baseball closer most overrated position?

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

pyonir

Lifer
Dec 18, 2001
40,856
321
126
Originally posted by: Kev
every position in baseball is overrated because baseball sucks ass

wow, that was a very well informed comment.

rolleye.gif
 

Siddhartha

Lifer
Oct 17, 1999
12,505
3
81
Originally posted by: coldcut
Who thinks baseball closers are the most overrated position? Nothing special, except get three outs with nobody on base, up to 3 runs ahead, except some make much money as the starters.
rolleye.gif

"baseball closer most overrated position?"
Manager
 

JawaJedi

Senior member
Sep 21, 2000
421
0
0
Originally posted by: manly

Originally posted by: Fausto1

I guess Gagne would have a lot more saves if the Dodgers were in the lead more often eh? :p
He would if idiot management hadn't shipped away Sheff for a couple warm bodies. I used to be a Dodgers fan, but in a cynical way, I'm glad that mistake is coming back to haunt them now.

Well Odalis Perez isn't exactly a "warm body." Though the Dodgers were still ripped off and Shawn Green is a wuss.
 

pyonir

Lifer
Dec 18, 2001
40,856
321
126
Originally posted by: jurzdevil
seriously though...baseball is the worst sport ever.

Then why would you ever click on a thread topic that begins with "baseball closer..."?
 
Aug 14, 2001
11,061
0
0
The 'save' is a very overrated 'statistic', much like RBIs.

So, yes, closers are overrated in baseball. A good bullpen is important. However, a closer is an overrated role.
 

pyonir

Lifer
Dec 18, 2001
40,856
321
126
Take a look at the world series champs in the last 10 years. Two closers were named MVP of the series (Wetteland and Rivera). The Yankees had Rivera, the other closers in those years were, Percival, Rob Nen, Mark Wholhers and Duane Ward (who all had outstanding seasons as closers). The exception being BK Kim of the Dbacks, I would say closers are pretty damned important and hardly an overrated role.
 
Aug 14, 2001
11,061
0
0
Naming the MVP doesn't mean much. That just says that closers are overrated to those that believe they are.

Giving a closer $8 million is overrating closers. Saves are one of the most overrated stats in baseball and that's a position held by most people involved in sabermetrics. The job of a closer probably has less impact on a team's production than a batter or a starting pitcher.

Hell, a lot of closers are failed/injured starting pitchers. Pitching one inning isn't that great of an accomplishment. A bullpen is important - but putting so much focus on one man being a closer (and overpaying them) is overrated.
 

Soccer55

Golden Member
Jul 9, 2000
1,660
4
81
I don't think that closers are overrated. A closer usually comes into a game with the responsibility of maintaining the lead. You lose the lead, and you may very well lose the game. In addition, as others have said, they come to the mound straight from warming up in the bullpen and are expected to produce. There is not much room for error, so they have no time to try to establish any sort of rhythm during the game itself. I think it's a tough position. Overpaid, maybe some are.....overrated, not in the least. Especially someone like Billy Wagner who comes into a game bringing some heat (100+ mph) and just blows it by people.

-Tom
 

Soccer55

Golden Member
Jul 9, 2000
1,660
4
81
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose

Giving a closer $8 million is overrating closers.

IMO, that should be edited to say: Giving an athlete $8 million is overrating athletes. I mean, seriously.....what does any athlete need with $8 million that can't be done with $2-3 million or even $1 million? Aside from having 859 cars and 5 different houses. That loot would be better off in the hands of a charity or something like that.

Just my $.02

-Tom
 

brunswickite

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2002
6,386
1
0
Originally posted by: Soccer55
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose

Giving a closer $8 million is overrating closers.

IMO, that should be edited to say: Giving an athlete $8 million is overrating athletes. I mean, seriously.....what does any athlete need with $8 million that can't be done with $2-3 million or even $1 million? Aside from having 859 cars and 5 different houses. That loot would be better off in the hands of a charity or something like that.

