I vote Windsor for Closer
by ohad on May 15, 2007 6:35 PM PDT
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PrintFirst off a little background on Windsor. He's been well chronicled here but this year is pretty out of the blue.
In 44.2 Innings, 8 starts, Windsor has compiled a 5.24 ERA. He has given up 51 hits and 19 walks, while striking out 31. Good for a 3.83 BB/9, 6.25 K/9 and a horrible 1.57 WHIP. He has only given up three home runs though. Opponents have an .821 OPS against him. Simply put, he is getting raked. He has been much better of late, despite continued struggle with his control.
Here's the point: Try Windsor out as closer. Whether Street is back on time or not. Make Windsor a closer. He has got the mentality that we have all heard about, that bulldog type/Huddy/cliche mindset. He also projects as a reliever with his pitches, using his great changeup to offset an average fastball, mixed with the breaking ball. His changeup is the only above average pitch, and, as a reliever, he would only need two pitches.His stuff may not be considered good enough, but it's worth a shot making him a reliever right now. Even if Street's injury is only short term, he could move back to starting or become a set up man.
A little crazy, but i'm willing to try anything.
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Big fan of Windsor to the bullpen
But throwing him directly from the rotation to the closer's job is a bit much. He may need time to make the transition from SP to RP, let's not overwhelm him by giving him 9th inning responsibilities right away.
what grover said
by BlameChannel53 on May 15, 2007 6:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Agreed.
Actually, for mine, if you were going to give anyone the job from AAA, I think the guy they just brought up, Connor Robertson, makes much more sense.
He's been closing, his arm is used to relief - why not give him a baptism of fire and let him close if the game is 3 or 4 runs in our advantage, and go to committee if it's less?
Agree
.. with Grover .. putting Windsor in as closer would be bad for both him individually and the team collectively right now ..
by Randy Bell on May 15, 2007 6:42 PM PDT reply actions
If I'm understanding you correctly
you aren't necessarily saying they should call him up now. You're simply saying they should convert him to a closer/reliever at AAA right now. Which, based on what I've seen, is a pretty good idea. I think the same could be said of Braden as well.
I hesitate on Braden
Dallas has pitched out of the pen before, but he's still in the process of recovering from shoulder surgery. Switching him from starting to relief means a change in his work load. He'd be going from throwing 100 pitches once every 5 days to throwing 15-25 pitches 3-4 times a week. Relief pitching requires the arm (and shoulder) to bounce back quicker than it has before. That might not be the best thing for a player with a shoulder at less than 100%. Remember, the A's took away Braden's screwball as part of his re-hab process. Let's not blow out his arm again.
I'm not entirely sold
on Braden as a starter. Granted, it's unfair to say that about a guy who basically skipped AAA, so in that, I'd be happy to be wrong. You have a valid point about the injury concerns, but in the long term, he has the stuff to be a great setup guy. Maybe not right now, but eventually.
I agree
I think Braden would be great in the bullpen. I'm just worried about pushing his shoulder.
that's why I'm happy
they told him he can't throw the screwball. Let him fully recover, do a little learning and then let him tear it up from the pen.
who does throw a screwball?
Is Fernando still pitchin in Mexico?
by Hawaii FO on May 15, 2007 11:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Correct
To clarify, i didn't mean just throw him to the wolves and hope for the best. I mean try to groom him for the position, because, as i said in another thread, i really feel like Street is headed towards TJ surgery for some reason
I'd sooner have an actual bulldog
I think he's paid his dues
at the minor league level and has nothing left to prove. Bring him up here and let him mature.
Agree - good to hear from you again Ohad!
But disagree with Windsor. If we want the season to go down the proverbial tubes quickly we could have Windsor, Halsey, Meyer, Embree, Witasick, Marshall etc. close.
The only major league capable closers on this team or in our system are Street (out), Duke (out), and Calero. Its gotta be Kiko. I have no idea why Geren took him out after one batter in the eighth--I was pretty sure we were going to see a 4 out save.
Closer by Committee
It's just got to be done based entirely on matchups until someone takes the Closer's job and runs with it. Embree and Witasick should be chomping at the bit, but both seem to fall behind hitters on a consistent basis, and they don't want to have the ball when the game is on the line.
I say bring up Ron Flores (DL Duke). Then, you can go straight LOOGY/ROOGY in the 9th inning when it's a 1-Run Game. If it's a 2 or 3 Run game, use the L/R rotation only when the tying run is at home plate.
(R) Calero/Robertson/Witasick
(L) Embree/Marshall/Dinardo/Flores
You'd have to assume that a few of
those arms would be used by the time you get to the 9th inning in most cases when it's a close game. And then you factor in that on some days some of those arms just won't be available b/c of working in previous games. The fact is, you need an arm that can get both lefties and righties out to anchor your bullpen.
I agree--the one thing
If Duke can come back in 3-4 days, then don't DL him--the A's need every day they can get from him, no matter how wobbly he's been compared to usual. If Duke is unavailable, go with Calero. If that doesn't work and you want to contend in 2007, make a trade for a serviceable closer--like Dotel was in 2004.
Duke
by Colorado Fan on May 16, 2007 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions
I myself am a big Procrustean guy
... I only wish Larry Davis was as well.
(Yes, I know, that one's a stretch.)
If you bring up the AAA closer
to replace your injured big-league closer, then why wouldn't you give him a chance to "do what he does?!" Throw Robertson in there and lets see what happens ...
Maybe they will tonite..
.. give Robertson a chance ..
by Randy Bell on May 16, 2007 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions
They may or may not
have a choice.
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