A Championship Without a Designated Closer

I have always wondered about the predictability of having a closer and why teams have simply gone in the direction of having a 9^th inning man, no matter what the situation was.  If you really think about it, throwing that “stopper” out there for the final three outs night after night is probably not the best managerial strategy.  It may be for teams with limited bullpen resources, but not with the arms the Dodgers have in their pitching arsenal.

When you have a cadre of effective relievers that can be utilized, why telegraph your move by saving one guy for the last three outs constantly? The ninth-inning matchups with that player might not be what you are looking for.  Honestly, any matchups for a guy like Kimbrell are terrible at this point, but this comes to our attention for a number of reasons.  This is primarily because of Kimbrel’s ineffectiveness, but for the last several years, as Jansen faltered frequently, these managerial decisions have received more attention than before.  The Dodgers actually won the 2020 World Series without a 9^th inning guy.  They went old school closer a’ la the Rollie Fingers, Mike Marshall era, when their last guy would go multiple innings.  In 2020, that was a hot Julio Urias.

For 2022, the rubber-armed multiple-inning closer does not appear to be an option.  They certainly could try it with a player like Dustin May, but it would be at great risk because he hasn’t done it and his return from TJ surgery makes his arm a bit delicate for such a formidable task.  The most likely option will be to insert relievers one inning at a time, hoping that they are all on their game.

The Dodgers have Vesia, Ferguson, Phillips, Kahnle, Kimbrel, Graterol, Martin, Price, and Bickford on the 26-man roster.  They have possible other options in the postseason of returning players like Almonte, Treinen, Jackson, Gonzalez, and Bruihl.  That’s a lot of depth, and more than one of these options is capable of retiring the final three outs of a game.

As a fan, I used to go nuts during the Jansen prime years when managerial decisions would be made to hold him out until the 9th when a prime threat was happening in the 7th or 8th inning.  The best matchup at that time was Jansen to come in (remember, this was when he was regularly retiring the side in order, and he rarely walked anyone).  Putting in Jansen never happened except for an occasional 2-inning save starting in the 8th.  Often players like Pedro Baez, Yimi Garcia, Luis Avilan, and the like would be facing the biggest threats in the game during the 7^th or 8^th innings.

There is a common belief that the final three outs of the game are the toughest outs to get.  That may be true in many cases because you have hitters up there with a mindset of survivalists.  They are more focused on staying alive and having a smart AB, but when you have the weak spot of the order up and a line of pinch hitters that are coming in cold, I tend to think that every situation is different.  

This bullpen conundrum is probably the biggest concern of this excellent Dodger team that will finish with the most regular season wins they have ever recorded.  It is concerning enough to put most fans on edge.  The days of the complete game are simply gone, and boy, we could use a few of those in the playoffs.  The pen will need to pick this team up and carry them to the end.  It is a major concern how Roberts utilizes these guys and how they all perform on the biggest stage.

Late Season Dodger Bullets

• I was looking back on this year, and it seems like the lockout was eons ago.  There were some crazy happenings around February and March.  Think about how different this season would have been without Tyler Anderson.  Anderson wasn’t officially a Dodger until late March and his placement on the 26-man staff was questionable at the beginning of the year until an injury surfaced that opened up his slot in the rotation.  None of us were really excited at the prospect of Anderson toeing the rubber on a consistent basis. Now we are all hoping he re-signs with the club for next season.
• Speaking of late acquisitions and their impact, ponder this… Freddie Freeman was not a Dodger until March 18^th. Had Atlanta not jumped the gun and signed Matt Olson, it is very likely that Freeman would have returned to Atlanta, and that would have made this season completely different. Freeman will probably win the batting championship unless he completely slumps in the final week of the season.  These late moves, all caused by the lockout, were game changers.
• Speaking of Atlanta, does anyone remember this tweet on February 14^th from Braves left-handed reliever Tyler Matzek?  “They do parades for real championships, not ‘bubbleships.’”  Maybe that means nothing to the players, but it raises my ire.  Sometimes quotes like that are bulletin board material that sparks intensity.  It is probably nothing because it was a long time ago but I hope players are reminded of it, and that they get the opportunity to light up Matzek.  He shut them down in game 6 of last year’s NLCS so revenge would be sweet in 2022.
• Kimbrel’s latest failure in San Diego (9/27) should be the nail in the coffin for his post-season hopes.  Walking swing machine Alfaro on non-competitive glove side pitches was simply unforgivable.  Losing on a walk-off hit can be acceptable (not ideal, but acceptable).  But there is no excuse when you give a free pass to a guy that never walks in that situation.
• The good news about post-season baseball: No runner is placed on second base in extra-inning games.  The Dodgers have never adjusted to this new regular season rule and their record for two consecutive years shows it.
• Is it me or have Justin Turner and Muncy made a lot of wild throws from the third base position in the past month?  Let’s not even talk about Lux.
• Former Dodger manager Don Mattingly’s departure from Miami at the end of the year was expected.  Will he return to baseball in some capacity in the future?  I can see the Yankee organization calling him back one day, but probably not as the field general.
• Gonsolin’s rehab outing at OKC was promising.  2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 SO, 27 pitches.  Here’s hoping he comes out of it feeling ok in these coming days.  Contributions by Gonsolin would be a huge lift in the playoffs.