Any thoughts on who Buck was referring to RE: Surprise future closer?

[Frobby]

5 minutes ago, amdcpus said:

The notion of using a "closer" solely for getting the textbook definition of a save, which is how Buck uses the closer, is completely idiotic. Using your best pitcher in the highest leverage situations is not.

 

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

Not many guys actually do this.

I was going to say, Buck is hardly a unicorn in this regard.    I think there’s a general view among managers that pitchers like to know what their role is and when they’re likely to pitch.    It allows them to develop an in-game routine and prepare mentally for their appearance.   And, it makes it a little easier to manage the number of total innings a reliever is asked to throw.   

That said, I would like to see a bit more flexibility among managers’ use of back-end relievers.   

[Santandah]

Personally I think Dylan Bundy would be sick at this role. Might help alleviate some concerns about his arm. But that guy is a bull dog. Thick, like a closer should be. And the name. Dylan. Bundy. That's a closer's name if I ever heard one.

[esmd]

Hard to say how his shoulder might respond to pitching 2-3 days in a row.  I'd rather leave him where he is and see if he still has ceiling he can reach.

[weams]

4 hours ago, amdcpus said:

Almost positive he's referring to Mike Wright. Especially after that sentence about coming into the role when your 27, 28, 29.

I agree. 

[weams]

3 hours ago, Ripken said:

If it's Wright we should move him to the closer role immediately.  There's virtually no chance he'll succeed there so it'll really help with the tank.

You mean for the four times the Orioles will have a lead in the ninth?

[foxfield]

1 minute ago, weams said:

You mean for the four times the Orioles will have a lead in the ninth?

Hey!

Stop it with the kool aid stuff.  The kids will get too excited.

[wildbillhiccup]

4 hours ago, esmd said:

So reading Roch this morning, and caught this bit on Tanner Scott:

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2018/07/morning-notes-on-schoop-brach-and-scott.html

"Tanner Scott replaced Brach Sunday with a runner on base and surrendered a two-run homer to Yangervis Solarte to take the loss and raise his ERA to 6.67 with a 1.729 WHIP. He’s struck out 43 batters in 28 1/3 innings.  Scott was celebrating his 24th birthday. Blowing a lead and a save opportunity instead of blowing out his candles.  Showalter isn’t worried about failures chipping away at Scott’s confidence.  “You see him have a tough outing and then he comes out next time and strikes out the side. Then you see him go out and have a tough outing and come back and look a most unhittable,” Showalter said.  “I think we’re OK there. It’s something I do keep an eye out for. Roger (McDowell) and Alan (Mills) are with him a lot. Alan’s good with that. Actually, Zach’s been great with him. A good type of tough love. Not any of the hazing crap that you hear about. But I think Zach sees a lot of himself in him and he seems to have taken a real interest in him. But no, I think because of the way he bounces back ... they’re tough lessons, not only for him but the team.”  Does the ability to recover so easily make Scott closer material? Showalter was ready for the question.  “I like those closers that don’t have to bounce back, OK? Let’s do something to correct it,” he said.  “They come in all shapes and sizes. Zach, seven or eight years ago, nobody in here probably thought he was going to be a premiere closer. I’ve got somebody in the back of my mind who’s on this club right now that I think might be able to do it down the line that would surprise everybody. But it’s a growth. Very seldom is it at 23, 24. It’s usually at 27, 28, 29.  “You take some of baseball’s lessons, make you never assume something with two outs and nobody on. Good closers are ruthless. They want to see how solidly they can slam the door as opposed to leaving an opening here and there. They’re hard to find. I don’t know what the game’s going to do with it down the line, if it’s even going to be someone like that. Hard to win without it.”

Any guesses on who Buck was referring to?  It doesn't seem to be Scott.  My first thought was Givens, but the bit about surprising everybody makes me think it's not him.  Same with Castro, I've seen him mentioned as a potential closer, so not sure that would be a surprise to a lot of people.  I dunno, maybe I'm reading too much into it.  I can't imagine he was referring to Mike Wright.  Maybe Paul Fry?  I don't know much about him at all, and I've only seen him pitch once, over the weekend in Toronto, but he looked like he had some nasty stuff.  Maybe that one is too far out there, I dunno.  What say you?

I predicting that it will be Kevin Gregg wearing a Tippy Martinez mask. The biggest plot twist since The Sixth Sense!

[ChrisP]

Has Chris Davis been mentioned? He had that inning in Boston...

[Natty]

I'm guessing Mike Wright.

[esmd]

1 hour ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I predicting that it will be Kevin Gregg wearing a Tippy Martinez mask. The biggest plot twist since The Sixth Sense!

Kevin Gregg.....ugh.....

[Three Run Homer]

1 minute ago, esmd said:

Kevin Gregg.....ugh.....

Oh, if we're going to play the "awful Orioles relievers from the Dark Ages" game, I'll see your Kevin Gregg and raise you a Danys Baez.  

[LA2]

4 minutes ago, Three Run Homer said:

Oh, if we're going to play the "awful Orioles relievers from the Dark Ages" game, I'll see your Kevin Gregg and raise you a Danys Baez.  

Juan Benitez. Mets fans here sympathize.

[esmd]

5 minutes ago, Three Run Homer said:

Oh, if we're going to play the "awful Orioles relievers from the Dark Ages" game, I'll see your Kevin Gregg and raise you a Danys Baez.  

Re-raise - Steve Kline

[Three Run Homer]

Just now, esmd said:

Re-raise - Steve Kline

All in...Mike DeJean.

[weams]

It's Davis.