What.. the.. Buck..

[Moose Milligan]

So for all the "resonable", "rationale" posters who think they're making legitimate criticisms of Buck and JJ tell me this:

You do realize that JJ, since the blown save in Tor. May 26, has pitch 29.2 innings and allowed 6 ERs. For all you math majors that's an ERA below 2, and that's including tonight.

Would we really have won MORE games by replacing him with guys pitching worse than him???

HMMMMMMMM??????

Or is this yet another throw a hissy fit thread after a tough loss??

I actually don't really have problems with the various hissy fits thrown on this board except when they attempt to use their own facts (and when I'm pissed too after a tough loss).

Like I said, carry on with your pitchforks.

K, well when's enough to make a change? How many blown saves would it take for you to say that we should look at someone other than JJ to be the closer? I don't give a flying F about his ERA when he's not slamming the door on games. If ERA was the only thing that mattered and if ERA somehow closed a game, then I'd probably agree with you here. You automatically assuming that guys would have been pitching worse than him in that role is exactly that...an assumption.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if JJ doesn't blow 3 of these saves, we're in the lead for the 2nd wildcard spot aren't we?

[Pickles]

K, well when's enough to make a change? How many blown saves would it take for you to say that we should look at someone other than JJ to be the closer? I don't give a flying F about his ERA when he's not slamming the door on games. If ERA was the only thing that mattered and if ERA somehow closed a game, then I'd probably agree with you here. You automatically assuming that guys would have been pitching worse than him in that role is exactly that...an assumption.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if JJ doesn't blow 3 of these saves, we're in the lead for the 2nd wildcard spot aren't we?

Here's a reality check: JJ isn't blowing many saves since May 26th. In addition to that ERA under 2 he's blown 3 saves in almost over 2 and a half months.

So you want to denigrate my "assumption", which is that the guys who likely would have replaced JJ- O'day and Hunter- would have pitched the same in the closer's role as out of it, which is worst than JJ has pitched to the last two months and a half, and what- doubly assume- that their performance would have increased in the closer's role?

Yes, JJ has blown some saves. And yes we're tantalizingly close to the last playoff spot.

But JJ, other than that rough stretch towards the end of May, has pitched much as he always has this season, which is very well. And- heaven forbid- he has also blown some saves like every other closer on Earth.

[Moose Milligan]

Here's a reality check: JJ isn't blowing many saves since May 26th. In addition to that ERA under 2 he's blown 3 saves in almost over 2 and a half months.

So you want to denigrate my "assumption", which is that the guys who likely would have replaced JJ- O'day and Hunter- would have pitched the same in the closer's role as out of it, which is worst than JJ has pitched to the last two months and a half, and what- doubly assume- that their performance would have increased in the closer's role?

Yes, JJ has blown some saves. And yes we're tantalizingly close to the last playoff spot.

But JJ, other than that rough stretch towards the end of May, has pitched much as he always has this season, which is very well. And- heaven forbid- he has also blown some saves like every other closer on Earth.

K, so how many blown saves does JJ have on the whole season? And are you satisfied with that total?

[Pickles]

K, so how many blown saves does JJ have on the whole season? And are you satisfied with that total?

I wish he had no blown saves.

He's pitching much like he always had.

Were you satisfied with it last year?

[joedogg9999]

Im not sure who is more responsible for the team missing the playoffs this year, jim johnson ir buck for leavinf jim johnson in there

[Moose Milligan]

I wish he had no blown saves.

He's pitching much like he always had.

Were you satisfied with it last year?

Did JJ lead the majors in blown saves last year? Cause he is this year. According to you, I should be grateful.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/4494/jim-johnson

[Pickles]

Did JJ lead the majors in blown saves last year? Cause he is this year. According to you, I should be grateful.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/4494/jim-johnson

Did I ever use the word grateful? I would reserve that for something besides a ballplayer's performance.

What I'm saying is JJ, minus one terrible week in over 2 and a half months ago, largely as he did last year.

Those are undeniable FACTS. He has also pitched better in that same time frame than those people are so quick to replace him with. Again, undeniable FACTS.

Replacing JJ as closer won't stop blown saves. And nobody has even shown that it would result in LESS blown saves.

[callahan09]

I haven't given up on JJ and I don't blame Buck for any of this. The way JJ pitches in the role, he could easily go on a one month tear without blowing any saves - maybe not even giving up a single run. He does this all the time. Prolonged stretches of getting it done intermingled with shorter stretches of miserable failure. How do you predict which JJ you're going to get? I don't know if you can. Most of the time he gets it done, but then every now and again he breaks your heart a few games in a short span. I am frustrated we don't have more consistency from him and when two games in a row like this happen it absolutely sucks. But if anyone is to blame it is JJ for each individual failure. How is Buck supposed to know that his typically dependable closer is going to turn in one of his atypical stinkers on any given night?

