Money aside, would you rather have Jim Johnson or Grant Balfour as closer in 2014?

[Can_of_corn]

I think it is a toss up who has a better season next year and who would do better in OPACY.

Johnson is substantially younger and a ground ball pitcher but Balfour strikes out a lot more batters and doesn't allow as many baserunners.

Either should do an adequate job.

Push comes to shove give me Balfour for the strikeouts.

[Jonesy10]

Maybe if we were talking about a non closer role I'd take JJ, but Balfour just seems like he's better fit to be a closer. Low hit totals, lots of k's, and a swagger on the mound. JJ often looked rattled last year on the mound and it's hard to feel confident in your closer when he doesn't look confident in himself.

[Rene88]

Balfour.

[Rene88]

Seems to me when Johnson's bad, he's very bad. Obviously, I haven't watched Balfour for an entire year but J.J. seems to totally lose it for 3-4 games at a time (even in 2012).

In all fairness to JJ, he was flat out overused at times this season by Buck.

[DrungoHazewood]

I think it is a toss up who has a better season next year and who would do better in OPACY.

Johnson is substantially younger and a ground ball pitcher but Balfour strikes out a lot more batters and doesn't allow as many baserunners.

Either should do an adequate job.

Push comes to shove give me Balfour for the strikeouts.

I don't see how there's a ton of difference between the two. I guess I'd rather have Balfour, but whatever.

I guess he's now the O's first Aussie closer. But it shoulda been John Stephens.

[DrungoHazewood]

Maybe if we were talking about a non closer role I'd take JJ, but Balfour just seems like he's better fit to be a closer. Low hit totals, lots of k's, and a swagger on the mound. JJ often looked rattled last year on the mound and it's hard to feel confident in your closer when he doesn't look confident in himself.

Swagger is good and all, but who is ahead in #want, #sparkle and #rig?

[weams]

I think it is a toss up who has a better season next year and who would do better in OPACY.

Johnson is substantially younger and a ground ball pitcher but Balfour strikes out a lot more batters and doesn't allow as many baserunners.

Either should do an adequate job.

Push comes to shove give me Balfour for the strikeouts.

And for the much more reasonable money right? 11 Million dollar closers? Pfft.

[Can_of_corn]

And for the much more reasonable money right? 11 Million dollar closers? Pfft.

7.5 million dollar closers? Pfft.

[weams]

7.5 million dollar closers? Pfft.

At least the money is deferred until after we are done paying for Bobby Bonilla, Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, and Vlad Guerrero.

[ChaosLex]

Posted in another thread, I'm sure. Please note the video contains very NSFW language!

[video=youtube_share;h8n6xLjspYw]

Man, I love his fire.

[Il BuonO]

Yeah, what I think is going unsaid which I pointed out in the Balfour thread are his splits. I don't think there's much difference between the two either unless you hold up the fact the Balfour has been a much better pitcher at home than away.

[h=4]Home or Away[/h]Direct Link ? Glossary ? SHARE ? Embed ? CSV ? PRE ? LINK ? ?

[TABLE=class: sortable stats_table]

<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup><thead>[TR]

[TH=class: tooltip sort_default_asc, align: left]Split[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]G[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]PA[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]AB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]R[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]H[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]2B[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]3B[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]HR[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]CS[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]BB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SO[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]SO/BB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]BA[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]OBP[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]SLG[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]OPS[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]TB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]GDP[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]HBP[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SH[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]SF[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]IBB[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]ROE[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip hide_non_quals, align: center]BAbip[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]tOPS+[/TH]

[TH=class: tooltip, align: center]sOPS+[/TH]

[/TR]

</thead><tbody>[TR]

[TD]Home[/TD]

[TD=align: right]36[/TD]

[TD=align: right]145[/TD]

[TD=align: right]134[/TD]

[TD=align: right]8[/TD]

[TD=align: right]27[/TD]

[TD=align: right]4[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right]4[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right]1[/TD]

[TD=align: right]10[/TD]

[TD=align: right]41[/TD]

[TD=align: right]4.10[/TD]

[TD=align: right].201[/TD]

[TD=align: right].257[/TD]

[TD=align: right].321[/TD]

[TD=align: right].578[/TD]

[TD=align: right]43[/TD]

[TD=align: right]1[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right]1[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right]1[/TD]

[TD=align: right]3[/TD]

[TD=align: right].258[/TD]

[TD=align: right]89[/TD]

[TD=align: right]64[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Away[/TD]

[TD=align: right]29[/TD]

[TD=align: right]117[/TD]

[TD=align: right]99[/TD]

[TD=align: right]12[/TD]

[TD=align: right]21[/TD]

[TD=align: right]2[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right]3[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right]17[/TD]

[TD=align: right]31[/TD]

[TD=align: right]1.82[/TD]

[TD=align: right].212[/TD]

[TD=align: right].328[/TD]

[TD=align: right].323[/TD]

[TD=align: right].651[/TD]

[TD=align: right]32[/TD]

[TD=align: right]1[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right]1[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right]1[/TD]

[TD=align: right]0[/TD]

[TD=align: right].277[/TD]

[TD=align: right]114[/TD]

[TD=align: right]82

[/TD]

[/TR]

</tbody>[/TABLE]

I've only listed 2013 but the same trend was present from the time he first pitched for Oakland. I hope some of what I'm reading here is correct, but I'd prefer the GB pitcher with the sparkling D behind him to the SO/FB pitcher who has benefited from a pitchers park the last three years.

And let's be clear, there's no way to discount the money issue. I'd rather neither of them were an Oriole.

[srock]

In a vacuum ill take Jim Johnson. In reality ill take Balfour and weeks and 4-6 million dollars a year.

This was well done by DD.

Hope he does as well for a starting pitcher or two.

[Dr. Unk]

After last year, I think JJ's time was done here.

[foxfield]

In a vacuum ill take Jim Johnson. In reality ill take Balfour and weeks and 4-6 million dollars a year.

This was well done by DD.

Hope he does as well for a starting pitcher or two.

must spread rep

[waroriole]

Swagger is good and all, but who is ahead in #want, #sparkle and #rig?

Don't forget about TWTW factor.