Closing the Door in Wilson’s Absence
Now that it looks like an almost certainty that Wilson won’t be available on Opening Day, Bochy has some thinkin’ ta do. We’ve got a lot of quality relievers in that pen but how many of them do you trust to close out games? Closing is one of the most difficult jobs in all of sports (in my opinion). The main contenders for the job are: Romo, Affeldt, and Casilla. Mota actually used to close a million years ago but I doubt Bochy is thinking about using him now. Kroon has the most experience but probably won’t make the team.
Forget what Bochy is going to do. What would YOU do?
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Did not realize the game was on MLB Channel last night as I was intwo monster drafts, one lasted 3.5 hours, the other 3.
But caught the end of the game and it looks like Romo got it done. I think you can throw a Lopez or Affeldt to start innings against lefties, but give Romo the confidence to name him the interim closer.
Please end PRACTICE, now!
I just don’t think Romo can do it. Until I see him throwing this “double secret” new pitch that Affeldt supposedly taught him, he’s still the same guy from last year: effective, great slider, but when that baby misses by an inch or so, look out!
I went with Affeldt but I think Boch has hinted at a mix and match. Kroon would be an awesome story, Showtime (or is it HBO?) would love that one.
Bochy likes to mix and match players. That’s his forte.
Giants return home. Clouds part. Rain goes away. Sun is in its rightful place in the heavens. Cain is on his game. Huff the Magic Dragon poles one. Pat the Bat drives in a pair. Bullpen is masterful. What’s not to like?
Spiring, and the BB, is busting out all over . . .
Neither Romo or Affeldt thrill me as the interim closer. They nibble too much. And, really, left handed closers are pretty few and far between. I’d go Kroon just because of his stuff.
I was gonna post similar to Stix…Romo shuts them down, Gamer makes a play in LF, Panda with a super catch to end it. Ho hum. I could add Pat whacks one the opposite field for the rbi double, and Tejada hit the ball hard 3 times. He also went into the OF to back up 2B on the bad throw from Posey on the SB, a ball I don’t think anyone here last year would have gotten to.
Romo will be fine. Casilla is unhittable when on, but not consistent enough. Affeldt has to show he has regained full use of everything….he gets pitches up they can leave the yard just as fast as anything Romo throws. The others are more one batter guys…and Mota is lucky he’s even on the team after last year.
None of the above… we won’t need a closer in April. Let the boys finish their games, they can consider it a character building experience.
On second thought…what about the “Machine”? Let’s get that guy on the mound!
Romo has earned the shot. I’d go with him and the loogies. Kroon is a great story but I think he’ll need to show his mettle in Fresno. Japan is not the Major Leagues…
On further rumination, I’d like to see them go with Casilla. He’s got the stuff. and he was nigh unhittable down the stretch last year.
I mean I’d REALLY like to see Kroon, but I don’t think they’ll go that way.
I’m a tad queasy about the closer situation ~ might result in a loss or two, but team should still notch a bit over .500, even mostly on the road, while Wilson is out. This team has learned pacing and has shown they can express grace under pressure. More worried about Fukushima fallout than the World Champs.
Casilla has “the stuff” but 4 straight walks the other day? Closer just can’t do that and he’s a threat to walk the ballpark everytime out.
Romo and Affeldt are too nibbly for my taste. Romo is ALWAYS a frisbee slider away from a 3 run bomb. And Affeldt? I guess I’d rather see him than Romo. As good as he was, when Romo’s bad, he’s BAAAAAAD.
Agreed. Plus he is just as hard to catch as hit…with runners on he is most likely to throw a wild pitch as anyone. Fun to watch, but not in the 9th. I give this guy and coaching staff a lot of credit…he has come a long way in a short time.
Just how long is it theorized Wilson *will* be on the DL anyway? Anyone hear anything? Cuz all I heard is it’s “more than 50% likely” he won’t be available on opening day.
It may be neither, Ted. He may just miss 3-4 games, and be ready by, say, 4/5. In that case, they won’t DL him.
A stint on the 15 day DL puts him out to the middle of the month. If he’s that hurt, well, they’ll do it at the 1st opportunity. Opening day.
It sounds to me like he won’t go on the DL, but they know a lot more than me about his health.
