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Let's rank the relievers

Mex17 Nov 03 2018 07:36 AM

I agree with smg58 from a previous thread about how we ought to target one righty and one lefty. The top end leftys are a shorter list. . .Britton and Miller. This is how I rank the righthanders. . . Kimbrel Robertson Soria Familia Ottavino Romo Am I missing anyone? Who are your choices/predicions when chooing one from Column A (rightys) and Column B (leftys).

smg58 Nov 03 2018 10:34 AM Re: Let's rank the relievers

I'm sure there are a few between Ottavino and Romo. Last year saw good production from Tony Watson and Hector Rondon at bargain prices, but most of the pricier free agents turned out to be duds (Swarzak was hardly unique in that regard). So don't chase last year's stats (i.e., I'd like to see Ottavino do that twice before I pay him what he's likely to get), and do your homework on smaller names (and even bigger names like Greg Holland who imploded last year).

Mex17 Nov 03 2018 10:41 AM Re: Let's rank the relievers

The funny thing about Romo is that he is listed on ESPNs depth chart as the closer for a team that won 90 games yet his stats don't look great. I wonder how that happened?

smg58 Nov 03 2018 12:04 PM Re: Let's rank the relievers

Part of it is he was the best guy available, and part of it is that he got off to a crummy start but had a much better second half, especially after they traded their previous closer.

smg58 Nov 03 2018 12:06 PM Re: Let's rank the relievers

I'm not sure if Trevor Rosenthal was even on anybody's list, but the Nats just signed him for one year and $7.5M plus incentives. He missed all of 2018 due to TJS, and I had totally forgotten about him.

Frayed Knot Nov 03 2018 01:59 PM Re: Let's rank the relievers

smg58 wrote: I'm not sure if Trevor Rosenthal was even on anybody's list, but the Nats just signed him for one year and $7.5M plus incentives. He missed all of 2018 due to TJS, and I had totally forgotten about him. Man, how many 'name' closers and set-up men have the Nats traded for and/or signed over the last three years or so? Seems like maybe a dozen (tho probably fewer)* and the back end of their pen has remained a mess all the while. * So discounting home-grown types, I find: (2015) Papelbon; (2016) Ollie Perez, Matt Belisle, Mark Melancon, Mat Latos; (2017) Sean Doolittle, Joe Blanton, Matt Albers; (2018) Shawn Kelley, Ryan Madson, Brandon Kintzler, Greg Holland, Kelvin Herrera And now add Rosenthal and who knows who else for this coming year. Meanwhile, they bailed on Blake Treinan (for Madson & Doolittle) and he went on to have a helluva season in Oakland. Now one could take issue with some of these as "name" closers and/or set-up men; some had been but no longer were by the time the Nats got a hold of them. But, still, that's a lot of names for a lot of holes and yet a lot of holes still remain.

seawolf17 Nov 05 2018 06:38 AM Re: Let's rank the relievers

smg58 wrote: I'm not sure if Trevor Rosenthal was even on anybody's list, but the Nats just signed him for one year and $7.5M plus incentives. He missed all of 2018 due to TJS, and I had totally forgotten about him. That much for a guy who didn't even *pitch* last year? Yipes.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 05 2018 06:49 AM Re: Let's rank the relievers

If we're really going to buy a "proven closer" it may as well be Familia in my estimation.

HahnSolo Nov 05 2018 08:04 AM Re: Let's rank the relievers

Just a gut feeling that Andrew Miller is going to be a Met. Injuries and ineffectiveness will probably push down his value, making his contract not-all-that-crippling. Then they'll sign another non-closer after some of the other chips fall. With uncertainty (my uncertainty; the team probably knows what they want the payroll to be) over what the team payroll is going to be, I'm not inclined to go after that name-brand closer (ala Kimbrel) in the offseason. If things are looking good close to the trade deadline, make a move for one then if necessary.