Who Will Be The 2019 Red Sox Closer?

[a700hitter]

I don't think that Kimbrel will sit out an entire year. If the Red Sox start out with a bullpen by committee and it blows up, I think there is a good chance that DD signs Kimbrel for 1 year.

[mvp 78]

Multiple people.

[dgalehouse]

If he stays clean ( a big if ) , I think Mejia has the best chance for success.

[Station 13]

Barnes start but won't finish out in the role. DD will probably get Kimbrel shortly after the season begins if he is not signed yet.

[a700hitter]

If he stays clean ( a big if ) , I think Mejia has the best chance for success.

I think there is a better chance of Mejia closing than most would think. I suggested to Dewey that we could let Mejia close until he gets busted again and then get Kimbrel mid-season. I was partly kidding.

[Station 13]

If he stays clean ( a big if ) , I think Mejia has the best chance for success.

 

Why? He has not pitch for 3 years. Even then his stats were trash and in the NL.

[dgalehouse]

Why? He has not pitch for 3 years. Even then his stats were trash and in the NL.

 

He had 28 saves for the Mets one year . Of course , that may have been steroid enhanced . I am not a big fan of the guy , but he has the experience and has decent stuff. I am still mystified that we passed on at least a half dozen guys who are better .

[Slasher9]

i'll go with Barnes. his job to lose.

[notin]

I think we’ll have 2 or 3 closers, but Mejia will be the saves leader by season’s end...

[notin]

He had 28 saves for the Mets one year . Of course , that may have been steroid enhanced . I am not a big fan of the guy , but he has the experience and has decent stuff. I am still mystified that we passed on at least a half dozen guys who are better .

 

 

Backup 1b was apparently a bigger need...

[notin]

Why? He has not pitch for 3 years. Even then his stats were trash and in the NL.

 

 

Being in the NL doesn’t make a big difference with closers like it does with starters. If the game is close enough for the closer to be in there, the pitcher is NOT going to be batting...

[vegasbob]

Backup 1b was apparently a bigger need...

 

The Pearce signing at over $6MM was an unusual decision for this team. Regrettably Sam Travis put no pressure on the situation to make a break through. He's now another of the Sox professional AAAA'ers.

I still think that the WS win took huge pressure off DD & Henry to do something to get over the top. This non-decision on signing any closer stems from the pass that the WS win provides, Kimbrel's performance and contract expectations, luxury tax avoidance, and the need to try and sort out Sale, Betts, etc first as far more important pieces.

The closer can come later, say July 30 since the Sox will be in the AL East and WC competition unless the whole starting lineup goes to sleep, which is always a possibility in a post championship season.

[mvp 78]

Sam Travis would be replacement level in AAAA. He hasn’t even learned AAA.

[Bellhorn04]

Brasier was my vote.

[bkzwhitestrican]

What about that Hernandez kid. He looks like he'd be good at the back of a bullpen. And he may not start the year on the roster but if your bullpen sucks like most non-Boston fans foresee then he could be a good option.

[S5Dewey]

I think there is a better chance of Mejia closing than most would think. I suggested to Dewey that we could let Mejia close until he gets busted again and then get Kimbrel mid-season. I was partly kidding.

 

Or may be Feldman will be ready by then.

[Kimmi]

My prediction:

 

Barnes will be the closer early in the season. He may or may not be supplanted by Brewer.

[fxkatt]

I voted "by committee" because I don't think Barnes will work out in the long run, and possibly not in short run either. So, someone will replace him, and then someone may well replace the replacement. And so it goes until, in the end, it will be BP "by committee."

 

I don't see Mejia is this role because I think he will have to take some considerable time proving himself in lesser relief roles.

[Jack Flap]

Your mom.

[S5Dewey]

I voted "by committee" because I don't think Barnes will work out in the long run, and possibly not in short run either. So, someone will replace him, and then someone may well replace the replacement. And so it goes until, in the end, it will be BP "by committee."

 

I don't see Mejia is this role because I think he will have to take some considerable time proving himself in lesser relief roles.

 

IMO Mejia is third in line to be the closer. First is Barnes, whom I think will prove that he's not up to the job. Kimmie's and my dispute over 'clutch' not withstanding, I think Barnes' role will remain as a set-up man because he doesn't have the kajones to be the closer.