Oh. Okay. Thanks. For some reason I thought I heard someone on the radio say he might be going on the DL “retroactively”
Well I went with the committee thing. I just think Bochy does the same thing he does with hitters. Whoever has the hot hand will close.
Best Busting out BB ever…
Actually, can players go on the DL now? I don’t know how this rolls over from ST to real games.
No, they can only die.
Chuckles, they can put him on the DL and back date it, in which case he only misses a few games.
Well, he last pitched on March 17th. So they can pick any day they want. I still don’t think he goes on it. Unless he has another setback.
Don’t worry Chuck, even the Dr’s can’t predict how long it will take.
With a violent throwing motion that pulls at that area, the G’s will (hopefully) exercise caution. Wilson is too damn valuable to risk a more serious injury. Give him some DL time and then perhaps a short stint in the minors.
Nice catch by Pablo to end the game last night. He definitely would not have been able to make that catch last year.
And how many of you would have dropped your $8 beer to get Huff’s homer. A true Giants fan??
If it is a short stint on the DL for Wilson I would go with Kroon. I saw his last appearance. He wasn’t just relying on the heater, knows how to pitch and he’s got the experience in the roll. For the most part the guy is an unknown to MLB clubs. Sure they can watch some grainy radioactive video but who has been in the box facing the guy? He could lock down 3-5 saves before the league catches up.
Dirt: I’m intrigued with the Kroon option too. He could slip through a few. Wilson returns, with Kroon under contract and the team has a pair of desirable options: Keep him as a potentially very good setup man, or trade him off for a decent prospect to some team which is jonesing for relief help. Looks like a win-win scenario.
I think I’d give Armando Benitez a call.
Ordering pizza?
He does have experience in the role.
Now, THAT’s lunatic fringe…
How ’bout Bochy uses Kroon as the Closer, and they maximize his PR factor as he racks up Saves for the Defending Champs.
Then after Wilson is fully healthy and ready to regain his rightful spot, Sabean dangles Kroon to some team desperate for a Closer and packages him with Rowand and/or Ishikawa. Parlay deadweight into a young, upcoming SS who can field AND hit.
So they’ll get this future All-Star for a 38 YO reliever and Aaron Rowand? Good luck, Hubber…
LOL
Kroon, Mota, Rowand and Ishi and maybe you get something of value in return after eating a lot of salary. Assuming Kroon gets it done with the big club.
Reading up on the Bonds trial and his ex mistress takes about his shrinking testicles and under performance in bed. That should teach atheletes not to piss off their mistresses!!
Kimberly Bell lied to the federal grand jury, in her deposition she said Bonds’ testicles shrunk by half. Recently she admitted that was an “exaggeration”.
Maybe it was her mouth that doubled in size.
I think twinfan said it best about Kroon. This isn’t Japan. Let’s see what he’s got in Fresno. Romo and Affeldt can do the job.
Doesn’t make him right, though.
Kuip was on KNBR this morning suggesting they might pitch 2-3 guys in the 9th depending on match ups. Huh? Then who is going to be pitching the 8th inning?
The other 3 guys . . .
Japan is very competitive. And closing is a grind no matter where you are—toughest job in all of sports. He’s proven he is the best there is there at it. My guess is that it would translate into some short term success here…….
I wouldn’t be unhappy at all if they went with Kroon. Although Flavor asked what *we* would do, I tried to be somehat realistic. I just think he’s headed to Fresno..
Huh. I see the Orioles released Randy Winn.
I have no opinion on the Bonds trial, but I did think it was kind of suspiciously funny that the mistress testifying against hiim went down the whole laundry list of stereotypical symptons of steroid use. It’s like she went on Wikipedia for a list, and had everything from that list in her testimony. It’s possible he had EVERY single sympton, I guess.
Well, she *did* leave out developemnt of breast tissue
Hers or his? Weren’t hers “store bought?”
Yeah, I meant his (although apparently he “owns” hers)
Marvin Benard testifying today. He used ‘roids, and still sucked. Just think how bad he would have been without ’em. BTW, why hasn’t there been more scrutiny of Dusty in all this, especially in the local media? He was managing when all this was going down…
Disagree Snarkk . . . He had pretty good years batting leadoff in 1999 and 2000, recording over a 100 runs in each. That being said, yes, he was no superstar and he did ‘roids to maximize whatever talent he already had. However, quite a few baseball players used steroids too . . . he got caught though.
