Closer Solution?

[brewerfanintx]

A little help for a Brewer fan in Texas please. Who is slotted to fill in for Hoffman if needed during this "few days rest"? Who is slotted to take over if he can't get it right? Thanks.

[pebadger]

I'll worry about it the next time the Brewers actually get through 6, 7 and 8 without making the question somewhat irrelevant.

 

Axford was mentioned on last night's boradcasr.

[Invader3K]

They haven't named anyone yet, but I assume Axford or Villanueva could be options in the interim. Maybe even Todd Coffey.

 

If it gets to the point where it's obvious Hoffman can't be a closer again (if it hasn't reached that point already), then I think they will call up Zach Braddock eventually to take on that role.

[TooLiveBrew]

The broadcast last night played a clip of an interview with Macha in the dugout during batting practice earlier in the day. He mentioned they'd go by matchups (L/R), which made me really happy... but then I remembered the only way MLB managers seem to try to arrange the most favorable matchups in the 8th & 9th innings is when their 8th & 9th inning "guys" are injured/unavailable, so the happiness quickly faded.

[cadillacjosh]

I'm all for V. You scratch a couple outings this year, he's been pretty good. Plus he's got 6 different pitches, all of which he throws pretty well with pretty solid location. I think he would be tough to pick up as a closer. Even with a full count you could see a different pitch every time. I think that's pretty cool.

[bigredrobbo]

To need a closer, we have to either not have a 20 run lead, or to not be behind coming into the 9th!

[paul253]

My vote would be for Coffey. I think he's been misused all year.

[Bucky370]

My choice is Axford, I don't care if he doesn't have much big league experience.

[paul253]

How is John Axford only 27? He looks like he's about 45. That's not supposed to be an insult or anything. I just see him on tv and say "no way is he 27".

[RightFieldCoder]

Look at his Brewers pic without a stache. He looks like he'll be carded for for buying cigarettes.

[brewmann04]

Axford i think will be the closer by june

[paul253]

Villanueva tonight. He did fine. I'd like to see Coffey as the 8th inning guy then. I like Axford as much as anyone but I don't want to just hand him the closers role after a few impressive innings.

[TooLiveBrew]

Villy makes sense since he can get lefties & righties out, but that's precisely why I'd like him to be free to work at any point in the game, not locked in at Closer. I guess I'd vote Villy. I'd really love to see Macha stick with playing the matchups, but I doubt that will happen.

[YoungGeezy]

Villy or "the Stache " Axford.

[Bucky370]

Villanueva tonight. He did fine. I'd like to see Coffey as the 8th inning guy then. I like Axford as much as anyone but I don't want to just hand him the closers role after a few impressive innings.

 

Would you rather have Hoffman back? Have to try something, and at least this kid throws some heat!!

[Invader3K]

I'd like to see a "closer by committee" type thing right now. I hope Macha just uses one of Axford, Villanueva, or Braddock depending on what the situation calls for, and work that way at least for a while. Having a designated closer is partly why we're in the mess we are in now.

[Funketown]

I'm hoping we see a closer by committee as well. If a couple big lefties are coming up, throw in Braddock. Otherwise, let Axford and Villanueva handle it.

[rluzinski]

My vote is to play the matchups as well. If the Brewers are up by 1 in the 8th and the 3,4,5 hitters are up, go with whomever you think is the best available reliever. That should be common sense.

[FVBrewerFan]

Developing a man crush on Axford. I knew he had a plus fastball and a slider, but that curve ball he dropped last night for a called strike 3 was nasty! Looks like he has closer stuff to me. Then again, with 3 pitches why can't he be a starter? Did he battle injuries the last few years or something, because I don't know how a guy with stuff like that hasn't been in MLB .

[Invader3K]

From what little I know of Axford, even though he is 27, he didn't sign until August '06 (with the Yankees). He made it to their AAA team, but didn't do much there. I assume maybe he was blocked anyway?

[FVBrewerFan]

Maybe. Seems like a strange story though doesn't it? Why didn't he sign until the end of 2006, and then not make it to MLB until the end of last year? I'm assuming he played college ball for 4 years.

[CheezWizHed]

I thought Axford had TJ surgery, signed with the Yanks, but didn't through well. We picked him up on a whim and two years after TJ, his velocity picked back up.

 

Relying on memory, however...

[jeffy]

My vote is to play the matchups as well. If the Brewers are up by 1 in the 8th and the 3,4,5 hitters are up, go with whomever you think is the best available reliever. That should be common sense.

That's just crazy talk, it's not been done that way in over 20 years, you gotta use the 8th inning (or "setup") guy!

It is amusing to hear our TV announcers go on and on about how difficult not having a defined "closer" makes things. Oh my, those guys don't know when they might come into a game! And then there are the incredibly difficult managerial decisions that have to be made.

Two things I hate about modern baseball: The DH (thank goodness the brewers moved to the NL) and the cult of the closer.

[TooLiveBrew]

He had TJ surgery in Dec. '03, missed all of '04 (this was all while playing at Notre Dame). He resumed pitching again in the spring of '05 at Notre Dame, & was drafted in the 42d round by Cincy in the '05 June draft. But Axford opted to pitch another year of college ball, transferring to Canisius College (NY) for the '05 season. The Yankees signed him out of the independent Western League (he was playing for the Melville Millionaires) on Aug. 11th of '06. They released him after the 2007 season, and the Brewers signed him as a MiLB free agent prior to the '08 season. I can't find a specific reason why they released him, and I don't see that he had to have another TJ surgery (esp. since he didn't miss any time aside from the normal '07-'08 offseason). I think I have the journey right, but could be missing pieces.

 

 

Sources:

http://neatesager.blogspo...n-yankees-give-john.html

http://www.canisius.edu/a...ter/online_newssep06.asp

http://www.und.com/sports...l/mtt/axford_john00.html

http://www.baseball-refer...layers/a/axforjo01.shtml

 

From the Canisius website's article --

Axford was 3-8 with a 5.01 earned run average in 14 starts for the Golden Griffins last season and struck out 75 in 70 innings. He pitched this summer for the Melville Millionaires in the Western League and, in one seven-inning game, fanned 19. He struck out 17 in another.

If that's right, that's just insane -- 19!

[FVBrewerFan]

My vote is to play the matchups as well. If the Brewers are up by 1 in the 8th and the 3,4,5 hitters are up, go with whomever you think is the best available reliever. That should be common sense.

Two things I hate about modern baseball: The DH (thank goodness the brewers moved to the NL) and the cult of the closer.

I'll take it one step beyond closer. It's become unthinkable to have a RP throw more than one inning late in the game. You need an 8th inning guy, 7th inning guy, etc. But if they're throwing well, it's a major sin to ask him to pitch 2 innings. That's why last night was refreshing, to see the Ax Man go two innings. I was shocked and thrilled at the same time.