Jim Johnson Today, 2013

[MagicBird]

Three of them? Is it about how he should be demoted/released cause he gave up 5 runs and we lost?

To compare Tillman today, to JJ's run of blown saves is not only intellectually dishonest, its ludicrous.

[Ommaculate]

Three of them? Is it about how he should be demoted/released cause he gave up 5 runs and we lost?

Tillman has always been average. He is not exciting to talk about.

[mark_beckens]

To compare Tillman today, to JJ's run of blown saves is not only intellectually dishonest, its ludicrous.

Expecting JJ to be perfect is ludicrous. He's going to give up hits and runs, he's gonna blow saves and lose games. Just like every other pitcher, relief pitcher and closer in the history of MLB!.

[mark_beckens]

Tillman has always been average. He is not exciting to talk about.

Average? So if he's our best SP, does that mean the rest are below average?

And when you say not exciting, you mean beotch, moan and complain about?

[SeaBird]

Expecting JJ to be perfect is ludicrous. He's going to give up hits and runs, he's gonna blow saves and lose games. Just like every other pitcher, relief pitcher and closer in the history of MLB!.

Baloney. He can't even be mediocre much less perfect. Closers with a 2-7 W/L record and 6 blown saves at the half way mark of the season do not tend to remain as "closers" for very long.

Johnson is clearly the worst closer in MLB thus far in the 2013 season: http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/closers

[mark_beckens]

Baloney. He can't even be mediocre much less perfect. Closers with a 2-7 W/L record and 6 blown saves at the half way mark of the season do not tend to remain as "closers" for very long.

Johnson is clearly the worst closer in MLB thus far in the 2013 season: http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/closers

You're right, he's the worst closer leading the league in saves.

[Three Run Homer]

You're right, he's the worst closer leading the league in saves.

He's not clearly the worst, but he leads the majors in blown saves and he's among the worst closers in terms of save percentage and ERA. Am I supposed to take comfort from the fact that Valverde, Bailey and Rodney suck even more than JJ does this season?

[milbest77]

If you really think about it, how many teams really have that one guy who has stuck as closer over the years? There's Rivera, but then who else? Just in the East, Boston, Tor, and TB have all had fluid closer situations the last few years. Rodney has stuck the longest in TB, but will he stick for much longer? Maybe?

Then there are guys like Soriano in Was. but he has bounced around from team to team the last few years. Grilli in Pitt began to be used just this year. I don't think Chapman in Cinci has been closing lately, not sure. The Cubs caught lightning in a bottle with Kevin freakin Gregg of all people. Look at last years WS teams. SF had Romo, who hadn't been closing for long and Det had Valverde, who is out of baseball at the moment (I think).

Bottom line is we are one of a few lucky teams to have a guy who has been effective as closer as long as Johnson. I think the best way to approach this problem is to use the committee approach. Sure, Johnson has struggled of late, but he is still a good pitcher. I am sure there are plenty of teams who would like to have the problem of having a bunch of good bullpen arms and having to figure out how to effectively use them.

I apologize if this thread is poory written, as the Natty Lights are a flowin:)

[WalkingDead]

Best closer in Baseball beside Rivera is Greg Holland. If Holland was on the O's he would have 35 saves right now.

[Tx Oriole]

If you really think about it, how many teams really have that one guy who has stuck as closer over the years? There's Rivera, but then who else? Just in the East, Boston, Tor, and TB have all had fluid closer situations the last few years. Rodney has stuck the longest in TB, but will he stick for much longer? Maybe?

Then there are guys like Soriano in Was. but he has bounced around from team to team the last few years. Grilli in Pitt began to be used just this year. I don't think Chapman in Cinci has been closing lately, not sure. The Cubs caught lightning in a bottle with Kevin freakin Gregg of all people. Look at last years WS teams. SF had Romo, who hadn't been closing for long and Det had Valverde, who is out of baseball at the moment (I think).

Bottom line is we are one of a few lucky teams to have a guy who has been effective as closer as long as Johnson. I think the best way to approach this problem is to use the committee approach. Sure, Johnson has struggled of late, but he is still a good pitcher. I am sure there are plenty of teams who would like to have the problem of having a bunch of good bullpen arms and having to figure out how to effectively use them.