Well Blade, those two ‘roid years were definitely his statistical high points on his belll curve of stats with the Gyros. I compared his 8+ Giants season stats with Rohand’s 3 seasons so far with the Giants. Pretty similar, though the time periods aren’t really fair comparisons, admittedly. Except Rohand Ks at a far higher rate, and more power. Shoot, now I’m missin’ Marvin…
SO BA OBP SLG OPS HR
Marvin 454 0.271 0.343 0.402 0.744 54
Rohand 325 0.257 0.318 0.405 0.723 39
One other comparison that favors Benard is salary (even with inflation). He got paid $850k in 1999 and $1.125 million in 2000. Rohand’s salary . . . let’s just say I can’t count that high.
Interesting that Stan Conte gets called, but not Sabes and Magowan. The Mitchell Report is clear that Conte warned Sabes as early as 2000 about Anderson being an unqualified trainer, then again in Atlanta in 2002 specifically about possible steroid dealing when Anderson was along on a road trip. Sabes basically told Conte in 2002 it was up to Conte to confront Bonds and Anderson, not Sabes, which makes Sabean look like a total wuss and under Bonds’ thumb. Magowan in early 2002 had to know about concerns with Anderson, since the Report says contract negotiations with Bonds early that year included a letter from Mcgowan that detailed what outside providers could have access to Bonds. In short, it appears the Giants brass were in a “see no evil, hear no evil” mode regarding what Barry and others might be doing with Anderson before Bonds testified in 2003 before the Grand Jury. Conte looks pretty good in all of this, the Giants brass have slime all over them…
Yeah, I just read the Chronicle article about his testimony . . . When Conte asked for support, Sabes was silent, i.e., Conte knew by his silence that he wasn’t going to get management’s backing insofar as kicking Anderson out of the clubhouse.
Lidge is out for 6 weeks. The DL is a good place for him, he can’t blow any saves there. We should feel fortunate that Wheezy isn’t in the same situation.
The mention of one of the steroid symptons, back acne, reminds me of a day in Junior High. There was one big, buffed kid in gym class who had real bad acne all over his body (obviously, this was pre-steroids. It’s just the way he was). One day he was trying to do a personal best bench press with free weights. So we all gathered around and he was spotted and there he was grimacing, and pressing and oomphing and finally BAM!! He did it. Well, he was wearing a white t-shirt. When he got up off the bench, it was fairly ovious, from the blood spots, this little exertion had popped at least a dozen zits on his back.
When he walked away it looked like a Japanese flag parade
Steroids are simply better( maybe) performance enhancers than the dozens of others that ball players have used. The whole spectacle is a PR driven farce.
Torres CF FSanchez 2B Huff RF Posey C Burrell LF Tejada SS DeRosa 1B Belt DH Sandoval 3B Zito (with new stache) is the SP.
Panda hitting last? That should be reserved for “Tenada.” And don’t even get me started w/ MDR at 1B.
Blade, Chuck: send both youse guys trade proposals in our fantasy league.
Zito’s sporting a new stache? That’s just the thing to kill the Giants facial hair legend
Have you guys seen Zito’s new mustache? Just another reason to feed that fucker to the sharks.
DId any of you guys see this?
“When the Mets cut bait with Bonilla after the 1999 season, they were on the hook for $5.9 million. Instead, the Mets agreed to pay Bonilla $29.8 million between 2011 and 2035. Those annual $1,193,248.20 payments begin this July 1. ”
Crazy.
Whoa. I guess that makes some sense from a present value perspective. But, was it Mets ownership then the same as now that was in deep with Madoff?…
he made 52 million in his 14 year career and now he’s got another 30 mil coming to him. Classic. I’m starting to understand why the Mets are in such bad financial doo-doo. IF all their $$$$$ decisions are like the Bobby-Bo decision it’s a wonder they’re even still operating…….
It took me a little bit of research, but I finally found an article that confirmed what you said Flav . . . see below:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_3_224/ai_59021136/
All’s I can say is WOW!
Alright, what about a deferred buyout then for Rohand?…
I find it slightly hilarious that Kroon is winning the player vote–a player we’ve never seen pitch before. And yet if faced with choosing one closer, he’s the guy the majority of us would turn to……
Speaking of Kroon, Wilson was supposed to throw off a mound today. Anyone got an update of how that went?
