What’s Going on With the Closers?
By Mike Silva ~ October 13th, 2009. Filed under: Mike Silva.
Another playoff game, another closer melts down. This time add the name Huston Street to the list. As of today here are the ERA’s for each of the postseason entrants:
Joe Nathan -9.00
Jonathan Papelbon – 13.50
Huston Street – 13.50
Jonathan Broxton – 2.45
Brad Lidge, Mariano Rivera, Ryan Franklin, and Brian Fuentes have yet to give up an earned run. Of course, we all know how shaky Lidge has been during his appearances and Franklin gave up a couple of unearned runs thanks to Matt Holliday. In total closers have compiled an ERA around 4.75 through the first round. If you take away the zeros put up by Lidge, Franklin, Rivera, and Fuentes it balloons to over eight.
The ninth inning has always been the toughest three outs. We have seen setup men wilt with the switch to closer and now closers, experienced or young, are having even more trouble with closing out games in the playoffs.
It makes you appreciate a Mariano Rivera who, in my opinion, is the only closer you can 100% trust out of the above group. This is a great sign for the Yankees who have no such worries. I will talk about Brian Fuentes at Yankee Stadium later in the week, but I think we will see more ninth innings like the one in Colorado last night before the postseason comes to a close.
