Time for a new closer, Johnson's time has come

[Can_of_corn]

I don't think it's possible to dramatically lower the number of batters you have to face each game. Sandy Koufax averaged over 31 batters faced per game his last year, and he was pitching like an inner circle HOFer in an extreme pitcher's environment. There's no way you'd face less than 34, 35 batters a game.

I think that going from 38 to 34 when the minimum is 27 would be pretty dramatic.

I do understand this is theory and that changes would have to be made in the actual execution. I do think it has the potential to be a source of substantial savings for a team.

[DrungoHazewood]

I think that going from 38 to 34 when the minimum is 27 would be pretty dramatic.

I do understand this is theory and that changes would have to be made in the actual execution. I do think it has the potential to be a source of substantial savings for a team.

I thought about this a bit more... Koufax recorded 23.6 outs per game his last year. That's almost seven baserunners, and that's three and a half outs left for relievers. So in Koufax' starts the Dodgers had to have faced about 34 or 35 batters. I think in your setup a best case is cutting maybe 2-3 batters a game off what the O's do right now. 34 or 35 batters faced is near an absolute floor.

A team-wide cut of one batter per nine has to be pretty huge.

[Roll Tide]

Oday was/is better than Johnson anyway. I think he should get the nod from this point forth, with Matusz being another (distant) option.

This could possibly be the worst thread post ever!

[Loophole]

Time for a new closer, Johnson should only be used when we're tied in the 10th inning.