What The Foulke?

[mosox]

Keith Foulke has now given up home runs in each of his last three 9th inning appearances, two of them are blown saves. I realize pitchers go through down periods, but why now? Most likely Francona will rest him Thursday, but chances are he will be needed in two of the three games this weekend and he needs to turn this around now.

[YanksHater213]

At least we won the games... right?

[stocker323]

I think it could possibly a matter of frustration. On the last 2 home runs there have been questionable calls on the pitch before which would have been strike 3 instead the batters got another chance in which they hit homeruns. Foulke's only had 3 bad pitches if he was walking people all over the place and throwing 85 mph meatballs down the heart of the plate, I would be concerned but he's not, so I think he'll overcome this.

[ahhchon]

honestly, i've never been confortable with foulke. he's not a dominating closer. he's a good closer but not a dominating closer. the only reason he was really brought in was so that we could place willy as setup man and have a very very deep bullpen. sigh, willy, get better faster!

 

john

[elsrbueno]

While I share your frustration with Foulke, it's hard to be pissed at him if the Red Sox still win, which they did the last 2 games....

 

It's hardly something to be ashamed of to give up homeruns to Rafael Palmiero (a hall of famer) and Javy Lopez (a very good hitter, ESPECIALLY offspeed stuff, Foulke's specialty)

 

He also didn't get the calls, which is by NO MEANS an excuse... But could have caused him to throw closer to the strike zone.

 

He's a non-traditional closer (what's his fastball.... 90 MPH tops?), and as I've said before, it concerns me that he blew a game in the playoffs against US last year....

 

If Williamson and Timlin can step up and do what they did last postseason (assuming we get there) our bullpen should be the least of our worries.

[mosox]

Saying they won the last two games, so all is well doesn't cut it. If he does this with a playoff team instead of the Orioles, the Sox would be fortunate to come away with one win. Can it be he doesn't handle pressure well? We all know what Ortiz did to him in Game 4 of the ALDS last year. Does watching Lescanic or Embree pitch in extra innings of a tie game make anyone feel good? Foulke may be getting squeezed by the umps but he also laid some fat pitches to two big home run hitters who jumped all over them. If Foulke comes in to close out a one run lead against Sheffield this weekend, I'm wearing a blindfold.

[Sizzlin22]

Foulke need to snap out of it in time for the post seaosn or we are going to have some problems the people in the postseason they aren't Baltimore and we can't jsut come back like we have the last 2 nights he needs to pull it together and soon. Foulke if you blow a lead aghainst the Yankees god help you.

[ahhchon]

sizzlin- you have such a "be perfect or die" attitude. even dodger fans don't expect gagne to convert a save every chance he gets. they are human, i bet you can't even throw the ball over 50 mph, let alone be able to throw diff pitches and hit strike zones.

 

even though i'm not very confident in foulke i can understand (stated by elsbruno) that he did give up hr's to palmero and lopez, both great hitters.

 

john

[yankeehater]

personally i think foulke is the best closer in the league and every closer has a bad stretch i mean look at rivera he blows games too u guys gotta stop ragging on him and dont say he isnt a good closer like ahhchon said cuz he will snap out of it an hes gonna be big for us down the stretch mark my words.

[CalvnHobs6]

yankeehater- nice punctuation.

 

Foulke has two pitches. As a hitter, they have a 50% chance of guessing right. The only problem is...one of the pitches is a changeup that happens to be among the nastiest in the game. Foulke is no where the best closer in the league (Smoltz, Rivera, Gagne), but he is certainly a quality enough closer to keep in the lineup. Like YH said - every closer has a bad stretch. It just happened to come at a bad time as well.

[yankeehater]

Foulke is no where the best closer in the league (Smoltz, Rivera, Gagne),

 

dude r u serious thats y he won best closer award last year!!

[YanksHater213]

i can name about... a lot of closers ahead of him

 

1) Rivera

2) Gagne

3) Smoltz

4) Hoffman

5) Cordero

6) Wagner

7) Nen (when hes healthy...duh)

8) Isrighausen

 

The list gos on and on

[stocker323]

Gagne won the Cy Young award last year, Foulke didn't. Gagne is definitely a better closer.

[CalvnHobs6]

yankeehater - I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure we were talking about this year...wait...wait... No, I'm right. He won the best closer award for the American League LAST year. You said so yourself. That's why we signed him. He just hasn't been up to par THIS year.

[CalvnHobs6]

Originally posted by stocker323@Sep 23 2004, 06:26 PM

Gagne won the Cy Young award last year, Foulke didn't. Gagne is definitely a better closer.

True, but he was talking about Rolaids relief. I don't really know how that award works. But I agree with you - Gagne is better.

[yankeehater]

i didnt say gagne wasnt better i jus said foulke is probbaly third or fourth best he si definetly better than wagner and hoffman and cordero

[YanksHater213]

Yeszir, Mods, Anyone... can you put spell check on this board, especially for him?

[stocker323]

Wagner has had an off year, but when he is on, he has some of the best stuff I've seen from a closer. I personally don't think Foulke is worse than Cordero as Cordero really hasn't impressed me that much this year and I think he needs to prove himself for at least another year before I'd put him ahead of Foulke.

[yankeehater]

yankshater u need a life cuz if all u can do is make fun of my spelling then y dont u get a life and worry about other things beside my spelling

[CalvnHobs6]

Why don't you try to make some good posts that are easier to read?

[yankeehater]

nah thats alrite

[YanksHater213]

Originally posted by yankeehater@Sep 23 2004, 06:37 PM

yankshater u need a life cuz if all u can do is make fun of my spelling then y dont u get a life and worry about other things beside my spelling

teh speelnig u do piises me of cuz i can hardly fcuking raed it, SPELL RIGHT YOU FRIGGIN MORON, AND THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEMS!

[CalvnHobs6]

I shouldn't be provoking anymore. Anything else that isn't related to Closers/What the Foulke?, please bring it to the Fights section.

[yankeehater]

ok but he started it by giving me crap i ddint do anything

[RedSox24]

stop crying, aww booo boo boo boo he strtd it Calvin it wazn't me awww im 11 yrs old and dont no how 2 type

[RedSox24]

and whoever listed closers better than Foulke, you forgot one, Jorge Julio :harhar:

[YanksHater213]

ehh... Julio isnt better than Foulke... IMO

[yankeehater]

Go away red sox because we arent fighting anymore and none of that stuff amters anymore so SHUT UP U LOSER.

[RedSox24]

Joke man

[RedSox24]

Originally posted by yankeehater@Sep 23 2004, 08:09 PM

Go away red sox because we arent fighting anymore and none of that stuff amters anymore so SHUT UP U LOSER.

not joke to you, i ment joke to YanksHater