Who's our Closer now?

[A Swing and A Drive]

Until Knebel can pitch again, who will be the Brewers fill in closer?

 

Canidates

 

The phenom

LHP Josh Hader

 

The Vets with closer experience

RHP Jeremy Jeffress

RHP Matt Albers

 

The Young Guns

RHP Jacob Barnes

RHP Taylor Williams

 

Dark Horses

RHP JJ Hoover

LHP Dan Jennings

 

Just No

RHP Oliver Drake

 

 

My guess is that Jeffress would be in consideration due to his closing experience with the Club but I think Barnes could emerge if Knebel is out an extended period of time.

 

I just hope Counsell doesn't go with a committee approach because I'm not a fan of that at all.

 

Thoughts?

[young guns]

My guess is barnes. I think they want to keep hader and jeffress for multiple inning work. Could be albers since he seems to be the 8th inning guy so far at least.

[Mike2k33]

Probably gonna be a committee for a bit. They're gonna try a few guys and see who fits best. I could be wrong and they just roll with a guy but that doesn't seem like how the Brewers operate.

 

One of these four would be my guess:

 

Albers

Jeffress

Barnes

Jennings

[JimH5]

I think Albers or Jeffress would get first shot. There is something about the hierarchy of experience that seems safe for teams.

[JohnBriggs12]

I'd go with Hader. They'll probably go with Albers or Barnes.

[DocLuna7]

Good topic. I am going to go with Jeffress as he is a veteran with closing experience and has done so in a Brewers uniform.

[wildcat83]

A lot of people didn't want Barnes to even make the team out of spring, and now he's being mentioned by many as the best fit to close. Crazy how much fans opinions are what have you done for me lately, in a sport that's such a marathon season.

 

My guess would be Albers or Jeffress.

[FVBrewerFan]

Suter to BP

Hader moved to rotation

Williams up

Albers closer I guess

[pacopete4]

I'll be shocked if Albers isn't given the first chance. Not saying he would be my first choice in the matter but feels as though he was signed in case this type of thing happened.

[jerichoholicninja]

Suter to BP

Hader moved to rotation

Williams up

Albers closer I guess

 

Probably the least likely option so far. No way Hader is going to the rotation this year. And even if they did move him he would almost certainly be sent down to be stretched out first.

 

I would guess Albers gets the role for the most part. Hader or Jennings might get the 9th every now and then when the matchups fits.

[JohnBriggs12]

Suter to BP

Hader moved to rotation

Williams up

Albers closer I guess

 

Give Suter one more start. If he fails, send him down and bring Guerra back Guerra was their ace in 2016. They need to roll the dice that he's back close to that level. Can't believe I'm longing for Wade Miley to return but I am. Hoover is a better option right now than Williams. I don't think they're ready to hand over the 8th or 9th to a rookie until the season looks hopeless. Let him handle the closing role for CS in the meantime and go with one of the vets or Hader.

[adambr2]

Suter to BP

Hader moved to rotation

Williams up

Albers closer I guess

 

Interesting. I don't think it will happen, but I can see the merit. You're not going to get a workhorse out of Hader but it wouldn't take much to stretch him to 5-6 innings which if he was effective would be a lot better than what we are getting. Suter is much more suited for a pen role and with him, Jennings, Drake, and Logan soon, you're well set up already for lefties.

 

Ultimately I doubt this is their mindset right now though as removing your 1B reliever after your 1A reliever goes down injured would be really risky.

 

My guess is that this is a committee situation for a bit until someone locks down the job. Any of Barnes, Jeffress, Albers, or even Hoover could end up being that guy. Hader too, but I think they would prefer to keep his role flexible. It would not surprise me if he gets some 6 out save chances where he's asked to work both the 8th and 9th based on the situation and his workload.

 

Williams should be called up and he's well suited for the job, but I think it'll be awhile before CC will even think about trusting him in that role.

[FVBrewerFan]

Suter to BP

Hader moved to rotation

Williams up

Albers closer I guess

 

Probably the least likely option so far. No way Hader is going to the rotation this year. And even if they did move him he would almost certainly be sent down to be stretched out first.

 

I would guess Albers gets the role for the most part. Hader or Jennings might get the 9th every now and then when the matchups fits.

