Comments on: The Royals have a new closer in Aaron Crow, but the problem is having a closer at all

By: Big Lee

Big Lee — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 22:17:12 +0000

Sorry I missed this post when it was written.
Nick, I completely agree with gordon_fan (hope you mean Alex). The Royals cannot afford to proceed like to Yankees or Red Sox. They must think outside the box to have a chance to compete when they do not have the same resources. The idea that everyone in the bullpen has a specific role does not “allow” the manager to be creative in problem-solving. If Royals are going to be competitive more than once in a while, they must do things differently. Yes, human nature is that guys have general roles, but they don’t have to be so deeply defined. And idea that Royals won’t be able to sign free agent pitchers is flawed at the surface. Best one will be signed by big-money teams anyhow. Royals must find diamonds in the rough; guys who are willing to take chances. Great column, Nick.

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:44:47 +0000

“Granted he cant start immediately but maybe they will attempt to stretch him out some more to 2-3 innings each time he goes out.”

Wise idea. With low innings the last four years, he should still have a fairly young arm and we need a starter more than another reliever at the moment.

By: Christian

Christian — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:28:45 +0000

Thank you for someone else finally agreeing with me on these posts that Soria should be converted to a starter. In the past he wanted to be a starter and he has the command to possibly be a good one (when he gets it back which he will). I almost wonder if at the beginning of the year if that is what he asked the organization since all these new arms were coming up and they told him no. He hasn’t looked like himself all year and I wonder if giving him a chance to start might rejuvenate him. Granted he cant start immediately but maybe they will attempt to stretch him out some more to 2-3 innings each time he goes out. If it works and he becomes dominate we might have found an Ace for next year until the rookies become experienced, if not we have a lot of arms left and can always trade him because someone will take him regardless of how much he has struggled this year, or he stays as a relieve either way we have a ton of options with him and should utilize him the best way possible.

By: Zack Daddy

Zack Daddy — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 03:56:25 +0000

Nick is right on.

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:37:20 +0000

One suggestion I heard years ago was that some pitchers don’t function well as relievers because they need some sort of repeatable ritual to get ready to throw, so that type of reliever, if he has the quality, becomes a 9th inning closer, knowing exactly when he will pitch, so every game he can prepare in the same way for the same, single inning of work and go in and pitch from the wind up. Other pitchers, like Crow, can get warm quickly and at about any time, then come in under great pressure and pitch out of the stretch and shut the other guys down.

By: KCattheBat

KCattheBat — Tue, 31 May 2011 20:09:44 +0000

Six weeks ago, many wanted to convert Soria to a starter. With nothing to lose now, any chance Soria has inadvertantly created that opportunity? It would allow the Royals to continue using his Guns N’ Roses entrance music and graphics every fifth day and, at times, it seems like management makes decisions on less trivial information than that.

By: Nick Scott

Nick Scott — Tue, 31 May 2011 19:28:12 +0000

Thanks gordon_fan. I appreciate that. No stat is inherently bad for baseball, it’s how it’s used that makes the difference. No calculation of numbers can do anything by itself. It’s the over-reliance and misuse that causes problems.

By: gordon_fan

gordon_fan — Tue, 31 May 2011 19:25:01 +0000

best article you’ve written Nick, nice job.

A lot of people have been beaten the drum that the save stat is bad for baseball, but you made a great point with the angle about how it is the ‘automatic’ manager decision that anti-stats people profess to hate about sabermetrics

By: Greg

Greg — Tue, 31 May 2011 18:58:53 +0000

If you use your best relief pitchers in the highest leverage situations then there is no reason to call one of them a ‘closer’ and you have the flexibility to change their roles on the fly based on performance, injury, or whatever reason all without having to demote someone. I’ve advocated for years (I’m certainly not claiming to be alone in this, but we are the minority) that your best pitcher (read: Soria) should pitch in the highest leverage situation regardless of inning. There are MANY games where this is not the ninth inning. I agree that the Royals could help themselves by moving to this type of approach, but it’s not going to happen.

By: Nick Scott

Nick Scott — Tue, 31 May 2011 18:58:42 +0000

It’s a good thought and certainly has some merit. But if you ignore the role of closer completely, I think Soria becomes more effective for the team and can ignore the 3 run saves in 2010 and be deployed in more important situations.

How that would factor into his contract signing is certainly an important issue that I neglected and should play a major role. However it doesn’t stop them from utilizing him as a team would use a closer if he’s as dominant as he was.