[333WCamden]

Is anyone besides Buck comfortable with JJ coming in to close a one run game?

I know Gonzales and Tillman aren't.

[Dipper9]

6 hits and 3 R, that's not an offense getting the job done. One more R and JJ gets save 40. Yeah he sucked tonight, but so did everybody not named Davis, Hardy, and Roberts.

This is just utter BS and I'll call you AND Buck out on it.

The offense cannot score 10 runs every game. The other team has a good pitcher too. Yet we went into the 9th with the lead, with the chance to win, and JJ once again couldn't get the job done! Sometimes you gotta win close, low scoring games. If Buck doesn't get this, or thinks we need to score 6 runs or more to win, then I really have to question where his head's at?

More likely, he knows that JJ isn't getting the job done, and he and the coaches are having discussions about what to do. The fact that he doesn't destroy JJ in these press conferences should not cause us stress.

[Dipper9]

Here's a reality check: JJ isn't blowing many saves since May 26th. In addition to that ERA under 2 he's blown 3 saves in almost over 2 and a half months.

So you want to denigrate my "assumption", which is that the guys who likely would have replaced JJ- O'day and Hunter- would have pitched the same in the closer's role as out of it, which is worst than JJ has pitched to the last two months and a half, and what- doubly assume- that their performance would have increased in the closer's role?

Yes, JJ has blown some saves. And yes we're tantalizingly close to the last playoff spot.

But JJ, other than that rough stretch towards the end of May, has pitched much as he always has this season, which is very well. And- heaven forbid- he has also blown some saves like every other closer on Earth.

There is a reason the Yankees made the playoffs for like a bazillion straight years, and his name is Mariano Rivera. The Yankees did not lose when they had a lead in the 9th. I don't expect JJ to be Mariano, but if he blows only 5 of the 8 or 9 he's blown, we are leading the wild car right now.

[SeaBird]

Showalter's post game comments are simply predictable which I have been saying since day 1.

"I'm proud of our guys......Sometimes you have to take off your hat to the other guys......Blah, blah, blah"

Last night he took no accountability and chose instead to throw the offense under the bus instead of his closer and praised the defense:

“We move on. We didn’t do much offensively. We had a couple home runs but we didn’t do a lot. They’ve been pitching us well. We were hoping it could stand up.”

“Unfortunately we live in that world where everything gets thrown out that went well when you lose, and a lot of things you didn’t do well get thrown out when you win. We know at the end of the day what the judgment is, and that’s winning and losing games. You can constantly look half empty or half full and with this group I’ll look half full.”

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-diamondbacks-beat-orioles-with-another-walkoff-homer-after-johnson-blows-save-20130813,0,950488.story#ixzz2bwcA1ZtS

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-diamondbacks-beat-orioles-with-another-walkoff-homer-after-johnson-blows-save-20130813,0,950488.story#ixzz2bwbZf3GH

[Pickles]

There is a reason the Yankees made the playoffs for like a bazillion straight years, and his name is Mariano Rivera. The Yankees did not lose when they had a lead in the 9th. I don't expect JJ to be Mariano, but if he blows only 5 of the 8 or 9 he's blown, we are leading the wild car right now.

So, first of all, any comparison to Mariano Rivera is utterly unfair.

Secondly, you do realize they made the playoffs last year w/o Rivera, and will likely miss them this year with him, right?

It's almost like closer isn't the only position on the team.

[Dipper9]

Did I ever use the word grateful? I would reserve that for something besides a ballplayer's performance.

What I'm saying is JJ, minus one terrible week in over 2 and a half months ago, largely as he did last year.

Those are undeniable FACTS. He has also pitched better in that same time frame than those people are so quick to replace him with. Again, undeniable FACTS.

Replacing JJ as closer won't stop blown saves. And nobody has even shown that it would result in LESS blown saves.

Well, since we're dealing with FACTS, here's one for ya...The Orioles would have been in the AL Championship last year if not for two blown saves in the ALDS against our most hated rivals. FACT. Undeniable FACT!

[Dipper9]

So, first of all, any comparison to Mariano Rivera is utterly unfair.

Secondly, you do realize they made the playoffs last year w/o Rivera, and will likely miss them this year with him, right?

It's almost like closer isn't the only position on the team.

Wow, really? They are going to miss the playoffs even though their 43 year old closer still has over 30 saves? Okay. Good talk!