Trade scenario for Burrell, RJ pls weigh in.

the Rays do not need someone to close games. I don’t think any team needs one; in fact, I think it hurts teams to have one because 1) they end up paying more money for a pitcher than they would if he did not have the title of closer and 2) it means they probably will use him in an inefficient fashion, always saving him for 9th inning work. It probably also means that they convince other relievers that they can only succeed in particular innings thus limiting the manager’s flexibility against all logic and historical precedent.

For all this talk about closers, how many games have the Rays lost in the 9th inning this year? I can think of one, that Cleveland game, and actually, that game was lost as much by fielding mistakes as by poor relief as Choate had gotten the grounder that would have ended the game. Otherwise, as far as I can tell, since Percival and Isringhausen went down, if the Rays were leading in the 9th inning they won the game. So why do they need a closer?

I have heard the argument that having a closer allows the manager to set up the rest of the bullpen better, but I do not see that point. On the contrary, it makes everything more rigid. The key is to have effective relievers, and I don’t see why having someone called THE CLOSER improves the chances of that.

I have also read that with a designated closer the manager doesn’t have to keep getting pitchers up to warm up thus overworking them in the bullpen. He knows exactly who he will use in each inning rather than reacting as situations arise. Maybe, but I cannot imagine that is so critical an issue or cannot be managed.

at this point the Rays could wind up eating a good chunk of the contract.

Wait until he’s more sellable, then decide. Give him a month unless a good deal comes up.