Jeff Zimmerman start out the season almost completely unhittable his rookie season for Texas in 1999. IIRC he had a 0.50 at the allstar break or there abouts...

Papelbon could very well be in the starters role next season, depending on how well Hansen and Delcarmen grow in the next year.

 

As for this year, he'll remain in the closers role, and someone will be acquired if Clement and Wells cannot be relied upon; rumor last week had Jeff Weaver coming to Boston.

 

With Snow being DFA'd, and Texiera not performing to his abilities, perhaps a Snow for Weaver and cash trade would work.

With Snow being DFA'd, and Texiera not performing to his abilities, perhaps a Snow for Weaver and cash trade would work.

If the Angels were giving up Weaver for a backup, I don't see why they'd send along any cash. It's not exactly like the Angels need another 1st baseman, they have like 3 guys who have had playing time there already this season, all of whom are young.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jun 19, 2006 -> 06:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the Angels were giving up Weaver for a backup, I don't see why they'd send along any cash. It's not exactly like the Angels need another 1st baseman, they have like 3 guys who have had playing time there already this season, all of whom are young.

Weaver has been horrid this season, he's making so much money that Snow's salary doesn't even take a bite out of it. Cash is going to be included regardless of who the Angels acquire, atleast some.

 

Quinnlan, Kotchman, Morales. They all aren't cutting it. Just a thought.

 

And for the record, I didnt mean Texiera, even though he's not performing too well either this season.

Weaver has been horrid this season, he's making so much money that Snow's salary doesn't even take a bite out of it. Cash is going to be included regardless of who the Angels acquire, atleast some.

 

Quinnlan, Kotchman, Morales. They all aren't cutting it. Just a thought.

 

And for the record, I didnt mean Texiera, even though he's not performing too well either this season.

Cash is only going to be included if the Angels acquire something of value in return. J.T. Snow is not something of value. And while Kotchman, Morales, and McPherson aren't cutting it yet, they're all damn young, and may well be good someday, which is why they're getting playing time now.

With Snow being DFA'd, and Texiera not performing to his abilities, perhaps a Snow for Weaver and cash trade would work.

 

The Red Sox aren't going to get anything for J T Snow, GMAFB. He'd have been gone a while ago if they could.

QUOTE(Big Hurtin @ Jun 19, 2006 -> 10:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Red Sox aren't going to get anything for J T Snow, GMAFB. He'd have been gone a while ago if they could.

Hey man, they were able to get a dominating AAA player for David Riske.

 

:rolly

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Jun 19, 2006 -> 11:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey man, they were able to get a dominating AAA player for David Riske.

 

:rolly

Even though Lopez has performed well, if you were around for that other thread, you'd know that I voiced my opinion of how horrible the deal infact was.

 

Get real.

QUOTE(redandwhite @ Jun 20, 2006 -> 01:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Even though Lopez has performed well, if you were around for that other thread, you'd know that I voiced my opinion of how horrible the deal infact was.

 

Get real.

Well I've been in Cincy all weekend, and I my post wasn't intending to put words in your mouth.

 

Not every post of the Red Sox or their fans is directed towards or about you.

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Jun 20, 2006 -> 06:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well I've been in Cincy all weekend, and I my post wasn't intending to put words in your mouth.

 

Not every post of the Red Sox or their fans is directed towards or about you.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

What's funny is that any other year we might be talking about B.J. Ryan's performance.

 

33.2 IP, 1 win, 17 saves, 0.53 ERA, 0.62 WHIP, 41 K's.

How soon we forget Hermanson's 0.00 ERA last year.

How soon we forget Hermanson's 0.00 ERA last year.

 

Or his 0.00 this year as well

Does anyone remember any Closer being this dominant for this length of time?

 

YES. Dennis Eckersley was UNHITTABLE for a 2 year stretch once. Most recent has to easily be Dodgers closer Gagne. That guy had a consecutive saves streak going for quite some time, and was also LIGHTS OUT for a 2 or 3 year stretch I remember. Gagne did pitch in the 03 AllStar Game here, and got the blown save, and finally started to show he was human.