The wisdom of signing Brian Fuentes to a 2-year contract is not just what he’ll do for the Angels this year. He gives Jose Arredondo and Kevin Jepsen a chance to polish up their games before they get a chance to become closers. Just as Troy Percival and Frankie Rodriguez did.
Few teams demand more of their closers than the Angels, who had a plus-68 run differential and still won 100 games last year. No one is expecting Fuentes to duplicate the historic feats of Rodriguez last year. But he did save 30 in 34 chances for Colorado, and he has been toughened by the experience of losing his job to Manny Corpas in 2007, then getting it back last year and running with it. In July he gave up one hit in 10 innings.
It’s somewhat unusual to have a lefty closer. Sparky Lyle, Tug McGraw, Randy Myers and Billy Wagner come to mind. I’m sure I’m forgetting somebody. The immediate problem is that you face a lot of righthand hitters. But righhanders only hit .211 off Fuentes with two home runs last year, and he gave up only three all told.
The happiest recipients of this news were starting pitchers John Lackey, Ervin Santana, Jered Weaver and Joe Saunders. Fuentes gives them the most proven closer in the A.L. West, a situation to which they’re accustomed. Now they’re pretty much assured that their victories will actually be recorded as victories, and Scot Shields stays in his time-honored role as well.
For a while the Halos were tempted by the example of Bobby Jenks and considered going with a neophyte closer. Fortunately for them, they woke up.
How come the only people who don’t think closers are important are people outside of the game itself?
Nobody anywhere thinks closers aren’t important. Lots of people think saves aren’t important. Big distinction.
Josh Byrnes doesn’t think closers are important. That’s why he traded Valverde, which did much to cost the Diamondbacks the NL West pennant. Theo Epstein once thought closers were unimportant. That’s why he started 2003 without one. By the time he realized his mistake, the Red Sox couldn’t catch the Yankees and had to play Game 7 of the ALCS in the Bronx. Epstein has learned, however.
Closers are the ones who amass the saves. That’s like farmers are important but wheat isn’t.
Having quality arms that get hitters out is what’s important. Theo Epstein’s project didn’t work because the arms he picked up weren’t good enough to pitch the 7th or 8th innings, let alone the 9th. Having one slam dunk closer means nothing if he doesn’t have at least two other quality arms to get him the ball in the ninth with the lead. I couldn’t care less what inning Fuentes pitches in or how many saves he amasses, as long as hes as effective as he was in Colorado.
No argument there, Carlos. The Mets tanked because their entire bullpen was bad. The setup guys are crucial. But at least when they screw up, the team has a chance to come back. When the closer screws up, the game’s done, and if it happens too many times, it destroys a ballclub.