Orange County Register: Frieri could reclaim closer role soon

[AngelsWin.com]

ANAHEIM – As of this moment, Ernesto Frieri is not the Angels’ closer.But he could return to that role shortly. Angels manager Mike Scioscia would not commit to using Joe Smith in the ninth-inning role beyond Sunday, and it sounds as though...

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[Chuck]

If it's not broke, let's not try to fix it (again)! 

 

Joe Smith has been just fine in the 9th inning role.

[Section517]

Amen.

 

I picked up Joe Smith 3 weeks ago (correctly) anticipating that Frieri would blow a number of saves resulting in him losing the closer role.

[YouthofToday]

Use Smith in the highest leverage situations.

[Slegnaac]

I could only see using Frieri if we have 3 games in a row that need a closer

[Troll Daddy]

Remember when closers were overrated around here?

[Lhalo]

No

[Chuck]

Remember when closers were overrated around here?

Around here?

 

Not in the last 4-5 years. 

[Glen]

[nando714]

So sosh just put ernasty in time out

😂

[Docwaukee]

Frieri has looked much better not being a closer.  He's got a safety net now.  Leave it alone.  It's working. 

 

Worry about maronde and jepsen.  One is broken and the other never worked.  Bring up the Alvarezeseses. Or just the lefty one.  or Sisk and have DDLR replace jepsen. Kohn is also good against lefties. 

[markb]

[eligrba]

Makes as much sense as batting Ibanez cleanup.  Not surprised.

[Angel Oracle]

Clearly, a trade is in order so that the toy is taken away from Scioscia.

[tdawg87]

I don't understand this at all. If Smith is say, 6 for 6 in save opportunities, while Frieri has been lights out as the set up man, why in the name of hell would you mess with that? Why does Frieri have to be the closer?

[markb]

Here's what I don't get about Frieri... how can a guy just alternate back and forth between total dominance and suckage.  He doesn't just get randomly blown up -- he goes through long stretches of complete and utter dominance, and then will spend an entire week or two serving up batting practice. 

 

Last year, he had that mind blowingly bad stretch from Jul 23rd to Aug 6th where he had a 23.14 ERA, and opponents had a 1.600 OPS for that period.  Scioscia gives him a few days off, and then he comes back and does this from Aug 10th - Sep 20th:  18.2 IP, 0.48 ERA, 4 BB, 24 K. 

 

This year, he was resembling the guy from late July last year, gets demoted from closer, and now he's pitched in 5 straight appearances without allowing a hit or a walk.  How is this the same human being on the mound?   Does Frieri have a twin brother that he randomly lets out of the basement to come pitch for him for a week while he goes on a Caribbean cruise? 

 

Even the greatest pitchers get randomly blown up sometimes, but I've never seen a Jekyll and Hyde act like Frieri puts on for extended periods of time.

Edited May 6, 2014 by markb

[Redondo]

If it's not broke, let's not try to fix it (again)! 

 

Joe Smith has been just fine in the 9th inning role.

 

This

 

But you knew MS would go back to his old habits, it's inevitable.

[arch stanton]

It's always good to have options. Especially if your other guy gets hold of some bad clams.

[Angel Oracle]

I've never, eeeever seen such an up and down closer as Frieri is.

I guess everyone but Scioscia sees it.

TAKE THE TOY AWAY VIA TRADE AFTER 2014.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Angel Oracle