Remaining FA closers

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  • Skerik
    Living in this tube
    • Mar 2004
    • 5215

    #1

    Remaining FA closers

    Gordon, Farnsworth, Wickman, Hoffman, Dotel, Jones, Tavarez, etc. Does anyone really think any of these guys are worth a first-round draft pick? Since they're all class-A free agents, that's what they'd net in compensation from a top-15 team if they were signed.

    It's one of the real myths in baseball that you need an "established closer" to succeed. Guys like Wickman and Gordon will always find jobs because teams believe they need a guy who's done it before, regardless of whether or not there's a better, unproven candidate within their system already. Look at a guy like Bobby Jenks, who was basically given up for dead before he became a lights-out closer for the world champs. And most "established closers" are starters who flamed out and were given the chance to close games.

    Unless a team thinks they have a serious shot at a World Series this year and their only hole to fill is at closer, I can't really justify spending big money and giving up a draft pick to acquire a guy just because he's actually been a closer somewhere before. Find a live arm within your system and develop a closer from within....it's far more cost-effective and it's hard for me to believe that no such prospects exist in any organizations right now.
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  • nyisles16
    All Star
    • Apr 2003
    • 8317

    #2
    Re: Remaining FA closers

    out of that group, I would say Hoffman is most definitely an "A".. the others are very iffy..

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    • Nyrican127
      Let's Go Mets!!!
      • Apr 2003
      • 572

      #3
      Re: Remaining FA closers

      The Mets want to bring Dotel back to set up Wagner.
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      • Karlos05
        -
        • Mar 2003
        • 5814

        #4
        Re: Remaining FA closers

        Jose Mesa is still out there

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        • Lintyfresh85
          Where have I been?
          • Jul 2002
          • 17492

          #5
          Re: Remaining FA closers

          so the big news is that the Indians are going big time after Hoffman... I hope we get him, but we also need a set up guy to take Howry's spot... maybe make Brown or Cabrera the man....

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          • jt45
            All Star
            • Apr 2003
            • 5074

            #6
            Re: Remaining FA closers

            Teams only have to give up picks if a player is offered arbitration. Most of those guys won't get such an offer, plus even if they did, if they sign early enough it doesn't matter.

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            • Thrasha
              MVP
              • Nov 2004
              • 3374

              #7
              Re: Remaining FA closers

              I'm not a real big fan of set roles for each RP in a bullpen.

              With the right players, a bullpen by committe (at least IMO) is the best way to go.

              So none of those players are worth a first round pick, especially at the escalating cost that it'll take to sign these guys now that the market has started drying up (with the signings of BJ and Wagner).
              “Nobody in the history of the game tried what I just tried. We’re talking about on the biggest stage, in New York, playing out of position and asked to hit fourth for the New York Yankees. I mean, that’s never been done.” - Sheffield on Sheffield

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              • Nyrican127
                Let's Go Mets!!!
                • Apr 2003
                • 572

                #8
                Re: Remaining FA closers

                A bullpen like that never works. Ask Theo Epstein. Looks like the Mets want Flash Gordon to set up Billy Wagner:

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                • nyyanksfan20
                  MVP
                  • Feb 2003
                  • 1650

                  #9
                  Re: Remaining FA closers

                  Originally posted by Nyrican127
                  A bullpen like that never works. Ask Theo Epstein. Looks like the Mets want Flash Gordon to set up Billy Wagner:

                  http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/m...=.jsp&c_id=nym
                  No way he goes to the Mets to set up unless if they vastly overpay for him. He's made it known he wants to close and if not he would resign with the Yankees.
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                  • BatsareBugs
                    LVP
                    • Feb 2003
                    • 12553

                    #10
                    Re: Remaining FA closers

                    If the Padres don't bring back Hoffman, they deserve an empty Petco Park until they go bankrupt.

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                    • APD0290
                      Pro
                      • Dec 2003
                      • 651

                      #11
                      Re: Remaining FA closers

                      Of course they're worthy of a first round pick. Those are established major league pitchers. If you're able to land a player like Trevor Hoffman or Tom Gordon in the draft than great, but I doubt it. The question is if they're willing to give the years and money that they will want, being quote unquote "proven closers".

                      I would be more than willing if the Sox could get one of the above players for cheap, the draft pick doesn't even come to mind. For every Mark Mulder there's two or three players who never see an MLB uniform.
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                      • Tomahawk
                        MVP
                        • Feb 2005
                        • 1593

                        #12
                        Re: Remaining FA closers

                        Reports from the Braves and Yankees Scout.com site are saying Farnsworth has signed with the Yankees for 3 years\$17 mil.
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                        • NYJets
                          Hall Of Fame
                          • Jul 2002
                          • 18637

                          #13
                          Re: Remaining FA closers

                          Originally posted by Tomahawk
                          Reports from the Braves and Yankees Scout.com site are saying Farnsworth has signed with the Yankees for 3 years\$17 mil.


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