O's closer?

[redsrbetter]

A lot of people feel like this is the O's weakness. Their bullpen just didn't perform as expected last season. Chris Ray got hurt and his numbers were effected in a negative way. Can he come back and close?

Or would it fir the team better to try Sarfate or Aquino? Is Liz ready for the big leagues?

[ThomasTomasz]

The way it looks now, George Sherrill is going to get first crack at being the closer. He's a power left-hander, and since Dave Trembley has approached him about closing games, his attitude about being an Oriole has improved.

The other guys who stand a chance are Chad Bradford, Jamie Walker and Greg Aquino, but I think Sherrill has the best stuff for the job. When Chris Ray comes back, which could be around August, it's definitely his job again.

[realmofotalk]

Aquino stinks. I think Chad Bradford, when his back isn't bothering him, is their most reliable guy out of the pen, although he doesn't have a closer's mentality. Still, they're hoping that the younger Sherrill wins the job.

[OrioleMagic]

I think Trembley will give it to the best performer in ST. In other words it is up for grabs and open to competition.

[ljshorty89]

I can tell you from his time with the Mets, Chad Bradford will impress you SO much. He's a competitor, and he has an amazing ability to come in with runners on and still not allow them to score. In his one year with the Mets, Bradford stranded something like 23 of his teammate's runners before finally letting one score(on a sac fly, haha)

[giantsfan5689]

Originally Posted by ljshorty89 I can tell you from his time with the Mets, Chad Bradford will impress you SO much. He's a competitor, and he has an amazing ability to come in with runners on and still not allow them to score. In his one year with the Mets, Bradford stranded something like 23 of his teammate's runners before finally letting one score(on a sac fly, haha)

Ummm........no. Bradford, along with the rest of the Orioles bullpen is not going to be so good........listen to the podcast for the rest.

[Kingdom_of_Zito]

What podcast?

[ljshorty89]

even last year, Bradford was pretty good. He pitched in 78 games, 64 2/3 innings, a 3.34 ERA

[realmofotalk]

Like I said, Bradford is good enough to get 3 outs in the 9th inning, but he lacks the closer's mentality, which anyone who had read Moneyball would know by now.

[giantsfan5689]

Originally Posted by realmofotalk Like I said, Bradford is good enough to get 3 outs in the 9th inning, but he lacks the closer's mentality, which anyone who had read Moneyball would know by now.

I agree. Closer is by far the most psychological position in the game. If you can get 3 outs in a major league game, that's one thing. But getting the 3 outs in the 9th inning is completely different. That's why great set-up men who move to closer fail so often. It's just so psychological.

[ljshorty89]

I'm not calling bradford their closer, but he can be an effective set up man. that i can tell you for sure

[giantsfan5689]

Originally Posted by ljshorty89 I'm not calling bradford their closer, but he can be an effective set up man. that i can tell you for sure

i know. that was more of a general statement rather than directed towards bradford

[browntown653]

I never said Bradford was bad on the podcast.