OnlyBucs

I think it is time to switch out Watson and Rivero. Watson struggles to close out games; always seems to put men on; whereas Rivero has been lights out with his 100+ MPH fastball and his nasty curve. Let Watson go back to the set up role and move Rivero to the closer role.

People want the best pitcher to pitch when there is a jam. That is Rivero.



I agree Watson isn't the ideal Closer. He has lost velocity and he is left handed. But I do like Rivero being the guy to shut it down. They are being used correctly.

Let Watson close until the trade deadline and then move him with the idea that he will have optimum trade value after establishing a closers resume. Use Rivera thereafter and find just about any arm to work the 7th or 8th.

Last night's game was a good example of why I hate the save rule. Watson "earned' a save by entering with a 2-run lead, surrendering a HR to make it a 1-run game and then walking the potential tie run before getting out of the inning. His ERA for that inning was 9.00. He made a close game even more close but got out of it before doing any more damage. And for that he "earns" a save. Whoopee! A lot of pitchers could have done that. And when a closer enters with a 3-run lead he can do even worse while still being credited with a save. IMHO, the 7th and 8th inning setup guys are more important. They are given the task of getting out of jams so that there is still a lead to protect in the 9th. The job they do is often more crucial to a win than the work a closer does when he enters in the 9th with no one on base and as much as a 3-run lead. I would restrict a save to a 1 or 2-run lead in which NO earned runs were surrendered.



I prefer that Rivero is used to get out of jams. He seems to be more effective than Watson. Holding back Rivero until he can pitch a clean inning in the 9th to pick up a save stat would probably be a waste of his ability. And Watson might not be able to get out of earlier jams that could prevent a lead from being held by the 9th inning. And when that happens the best reliever (if it's the closer) just sits and watches the game become lost.

I live for the old days when the "Fireman" as it was called at the time did just that. Came when the game was on the line and pitched out of a jam or limited the damage already done. And more times than not he stayed in the game for more than an inning. So why not take a guy like Rivero and use him like that today.

103139103B33540 wrote: I live for the old days when the "Fireman" as it was called at the time did just that.  Came when the game was on the line and pitched out of a jam or limited the damage already done.  And more times than not he stayed in the game for more than an inning.  So why not take a guy like Rivero and use him like that today.
And those guys had long careers so it wasn't as if that type of pitching was harmful to them.

6F424F5E59485F1F1C2D0 wrote: I live for the old days when the "Fireman" as it was called at the time did just that.  Came when the game was on the line and pitched out of a jam or limited the damage already done.  And more times than not he stayed in the game for more than an inning.  So why not take a guy like Rivero and use him like that today.
And those guys had long careers so it wasn't as if that type of pitching was harmful to them.


I think this type of pitching is worse. Guys come in for an inning and just throw as hard as they can for 10-15 pitches. There is no pacing for another inning. They are trained for 15 pitches.



I might be wrong, but it seems guys aren't lasting that long as Closers anymore.