Did Mariano Rivera Kill the Closer Role?

Did Mariano Rivera Kill the Closer Role?

 

At the end of last season when Mariano Rivera retired from the game of baseball, could anyone have predicted he would possibly retire the closer role as well? This season has seen perhaps the shakiest outings by “closers” in recent memory. Quite a few teams (A’s, Mets, Cubs, and Indians) have already switched closers at least once this season and there are other teams whose closers should be on a short leash (Tampa, Seattle, and Detroit).

There are currently three closers I would feel absolute confidence in to get the job done and shut the door on a game. Those three closers are Craig Kimbrel, Greg Holland, and Huston Street. Three closers out of 30! Granted maybe this could just be a bad year for closers but pitching continues to dominate the game like its 1968 all over again. So how exactly can pitching be so dominant yet closing pitchers be so ineffective?

Despite having three excellent closers still left in the game, it might be time managers and front office personnel shift away from having one specific pitcher to do the job in the 9^th inning. We’ve already seen such an analytical adjustment when it comes to shifts against the offense, lefty specialists in the bullpen, and things of that nature, maybe it’s time we institute the old closer by committee.

Even as a Yankee fan watching Mariano Rivera dominate for his whole career it has always struck me as kind of funny that all the pressure of winning a close game and getting a “save” has fallen on the shoulders of one guy. To designate one guy to be the man who is in charge of finishing the job. Basing a decision on a statistic, which is exactly what a manager is doing when it comes to saves and closer usage always seemed crazy to me. They wouldn’t do the same thing in another game situation so why that one?

As stated before, in the year 2014, with all the changes and advancements that have taken place in the game lets add one more. Eliminate the closer’s role and let your best guys, not guy, get you the victory. There are not and will never be guys who can close like Rivera or Kimbrel. They are the exception not the rule.