I've written about the disturbing lack of actual closing pitchers in today's 'RP1 takes it til they suck' mindset. Who do we have right now, we have Aroldis Chapman, Raisel Iglesias, Josh Hader, Kenley Jansen I suppose, and that's basically it. In another year or so I could include Jhoan Duran but we've gotta see what he's capable of over time. Everyone else is sort of holding onto their streaks and seeing if they can make a thing out of it. Gone are the days of Troy Percivals and Todd Joneses and Armando Benitezes. It's very much gig mentality. What can I do this year, forget about next year.
Which is why losing Emmanuel Clase, one of the single most dominant closers in baseball, was such a crushing blow for the Guardians. Nobody else actually commits to keeping a closing job like he does, and the dude just bets his way out of a long career. It's heartbreaking. And then, after you thought you'd have a sure thing for years, you're back to 'well who's RP1'. Just like that. Thankfully this happens to a team like Cleveland that already has a great bullpen, but it's certainly not ideal.
Cade Smith was in his second year when he got the closing gig. His freshman season was an eventful one, as he kept a 1.91 ERA in 74 games, with a 2.4 WAR and 103 Ks, plus 16 postseason strikeouts. Last year he was given the closing job upon Clase's absence, and while he blew the occasional save, he still ended the year with 16, plus a 2.93 ERA, 8 wins and 104 Ks. And how he leads the league in saves with 26, and is more than likely headed for his [well-deserved] first ASG.
But...Cade Smith's big save season is happening in spite of what might be the weakest season of his career so far. His ERA's over 3, which hasn't happened yet, and his WHIP is also at his highest, of 1.200. He's allowing more hits, and showing more vulnerability, even if it means he's got 26 saves. Sometimes getting 40 saves happens to a Jeanmar Gomez or a Roberto Osuna, without the actual closing prowess to be good at the other aspects of the job. And so this season is just telling me how much more fit Smith is to be an eighth inning man, rather than a full closer. But it's really not his fault. There are so few closers these days, and so many more are thrust into that position without really having the gene. Sometimes you get lucky and wind up with Jacob Latz, a reliever-turned-starter-turned-closer, who's found great success in the ninth. Sometimes he will be the guy for a while, and sometimes he's just the guy right now. Cade Smith is looking like the latter, but you can never be too sure.
The Guards have it so they're tied for first with two more games played, and this weekend series against the White Sox will no doubt decide it. They've won their last two, and they're got Rocchio and DeLauter hot, plus Steven Kwan FINALLY getting things going and playing as well as he usually does, albeit with a slightly shakier average. Once they get J-Ram back [hopefully soon] they should lock the division back up. It'll be a fairly close race to the top though, and seeing as last year proved anyone can get hot in this division at any time, they'd better be hanging on for dear life.
Coming Tomorrow- A guy who hadn't been above .200 since May who suddenly went on the single wildest three day stretch in years.
No comments:
Post a Comment