Just my $.02

-Tom

If someone gave you 8 million dollars to play baseball would you say no?

then shut up and stop b1tching

 

Soccer55

Golden Member
Jul 9, 2000
1,660
4
81
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Pitching one inning isn't that great of an accomplishment. A bullpen is important - but putting so much focus on one man being a closer (and overpaying them) is overrated.

Tell that to Byun-Hyun Kim. Poor kid came into games 5 and 6 of the World Series a couple of years ago to close them out and win the title for his team and both times he left with a loss due to a game winning home run.

If someone gave you 8 million dollars to play baseball would you say no?

then shut up and stop b1tching

Yes, I would say no. And I will preempt the "you say this now, but if it really happened, you wouldn't turn it down" garbage by saying that I most certainly would due to the fact that it's a ridiculous amount of money to be paying any single person to do anything.....especially to play sports. What could I do with $8 million that I couldn't do with less? Put it in a bank account and watch it gain interest? IMO, athletes in general are overpaid. You can't tell me that A-Rod getting $25 million/yr or Sosa getting $16 million/yr or Bonds getting $15.5 million/yr is not being overpaid.

-Tom
 
Aug 14, 2001
11,061
0
0
All of these people essentially saying 'you don't know anything about baseball' just because the original poster said closers are overrated are being incredibly ignorant. These are probably the same types of people that say 'RBIS are the most important stat man!!!1!!' Saying the value of a closer is overrated is a very valid and controversial baseball topic debated by many baseball writers.
 
Aug 14, 2001
11,061
0
0
Originally posted by: Soccer55
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Pitching one inning isn't that great of an accomplishment. A bullpen is important - but putting so much focus on one man being a closer (and overpaying them) is overrated.

Tell that to Byun-Hyun Kim. Poor kid came into games 5 and 6 of the World Series a couple of years ago to close them out and win the title for his team and both times he left with a loss due to a game winning home run.

Citing one example doesn't really mean much in proving or disproving a topic. And that doesn't really prove anything. If anything, it says that closers are overrated.
 

Soccer55

Golden Member
Jul 9, 2000
1,660
4
81
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Originally posted by: Soccer55
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Pitching one inning isn't that great of an accomplishment. A bullpen is important - but putting so much focus on one man being a closer (and overpaying them) is overrated.

Tell that to Byun-Hyun Kim. Poor kid came into games 5 and 6 of the World Series a couple of years ago to close them out and win the title for his team and both times he left with a loss due to a game winning home run.

Citing one example doesn't really mean much in proving or disproving a topic. And that doesn't really prove anything. If anything, it says that closers are overrated.

I guess I was trying to point out that although it is "pitching one inning", it is definitely not as easy as it may look. It just so happens he was the first example I thought of. The nasty closers like Smoltz, Wagner, and Gagne just make it look easy.

-Tom
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
All of these people essentially saying 'you don't know anything about baseball' just because the original poster said closers are overrated are being incredibly ignorant. These are probably the same types of people that say 'RBIS are the most important stat man!!!1!!' Saying the value of a closer is overrated is a very valid and controversial baseball topic debated by many baseball writers.

Nope, but I have read colcut's posts before and know he doesn't know his ass from his head. Secondly, I don't let writers or analyst determine my thinking. The closer is an important position, and to me they are not overpaid.
 

brunswickite

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2002
6,386
1
0
Originally posted by: Soccer55
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Pitching one inning isn't that great of an accomplishment. A bullpen is important - but putting so much focus on one man being a closer (and overpaying them) is overrated.

Tell that to Byun-Hyun Kim. Poor kid came into games 5 and 6 of the World Series a couple of years ago to close them out and win the title for his team and both times he left with a loss due to a game winning home run.