I apologize if this thread is poory written, as the Natty Lights are a flowin:)

Well he didnt lose today's game. I like JJ and hope he can get things straightened

out. If he has any options send him to AAA to see if time down there would help

him. IMO

[mark_beckens]

He's not clearly the worst, but he leads the majors in blown saves and he's among the worst closers in terms of save percentage and ERA. Am I supposed to take comfort from the fact that Valverde, Bailey and Rodney suck even more than JJ does this season?

Trevor Hoffman blew 7 saves 5 times in his career

Mariano Rivera blew 9, 7 and 6 saves

Lee Smith blew 12, 9 twice, 8 three times and 7 twice and 6 4 times in his career

Dennis Eckersley blew 10, 9, 8 twice, 7 and 6 twice in his career

Bruce Sutter blew 14, 12, 10, 9 5 times, 8 and 7 in his career

John Wetteland blew 10, 9 twice, 7 and 6 3 times in his career

Randy Myers blew 8, 7, and 6 4 times in his career.

JJ ran off 35 straight saves, he just had a stretch of 14 scoreless appearances and 12 consecutive saves. He's on pace to have more saves then last year, even with the blown saves.

[Crazysilver03]

Trevor Hoffman blew 7 saves 5 times in his career

Mariano Rivera blew 9, 7 and 6 saves

Lee Smith blew 12, 9 twice, 8 three times and 7 twice and 6 4 times in his career

Dennis Eckersley blew 10, 9, 8 twice, 7 and 6 twice in his career

Bruce Sutter blew 14, 12, 10, 9 5 times, 8 and 7 in his career

John Wetteland blew 10, 9 twice, 7 and 6 3 times in his career

Randy Myers blew 8, 7, and 6 4 times in his career.

JJ ran off 35 straight saves, he just had a stretch of 14 scoreless appearances and 12 consecutive saves. He's on pace to have more saves then last year, even with the blown saves.

So you cite all of these numbers, but how about blown saves by the ASB? Over the course of a whole year, the numbers for Hoffman/Rivera aren't terrible but JJ is at those numbers at the ASB, not at the end of the season.

[Aristotelian]

Best closer in Baseball beside Rivera is Greg Holland. If Holland was on the O's he would have 35 saves right now.

I take your point, but I would take Kimbrel, Chapman, Nathan, Janssen, Jensen...there are a bunch of guys I would take over Holland. That said, if KC was to shop Holland I would definitely be interested.

[NewOwnerNeeded]

If you really think about it, how many teams really have that one guy who has stuck as closer over the years? There's Rivera, but then who else? Just in the East, Boston, Tor, and TB have all had fluid closer situations the last few years. Rodney has stuck the longest in TB, but will he stick for much longer? Maybe?

Then there are guys like Soriano in Was. but he has bounced around from team to team the last few years. Grilli in Pitt began to be used just this year. I don't think Chapman in Cinci has been closing lately, not sure. The Cubs caught lightning in a bottle with Kevin freakin Gregg of all people. Look at last years WS teams. SF had Romo, who hadn't been closing for long and Det had Valverde, who is out of baseball at the moment (I think).

Bottom line is we are one of a few lucky teams to have a guy who has been effective as closer as long as Johnson. I think the best way to approach this problem is to use the committee approach. Sure, Johnson has struggled of late, but he is still a good pitcher. I am sure there are plenty of teams who would like to have the problem of having a bunch of good bullpen arms and having to figure out how to effectively use them.

I apologize if this thread is poory written, as the Natty Lights are a flowin:)

Well, Johnson has been a closer for 1 1/2 seasons. He was great last season, and not so great this season. So I'm not sure what you mean by saying we were lucky he's been so good so long. I would say that most closers only have one or two good seasons, then you move them on or bring up the next guy. Only Rivera and Trevor Hoffman (and you could thrown in Billy Wagner as well) in the steroid/post steroid era had any lengthy success as a closer. You always have guys come out of nowhere to put up monster save numbers for a year or two. Then you never hear from them again or they bounce to some other team. Your post is a good argument for moving on to someone else.

[mark_beckens]

So you cite all of these numbers, but how about blown saves by the ASB? Over the course of a whole year, the numbers for Hoffman/Rivera aren't terrible but JJ is at those numbers at the ASB, not at the end of the season.

How many saves he have last year without a blowing one? He can't do it again? So if he ends the season with 7 or 8 then what? You all gonna say you were wrong? Highly doubt it. It's the chicken little, no patience, no comprehension of slumps and hot streaks that just frustrates the chit outta me here. Obviously most of you never played the game at a high enough level to understand how difficult it is. Some times I wonder why I even bother.