Why can’t Workman be our closer?

[TylerD]

Seriously?? He’s proving to be very good. The hell with Eovaldi. Make it Workman. Open for argument

 

And go.

[Thunder]

I remain an advocate for closer by commitee, (i.e. ride the hot arm)

[TylerD]

I remain an advocate for closer by commitee, (i.e. ride the hot arm)

 

Agreed! Workman is doing well. Keep going with him.

[Bellhorn04]

Looks like he is.

[TylerD]

Looks like he is.

 

Ya I was thinking that before posting. Think he’s the guy!

[Thunder]

He's the one with the s*** ton of wins, right?

[TylerD]

He's the one with the s*** ton of wins, right?

 

Yup! He seems to be getting more and more comfortable in the role. Of course if he blows a save I’m sure everyone will ask for Nathan to close again. But I say keep rolling with him. Eovaldi hasn’t exactly dominated.

[notin]

Why can’t Workman just be a RHRP who gets key outs?

[fxkatt]

We have no closer. So, Cora just plays his hunches according to the situation. Until we settle on one, this current no-closer deal will continue... possibly to the end of the season, if no obvious closer is here by next wed.

[TylerD]

Leave Workman in though. He hasn’t had a ton of time at being a closer. He is giving us saves and looks pretty confident. No reason to change right now other than to keep the promise of Eovaldi closing. Which he hasn’t looked good in 2 of his 3 games. Granted he’s rusty. But Workman is getting the job done for the most part. I say going with him.

[iortiz]

Well.. at least Workman is a better bet than Kimbrel who choked tonight badly.

[a700hitter]

Well.. at least Workman is a better bet than Kimbrel who choked tonight badly.

Kimbrel was a disaster today.

[devildavid]

Because he walks too many batters and throws too many pitches per relief appearance. Workman is not a closer.

[Bellhorn04]

Because he walks too many batters and throws too many pitches per relief appearance. Workman is not a closer.

 

Disagree. He walks too many, but compensates by giving up very few hits.

 

WHIP - 1.028

Batting line against - 109/262/160 (422 OPS)

[dannycater]

When you win games the way the Sox have in this recent stretch of hot offense, does it matter who is the closer? Bottom line, Workman is or has been the team's best reliever this season and will likely be in there in crunch time or 9th innings. I think he already really is the closer.

[moonslav59]

Because he walks too many batters and throws too many pitches per relief appearance. Workman is not a closer.

 

When you only allow just 3.2 hits per 9 and 0.2 HRs per 9, the 6.0 BB/9 is something a good closer can deal with.

[TylerD]

Disagree. He walks too many, but compensates by giving up very few hits.

 

WHIP - 1.028

Batting line against - 109/262/160 (422 OPS)

 

Well said.

 

Kimbrel walked players too. Workman will grow into this role. That’s just an excuse. He’s getting better and better at closing but of course if you keep changing it up in the 9th he isn’t getting the momentum and experience he needs.

[moonslav59]

Throw out Kimbrel's first 3 games and he's at... since:

 

1.38 WHIP (.736 OPS against)

 

3.38 ERA

 

Overall:

 

1.69 WHIP

 

6.75 ERA (8.01 FIP)

 

[Bellhorn04]

Throw out Kimbrel's first 3 games and he's at... since:

 

1.38 WHIP (.736 OPS against)

 

3.38 ERA

 

Overall:

 

1.69 WHIP

 

6.75 ERA (8.01 FIP)

 

 

Last night was an epic meltdown though. He's not the same guy any more.

[moonslav59]

Last night was an epic meltdown though. He's not the same guy any more.

 

...something most of knew last October.

[dannycater]

Kimbrel is what he is...and it's not pretty.

[TylerD]

Kimbrel is what he is...and it's not pretty.

 

He’s getting saves for the Cubs

[Bellhorn04]

He’s getting saves for the Cubs

 

7 saves and 2 big-time blown saves. Last night he went Home Run, Walk, Home Run. Yikes.

[TylerD]

7 saves and 2 big-time blown saves. Last night he went Home Run, Walk, Home Run. Yikes.

 

Oh s*** I didn’t see that. Poor bugger.

[Bellhorn04]

Oh s*** I didn’t see that. Poor bugger.

 

At least you have some sympathy LOL

[TylerD]

At least you have some sympathy LOL

 

Proves my point further that we should stick with Workman even if he has a bad game.

[Fan_since_Boggs]

I like the idea of making Workman the closer while using Eovaldi more as a two inning set up reliever. That means more days off for Eovaldi, but so what.

[devildavid]

When you only allow just 3.2 hits per 9 and 0.2 HRs per 9, the 6.0 BB/9 is something a good closer can deal with.

 

A good closer should not put men on base and run up their pitch count. That is what Kimbrel started doing in 2018. Probably one reason the Sox were willing to let him walk. Kimbrel was a great closer in 2017, when he kept batters off the bases. Top closers do not walk a lot of batters.

[iortiz]

Kimbrel was a disaster today.

 

Yeah... did you see the face of Theo after the HR? LOL!

[Slasher9]

I think eovaldi is our closer?