Who should close going forward?

[notin]

51 K's. JFC. I didn't really want Gallo anyway. I hope he brings this to next year's Yankees team as well.

 

There is a new metric for Gallo, the K/H. Gallo currently stands at 3.4 K/H...

[mvp 78]

The only redeeming part of Gallo's game is that he has carried a 18.8% bb rate since joining the Yanks. Yanks basically traded for OF Bobby Dalbec from earlier in the year.

[Bellhorn04]

There is a new metric for Gallo, the K/H. Gallo currently stands at 3.4 K/H...

 

And for some perspective on that, Dalbec's 2021 K/H is 1.6, so less than half as bad...

[mvp 78]

And for some perspective on that, Dalbec's 2021 K/H is 1.6, so less than half as bad...

 

The better metric would be K/(H+BB)

 

Gallo 1.275

Dalbec 1.265

[TylerD]

Without him setting up, we'll have no closing situations.

 

This!!

 

Whitlock is our special weapon

 

Ottavino is doing a fine job.

[notin]

The better metric would be K/(H+BB)

 

Gallo 1.275

Dalbec 1.265

 

That’s actually a very useful metric. Well done…

[Hugh2]

I wouldn't rule out Barnes back in the spot at some point. He was good for so long this season and it really feels that he's just tired and overworked.

[a700hitter]

I wouldn't rule out Barnes back in the spot at some point. He was good for so long this season and it really feels that he's just tired and overworked.

Cora would have to be very careful about how he works Barnes back into high leverage save situations. I don’t think success could be expected just by throwing him in in a big spot after being in dry dock for a period of time.

[mvp 78]

Cora would have to be very careful about how he works Barnes back into high leverage save situations. I don’t think success could be expected just by throwing him in in a big spot after being in dry dock for a period of time.

 

The most I'd give him would be an 8th inning stint after he straightens himself out. It's 9/2 and he's out on COVID. The season is going to rapidly come to its conclusion. I'm not sure there's enough time to get Barnes back to a closer position.

[notin]

The most I'd give him would be an 8th inning stint after he straightens himself out. It's 9/2 and he's out on COVID. The season is going to rapidly come to its conclusion. I'm not sure there's enough time to get Barnes back to a closer position.

 

I suppose there is the possibility that he’d been pitching with COVID the last 4 weeks?

[illinoisredsox]

I suppose there is the possibility that he’d been pitching with COVID the last 4 weeks?

 

I doubt it; these guys are tested pretty regularly.

[mvp 78]

I doubt it; these guys are tested pretty regularly.

 

There also is a window for when you can test positive. If he was positive back on 8/7 and 8/8 when he had back to back losses, he'd probably have a negative test now.

[notin]

I doubt it; these guys are tested pretty regularly.

 

 

I don’t suppose anyone knows how regularly…

[mvp 78]

I don’t suppose anyone knows how regularly…

 

Frequent PCR testing will be administered by the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory on saliva samples collected via the Spectrum Solutions SDNA-100 saliva collection kits. Players and other on-field personnel will continue be tested at least every other day throughout Spring Training, the 2021 Championship Season, and (as applicable) the postseason. Daily symptom screens and temperature checks will be recorded at least twice daily. As a supplement to routine Monitoring Testing, accurate and reliable point-of-care testing will also be available to all Clubs at home and on the road.

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/health-and-safety-protocols-for-2021-mlb-season

[notin]

Frequent PCR testing will be administered by the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory on saliva samples collected via the Spectrum Solutions SDNA-100 saliva collection kits. Players and other on-field personnel will continue be tested at least every other day throughout Spring Training, the 2021 Championship Season, and (as applicable) the postseason. Daily symptom screens and temperature checks will be recorded at least twice daily. As a supplement to routine Monitoring Testing, accurate and reliable point-of-care testing will also be available to all Clubs at home and on the road.

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/health-and-safety-protocols-for-2021-mlb-season

 

Maybe Barnes was cheating by using someone else’s saliva?

[mvp 78]

Maybe Barnes was cheating by using someone else’s saliva?

 

Isn't it a nasal swab?

[notin]

Isn't it a nasal swab?

 

 

That makes it a heckuva lot tougher to prepack his nose with someone else’s clean boogers…

[mvp 78]

That makes it a heckuva lot tougher to prepack his nose with someone else’s clean boogers…

 

I applaud the effort.

