Quote:
Originally Posted by SWardle
That still doesn't make a closer more valuable than a starter, IMO. If that's the case why not just throw all of your best starting arms in as closers? Why not drop Big Unit in the closers role? Throw all of your scrubs in the rotation because hey, if they get blasted and give up 5 runs we have x-number outs to get those runs back versus the 3 we have in the 9th.
There's absolutely no way I'd take a Papelbon over a good starter. There's just simply no way. I'm sure Santana could throw 60 gold innings as a closer too. But why would you purposely take 60 innings from him when you can get 200?
When I look at a closer I see a guy who right off the bat is 1/3rd of a starters value because of the innings pitched difference. Now, a Papelbon with his performance in those 60 innings can certainly trump bad starters because I'd take 60 great innings over 200 bad ones.
But if I had to choose between 200 3.50 ERA innings and Paplebon's 60? I take the 200.
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Right and you would be making the wrong decision based on statistics. The article explained there were only 9 SP's better than Papelbon. So go ahead an make the wrong decision.
Billy Beane talked last year about building his rotation from the bullpen up. This is what he was referring to.