the most overated position in sprots

[smazza]

closer

oh boy he comes in with a lead and has to pitch one scoreless inning.

what an athlete

[S p e n c e]

I agree.  I believe every team needs a closer, but they are used too much.  It seems to me that coaches today follow some sort of coaching formula when it comes to pitching.  Starter goes 7 innings, then bring the reliever in for an inning and a half, then another reliever until the 9th and then bring in your closer.  

I have seen so many times where the starting pitcher goes into the 8th or even the 9th inning throwing a 2 or 3 hit shut out, and is still throwing good stuff at that time, just to be pulled to let the closer come in and "finish the job".  And quite a few times I have seen the closer blow the save.  I think if a pitcher is pitching well leave him in the game there is no reason to follow some premade game plan if the pitcher has good stuff.

To paraphrase Joe Morgan the other night, if the starting pitcher is on his game and the team can't hit off of him they would love to see the closer come into the game even if he is the best in the league because they are facing someone new and they have a shot at hitting him where as the starter just totally shut them down.