Zach Britton - No need for a closer

[Aristotelian]

Britton was throwing 98 mph bowling balls to day. I will say my one reservation is the dependency on the sinker. Sinker ballers tend to lose that pitch from time to time and become very hittable. Like JJ, like Britton, like Wang, like the SP formerly known as Fausto, like Erickson.

Dude, did you see the game today? He froze Seager on a slurve looking, then got Morrison swinging on two sliders. Not only was he hitting 98 and 99, he was mixing in his breaking stuff. This is the filthiest we have seen him all year in part because he was NOT relying on the sinker.

[AdamK]

I thought the best thing today about Britton was that he used his curve so effectively, including two of the K's.

Could have been the tenth and eleventh curves thrown all season for him. (Guessing)

Even if it's a terrible curve, it's a pretty doggone good thought nagging in some batter's minds now.

[Mendoza Line]

I agree with most the stuff being said here.. however, I think using hindsight, we have to say not getting Rodney at least for this year was a mistake. At this point, I'd rather have Britton. On the whole (Hunter included), we have 15 blown saves on the year vs Seattle who has 6 total (only 3 have been from Britton). Not signing Rodney, at least concerning 2014, was a msitake in my opinion.

I couldn't cheer for Rodney. Can't stand his attitude and the bow and arrow.

[DrOrioles90210]

So you look at Jim Johnson and Grant Balfour's seasons and come to a conclusion that we should pay for a closer like them too?? I award you no points and may God have mercy on your soul.

Sometimes it's better to evaluate the process instead of the results. But I guess you're right. Andrew Friedman and Billy Beane and all of the intelligent people who work with them are probably just really stupid.

[DrOrioles90210]

This is really bad logic. If Britton does the job then you have a cheap closer, when he becomes too expensive then you trade him away for assets and name another cheap closer.

In your scenario, the closer for your team is the 7th inning guy for my team. Not every guy you throw into the late innings is going to perform as well as Britton. This strategy helps you try to keep those guys around for cheap for 6 years instead of 3.

[DrungoHazewood]

I agree with most the stuff being said here.. however, I think using hindsight, we have to say not getting Rodney at least for this year was a mistake. At this point, I'd rather have Britton. On the whole (Hunter included), we have 15 blown saves on the year vs Seattle who has 6 total (only 3 have been from Britton). Not signing Rodney, at least concerning 2014, was a msitake in my opinion.

Ok, but that has to be (at best) just a retrospective look at the situation. There's no way you could have looked at all of the closers available on the market last winter (Rodney, Balfour, I'll include Johnson here, I'm sure I'm forgetting several) and come to the conclusion that Rodney and his eight blown saves 4.9 BB/9 at age 36 was definitely the way to go.

[Ruzious]

And if they had acquired Rodney, it's possible that Britton would have gotten buried in a less important role, and the bullpen would have blown more saves. And the team blown saves is a bit deceiving unless you quantify a lot of other stats to go with it. I'm perfectly fine with the job that the pen did last night, but they still got "credited" with a blown save.

[Aristotelian]

We probably would have:

1) Traded Britton to the Cubs for Schierholtz or some bum

2) Not signed Nelson Cruz

I am pretty happy with Nelson Cruz and plan to pick up a bullpen arm if necessary.

[fansince71]

But birdbrain errr birdland said we need a real closer.

[Nite]

He has 3 blown saves right? The first one if I remember right was due to a hit against the shift, then working the runner around the bases through productive outs. Basically "baseball"

The next one was just bad. He had no control and no break vs NYY. This you can call "blown"

The most recent was a broken bat, a dying duck, and a blast. That is "baseball"

So basically he has only been "Bad" once as closer.

I will take it. 10 out of 10 times.

[hendu]

Those three had no chance against him yesterday. That was '99 AS Game Pedro filthiness.

[AdamK]

He has 3 blown saves right? The first one if I remember right was due to a hit against the shift, then working the runner around the bases through productive outs. Basically "baseball"

The next one was just bad. He had no control and no break vs NYY. This you can call "blown"

The most recent was a broken bat, a dying duck, and a blast. That is "baseball"

So basically he has only been "Bad" once as closer.

I will take it. 10 out of 10 times.

Well put.

The last instance was right after the ASB and you just knew because of the layoff from watching Os games that a loss would have been received as the end of the world.

Very poor contact and fluky luck, followed by a mistake. It wasn't nearly as bad as it seemed at the time.

[AdamK]

But would it be sweet to have the flexibility to make Britt on a fireman capable of coming in earlier? Sure.

Maybe it would be nice to add an arm as effective as Britton so Zach can remain closer. That would be sweet too.

But it is going to cost us.

Of only Koji played for a team paid if the east, we might be able to make that a reality.

Maybe TJ shouldn't be the long man? Perhaps one of Chen/Gonzo/Norris is the long man later in the season.

Bottom line, it's good to have options.

[EagleOriole]

In your scenario, the closer for your team is the 7th inning guy for my team. Not every guy you throw into the late innings is going to perform as well as Britton. This strategy helps you try to keep those guys around for cheap for 6 years instead of 3.

If you are doing a good job of drafting your bullpen should be stocked with guys who have the potential to close. I think moey spent on an expensive closer is better placed elsewhere. If Britton is great as a closer for the next three years, then we have a tough decision to make on whether to extend him or to give him a large paycheck in arbitration. I see nothing good coming for paying closers a lot of money who might be league average. We have good depth for the bullpen coming in the minors. I am of course assuming that Tim Berry, Tyler Wilson, Zach Davies, and even Mike Wright will be able to help in the bullpen in the coming years.

[TheDirtyBird]

I'm very pleased with the job Britton has done this year. I was all for him being the closer from the outset. Why anyone thought "big game" Hunter could do it was a joke, that guy has done nothing but scare the hell out of me every time he has been on the mound. Zach has a ton of confidence in his stuff and thats what you need in a closer. We will see if he can continue this the whole year, and if he can respect to him.

Side Note: Would anyone be opposed to stretching him out next spring for one more try at starting?