LA Times: Ernesto Frieri probably won't be Angels' closer against Yankees

[AngelsWin.com]

Frieri has struggled this season, with an 0-2 record, a 9.35 earned-run average and two blown saves in 10 appearances. A demotion last season helped him regain his form.

NEW YORK — The alarming rate with which he was giving up home runs was not a huge concern for Angels closer Ernesto Frieri earlier this week.

View the full article

[disarcina]

I've posted this before -- I think a closer by committee dependent upon specific match ups and how well the pitcher is throwing that day/ game is a better approach to closing.

 

I know it drives the fantasy league baseball folks nuts, but who cares about that? We're trying to win ballgames here.

 

Frieri can be very effective is some closing role but not day in and day out.

 

Use Smith to pitch two innings to close out a game, use some other arms for one inning......

 

heck, I'd put a fifth starter (five inning guy) in a slot where he might be called upon to pitch an inning in middle relief between starts.........

 

gotta mix things up -- keep 'em guessing.........LaRussa did this for St. Louis........it worked and still does.

 

why does this Formula baseball have to persist?  This guy for that role, that situation every game, game in, game out.

[Sherlock31]

Hallelujah!!!!1

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

Come on, we all know Mike is gonna trot him out there tomorrow night to restore his confidence.

[Hollyw00d]

This is a troll article, isn't it

[Stradling]

Yes, because that's exactly what he said immediately following Wednesday's massacre. I don't know why the LA Times is doubting Sosh's ability to mismanage the pen.

I think Fletcher answered this perfectly in the other thread. You think Mike, ten minutes after the game, before talking to the player, should tell the media that he's making a change? These moves aren't made in a vacuum. Frieri will still be on the team so you have to treat him with some kind of respect.

Like I said in that same thread, if Frieri is still the closer I will firmly be in the Scioscia needs to go camp.

[Angels]

Scioscia needs to have a quicker hook. Because otherwise all this means is that Frieri will get a chance to blow games in the 8th inning (or before) next time. 

Though what sucks is that I still trust a struggling Frieri over pretty much any other guy in the pen not named Joe Smith. That's how bad this pen is. 

[Stradling]

Right now I trust Jepsen more than I trust Frieri.

[fan_since79]

Come on, we all know Mike is gonna trot him out there tomorrow night to restore his confidence.

 

But we all know that getting bombed again is guaranteed NOT to restore his confidence. That's what I don't understand about all this. This is about winning ballgames with the best personnel for the job. The job of a manager is to win, not to be a glorified babysitter. If Frieri (or any other player) gets his feelings hurt over a manager's deciding what's best for the team, than he has a problem. The manager also has a problem if he's managing according to a player's 'feelings'.

If Frieri blows another game, that's one more loss that should have been a win. These kinds of losses come back to haunt teams at the end of the season.

 

We really can't afford to have a losing record in April and May. This is setting up to be the same experience as the past four years. I'm so tired of it.

Edited April 25, 2014 by fan_since79

[Marsaka]

I think Fletcher answered this perfectly in the other thread. You think Mike, ten minutes after the game, before talking to the player, should tell the media that he's making a change? These moves aren't made in a vacuum. Frieri will still be on the team so you have to treat him with some kind of respect.

Like I said in that same thread, if Frieri is still the closer I will firmly be in the Scioscia needs to go camp.

 

talking to the player?  you act like frieri is mariano rivera or something.  frieri is nothing but a pitcher from the scrap heap masquerading as a closer because dipoto wants to prove to everyone he's a good GM.

 

such a decision can be made 10 min after the game.   frieri is not that special.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Marsaka

[sneaky_flute]

I haven't seen Ernesto Frieri pitch in a while. What happened to this guy? He used to have a ridiculous fastball. 

[Stradling]

talking to the player? you act like frieri is mariano rivera or something. frieri is nothing but a pitcher from the scrap heap masquerading as a closer because dipoto wants to prove to everyone he's a good GM.

such a decision can be made 10 min after the game. frieri is not that special.

He may not be special but he's on the team. I would hope that Scioscia would tell even Josh Wall he was going down to the minors before telling the media. It's about respect, if you don't understand that then you don't understand people at all. I have no idea what you do for a living but I can tell you that if they changed my job on me I'd like to be told before they just change my schedule.

[Jay]

Right now I trust Jepsen more than I trust Frieri.

 

they're both bums

[Stradling]

they're both bums

Yep, but look at Jepsen's numbers starting with the second game of the year.

[Stradling]

I haven't seen Ernesto Frieri pitch in a while. What happened to this guy? He used to have a ridiculous fastball.