Threw 25 pitches. He’s headed to the DL.
Eligible to come off April 6 in SD.
The support for Kroon over Romo is pretty funny. If a roster spot came down to Kroon versus Romo, would you pick the former to stick? Closer, still a hyped “role” that generates more illogical commentary than just about anything else.
I’ve read all the jibber jabber written about how the role of the closer and the save is overhyped. I choose to disagree with it. I think people have a problem with what it’s called: a save. Sounds too dramatic. But the fact is, the 9th inning of a “save opportunity” game has a different feel to it than any other inning of the game. The pressure alone is a reason to honor the job that good closers do. Throw in the fact that you can literally lose your job with a few bad performances and I say that ALL the pressure is on the closers—that’s a tough gig……
Ok, but if Romo gives up a 3 run bomb in the 8th instead of the ninth with his “nibbling,” how much less damaging is that likely to be? I don’t think the jibber jabber is coming from the side of the naysayers. Two words: Tim Worrell.
the argument is that with less pressure in the 8th, ROmo is more likely to succeed. In the 9th there is a sense of urgency that can’t be created in any other inning. Some guys can handle it and some can’t. And the margin for error, in terms of blown saves, is almost nothing…..
Just how do measure that difference in pressure? Can you give an example of some good set up guys who were given extended opportunities to close who just couldn’t deal with that “extra” bit of pressure?
A blown save does not necessarily mean a loss.
you can’t measure it, that’s the point. But there’s no denying that the bottom of the 8th of a 1 run game has a different feel to it than the bottom of the 9th. And you made my other point: extended opportunities don’t exist if you aren’t performing. They move on to the next guy. But I am totally a believer that your most dominant reliever isn’t always your closer. At some point they usually get their shot, though—
LaTroy Hawkins, more than once.
How about this: it’s a hard job to keep.
Miller and FLemm just reported a Zito “fastball” at 82 mph. Can that possibly be true?…
Sounds like an oxymoron.
I touched on this before but his plan is so evil, I must expose it. Zits has always had one excellent month, that the Lord of Lethe has chosen it to be March this year is despicable…
Cain was throwing 89 last night. Maybe they’ve dialed the radar guns down to 1970’s levels.
3 innings for Zito, 3 more walks. Blech…….
mlb.com has most of Zito’s fastballs at 83 with a couple at 84
Shitholtz in at LF. Has Nate ever played left? And Rowand in RF. I dunno.
Nice play by the Panda right there. MDR with the scoop, but he gets the Kangaroo Court fine for not knowing it was in his glove.
82 mph “fastball” or not. Tom Selleck is pitching a doozy. But he’s wearing the wrong cap. Magnum wore the Tigers lid.
Well, Miller and Flemm reported Gio Gonzales with an upper end fastball at around 94, so the gun is probably pretty close to reality. Unless he’s got brass balls control ala Maddux, I don’t see howinhell Zito wins more than 9 or 10 games, tops, this year with a molasses 82-85 mph fastball. With a K/BB ratio of about 1:1 so far in ST, he ain’t lookin’ like Maddux…
Nate has nver played anywhere but RF in the bigs.
Zito isn’t winning 9 or 10. He’s going to be out of the rotation before June 1. Book it. ABZ….
I’m game. If they can’t even peddle Rohand, then where’s Zito goin?…
phantom injury? Fresno? Therapy?
Appropos of nothing, except LH starters, Warren Spahn career highlights:
363 wins
3.05 ERA
1.195 WHIP
1.8 K/BB
13 20 win seasons
23-7 At age 42
63 Shutouts, 6th all time
382 Complete games
1 Cy Young 1957
1 Year with SF Giants, 1965. Final year in MLB. 3-4 record.
2 years in the Army in WWII. Purple Heart, Bronze star, from battle of Bridge at Remagen.
Damn. That’s a career…
But consider he may not have have had the right kind of mental toughness to be a successful closer.
He closed 382…
Yes, but would he have been able to stand the pressure of trotting out of the bullpen to his very own theme music? I wonder what his save percentage was as a starter.
“willingham strikes out on the curveball”, as the other Kuiper puts it. Beane has spent the last few years trying to add offense, but they still haven’t scored off Zito, at home.
4 hits, 4 walks, 0 runs???
