Tanner Scott should be the closer

[accinfo]

Right now I would make Tanner Scott the closer to see how he reacts in the role.  By far without Hunter Harvey healthy he has the best stuff in this bullpen by far.  Valdez may get away with getting some saves but he is not at 36 going to get you anything of great value in a mid-season trade.  If Scott can show he can throw strikes in closing situations they could get a major haul in a trade.  

[eddie83]

Don’t want his arbitration numbers to go up. 

 

Teams are not worried about him closing but his stuff. 

[Frobby]

Palmer thinks that will happen eventually.    

[LA2]

5 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Palmer thinks that will happen eventually.    

But didn't he say that depended on him mastering an additional pitch? (I might have misheard his comment to Garceau.)

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, LA2 said:

But didn't he say that depended on him mastering an additional pitch? (I might have misheard his comment to Garceau.)

Why would he need a third pitch?

Some guys don't even need two.

[LA2]

17 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Why would he need a third pitch?

Some guys don't even need two.

You'd have to go divine the pancakes for that, after an initial libation of Vermont maple syrup.

[Frobby]

8 hours ago, LA2 said:

But didn't he say that depended on him mastering an additional pitch? (I might have misheard his comment to Garceau.)

The comment I heard was to Melanie Newman on the postgame show, and I don’t think he mentioned Scott needing a third pitch in that conversation.    But he may have said that earlier to Garceau.   I wasn’t watching until the 10th inning.

[ScGO's]

I like Scott as closer a lot.  I'm not even all that traditional when it comes to the closer, but I think Scott is approaching a point where when he gets the ball, the game is over.  Even letting him close the final 2 innings at times seems like a good idea.  If he performed well, he could be a HUGE trade chip within the next 2 seasons.

The problem is getting a lead to Scott.  Armstrong, Tate, and Fry need to pick it up and just pitch better. Missing Harvey hurts badly right now.  I think Susler should be back up too.  Having the two rule 5 guys is tricky too; can they contribute at all, or are they truly "stashed?" They need to figure that out and make a decision.  If they can't step into middle relief in their eyes, I think they need to cut one.   I wonder if Connor Greene isn't a better use of one of those roster spots to help us with more late inning options..

I think Leblanc and Plutko are redundant and Valdez should be the long relief/ mop up guy.  I don't like Valdez at the end of the game.  To me he's a guy I bring in the 4th - 6th inning.  He' also my mop up guy. I don't think we are utilizing him correctly. I feel with the Rule 5 guys on the roster, we essentially have 5 "mop up guys" between them, Leblanc, Plutko, and Valdez. 

I think we cut Leblanc, Plutko, and one of the rule V.  Go with Valdez and one Rule V guy as mop up/long relief, Then Armstrong, Tate, Fry, Greene, Tate, and Sulser are my guys to get to Scott as the closer.  Fry is your only LHP besides the closer Scott in the bullpen, but Sulser almost pitches like a LHP with his repertoire; look at his splits; he kills lefties.  I also use my last bullpen spot on Lakins.  Once Harvey comes off the DL, option or DFA your weakest RHP option.

Long Relief/Mop up - Valdez, Scoeller

Middle Relief/Set up - Armstrong, Fry, Greene, Sulser, Tate, Lakins

Closer- Scott

[sportsfan8703]

The Harvey injury hurt, but just like Hays, he’s always hurt too. 
 

Scott should be our closer 100%. Valdez isn’t scaring anyone. In fact, after seeing Scott in the 8th teams have to be doing backflips to see Valdez. 
 

We have this boatload of strictly relievers on the 40 man, that cost us Pop, but instead we’re choosing to go with a pen of 2 rule 5 guys and Leblanc. 

[Aristotelian]

I have him on my fantasy team so I would like to see this. Valdez to put them to sleep in the 8th, then bring Scott with the heat. 

[ChosenOne21]

10 hours ago, Frobby said:

Palmer thinks that will happen eventually.    

So do I unless Hunter Harvey somehow manages to stay healthy

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, sportsfan8703 said:

The Harvey injury hurt, but just like Hays, he’s always hurt too. 

The two shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath IMO.   Hays is frequently hurt.  Harvey is always hurt.   I feel way better about Hays eventually evading the injury bug than I do about Harvey.   

[Moose Milligan]

5 minutes ago, Frobby said:

The two shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath IMO.   Hays is frequently hurt.  Harvey is always hurt.   I feel way better about Hays eventually evading the injury bug than I do about Harvey.   

I don't think it'll be that much longer until we feel the same way about Hays.  

Harvey is the worst though.

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, ChosenOne21 said:

So do I unless Hunter Harvey somehow manages to stay healthy

I wasn’t that impressed with Harvey’s performance last year in the 8.2 innings he managed to pitch.    I was never a big Scott booster but there’s a decent chance he’s turned the corner.  He’s always going to have games where he can’t throw a strike, but they’re getting fewer and further between.