Kruk: Dempster for Closer

[Baron]

How does he get paid? "He can close and they run away with that division, baby!"

[rok]

Wow, ESPN is a joke. I wish I had MLB Network.

[cigar]

He isn't the only one sayin this. I heard this same suggestion on the Score all day.

[PcB]

John Kruk is a jackass.

[Coldneck]

This does bring up a good question. If Sloth continues to look this good what should we do with him when Lilly returns? The easy answer is send him to the pen, but we already have 2 lefties and the potential of a 3rd if BJ Ryan is called up. Come September we'll have room for everyone though.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=55667:date=Aug 4 2009, 08:23 PM:name=Coldneck)-->QUOTE (Coldneck @ Aug 4 2009, 08:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->This does bring up a good question. If Sloth continues to look this good what should we do with him when Lilly returns? The easy answer is send him to the pen, but we already have 2 lefties and the potential of a 3rd if BJ Ryan is called up. Come September we'll have room for everyone though.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He should be in the pen, he gets out lefties better than any of them do.

[Clapp]

And yeah... I don't think the Cubs are going to get desperate and just toss Demp into the pen when he's at the beginning of a 4 year, $52 million deal.

[rok]

<!--quoteo(post=55671:date=Aug 4 2009, 09:30 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 4 2009, 09:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=55667:date=Aug 4 2009, 08:23 PM:name=Coldneck)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Coldneck @ Aug 4 2009, 08:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->This does bring up a good question. If Sloth continues to look this good what should we do with him when Lilly returns? The easy answer is send him to the pen, but we already have 2 lefties and the potential of a 3rd if BJ Ryan is called up. Come September we'll have room for everyone though.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He should be in the pen, he gets out lefties better than any of them do.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah. And then next season he can replace Harden in the rotation.

Too bad B.J. Ryan isn't the same guy from a few seasons ago, because then he'd be the obvious choice.

[1060Ivy]

If the closer position continues to be an issue - and the closer spot hasn't been an issue except last 4 games since April - and Gorzelanny can provide great starts against teams with more offensive fire power than the Reds, Dempster can be option in late August or September.

Demp could be an option but why shouldn't Kruk say that Z, Lilly or Harden is an option.

Hell, I would love to see Harden as a closer if he could curtail his propensity to give up the long ball.

[Clapp]

<!--quoteo(post=55677:date=Aug 4 2009, 08:40 PM:name=1060Ivy)-->QUOTE (1060Ivy @ Aug 4 2009, 08:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->If the closer position continues to be an issue - and the closer spot hasn't been an issue except last 4 games since April - and Gorzelanny can provide great starts against teams with more offensive fire power than the Reds, Dempster can be option in late August or September.

Demp could be an option but why shouldn't Kruk say that Z, Lilly or Harden is an option.

Hell, I would love to see Harden as a closer if he could curtail his propensity to give up the long ball.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm sure he said it because Dempster's been our closer for a few years. Still, there's no guarantee he has the same comfort level as back then. Plus his ERA was usually bad and it seems his save success was a bit lucky. I don't think he's for sure a better option than Gregg, Marmol, Guzman, or Grabow even.

I don't know, I think it's a terrible idea for so many reasons. And what if Harden or somebody gets hurt again?

[Fella]

Dempster wasn't even a good closer, certainly no better than Gregg. He has been a lot better as a starter.

[rok]

<!--quoteo(post=55679:date=Aug 4 2009, 09:52 PM:name=Fella)-->QUOTE (Fella @ Aug 4 2009, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Dempster wasn't even a good closer, certainly no better than Gregg. He has been a lot better as a starter.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, makes no sense. Dempster was just Gregg with more BB.

[Ronsantorocks]

<!--quoteo(post=55661:date=Aug 4 2009, 09:18 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Aug 4 2009, 09:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Wow, ESPN is a joke. I wish I had MLB Network.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I have it and you need it. So much better than ESPNs baseball coverage. I dont care for for ESPN and baseball becuase I think that they talk about the AL East too much...and just the AL in general

[Coldneck]

<!--quoteo(post=55675:date=Aug 4 2009, 10:38 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Aug 4 2009, 10:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=55671:date=Aug 4 2009, 09:30 PM:name=Clapp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Clapp @ Aug 4 2009, 09:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=55667:date=Aug 4 2009, 08:23 PM:name=Coldneck)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Coldneck @ Aug 4 2009, 08:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->This does bring up a good question. If Sloth continues to look this good what should we do with him when Lilly returns? The easy answer is send him to the pen, but we already have 2 lefties and the potential of a 3rd if BJ Ryan is called up. Come September we'll have room for everyone though.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He should be in the pen, he gets out lefties better than any of them do.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah. And then next season he can replace Harden in the rotation.

<b>Too bad B.J. Ryan isn't the same guy from a few seasons ago, because then he'd be the obvious choice.</b>
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
He'd also still be on the Blue Jays.

If anyone from the rotation is moved to closer my vote would be Harden. But he's seems to be turning the corner and has looked fairly dominant since the ASB. Have 6 quality starters is a great luxury to have.

[sleepyhead]

<!--quoteo(post=55683:date=Aug 4 2009, 10:15 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Aug 4 2009, 10:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=55679:date=Aug 4 2009, 09:52 PM:name=Fella)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fella @ Aug 4 2009, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Dempster wasn't even a good closer, certainly no better than Gregg. He has been a lot better as a starter.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, makes no sense. Dempster was just Gregg with more BB.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Dempster had one very, very good year closing. In 2005 he went 33/35 with an ERA under 2.5 as a closer. Those are SICK numbers. However the following year he struggled, so who knows.