RaysJoeMaddonJP is not the closer but actually it has worked out that way but there still may be...

RaysJoeMaddonJP is not the closer but actually it has worked out that way but there still may be situations he can pitch earlier and someone else close

Joe Maddon is better than Trey Hillman

over 2 years ago R.J. Anderson 10 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

JP is not the closer

He is the Chiller.

by Matt0611 on Jul 20, 2009 5:45 PM EDT reply actions

He is not

he is the jackleg picasso

www.bucem.com - SBNation's source for all things Buccaneer

by Buc Wild on Jul 20, 2009 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes.

You and me. We’re starting this god damned meme.

by Suttree on Jul 21, 2009 8:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Last series pretty much proves why having a "CLOSER" can hurt your team.

“OMFG don’t bring in your best reliever till the 9th. omgomgomg”.

:) Thank you for letting me rant.

by Doug09 on Jul 20, 2009 6:27 PM EDT reply actions

I'll see it before I believe it

Joe has nearly always has had a closer and JP has surely filled that role for awhile now. His usage will be very similar to other closers that can throw more than 1 inning. Some people seem to think closers can only be brought in the 9th inning. I’m sure watching Percy for a year and a half does that to you, but many closers do throw more than 1 inning at times. JP can do that and will. I’ll be shocked to see him not finish a 9 inning game. The only exceptions if he gets rocked or the game goes into extras. That is the definition of a closer

by matthan on Jul 20, 2009 6:59 PM EDT reply actions

For those ~three weeks after Percival went down we had no closer.

Which is right around the time I wrote the Howell piece. Since then he hasn’t entered a game prior to the 9th.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 20, 2009 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions

He has been the last Rays pitcher in every 9 inning game that he's pitched in since June 6th

Except for the Oakland game where he got rocked. That is really the definition of closer.

I’m not sure when you wrote the Howell piece, but he has appeared in the 8th inning in 2 of his 6 outings in July. One was the Oakland game and the other was a Blue Jay game that he came in with a 1 run lead in the 8th. He allowed an inherited runner to score. He finished the 9th and it went extras

by matthan on Jul 20, 2009 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions

JP maybe be very good

but I rather use him in situational and long relief purposes. I mean face it, he is an over powering lefty and I like those guys to be inning eaters. I think George Sherrill is super cheap right now and I would like to have a guy like that on our team

"Doesn't Manny Ramirez look like the monster from Predator??" - Will Farrell as Harry Carey

by Gone Phishing on Jul 20, 2009 7:01 PM EDT reply actions