Is the Closer Role Overrated?

In the last series against the Yankees, the Red Sox almost lost two games due to inconsistency with their middle relievers.

In these games, all-star closer Craig Kimbrel could only watch from the bullpen as the Red Sox let their lead slip away. 

The main reason and the big problem in baseball today is that managers only use their closers in “closing situations,” which means typically the 9^th inning.

In baseball, the “closer” is usually your best reliever who pitches the last inning of the game. It is thought to be the most important relief role.

For some reasons, this makes sense. Teams in the last inning will manage differently and will often be more aggressive to score a run because it is their last chance in the game.

In the 9^th inning, you may get different pinch hitters then you would see earlier in the game. You may get more sacrifice bunts or see more or less stolen bases than you would see during a different part of the game.

In the 9^th inning, there is no room for error.

If you lose the lead during an away game, the game is over. If you are in trouble, there is no reliever to help you out.

In summary, there is a different level of pressure and importance to pitching the last inning of the game.

Because of this, in 1969, the save stat was created. The statistic has transformed how relievers are used in Major League Baseball.

Closers often receive the biggest salary compared to other relievers, and how many saves a closer has often reflects their ability as a reliever and impact’s one’s salary.

In baseball today, the best relievers are, more often than not, used in the 9^th inning if their team has a three-run lead or less. Sometimes, relievers come into the 9^th when the game is tied. More rarely, closers will come into the 8^th inning when runners are on base and there are one or two outs in the game.

However, most often, closers come into the ninth with no runners on base. Sometimes this is the most important moment in the game, and the closer should be used.

However, the fact that a team’s best reliever is used only in those specific circumstances is ridiculous. In certain games, the game is won or lost in the fifth, sixth, or seventh inning, when you never see the closer.

If the “closer” is your best reliever, then he should be used in the most important moment of the game. It should be up to the manager to decide when that moment presents itself.

If you lose the game in an important spot with your best reliever on the bench, then you deserve to lose.

Jon Farrell should have put Craig Kimbrel into the game in the 8^th on two separate occasions this past week. Instead, he relied on the “set up men” who ultimately lost the game for the Red Sox one night and almost lost it for them last night.

There is an obsession with the save statistic. But pitching a scoreless game in the ninth with a three-run lead is an easier and less important situation than a one-run game with runners in scoring position in the seventh inning.

The only manager who actually uses his best reliever in the most important moment in the game today is Terry Francona.

Francona uses his most lethal weapon, Andrew Miller, when runners are on base in any inning. Miller has won and saved games for the Indians on countless occasions. It is clear that he is much more important to the Indians than their actual “closer” Cody Allen.

The main problem is that more saves equal more compensation. Until a GM’s obsession with the saves statistic changes, closers will only want to pitch in the ninth, and managers’ hands will be tied.

What statistic should we focus on instead?

Holds.

In addition to ERA, relief pitchers should be compensated based on the percent of runners that are left on base once they enter the game. Keeping runners stranded on the bases is often more important than a scoreless inning.

GM’s need to focus on this stat and compensate accordingly. Once relievers are paid highly for a different role than simply recording saves, it will give managers more freedom to use their best relievers in any way they see fit.

Until this happens, managers will continue to lose games before their closer even warms up in the bullpen.