2007-03-04 18:45:38 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Baseball
Torres will do a good job. He has good stuff and he had that job the second half of last season and did well.
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2007-03-04 18:56:15 · answer #1 · answered by Lenny B 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He did solid work as the closer in September of last year when Gonzalez was injured, getting 12 saves in (IIRC) 13 chances. The big question is how he'll respond to the lighter workload of being closer; over the past 3 years, no other relief pitcher has thrown as much as him, and he's a guy who seems to thrive on overwork. If the Pirates are smart, they'll use him more than most closers are required to work and have someone else (probably Dan Kolb) in reserve for those situations where Torres has already worked 2 or 3 days in a row and they need a backup closer.
2007-03-05 10:27:27 · answer #2 · answered by JerH1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the Pirates are wondering the same thing. They have recently signed Danny Kolb as a free agent as insurance if Torres sputters. They also have closer-in-waiting Matt Capps. Personnally I think he will be okay as he is used to pitching late in games and was used as the closer after Mike Gonzalez got hurt last year. Either way, the Bucs will be in a lot of close games this year and need a dependable closer to move up in the standings. I think they'll be okay with the three options that they have.
2007-03-06 07:27:42 · answer #3 · answered by P.I. Stingray 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the sake of my Fantasy team - and from the sound of this question, yours too - I hope Torres can handle the duties of a closer...
He's had good practice - as MR & CL - last season, and his innings will be more workable...this being said, he needs to beef-up mentally - which I'm banking he does...
Now, as for the need for Kolb when Torres goes 2-3 days in a row? Does anybody really think a Pirate Closer will go 2-3 days in a row anytime soon?
2007-03-05 17:41:49 · answer #4 · answered by St. Copius 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just want to comment that the 92% statistic thrown out in another answer is complete garbage; the best statistical closer of all-time (with a large sample size), Trevor Hoffman, has a save percentage that barely grazes 90%. Mariano Rivera isn't at 89% yet, career-wise, so to say that a closer will save 92% of the games no matter who he is, is incorrect. However, Torres will probably pitch just as well at closer as he did as a middle-reliever, except that closers tend to be mis-used. The 9th inning isn't any more important than the 8th, 7th, or 4th; most managers neglect that and will relegate their closer to just 9th inning duties. Knowing that, I expect Torres to be used significantly less than he has in the past few years, meaning he'll probably have better ratios (ERA, WHIP), but with less strikeouts.
2007-03-05 05:04:09 · answer #5 · answered by davidfrankmarver 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mike Gonzalez is the closer and Salomon Torres is the setup man.
2007-03-05 17:55:04 · answer #6 · answered by Jake 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it will really matter because the Pirates won't ever have the lead going into the 9th inning. Seriously though, the closer is the most overrated position in all of sports. A MLB closer gets the save 92% of the time regarless of who he is.
2007-03-05 02:50:42 · answer #7 · answered by gberg_4 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He will probably get 7 saves in 10 opportunities.
2007-03-05 05:30:25 · answer #8 · answered by skisram 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