Chris Jenkins, San Diego baseball writer, on "closers," 9/25/06

From Jenkins San Diego U-T article, doesn't want to anger the powers-that-be, but tells them in a tiny way, what you're selling isn't what you say it is.... "For the most part, they no longer entered games in the most tenuous of situations. Rather, they were summoned to start the ninth inning with clean bases and leads of one, two or even three runs to protect. Any more than a three-run differential or less than a one-run difference meant they might not pitch at all.

"“Closers,"” they suddenly were being called. As in, closing the deal. As in, salesmanship. (Jenkins relates Jerome Holtzman is generally credited with creating this label).

You've got a Trevor Hoffman, whose signature pitch, the illusory change up, is heavily reliant on his own salesmanship.

The theatricality that's now so attendant, the playing of selections from the AC/DC or Metallica songbooks, the fire-breathing snorts and menacing glares from the mound, the Fu Manchus and gnashed teeth, the drop-dead change-up or the mitt-searing fastball,– don't mean doodly-squat if the guy can't get those last three outs.

• (Question: How many homeruns did Hoffman and Eckersley give up compared to Mariano as a reliever, post season 1995 through 2006?)ed.
• Jenkins continues with this incredible "1 Inning" info about Lee Smith:

Likewise, Lee Smith really started ascending toward the all-time saves record when he had his role cut back to mostly ninth-inning appearances. Indeed, in the five-year period (1991-95) when he saved 206 games, Smith averaged almost exactly one inning for each of his 293 appearances.

• AND THE CLOSED BASEBALL MEDIA THOUGHT POLICE WANT YOU BRAIN-DEAD TYPES TO THINK THIS KIND OF SAVES EXPERIENCE IS THE SAME AS MARIANO'S. Those who know this to be a fraud keep quiet about it...they want to keep their standing and future financial prospects secure. (ed).

The save is one of few statistics that comes with an attached stat for failure, albeit unofficial.

• WAIT--THIS ISN'T TRUE--THE MEDIA AWARDS PITCHMEN REFER TO 'BLOWN SAVES' ALL THE TIME AS A KEY STAT (IF IT SUPPORTS THEIR PERSONAL AGENDA). ed.

It's not noted gently, either, but derogatorily. Instead of an unsuccessful save attempt, the reliever "“blew"” it. The "“blown save,"” while not listed as a statistical category by Major League Baseball, often is given as a greater statement of a closer's ability than the number of saves. *** David Smith does not dispute the significance of an uber-reliever such as Fingers and Hoffman. To the contrary, he grew up a Padres fan and saw both pitch for San Diego, admiringly and delightedly. If anything, he feels their dominance validates his point, which is partly that far too many teams feel it's mandatory to keep one pitcher in reserve for the ninth inning.

Having studied the data from more than 140,000 major league games, Smith says the concept of a single closer does not enhance a team's possibility of holding a lead in the ninth inning.

• So, they want to negate Mariano so badly, they virtually ignore him in this article, then cite a 140,000 game study. Anyone can look up what Mariano has done, but they choose to blow smoke. (ed). "“Psychologically, it really is hard to get that last out," Smith said.
• "“It's nice to listen to 'Hells Bells,' but the numbers just don't bear it out. Having a single closer does not improve your chances of winning a game. People would have you think that the one-inning closer has changed that, but it just isn't true. It's never changed. Protecting leads is the same now as it was in 1845.""

• This may be true if you're talking about Hoffman. Mr. Smith has given us a great service, (he's a founder of Retrosheet.org), but he gets away with perpetuating a lie. Mariano Rivera is a totally different force and has been proven so over many years. But Hoffman and his sales team fear Mo might go into the HOF...and before him. Clearly, Mo has a lousy agent, as the relentless mischaracterizations have been allowed to continue.

At least Mr. Jenkins tries to bring a tiny bit of truth to the sales pitch in the sleepy pitchers' park.

Tweet Stumbleupon StumbleUpon