His fastball has zero movement on it right now.

[Brandon]

talking to the player?  you act like frieri is mariano rivera or something.  frieri is nothing but a pitcher from the scrap heap masquerading as a closer because dipoto wants to prove to everyone he's a good GM.

 

such a decision can be made 10 min after the game.   frieri is not that special.

 

You have CEO/management material written all over you.

[Marsaka]

He may not be special but he's on the team. I would hope that Scioscia would tell even Josh Wall he was going down to the minors before telling the media. It's about respect, if you don't understand that then you don't understand people at all. I have no idea what you do for a living but I can tell you that if they changed my job on me I'd like to be told before they just change my schedule.

 

scioscia said he was sticking with freiri as closer to the media.  if he changes his closer on friday then he basically lied to the media, to the fans, and to frieri himself.  lying is not very respectful.

 

i personally think its better to be honest than to lie and then later tell the player the opposite of what you said to the media.  playing mind games is not helpful.  instead scioscia can say "i'll talk to my people, and see what's best for the team before i make any rash decisions."

[Brandon]

I've posted this before -- I think a closer by committee dependent upon specific match ups and how well the pitcher is throwing that day/ game is a better approach to closing.

 

I know it drives the fantasy league baseball folks nuts, but who cares about that? We're trying to win ballgames here.

 

Frieri can be very effective is some closing role but not day in and day out.

 

Use Smith to pitch two innings to close out a game, use some other arms for one inning......

 

heck, I'd put a fifth starter (five inning guy) in a slot where he might be called upon to pitch an inning in middle relief between starts.........

 

gotta mix things up -- keep 'em guessing.........LaRussa did this for St. Louis........it worked and still does.

 

why does this Formula baseball have to persist?  This guy for that role, that situation every game, game in, game out.

 

Pretty much.

 

I hate the defined pitcher roles in baseball. If Joe Smith pitches a lights out 8th in 10 pitches, throw him back out there to seal the deal.

 

This thing of having him pitch 20 more pitches and his arm will fall off is for the birds.

[Marsaka]

You have CEO/management material written all over you.

 

you're right, being an honest person is not CEO material.  i should lie all the time like scioscia than maybe i can be a manager.

[Sherlock31]

Pretty much.

 

I hate the defined pitcher roles in baseball. If Joe Smith pitches a lights out 8th in 10 pitches, throw him back out there to seal the deal.

 

This thing of having him pitch 20 more pitches and his arm will fall off is for the birds.

Then he won't be able to pitch the next day.

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

@JeffFletcherOCR: Joe Smith is now the #Angels closer

@JeffFletcherOCR: Scioscia said #Angels will reduce Frieri's role until he finds his release point.

I hope this isn't a short term move (one or two weeks).

[fan_since79]

@JeffFletcherOCR: Joe Smith is now the #Angels closer

@JeffFletcherOCR: Scioscia said #Angels will reduce Frieri's role until he finds his release point.

I hope this isn't a short term move (one or two weeks).

 

Best news I've heard all week!

[Stradling]

scioscia said he was sticking with freiri as closer to the media. if he changes his closer on friday then he basically lied to the media, to the fans, and to frieri himself. lying is not very respectful.

i personally think its better to be honest than to lie and then later tell the player the opposite of what you said to the media. playing mind games is not helpful. instead scioscia can say "i'll talk to my people, and see what's best for the team before i make any rash decisions."

It's not lying its taking time to make a real decision. This is not a mind game to Frieri and I am sure he is not upset at Scioscia for saying that he is his guy. If anything that is the kind of thing that Frieri needs to hear right now as he struggles. Sure Mike could have said something to the affect of, "Ernie is struggling right now and I have faith that he will find it again, I will check with the coaches before I make any decisions" but he said what he said, and there was nothing wrong with how this played out. I give absolutely no value to what a manager says to the media, and most of the members on this board that do give it value, do so when it fits their agenda.

[Brandon]

Then he won't be able to pitch the next day.

 

Are we that puss in baseball nowadays?

 

People aren't born starters, relievers, or with a pitch count.

[AngelsLakersFan]

I haven't seen Ernesto Frieri pitch in a while. What happened to this guy? He used to have a ridiculous fastball. 

 

He isn't throwing much else right now, it's flat and they are sitting on it. He's mixed in an occasional change up, and curve/slider but they are below average so he seems afraid to throw them all too often.

 

He used to have a 'get me over fastball' (4 seamer) and a sharp cut fastball that he struggled to control at times. His control has not been all that bad, but I can't tell the difference between his good fastball and his 4 seamer anymore.