Uh, 1 run . . .
ABZ. That’s my view, too. Zito is the albatross Magowan assigned to the neck of this franchise. The current managing general partner’s office is capable of great moves. Miracles? I doubt it. Of course, a lot of other teams have problems that fundamentally compare. Thus, WS Champions, despite the albatross around the neck last year.
If my work computer had the requisite software, I would post a youtube link to a performance of that very great tune, The Albatross, by Peter Green, et al.
This chat room needs to pull out of the uppermiddleclass fratboy doldrum dull shit. Opening day is here.
Who was it who once claimed that Alvin Lee was a better player? Of course, that is a decidedly working class view . . . .
working class view? You’ve got no idea.
Alvin Lee? Completely different, but great. Real rockabilly passion. Those two must be the most underrated British guitar players ever.
You ragged on the fellow who defended Alvin Lee. Are you sure you don’t mean Albert Lee? There are plenty of other talented Brit guitarists who have less notoriety than Alvin.
Well, I remember my 10 Yrs After records in college. Etc. Etc. 40+ years after. Albert Lee is another story, he shows up on KPIG quite a bit. That’s not what I had in mind, although I do like that fancy virtuoso take on traditional roots, too. So now is this where you tell me how many guitars you own?
I’m sure Ted and Bozo have got me beat. But I’ll mention it’s probably never a good idea to suggest that I’m clueless when it comes to pop music history.
Zito is in the perfect place for him tonite, a big yard with mild weather where the ball doesn’t carry well…just like SF. Maybe Seattle and SD too, but that’s about it for places he could go and survive.
Warm weather parks? NL Central, AL East? No way.
I prefer the green manalishi
Belt getting a steady diet of lefties this series. Nice swing there to take it to LF. It sure sounds like Bochy wants him on the club. Sabean doesn’t seem as set to go “all in” as our skipper. Let’s hope Bruce can get Brian to push in his chips and play hardball.
Pablo sure does look to be running a whole helluva lot faster. Maybe more importantly, much quicker first step at third.
Funny, loo.
No, Ishi goes now, Rowand when Ross comes off the DL.
with the 2 pronged crown . . .
Albatross was one of the greatest pacers of all time, and sire of Niatross, one of the greatest pacers of all time.
Here’s your boy runzler Flav. What are they gonna do with this guy?
REVRET!!!!!!!!!!!
Row row. Swinging at crap.
Belt rips a knock off a lefty tonite, first pitch. If they start him for the season, and throw away a year delay of his FA for want of a 10 day stretch in Fresno, I’ll be impressed. I think. And Ishi would have to be the odd man out…
Nate with the bomb
I sent ya a trade proposal in our fantasy league. I’ve already been rejected once today.
So feel free to kick a man when he’s down.
I can’t even muster the energy to bitch and moan about Rowand’s piss-poor ABs.
Just watching ’em suck the life outta me.
They coulda waited a little longer w/Posey but didn’t.
I don’t think it plays as much in teh decision as you do, Snarkk.
Well, I’ll tell ya Chuck, if it were my choice, I’d keep him down in Fresburg for a stretch to start. Combination of the free agency thing, keep his confidence up with PCL ABs, and meanwhile sort out the OF situation over a month of so. If they start Belt, I gotta give ’em credit for showing some balls…
I’ll look at it tomorrow, Dennis…
Rohand, could he just be blowin’ it to get released, or is he really this bad? If you believe all that work stuff and good dude, etc., then yeah, he just sucks. Nate with the dinger, right after. That dichotomy crytallizes the decision, right there. Does the big contract of the aging vet trump ; or does youth, defense, and some hope of production win out?…
With Ross injured, Rowand’s going nowhere. And what if Torres needs another appendectomy?
Cut it out.
Given the Giants luck with medicos, I wouldn’t be surprised…
Yeah, how’s that malpractice case of Lowry’s going?
Haven’t heard anything…
??? They have Huff, belt, de Rosa, Ishi, Nate and burrell….that’s 6 guys for 3 spots 1B LF RF, ” with ross injured”. Someone is expendable (including the same guy who was last playoff time).
These Bay Bridge ST games mean little, but I love it anytime the Gyros beat the A’s….
Buenas noches.
Suppan released.
If that’s a repeat of an earlier post I missed, sorry…