If someone gave you 8 million dollars to play baseball would you say no?

then shut up and stop b1tching

Yes, I would say no. And I will preempt the "you say this now, but if it really happened, you wouldn't turn it down" garbage by saying that I most certainly would due to the fact that it's a ridiculous amount of money to be paying any single person to do anything.....especially to play sports. What could I do with $8 million that I couldn't do with less? Put it in a bank account and watch it gain interest? IMO, athletes in general are overpaid. You can't tell me that A-Rod getting $25 million/yr or Sosa getting $16 million/yr or Bonds getting $15.5 million/yr is not being overpaid.

-Tom

I am not saying athletes are not overpaid, i am just saying that if someone was writing you a check for 10 million dollars to play baseball, you would not turn it down.... (you could donate 9 million of it if you like), but you would not turn it down
 

Soccer55

Golden Member
Jul 9, 2000
1,660
4
81
Originally posted by: brunswickite
Originally posted by: Soccer55
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Pitching one inning isn't that great of an accomplishment. A bullpen is important - but putting so much focus on one man being a closer (and overpaying them) is overrated.

Tell that to Byun-Hyun Kim. Poor kid came into games 5 and 6 of the World Series a couple of years ago to close them out and win the title for his team and both times he left with a loss due to a game winning home run.

If someone gave you 8 million dollars to play baseball would you say no?

then shut up and stop b1tching

Yes, I would say no. And I will preempt the "you say this now, but if it really happened, you wouldn't turn it down" garbage by saying that I most certainly would due to the fact that it's a ridiculous amount of money to be paying any single person to do anything.....especially to play sports. What could I do with $8 million that I couldn't do with less? Put it in a bank account and watch it gain interest? IMO, athletes in general are overpaid. You can't tell me that A-Rod getting $25 million/yr or Sosa getting $16 million/yr or Bonds getting $15.5 million/yr is not being overpaid.

-Tom

I am not saying athletes are not overpaid, i am just saying that if someone was writing you a check for 10 million dollars to play baseball, you would not turn it down.... (you could donate 9 million of it if you like), but you would not turn it down

Ah, ok. That changes things.....point taken.

-Tom
 

cliftonite

Diamond Member
Jul 15, 2001
6,900
63
91
Originally posted by: Soccer55
Originally posted by: brunswickite
Originally posted by: Soccer55
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Pitching one inning isn't that great of an accomplishment. A bullpen is important - but putting so much focus on one man being a closer (and overpaying them) is overrated.

Tell that to Byun-Hyun Kim. Poor kid came into games 5 and 6 of the World Series a couple of years ago to close them out and win the title for his team and both times he left with a loss due to a game winning home run.

If someone gave you 8 million dollars to play baseball would you say no?

then shut up and stop b1tching

Yes, I would say no. And I will preempt the "you say this now, but if it really happened, you wouldn't turn it down" garbage by saying that I most certainly would due to the fact that it's a ridiculous amount of money to be paying any single person to do anything.....especially to play sports. What could I do with $8 million that I couldn't do with less? Put it in a bank account and watch it gain interest? IMO, athletes in general are overpaid. You can't tell me that A-Rod getting $25 million/yr or Sosa getting $16 million/yr or Bonds getting $15.5 million/yr is not being overpaid.

-Tom

I am not saying athletes are not overpaid, i am just saying that if someone was writing you a check for 10 million dollars to play baseball, you would not turn it down.... (you could donate 9 million of it if you like), but you would not turn it down

Ah, ok. That changes things.....point taken.

-Tom


If you think they are overpaid and if you dont like what they are getting paid, then dont go to the games, dont buy the aparral(sp?), and dont watch the games on TV. If everyone does this I doubt if they would be getting paid as much ;)
 

Soccer55

Golden Member
Jul 9, 2000
1,660
4
81
If you dont like what they are getting paid, then dont go to the games, dont buy the aparral(sp?), and dont watch the games on TV. If everyone does this I doubt if they would be getting paid as much

Nah, they would just raise ticket prices :p I actually couldn't go to many games even if I wanted to. Nearest teams are Yanks/Mets at around 4.5 hours away. The only reason I actually keep up on baseball these days is because I need to finish higher in the standings than my friend in our fantasy baseball league.

-Tom