Drew or Tyler?

[ChiliPalmer14]

How about not giving Clippard, Storen or Thornton defined roles?  Trot out one of them, for whatever inning, and if he has a 1-2-3 inning, and looks nasty, let him stay in there.  Are you telling me that after a 10-pitch, unblemished inning, that the guy is toast?  There might be situations where he's due up in the batting order and that is due some thought, but this "one inning equals end of workday" mentality makes no sense.  And why is Soriano constantly left out there to flounder until he's officially blown the save?

Taking out a guy that's looking great in favor of mystery meat, all in the name of preserving "roles", seems dumb to me.

[varoadking]

How about not giving Clippard, Storen or Thornton defined roles?  Trot out one of them, for whatever inning, and if he has a 1-2-3 inning, and looks nasty, let him stay in there.  Are you telling me that after a 10-pitch, unblemished inning, that the guy is toast?  There might be situations where he's due up in the batting order and that is due some thought, but this "one inning equals end of workday" mentality makes no sense.  And why is Soriano constantly left out there to flounder until he's officially blown the save?

This...

We don't need to slot these guys...let the situation and lineups dictate who you use...like you do in every other inning...

[ChiliPalmer14]

We don't need to slot these guys...let the situation and lineups dictate who you use...like you do in every other inning...

I somehow didn't see that, but...yeah. 

[Baseball is Life]

Closer by committee it is. anything is better than the status quo.

[More of #34]

Clippard gives up the home run too.  I like Drew but I'm so afraid he'll let that memory against St. Louis affect him.  I might try him first.  If that doesn't work, let the manager make the decision by committee - in other words use whoever you think will work under the circumstances - which is what several of you have already said.

But whatever happens, don't trot out Soriano again.  And for heaven's sake, SEW HIS SHIRT TO HIS PANTS.

[MorseTheHorse]

How about not giving Clippard, Storen or Thornton defined roles?  Trot out one of them, for whatever inning, and if he has a 1-2-3 inning, and looks nasty, let him stay in there.  Are you telling me that after a 10-pitch, unblemished inning, that the guy is toast?  There might be situations where he's due up in the batting order and that is due some thought, but this "one inning equals end of workday" mentality makes no sense.  And why is Soriano constantly left out there to flounder until he's officially blown the save?

Taking out a guy that's looking great in favor of mystery meat, all in the name of preserving "roles", seems dumb to me.

I'd generally agree with this if it was the start of the 2015 season, especially with the not being afraid to pull a guy before he blows a save.  But with the playoffs around the corner I don't want to be the first team to rethink the closer position.  Drew is the natural choice.  He has been a closer before and done well sans G5.  Tyler excels in his role and has struggled in closing situations.  It could be SSS, it could not be. 

If there is a position in sports where nerves matter it's being a closer in baseball.  I don't know why, it could be the intensity of the situation combined with the length; but I think it's quite clear not every good bullpen arm makes a good closer. 

[MorseTheHorse]

Another possibility:  Tanner?

[varoadking]

Another possibility:  Tanner?

No...he needs a few innings to sort out his stuff...

[Optics]

Drew. He's at his best with a clean inning. Give this man his job back.

^^ this

Although I wouldn't be opposed to a Closer by Committee setup with Thornton getting chances against lefties.

[MorseTheHorse]

No...he needs a few innings to sort out his stuff...

That's not what his stats say.

Not sure how this wasn't posted yet, but Matty was clear in teh post-game a change is gonna be made. 

[monkeyhit]

How about not giving Clippard, Storen or Thornton defined roles?  Trot out one of them, for whatever inning, and if he has a 1-2-3 inning, and looks nasty, let him stay in there.  Are you telling me that after a 10-pitch, unblemished inning, that the guy is toast?  There might be situations where he's due up in the batting order and that is due some thought, but this "one inning equals end of workday" mentality makes no sense.  And why is Soriano constantly left out there to flounder until he's officially blown the save?

Taking out a guy that's looking great in favor of mystery meat, all in the name of preserving "roles", seems dumb to me.

since we have no closer very trustworthy, I guess this is the best we can do. (and it probably won't be good enough in the end). Thornton has looked great, but think I read that he has never been a good closer and that is why he became available.  It was fairly obvious from the end of last year that the lack of a closer would be the Achilles heel.  (from my Pre-season Predication : Saves Leader and #:  here’s the problem:  30   Soriano)

[NatsAllThe Way]

Drew is the man.

[HalfSmokes]

Drew is the man who gave up four runs in the ninth in game five

[PebbleBall]

experience helps?

[HalfSmokes]

experience helps?