 

Next will be Brazier, who will be better than Barnes but less than adequate. I'll admit that I haven't seen him pitch 'live' but once in ST but I don't think he has the stamina to be a full season closer this year.

 

Next up is Mejia and I hate hate hate his PED history and wouldn't be a bit upset if he weren't with the team any more, but as long as he's there I think he has what it takes to be the best closer on the team. I've seen him in person a few times and I like what I'm seeing. There is no doubt in my mind that he's not working on specific pitches. He's trying to get hitters OUT and he's doing it more successfully. AND he has a history of closing.

I know there are some who say that Spring Training doesn't mean anything but I think you'd be hard pressed to convince Mejita, Workman, and some of the other pitchers on the bubble of that.

[SCM33]

I don't think that Kimbrel will sit out an entire year. If the Red Sox start out with a bullpen by committee and it blows up, I think there is a good chance that DD signs Kimbrel for 1 year.

 

Once the season starts, Kimbrel is already 6 weeks behind everyone else. He isn't very sharp to begin with, you sure you want to take your chances a couple months down the road? This season is a lost season for him. There is a chance he doesn't pitch again, because he valued himself so high.....and the value in the eyes of potential suiters is dropping by the day. Does he swallow his pride and take a huge paycut? In his eyes, last year was his huge payday.....and that hasn't worked out for him. You think he comes back at some massively decreased salary?

[SCM33]

My prediction:

 

Barnes will be the closer early in the season. He may or may not be supplanted by Brewer.

 

Barnes will literally s*** his pants on the mound. You will literally see a brown streak down the leg of his pants. He could barely be trusted in a high pressure spot last year.....now he is going to be attempting to close out ALL the high pressure spots? He will s***, piss and puke. He will be begging Cora to go back to the 6th or 7th innings where the pressure isnt nearly as high.

[notin]

Barnes will literally s*** his pants on the mound. You will literally see a brown streak down the leg of his pants. He could barely be trusted in a high pressure spot last year.....now he is going to be attempting to close out ALL the high pressure spots? He will s***, piss and puke. He will be begging Cora to go back to the 6th or 7th innings where the pressure isnt nearly as high.

 

 

He does have a 0.87 career ERA and 1.16 career WHIP in postseason games.

 

Hitters had a .673 OPSA off Barnes in high leverage situations, carried by a crazy high .349 BABIP...

[Slasher9]

He does have a 0.87 career ERA and 1.16 career WHIP in postseason games.

 

Hitters had a .673 OPSA off Barnes in high leverage situations, carried by a crazy high .349 BABIP...

 

that BABIP is wack. not to mention he just came off a pretty f***ing awesome postseason. no reason to be calling him poopy pants at this point and time. i mean, can we at least let him give up a 9th inning basehit before we claim he is going to not only s*** the mound, but also piss and puke it????

[Bellhorn04]

that BABIP is wack. not to mention he just came off a pretty f***ing awesome postseason. no reason to be calling him poopy pants at this point and time. i mean, can we at least let him give up a 9th inning basehit before we claim he is going to not only s*** the mound, but also piss and puke it????

 

Nothing extreme about SCM's takes. He did leave out the drooling, crying, facial tics and dizziness, though.

[mvp 78]

Nothing extreme about SCM's takes.

 

I'm just glad we're years beyond every player having an insufferable derogatory nickname.

[BillyWilliams]

He does have a 0.87 career ERA and 1.16 career WHIP in postseason games.

 

Hitters had a .673 OPSA off Barnes in high leverage situations, carried by a crazy high .349 BABIP...

 

In that whopping 10.1 inning sample size..........

[TylerD]

It's too tough to tell. Basically whoever plays the best and under pressure will get it. I think Barnes has a good shot in my opinion of starting off as the closer. Whether or not he succeeds is a different story...... But if he plays decent I could see him getting the position.

[notin]

In that whopping 10.1 inning sample size..........

 

 

It’s a small sample size, but in his role the majority were in tight games and the results are not indicative of someone who s*** himself.

[notin]

that BABIP is wack. not to mention he just came off a pretty f***ing awesome postseason. no reason to be calling him poopy pants at this point and time. i mean, can we at least let him give up a 9th inning basehit before we claim he is going to not only s*** the mound, but also piss and puke it????

 

 

The BABIP is high, but the point of BABIP is that it’s not completely in control of the pitcher...