[mvp 78]

Uh RICHARDS

[notin]

Uh RICHARDS

 

Or Valdez…

[a700hitter]

It’s Ottavino. Plain and simple. If he starts sucking , we will talk then

 

Until then…. IT’S OTTAVINO. End of discussion. This isn’t even debatable.

Is this discussion still over?

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Is this discussion still over?

 

No, Adam doesn't ruin everything. It was all NESN's fault. Franmill had just fouled off two outside fastballs and had a full count with two outs in the 9th. There was no way he was taking the last pitch, unless you bowled it. Another fastball even higher would've ended the game with a pop-up or strikeout. And then... NESN flashed a graphic that Ottavino was the best Red Sox pitcher since 1945 to go a whole season without allowing a home run. I just shook my head... apparently, Vazquez did, too, and was compelled to call for a hanging slider... because, you know, when a batter can't quite catch up to your gas, then you throw the next pitch slower so he can time it.

[notin]

No, Adam doesn't ruin everything. It was all NESN's fault. Franmill had just fouled off two outside fastballs and had a full count with two outs in the 9th. There was no way he was taking the last pitch, unless you bowled it. Another fastball even higher would've ended the game with a pop-up or strikeout. And then... NESN flashed a graphic that Ottavino was the best Red Sox pitcher since 1945 to go a whole season without allowing a home run. I just shook my head... apparently, Vazquez did, too, and was compelled to call for a hanging slider... because, you know, when a batter can't quite catch up to your gas, then you throw the next pitch slower so he can time it.

 

His fastball was all over the place. Even with Lavarnway on deck, you want to end the game there.

 

In his previous 8 games, Ottavino had been getting the job done, albeit not very effectively. 8 G 7.1 IP 8K 6BB 0.00 ERA. 3 saves and 2 holds and a win.

 

Maybe he is another one where using him on back-to-back days at this point in the season is not advisable...

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

His fastball was all over the place. Even with Lavarnway on deck, you want to end the game there.

 

In his previous 8 games, Ottavino had been getting the job done, albeit not very effectively. 8 G 7.1 IP 8K 6BB 0.00 ERA. 3 saves and 2 holds and a win.

 

Maybe he is another one where using him on back-to-back days at this point in the season is not advisable...

 

Yup, first thing I thought, too, when he came in. The question may be, who -- if anyone -- is just as effective the second day in a row? Closers all throw as hard as they can -- except Valdez on last-place Baltimore; human muscle tissue just needs time to heal and rebuild. This is one of the reasons teams need to carry 14-man staffs.

[dgalehouse]

The problem is that there is a lot of mediocrity in the bullpen. Now , any jabroni can get the job done on any given day , but you really need a closer that can be counted on the vast majority of the time. Barnes has shown that ,when right , he can do it. You want to get him healthy and confident for the stretch run. That is not a sure thing , but it is the best bet right now. Don't get carried away every time some guy pitches a scoreless inning or two.

[moonslav59]

The problem is that there is a lot of mediocrity in the bullpen. Now , any jabroni can get the job done on any given day , but you really need a closer that can be counted on the vast majority of the time. Barnes has shown that ,when right , he can do it. You want to get him healthy and confident for the stretch run. That is not a sure thing , but it is the best bet right now. Don't get carried away every time some guy pitches a scoreless inning or two.

 

While true, we haven't really had many classic one inning save opportunities where we are up 1 or 2.

 

We've needed 2-3 inning saves or someone to come into the 9th with a 3 or 4 run lead and not blow it.

[iortiz]

People will still say pitching in the 9th is like pitching in the 7th lol

[moonslav59]

People will still say pitching in the 9th is like pitching in the 7th lol

 

What's harder?

 

Coming into the 7th with bases loaded in a tied game or the 9th up 6 runs?

 

There is always context needed.

 

That being said, it's not easy being "the guy" in the ninth in tight games.

[iortiz]

What's harder?

 

Coming into the 7th with bases loaded in a tied game or the 9th up 6 runs?

 

There is always context needed.

 

That being said, it's not easy being "the guy" in the ninth in tight games.

Open a thread regarding the 7th then.

 

Good luck with that!

[moonslav59]

Open a thread regarding the 7th then.

 

Good luck with that!

 

Right now, I'm writing on a thread about closers, and ours are coming in during the 7th and 8th inning.

 

We hardly have any 9th inning save situations anymore.

 

Our "save men," right now, are 2-3 inning pitchers like Whitlock & Richards.

 

I'd love to have a lights out, one inning closer, right now. They are extremely valuable. I'm not one to believe anyone can do it, so I'm not sure we are in disagreement over this one.