Rangers vs Bombers game 2.

[Windingmywatch]

It remains that Wash accepted moving Feliz to the rotation if TEX acquired a quality, experienced closer.

So Nathan not only fills that bill ... his $15.2mil 2-year program represents what TEX would have to pay for a #5 SP on the market (leaving Feliz to close) instead of benefitting from the higher Feliz upside potential as that #5.

Nothing is free and nothing is guarranteed.

 

[romeo212000]

I'd agree, but he has only done it for Texas and since his surgery for 18 games. If it makes you feel any better, I still don't trust Nefti in the starting role or Yu for that matter. All three have been at or above expectations of mine coming into the season, but all three have roughly a dozen combined showings.

I don't trust players just because they did well in the minors, or Japan, or signed a big contract, or used to be good. I trust them when they show that they can go out and do their job very well day in and day out RIGHT NOW. I'd give Yu a B right now, Feliz a B+, and Nathan an A- right now. Nathan has had the most opportunities and done well in a vast majority of them. Yu started shaky but has been better, and I'd like to see a few more games where he walks 3 or fewer. Feliz has been stellar, but I want to see what happens when he gets shelled in one inning and has to go back out there.

I didn't trust Nap for most of last year, until he showed that he can not only deliver, but can deliver when needed. This isn't just ani-Nathanism for me. This is just me wanting to see a player do well for this team before I jump on his bandwagon.

I guess I'm just different in that I'm going to give a new guy every chance to be successful and I'm going to be their fan until they prove otherwise.

 

[romeo212000]

It remains that Wash accepted moving Feliz to the rotation if TEX acquired a quality, experienced closer.

So Nathan not only fills that bill ... his $15.2mil 2-year program represents what TEX would have to pay for a #5 SP on the market (leaving Feliz to close) instead of benefitting from the higher Feliz upside potential as that #5.

Nothing is free and nothing is guarranteed.

Interesting and solid point.

 

[Ginger]

This is a really good article about closers

With more pitchers breaking down, time to rethink modern bullpen - Tom Verducci - SI.com

That was a very interesting read. I think it was well thought out and well written. He very well could be right. It is disturbing that 50% of starting pitchers spend time on the disabled list. I think that stat is way worse than the closers statistics simply because closers are often failed starting pitchers or guys that only have 1 very good pitch with lackluster complementary pitches.

Many of these guys could not effectively pitch in the majors if they don't come in and throw as hard as they can for 1 inning. In essence, they only have a major league job because they can throw hard for 1 inning. Otherwise, they'd have to work for a living like all the rest of us.

And I do think the Rangers do things a tad bit different from other teams. The last few seasons they have used the bullpen as a type of OJT for starters. They haven't tended to overuse guys and they've let them mature, adapt to the majors while keeping those young arms from piling up innings. CJ, Feliz, Holland, Harrison and Feldman all were in the pen before going to the roto. And Feldman didn't even hurt his arm, it was his knee. Nathan is more the exception than the rule for the Rangers. Plus, they are having their pitchers throw live batting practice and really throw more for strengthening and conditioning than other teams. IMO, the Rangers are the model to be following on this.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Interesting and solid point.

To add to this point and somewhat dovetailing with Ginger's note that followed your comment here.

My bet is that while Nathan may log the most Saves and Save Opportunities ... TEX is not going to overload Nathan and because of the structure of the TEX bullpen it is very likely we will see Closer by Committee with arguably every member of the bullpen to one degree or more having the talent to log 3 outs in the 9th.

 

[romeo212000]

To add to this point and somewhat dovetailing with Ginger's note that followed your comment here.

My bet is that while Nathan may log the most Saves and Save Opportunities ... TEX is not going to overload Nathan and because of the structure of the TEX bullpen it is very likely we will see Closer by Committee with arguably every member of the bullpen to one degree or more having the talent to log 3 outs in the 9th.

I think we've already started seeing that.