It isn't helping soriano

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Ok, so I don't necessarily trust Storen, but this notion that we can never give him a shot again just because of one postseason performance is a bit ludicrous.

Look at what happened to Brad Lidge: has a horrible postseason performance in '05 (gives up the HR to Pujols and then costs them the WS), appears to be broken for the better part of the next two years, then goes to Philly and has a dominant postseason en route to a World Series win.

Lidge sucked for two whole years after that Pujols HR.  The Storen grudge is largely because of one game.

[HalfSmokes]

It's entirely because of one game. I'd much rather give Thornton a shot

[Lintyfresh85]

Ok, so I don't necessarily trust Storen, but this notion that we can never give him a shot again just because of one postseason performance is a bit ludicrous.

Look at what happened to Brad Lidge: has a horrible postseason performance in '05 (gives up the HR to Pujols and then costs them the WS), appears to be broken for the better part of the next two years, then goes to Philly and has a dominant postseason en route to a World Series win.

Lidge sucked for two whole years after that Pujols HR.  The Storen grudge is largely because of one game.

Slider, slider, slider, slider, slider, slider, slider, slider, slider....

[ChiliPalmer14]

I'd generally agree with this if it was the start of the 2015 season, especially with the not being afraid to pull a guy before he blows a save.  But with the playoffs around the corner I don't want to be the first team to rethink the closer position.  Drew is the natural choice.  He has been a closer before and done well sans G5.  Tyler excels in his role and has struggled in closing situations.  It could be SSS, it could not be. 

If there is a position in sports where nerves matter it's being a closer in baseball.  I don't know why, it could be the intensity of the situation combined with the length; but I think it's quite clear not every good bullpen arm makes a good closer.

In the Nats best season to date (2012), Clippard was the closer until mid-September.  I think you gotta re-think whatever you gotta re-think.  I'll bet the Tigers wish they'd re-thought the closer position at ANY time. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

As for Thornton, admittedly I have always been a fan of his, but my impression tracking him was that Ozzie and Ventura moved away from him quickly to other options after one or two tough outings rather than giving him a legit shot. I think they moved rpetty qquick to HEctor Santiago and Santos the year he was supposed to close. 

Would love it if soxFan59 could pipe in on this.

[Lintyfresh85]

As for Thornton, admittedly I have always been a fan of his, but my impression tracking him was that Ozzie and Ventura moved away from him quickly to other options after one or two tough outings rather than giving him a legit shot. I think they moved rpetty qquick to HEctor Santiago and Santos the year he was supposed to close. 

Would love it if soxFan59 could pipe in on this.

You've always been a Matt Thornton fanboi.  :dukes:

[Vega]

As for Thornton, admittedly I have always been a fan of his, but my impression tracking him was that Ozzie and Ventura moved away from him quickly to other options after one or two tough outings rather than giving him a legit shot. I think they moved rpetty qquick to HEctor Santiago and Santos the year he was supposed to close. 

Would love it if soxFan59 could pipe in on this.

Didn't Santiago suck as a closer too?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Didn't Santiago suck as a closer too?

I think he had a decent run for at least a couple of months.  Main point I think is the White Sox liked Thornton as a set up guy.  Many teams are nervous about lefty closers due to the number of righty hitters so often look for an excuse to try someone else.  Also, if you don't anoint the lefty as a closer, you can then use him more like a bullpen ace in earlier inning hi leverage situations without ruffling feathers.

2010 Thornton was near his peak but they stuck with Jenks most of the year.  Thornton got chances but they brought up Sale to close down the stretch.  Next year they Santos a shot then switched to Sale again.  2012 they went with Reed mostly when Thornton was supposed to be the guy out of spring.  They made a quick switch to Santiago, but he was ineffective as you say.  You can make a case that Jenks needed time to work his way out of the role, but I don't buy Reed and even Santos as outperforming Thornton those years. 

[PebbleBall]

I think he had a decent run for at least a couple of months.  Main point I think is the White Sox liked Thornton as a set up guy.  Many teams are nervous about lefty closers due to the number of righty hitters so often look for an excuse to try someone else.  Also, if you don't anoint the lefty as a closer, you can then use him more like a bullpen ace in earlier inning hi leverage situations without ruffling feathers.

Was Williams hinting at a Storen/Thornton closer

<---------------------------------------?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Was Williams hinting at a Storen/Thornton closer

<---------------------------------------?

I would not mind them pulling a McGee / Boxberger like combo with those two.  For those in the bullpen who need to know their role, I like what Bo Porter said at the start of the year, which was, more or less, your role is to get outs when I put you in the game.