Jones loses second game in week; blogger fumes
posted in Boston Red Sox, Random |Earlier this year, I stuck up for Todd Jones. His inning of work is always an adventure, but he’d only blown one save. He doesn’t give up many home runs. But the adventure of too many baserunners continues. It bit him in the butt for the second time this week, and Todd Jones absorbed a second loss, this time on a blown save attempt in a 3-2 game to Boston at Comerica Park. That one stings a bit.
Jon Papelbon, who’ll give Justin Verlander a run for the money for Rookie of the Year — or more likely the opposite, as Papelbon is the favorite right now — did what Jones couldn’t: get the 1-2-3 inning.
I’m sure the question will arise: Do we replace Jones as closer? My unequivacle no is beginning to waver. The question I’m asking now is, When do we replace Jones? He’s a proven closer. Maybe it’s just a bad stretch. You’ve got to give him his chance to get through it. And if he comes out and gets another 8 or 9 saves without a problem, that’s fine. But if he comes out and blows another game…? Well, that’s why the question is bound to be asked more and more frequently.
MORE later. I have to take a walk.
Walk done. Not sure if I’m rational yet. Kevin Youkilis is the Greek God of Walks, for you Moneyballers out there, but I don’t remember anything about the God of home runs. For good reason. He has 2 6.
I am in a disgusted mood because I am sick, sick, sick of the way Todd Jones pitches, and I, myself, rattle off the fact he’s blown just one save but every time he takes the mound I think he’s inches from blowing another save. This is my mind at work.
What is Jones’ batting average against? Ack. .329.
OBP against? .338
WHIP? 1.59.
OPS? .826.
ERA? 5.21.
Stats aren’t everything, but I think we’re looking at a strong argument here against Jones’ pitching much longer.
Does that sound like a guy you want to hand the ball to in the ninth inning? It doesn’t to me. He gets the job done, for the most part, but rationally, those numbers don’t look good. Wanna compare? Check out the WHIPs of most of those closers. They’re sorted by saves, even if it’s not listed. Or look here. I challenge you to find a closer with BAA, OBP or OPS remotely near Jones.
So I don’t care if we let him lose another or replace him now, I am convinced Jones is not the closer I want to see. I’d rather he blow the lead in the seventh, at least there’d be a few more outs to get it back with.
Who would I rather see out there? That’s simple. Joel Zumaya. Others have said Fernando Rodney. I can respect that. But Rodney seems to get too emotional out there at times and throws the ball right by the catcher at times. Still, you want to convince me he should pitch? You can make a great argument. The guy has a great BAA (.133), a decent OBP (.250), OPS (.479), WHIP (.92) and ERA (1.08). And oh yeah, he’s closed some games and looked pretty good doing it. So, yeah, I’m not exactly going to oppose that change.
I do like Zumaya though. We know rookies can close. Huston Street, former Rookie of the Year. Papelbon, future ROY. And Zumaya has both the stuff and the emotional makeup to close. He will be the Tigers’ closer of the future, I’m convinced, moreso than I am that Rodney will fill that slot. WHIP? 1.13. AVG? .193. OBP? .303. OPS? .620. ERA? 2.77. So, yeah, I will see your argument that you’d rather have Rodney. But I’d still like to see the kid up there in the ninth.
I would feel pretty darn confident with either.
I would not with Jones.
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