 

Yup, not likely. Although I don't agree with "No way Hader is going to be in the rotation this year." CC and DS have even state that earlier this year, that Hader can start, can use him in the pen, etc. So while not likely at all today, I could see it happening at some point this season.

 

There's still this misconception out there that a starter needs to go 7 innings. Nelson and Anderson weren't even close to that last year. If Hader can give you 5+ innings with his stuff, I'll take it. There's now plenty of depth in the BP, even without Knebel. Ramirez is still a viable LH option not even being talked about.

 

It's early. But if Suter, Woodruff, Chacin, etc. keep struggling they bring up Guerra. How long does that last? At some point, just bite the bullet and add Hader and Burnes to the rotation. At least we could look forward to those starts.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Smart money would be on Jeffress assuming the closer's role, as not only is he experienced in that area, it would cause the least amount of shake-ups in the back end of the pen. Hoover or Williams would easily be able to jump up and assume Jeremy's 6th-7th inning role. With Woodruff moving to the rotation starting today, though, I imagine they were probably planning on bringing a reliever up today or this weekend anyway. It wouldn't surprise me to see both Hoover and Williams in Milwaukee tonight. The question is, then, who gets cut to create the extra space on the 25-man?

[KeithStone53151]

Suter to BP

Hader moved to rotation

Williams up

Albers closer I guess

 

By BP do you mean bullpen or batting practice pitcher?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Suter to BP

Hader moved to rotation

Williams up

Albers closer I guess

 

By BP do you mean bullpen or batting practice pitcher?

 

His command just hasn't been there so far. I think at the very least Suter ends up being a solid multi-inning reliever. Lefties that throw strikes last forever. He'd probably be a solid LOOGY as well.

[TJH123]

Hader clearly has the most potential but I would be annoyed to see him named closer as I bet he wouldn’t relinquish that role even once Knebel comes back because Hader would dominate and that is NOT where I want Hader long-term. I wish he was already in the rotation. Work on that change up.

[AZBrewCrew]

I'd think Jeffress gets it just based on his previous experience as a closer

 

 

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[SeaBass]

I feel like it will be Barnes or Albers. Or it might just be a committee thing. I don't think doing it by committee would be awful at all actually. Committee until someone rises to the top.

 

Maybe it's my own irrationality but I really don't want Jeffress in the closer role. Not a stats thing, I just haven't felt that confident in him since his return and I think that if how he's being used now is working don't mess with it.

[MadThinker88]

I have to to think Jeffress as he has extended closer experience in the majors (compared to the other options).

 

Albers finished games on occasion in Washington last season (getting 2 saves) & Cleveland but that was more the mop up finishing. Yes, the last pitcher going out there but it was not to slam a door & secure a win for his club.

[clancyphile]

I'd be inclined to give Barnes the shot for it, or maybe Jennings.

[A Swing and A Drive]

I think people guessing Jeffress are likely going to be correct.

 

During Opening Day in San Diego last week, after Knebel blew the save and the Brewers did not score in the top of the 10th, Counsell used Jeffress for the bottom of the 10th inning. After the Brewers scored in the top of the 11th, Barnes pitched the bottom for the save. However, since Counsell used Jeffress first with the game on the line after Knebel, this hint leads me to believe that Counsell would prefer Jeffress in the role over Barnes.

[CrewFanBrewMan69]

Counsell seems like a manager who wants a defined closer, which I guess is fine, but I think the best route should be just to play matchups and use any of Barnes/Jeffress/Albers/Hader depending on who's needed earlier in the game and what type of hitters are up in the 9th.

[Outlander]

I think you are right that Counsell may like a defined closer which would make me think it won't be Hader because Counsell really seems to like having the flexibility with Hader and using in key spots.

[A Swing and A Drive]

I've read multiple times that relievers themselves like somewhat defined roles in the bullpen so that they can mentally prepare for the situation they will be brought into the game for.

 

For this reason, I would prefer that Counsell designated one guy as the closer. If he's unsuccessful, then simply name a new closer and so on.

 

At this point, I'm preparing for Knebel to be back by the All-Star break as the good news version of what injury update may be forthcoming.