Finding a Closer

[mdccclxix]

Just something I thought might help us find a reliever to close in 2012. Blue marks the FA's. The rest are TRADE TARGETS! YEAH!

Saves + Holds Per Blown Save 2011 (Minimum 20 sv+hld)

Jose Valverde 49
Antonio Bastardo 25
Sergio Romo 24
Tony Sipp 24
John Axford 23
Koji Uehara 22
LaTroy Hawkins 20
Ryan Madson 18
Joel Peralta 13
Andrew Bailey 13
Chris Sale 12
David Robertson 12
Mike Adams 11
David Hernandez 11
J.J. Putz 11
Greg Holland 11
Javy Guerra 11
Javier Lopez 11
Jonathan Papelbon 10
Joel Hanrahan 10
Jonny Venters 10
Sean Marshall 10
Drew Storen 9
Chris Perez 9
Scott Downs 9
Mariano Rivera 9
Heath Bell 9
Rafael Soriano 8
Huston Street 8
Eric O'Flaherty 8
Rafael Betancourt 8
Brandon League 7
Joe Nathan 7
Brian Wilson 7
Daniel Bard 7
Brian Fuentes 7
Jason Motte 7
Francisco Rodriguez 7
Bill Bray 7
Jason Isringhausen 7
Vinnie Pestano 6
Joaquin Benoit 6
Francisco Cordero 6
Leo Nunez 6
Craig Kimbrel 6
Matt Thornton 6
Grant Balfour 6
Tyler Clippard 5
Jim Johnson 5
Nftali Feliz 5
Sergio Santos 5
Fernando Salas 5
Mark Melancon 5
Chad Qualls 4
Kyle Farnsworth 4
Jesse Crain 4
Jose Veras 4
Joakim Soria 4
Kerry Wood 4
Carlos Marmol 4
Jordan Walden 3
Kevin Gregg 3
Matt Capps 2

If nothing else, this list tells me that most teams count on their young, cheap talent to hold or close games. There are certainly some specialists in this list that would likely never get the call to close, either. Anyway, what you will. Who is your 2012 closer?

[mth123]

Chapman, Masset, Bray, Arredondo, Ondrusek, Wood, Lecure with Boxberger on the way. Leave Chapman in relief and they don't need to mess with the pen. Chapman/Boxberger will be the 2012 version of Ventors/Kimbrall by the all star break. Bray is one of the best middle lefties around. Masset is still solid if he's not burnt up in May and doesn't price himslef out of Cincy. Arredondo will be much better in his second season back from TJ and could end up being better than them all.

Put all monetary resources toward a proven starting pitcher. If they must sign somebody, go for somebody cheap with experience to guide the kids but enough persepctive to accept a reduced role. I like Jason Isringhausen for aboout $1 Million more than bigger names for bigger bucks.

[757690]

One thing to remember about the importance of a closer, is that it really doesn't come into effect until later in the season.

Many playoff bound teams struggle with the back of their bullpen for a good part of the season, then get a closer at the deadline, or find one in their organization that is finally ready by the Aug/Sept. and do fine.

[Kc61]

Originally Posted by mth123

Chapman, Masset, Bray, Arredondo, Ondrusek, Wood, Lecure with Boxberger on the way. Leave Chapman in relief and they don't need to mess with the pen. Chapman/Boxberger will be the 2012 version of Ventors/Kimbrall by the all star break. Bray is one of the best middle lefties around. Masset is still solid if he's not burnt up in May and doesn't price himslef out of Cincy. Arredondo will be much better in his second season back from TJ and could end up being better than them all.

Put all monetary resources toward a proven starting pitcher. If they must sign somebody, go for somebody cheap with experience to guide the kids but enough persepctive to accept a reduced role. I like Jason Isringhausen for aboout $1 Million more than bigger names for bigger bucks.

mth, I respect your views, but don't agree on this one.

Get the antacid ready because your bullpen will struggle in the late innings.

Chapman will be in long relief, starting, or at AAA. The Reds are stretching him out to start eventually. He's not going to be a late inning reliever.

Boxberger probably needs AAA time. If he's a Red, it's middle relief until he gets more experience. His control needs work, he's just not ready for prime time.

Masset, Ondrusek, Bray, all faded in 2011. Nobody knows how they will come back. Masset had a 3.40 ERA in 2010 - had some good numbers that year but still not stellar. He hasn't been top notch since 2009.

Arredondo did look good at the end of 2011. Maybe he's a late inning guy. Maybe.

This team needs to add late innings relievers. They don't have to cost a fortune, but new blood is needed in the pen.

[mdccclxix]

Andrew Bailey ranks pretty high on this list, so although his real peripherals are trending back some, he was efficient in getting the job done.

I don't know what LaTroy Hawkins is doing next year, but he could play Arthur Rhodes or David Weathers...

[Vottomatic]

Is Aardsma still available as a free agent?

[mdccclxix]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/freeagents

he's not on this list

[KoryMac5]

Why sign a guy if you have someone with in the organization that might have the stuff to be a good closer. Persoanlly I have always thought Volquez could be a lights out closer if given the shot.

[blumj]

Originally Posted by Vottomatic

Is Aardsma still available as a free agent?

I think he had TJ surgery not long ago, or something else that takes quite a while to recover from.

[Vottomatic]

He's on this list, and hasn't signed with anyone yet:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012-mlb-free-agents

[Vottomatic]

Originally Posted by KoryMac5

Why sign a guy if you have someone with in the organization that might have the stuff to be a good closer. Persoanlly I have always thought Volquez could be a lights out closer if given the shot.

I agree. But would Volquez consider it?

I think the Chapman starting pitching experiment isn't working out either.

Moves I'd consider:
1. Leave Chapman in bullpen.
2. Bring up Boxberger.
3. Try Volquez in the bullpen
4. Closer by committee
5. I'd also sign a reliever, not a closer, off the free agent wire.

Bray
Boxberger
Chapman
Ondrusek
Masset
Arredondo
Volquez
Sign someone in free agency, and trade one of the above.

[mth123]

Remember in 2010 how everyone was ready to run Cordero through with a sharp stick because he was always coming into games walking guys?

Multiply that by a trillion and you'll have Volquez as a closer.

Volquez is a guy who needs to be dealt to a non-contending, pitching poor team trying to catch lightning in a bottle. He should either be packaged for a more steady starter or dealt for prospects. I think he might be able to come back, but the Reds can't afford to dedicate a spot to him along with Chapman and Bailey. That's three guys who all have a ton of promise, but are also the most likely to provide nothing or worse to the rotation.

[KoryMac5]

You're not going to get anything for Volquez on the open market. Why not give him a shot in the pen to see how he does in ST, especially if he is the odd man out in the rotation. If Volquez can focus on his two best pitches it may cut donw on the walks enough for us to stomach some wildness.

[LoganBuck]

A guy to keep an eye on, Leo Nunez/Juan Carlos Oviedo/Whatever his name is. The Marlins are reportedly signing Heath Bell, Nunez has his identity issues, but could be had on the cheap. He was good, until the Marlins collapsed, mid season. A sign of problems or his environment? Will he be able to re enter the country?

[buckeyenut]

Originally Posted by Vottomatic

I agree. But would Volquez consider it?

He considers it or he gets buried in AA. He sucked last year, in ML and AAA, he doesn't get to tell the team how to use him. If the Reds say we want to try you at closer, he shoudl say, Yes SIR.