May 23, 201214 yr As far as the bolded goes, you said he doesn't have to pitch just the 9th inning. And that couldn't be more wrong. If he threw the 8th and 9th inning in a game, there is no way he'd be used the next day. None. You can't have a closer that isn't available two straight days, and yet here you are wanting Chapman to be used for two inning saves. Makes zero sense. What's the difference in coming in with 2 outs in the 8th and facing one batter, then finish the game and pitching in the ninth and allowing a couple of baserunners ? Your logic makes zero sense.
May 23, 201214 yr Chapman has been lights out. In my mind, the Reds should maximize his time in Cincinnati and that would be by putting him in the starting rotation. Right now, that's not necessary. He's also not capable of throwing 200 innings anyway, so using him out of the pen may help in the long run. I'd much rather have Chapman available in August / September / October than May & June. Additionally, I understand the injury situation (no Madson, no Masset, no Bray), so I have no beef using Chapman out of the pen for the 1st half of the season. While he's in the pen, I think the Reds should use him in whenever the situation warrants. If it's the 7th inning and the game is on the line, use him. If it's the 8th inning and the game is on the line, use him. If he hasn't been used and it's a save opportunity in the 9th, use him. I don't buy the "he can't pitch back to back day" theory. If he truly cannot pitch back to back days, he needs to be slotted in the starting rotation right now. There are far too many games to have a reliever who can only go every other day. I'm a big Sean Marshall fan but there's no doubt that he's much better facing lefties. So use him like Dusty used Bill Bray last year. I have no problem with Marshall pitching the 9th if there are a few lefties coming up, but it's clear that righties fare much better than lefties do against him. Maximize his talent & put him in situations where he can excel. If Dusty were more flexible with his roles, then I'd say go ahead and appoint Chapman as "the closer". Unfortunately, we all know that Dusty's closer only pitches the 9th inning, and that's not the best way to maximize Chapman's talents. For that reason, I don't want Dusty to define Chapman as "the closer" unless Dusty tweaks his philosophy... Sorry for the long post but when you go a few pages without posting you've got some catching up to do.
May 23, 201214 yr As far as the bolded goes, you said he doesn't have to pitch just the 9th inning. And that couldn't be more wrong. If he threw the 8th and 9th inning in a game, there is no way he'd be used the next day. None. You can't have a closer that isn't available two straight days, and yet here you are wanting Chapman to be used for two inning saves. Makes zero sense. He wouldn't be the first closer that wasn't available on back to back days...If he was used a day prior for a 2 inning save and got the job done and sealed up the W then that's all that matters at that time...The next day there is a very good chance either the Reds are blowing out the opponent or vice versa so Chapman would get a day off anyways...If not and the next game is a close situation again then you let the Big O close the game or one of the other guys... Almost every team has a defined closer and he is the RP with the best stuff on the staff however that closer doesn't save every game that season, you will always have 1 or 2 other guys throughout the year that pick up a handful of saves when your Closer needs a day off...It might sound dumb but LeCure and Simon need to get work too, if Chapman can't go LeCure and Simon might get bumped up to a 7th or 8th inning role with the Big O or Arredondo brought in to close the door in the 9th...Marshall is there too and he may pick up a couple outs or all three if a bunch of lefties are coming up and that helps as well...Marshall will more than likely be used in the lefty specialists role from here on out, that what he was signed for...
May 23, 201214 yr 1st and 3rd 1 out in the 7th inning protecting a 1 run lead with a lefty at the plate and a right handed hitter behind him who do you want to be used in that situation? That is the "closer" situation. If we have to rely then entire season for Chapman in those situations, the Reds will not be a playoff team. I agree with nku.
May 23, 201214 yr If you have a closer who is only available every other day, do you really have a defined closer? It seems to me like you'd have a defined closer on Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday but not the other days...
May 23, 201214 yr As far as the bolded goes, you said he doesn't have to pitch just the 9th inning. And that couldn't be more wrong. If he threw the 8th and 9th inning in a game, there is no way he'd be used the next day. None. You can't have a closer that isn't available two straight days, and yet here you are wanting Chapman to be used for two inning saves. Makes zero sense. Wow, you really don't get it. He throws 8 pitches in the 8th and comes back in the 9th and he's unavailable tomorrow is your stance? What everyone seems to discount is the fact that the game is over in the minds of the opponent when Chapman is at the end of it. Call it what you like, it's the hardcore truth. Opponents know the odds and it is what it is. So, now you are able to shorten the game by an inning. Now you only have to worry about your pen for one fewer inning. Even Dumsty knows that.
May 23, 201214 yr If you have a closer who is only available every other day, do you really have a defined closer? It seems to me like you'd have a defined closer on Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday but not the other days... That's only if UKMF manages.
May 23, 201214 yr You know what? I wonder why Joe Torre never pitched Mariano Rivera in the 7th and had one of those other guys pitch the 9th? Idiot.
May 23, 201214 yr Wow, you really don't get it. He throws 8 pitches in the 8th and comes back in the 9th and he's unavailable tomorrow is your stance? What everyone seems to discount is the fact that the game is over in the minds of the opponent when Chapman is at the end of it. Call it what you like, it's the hardcore truth. Opponents know the odds and it is what it is. So, now you are able to shorten the game by an inning. Now you only have to worry about your pen for one fewer inning. Even Dumsty knows that. How many times has Chapman, in his Reds career, threw more than one inning one day and been used again the next? As for the bolded, that's just ignorant.
May 23, 201214 yr How many times has Chapman, in his Reds career, threw more than one inning one day and been used again the next? As for the bolded, that's just ignorant. How is that ignorant. I've watched many a stories on Rivera where they interviewed the opponents, and they said once it got to Rivera they pretty much knew the game was over. Same thing in the 90's. Teams KNEW if the Reds had the lead after 6 innings it was time for Charlton, Dibble and Myers, and the game was over. As for innings, that means squat. If he can throw 1 1/3 of an inning in 15 pitches there is no reason he can't come back the next day. Pitch count is all that matters.
May 23, 201214 yr How many times has Chapman, in his Reds career, threw more than one inning one day and been used again the next? As for the bolded, that's just ignorant. You couldn't be farther from wrong. Opponents would rather see ANYONE than Chapman. ANYONE.
May 23, 201214 yr ^It's ignorant because the game isn't over. If they really felt that way they wouldn't even send hitters up. Rivera has blown saves, hasn't he? How's that possible if the game "was over"?
May 23, 201214 yr You couldn't be farther from wrong. Opponents would rather see ANYONE than Chapman. ANYONE. Well no crap. Doesn't mean they think the game is over. That's just a flat out ignorant statement.
May 23, 201214 yr ^It's ignorant because the game isn't over. If they really felt that way they wouldn't even send hitters up. Rivera has blown saves, hasn't he? How's that possible if the game "was over"? Sure Rivera blew saves every now and then, but that still didn't change the effect bringing Rivera into the game had on the opponents mentally. Ask any player that's ever played the game, and had to face him. Like Yogi always said, half of the game is 90 % mental.
May 23, 201214 yr Well no crap. Doesn't mean they think the game is over. That's just a flat out ignorant statement. Last night, Uggla, a dead red fastball hitter, looked like he'd rather have his back waxed than dig in against AC. You're argument gets weaker as we go.
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