Diamondbacks' David Hernandez finds niche as reliever

[Dback Jon]

A theory: For a reliever, the eighth inning is a tougher assignment than the ninth. Not only is there less pressure on the hitters in the eighth -- they know the team will have another chance next inning -- but there's statistical evidence that a team's better hitters come to bat less often in the ninth.

Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero subscribes to this theory. He doesn't know about the stats, but he's felt the pressure. And so you can imagine what he thinks of the work turned in last season by right-hander David Hernandez, the club's primary setup man to closer J.J. Putz.

"He was phenomenal," Montero said.



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/dia...andez-finds-niche-reliever.html#ixzz1pri0KMGe

 

[azsportsfan01]

There is a theory, which I partially believe, that closers today are used wrong. The 9th inning is not always the most important inning in a game, so why keep your best option for it? If you have bases loaded with 2 outs in the 6th inning of a 2 run lead why would you not bring in your best option. Baseball is stuck in the belief that you need your best reliever for the 9th, second best for the 8th, etc.

The reason I only partially believe the theory is because the 9th inning does hold some sort of importance in everyone's mind and not every pitcher is able to handle it. I think the way to go forward would be to leave Putz in the 9th but make Hernandez a second closer. A guy who will come in to clean up any mess, whether it be the 6th inning or the 9th.

We could go on about bullpen construction, i.e. the loss of the swing pitcher (a role Collmenter would be perfect for) but the closer is the most 'common' mistake in the bullpen today.

 

[BC867]

The 9th inning is not always the most important inning in a game, so why keep your best option for it?

...

The reason I only partially believe the theory is because the 9th inning does hold some sort of importance in everyone's mind and not every pitcher is able to handle it.

You didn't mention the major consideration in using your best (appropriate) reliever as your closer.

A blown save in the seventh or eighth inning gives you one or two chances (innings) to tie or take the lead back.

A blown save in the ninth inning on the road and the game is over. At home, it reduces your chances to one inning -- three outs.

If you have used your best reliever before the ninth inning, you're giving the opposition an advantage.

 

[azsportsfan01]

You didn't mention the major consideration in using your best (appropriate) reliever as your closer.

A blown save in the seventh or eighth inning gives you one or two chances (innings) to tie or take the lead back.

A blown save in the ninth inning on the road and the game is over. At home, it reduces your chances to one inning -- three outs.

If you have used your best reliever before the ninth inning, you're giving the opposition an advantage.

But if you're able to keep that lead you don't have to try to get it back. Closers should be used in high leverage situations, no matter what the innings is. Say you use Joe Patterson in the 6th inning with bases loaded and he gives up the lead. You may never get Hernandez or Putz into the game. The closer role as it is known today is becoming, well it should be, antiquated quick.

 

[AZ Native]

Am I the only one who thinks Hernandez is scary good?