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Some are absolutely creatures of habit. Some absolutely want defined roles. But as these are human beings, they simply do not all fall into the same category. Former closer Kent Tekulve was often critical of his usage and said "I should never pitch 3 days in a row but I should never go 3 days without pitching." No mention of inning. No mention of roles or pressure. He apparently just wanted to be out there as often as he felt he could handle. And I would not be surprised if the overwhelming majority has the exact same mindset. They didn't spend their whole lives playing baseball just so they could reach the majors and sit back and wait for situations to arise that suited them...

Ok goody, this argument again. Sure it takes a special mentality to close. Is that any different than the mentality it takes to start or set up or perform middle relief? I do not think pitchers who blow the lead in the 7th inning laugh it off and tell their teammates that they have their work cut out for them. (And contrary to "closer mentality" logic, a blown save is not automatically a loss. Many of them simply tie the score.) If it takes a special mentality to close because the game is on the line, isn't it also on the line for the hitters? After all, iof they fail, their team loses. Doesn't that offset the "closing pressure"? Or if all the pressure is on the closer, then that means there is no pressure on the hitters, and therefore there is no such thing as a clutch hitter. (Oh no!! I went there.) I think any pitcher capable of making the majors has to have a certain mentality, regardless of roles. (Hitters, too.) And pitchers (and hitters) who do not have it struggle to make the majors or struggle to stay there. The minors are littered with mega-talented arms capable of topping 100 mph who never get more than a September call up. Heck, some never get out of A ball. And of these arms, some of them simply lack the mental make up to handle the game at the next level, and that is why they peak where they peak. Rick Ankiel was a prime example, as his mental makeup was so bad, he changed to the outfield and gave up pitching altogether. (I remember once on MLB2N during Ankiel's struggles, Tim Kurjikian made the incredibly prophetic statement "If Ankiel continues to struggle pitching, he can always switch to outfield because he is such a good hitter." Wow. Yes, he really said that.) But the analytic strategy is simple: if your closer is your best reliever - and he usually is - use him against the best hitters. If the 4-5-6 hitters are due up in the 8th, why are you not using your best pitcher? And why are you saving your best for the 7-8-9 hitters in the 9th? The "opener" strategy was based on this logic, because as the game is unfolding, you do not always know who will be due up in the 9th, but you do always know who is due up in the first. So use one of your better if not your best arms then and take away one trip through the lineup for the opposing best hitters...

History has shown that position players are in less demand at the deadline than pitching, which seems obvious. Teams need only one CF or one SS, but they need an entire pitching staff so it gets easier to upgrade. Maybe no one wanted a starting CF at the deadline. (Colorado was clearly OK with getting a backup OF.) The Sox were selling just about anyone, and while they did move Moreland and Pillar, they also dealt several pitchers (Hembreee, Workman. Osich)...

No. That would be the Blackout Rules. And the Luxury Tax in the current CBA is a close second...

My first Sox memories are Harrelson and Ned Martin oing Red Sox games. In 2000, I moved to Chicago, and my first day here I turned on the TV and heard Harrelson doing a White Sox game. It was weird and made me feel oddly at home to hear him despite not having heard his voice in decades. It was like moving to a new state only to find your already knew your new neighbor...

It's not a fair question. Might as well ask, would it have been a favor to trade Jackie to another city farther away from his wife and 4 year old daughter? Teams do not owe it to players to trade them when the team struggles. JBJ knew what he was signing up for, and he signed anyway...

... and to pay him $11 million for it? Do not forget that part...

Wait until they remember what they got in exchange for Omar Vizquel and David Ortiz...

What else could he possibly mean on this baseball forum?

Well, we did not acquire their closer. We sent them ours....

Yes. How much of Marwin's offensice track record was helped out by garbage can thumping? Since leaving Houston, his OPS+ is 87. Munoz' is 98. So yes, Munoz could leap him this year, if you don't think he already has. Now as a switch hitter, Gonzalez does provide a LHH bat for the bench, which some talking heads have called a need for this team. In that regard, as little faith as I have in Marwin, I will concede hit hits left-handed better than Munoz probably would...

Possibly the same info they withheld about Carson Smith? Seattle seems like a lousy team to acquire a closer from...

I'm more OK with Sawamura, dspite his being a compelte mystery to me. At least he was brought in to address pitching. Gonzalez is just a bench bat. Is he really even any better than Yairo Munoz?

Secrets he clearly kept from his nephew Mark Leiter Jr. And you know Mark Jr. completely blew off his dad and went to Uncle Al for that advice. You would have, too. Just like Mike Maddux's kids probably did...

Exactly,. If a player tears his ligament on April 1, he gets put on the 60 day IL. That doesn't mean he will have surgery and be back on he mound on June 1st...

Boy you went anti-Franchy fast...

Maybe. But I still think he wouldn't be seen in a better light than Julio Teheran...

So it’s February 22nd. Jake Odorizzi is still unsigned. He was arguably the second best free agent starting pitcher. His demands are reportedly reasonable and for less late bloomer and off and on closer Liam Hendricks actually received. Yet no one wants Odorizzi? Either he has some medical issues or a seriously toxic personality...

I was saying this just the other day to Dale Berra and Pete Rose Jr...

Payamps is back!! For maybe a week...

It’s February 22nd and you think it’s time to cut the cord? He’s on the COVID list, which means he’s either sick or been exposed. You know? That pandemic thing that was in the news...

Can the Brewers afford to have a Boras client as their fourth OF?

Maybe so. His OPS of .610 seems low, but after 204 PA, even Pedroia only had an OPS of .636. Those first 203 PA are not always representative. Of course, if Oakland thought he might turn into even a fraction of Pedroia, they might not have DFA'd him...

The A's DFA'd CF Dustin Fowler, who should get claimed. Fowler's MLB OPS is only .610, but also only in 203 PA. In AAA, his OPS was .842. If nothing else, he could be a cheap stopgap until Duran...

Or why the Brewers are interested in JBJ, as they have Yelich, Cain and Avisail Garcia already...