Jim Johnson Today, 2013

[Three Run Homer]

I think you are wrong. We will see. No other closer on the roster. Buck loves him. This organization doesn't mind one year deals.

You may be right that this is what the Orioles WILL do.

But it is not what the Orioles SHOULD do.

[Three Run Homer]

Aren't they all needed for the loss? If you take any of them away the game is still tied. If you take 2 of the runs Chen gave up we may have won.

Did Chen throw the damn ball into CF and then throw a wild pitch? At least Chen gave up his runs honestly, by making some bad pitches and getting hit (combined with bad luck on Soriano's bloop double). JJ handed the Yankees the winning run on a silver platter by making a comically bad throw and a wild pitch. And he did it minutes after Danny Valencia had single handedly brought the O's back from the dead.

And Chen at least lasted 6 innings. JJ didn't do a damn thing right.

[SteveA]

JJ Still leads the league in saves. Someone will have him as their closer next year if he is released by us. I would sign him, and get a backup plan, then maybe look at dealing him later if the situation presents itself.

The problem is, if you sign him for what he's going to get, you are paying him so much that you are kind of locked in to him being your closer. I just don't think we can justify that.

[Barnaby Graves]

His xFIP is practically identical between this year and last. His FIP is worse by about a half of a run. His BABIP is much worse, like 70 points, despite our awesome defense; he's allowing more line drives and fly balls.

tERA is a metric that takes batted balls into account and he's a little under a run worse this year than last. SIERA is another backwards-looking "how-well-did-he-pitch" metric which takes into account these things and shows him to be almost identical to last year. These are just tools, and I am using them to talk about Johnson because I think it's very hard for people to be objective about closers, about how well a guy is actually pitching through the whole year. He certainly blew it today but he hasn't always been garbage and he hasn't always been good in just garbage time.

And I think it is unfair to disregard everything that happens in the first 8 innings, or in the argument that he blew the season, everything else that happens when he wasn't pitching. That is flat out stupid. Hell he could've done a perfect job tonight and the Orioles would've been leading by a whole 0 runs.

But I'm not really one of his supporters either, I did say he should be non-tendered awhile ago.

[notyourbuddy]

Nice guy and he has been one of our more steady bullpen arms this last decade. But, he is not an 8$M man. Not anywhere close.

If the Orioles don't cut him loose after the season then there is something seriously wrong with the way this organization is run.

[mark_beckens]

The job of a pitcher coming out of the bullpen is to not allow a run. It's an un-written rule but is what is expected. If we would ask them' date=' I believe most of them would agree with me. They know their role and accept it. In this case, and many other times this season JJ did not do his job and with that comes responsibility.[/quote']

Expecting anyone to be perfect all the time is moronic!

[mark_beckens]

Did Chen throw the damn ball into CF and then throw a wild pitch? At least Chen gave up his runs honestly, by making some bad pitches and getting hit (combined with bad luck on Soriano's bloop double). JJ handed the Yankees the winning run on a silver platter by making a comically bad throw and a wild pitch. And he did it minutes after Danny Valencia had single handedly brought the O's back from the dead.

And Chen at least lasted 6 innings. JJ didn't do a damn thing right.

So the games we lost earlier in the season when JJ gave up home runs and hits are different because he gave up the runs honestly? Seriously??

[mark_beckens]

Are you a little league coach? ..These are professional players being paid MILLIONS of dollars to perform a job. When individuals are being paid that much they should expect a little blame upon themselves. Jim Johnson deserves blame for numerous losses this year, i'm sorry you can't see that.

I'm not nor have I ever said he doesn't deserve some of the blame. Just not all. Which many of you are and have been placing on him most of the season. I read where he is solely responsible for us not making the playoffs. I didn't even realize we had no chance of making the playoffs yet. Even though I did read the season was over several weeks ago.

[Can_of_corn]

I thankfully was in bed by the time the game ended. This quote from JJ irks me however.

"PFPs (pitcher's fielding practice). The bunt play back to me," Johnson said. "Being aggressive trying to get the lead out. The ball slips and it kind of started the whole inning."

No JJ, Brendan Ryan (512 OPS) getting a base hit started the inning.

[Dipper9]

I thankfully was in bed by the time the game ended. This quote from JJ irks me however.

No JJ, Brendan Ryan (512 OPS) getting a base hit started the inning.

I was at Wednesday's game and got very little sleep that night, so I passed out last night around the 7th when we were down 5-2. I woke up this morning and said to the Mrs. "So I assume we lost right?" She says, "Yeah, but we came back and tied it up, but then JJ blew it." I knew she was joking. It had to be a joke. But what reason would she have to be so mean to me? OMG, she's serious!!!!!

As for Johnson's quote...once, just once, I want one of these guys to say..."I blew it. I ****ed my team over and I blew it." Is that so hard to do?

[Can_of_corn]

I was at Wednesday's game and got very little sleep that night, so I passed out last night around the 7th when we were down 5-2. I woke up this morning and said to the Mrs. "So I assume we lost right?" She says, "Yeah, but we came back and tied it up, but then JJ blew it." I knew she was joking. It had to be a joke. But what reason would she have to be so mean to me? OMG, she's serious!!!!!

As for Johnson's quote...once, just once, I want one of these guys to say..."I blew it. I ****ed my team over and I blew it." Is that so hard to do?

I think Chen has done that a couple of times, or at least his translator has...

[Dipper9]

I think Chen has done that a couple of times, or at least his translator has...

Little known fact. Post game press conference.

Gary Thorne: "Chen, you gave up 2 runs in 6 innings, but lost 2-1. How do you think you pitched?"

Chen in Chinese: "You know Gary. I pitched my ass off and those bums couldn't buy a hit off that AAA rookie making his first start of the year. What a bunch of jerks!"

Translator: "The ball felt good coming out of my hand, but I should have done better. It was my fault. All my fault."

[Ommaculate]

As for Johnson's quote...once, just once, I want one of these guys to say..."I blew it. I ****ed my team over and I blew it." Is that so hard to do?

That's what I posted about Markakis. When he was struggling the most, all he could say in an interview was "It's a game of failure, keep grinding."

Really it's a game of failure. Why can't it be a game of success?

[brooks1083]

That's what I posted about Markakis. When he was struggling the most, all he could say in an interview was "It's a game of failure, keep grinding."

Really it's a game of failure. Why can't it be a game of success?

I think the context of what he was saying was in terms of hitting. This game is about failure 70-75% of the time. I don't think it was probably the best thing to say because if you're thinking about a team, it shouldnt be a game of failure, you should be winning more than you're losing.

[Ommaculate]

I think the context of what he was saying was in terms of hitting. This game is about failure 70-75% of the time. I don't think it was probably the best thing to say because if you're thinking about a team, it shouldnt be a game of failure, you should be winning more than you're losing.

I understand that, but saying the phrase "It's a game of failure" when you are stinking up the joint sounds like you are accepting being lousy. I wanted him to say "I am stinking up the joint! I have to get better". Not just dismiss it as a game of failure.