[Razz]

I didn't make this a poll because I want to see if anyone agrees with my choice. Just give me a name of the one guy, that when he comes into the game either for or against you, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt it's over.

[djeffectz]

John Papelbon the closer for the Red Sox, he rarely blow a save,...

[moses millsap]

You'll be surprised by my answer, but I feel most confident or hopeless when J.J. Putz enters the game.

[bigboydan]

Well, Mine sure isn't Chris "P"Ray.

I actually would have to say Papelbon as well.

[snail8029]

I'd go with Papelbon or Joe Nathan

[onlooker]

Papelbon.

[rjt721]

I would've said Papelbon one month ago, but he's been shaky lately.

I agree with OWNED - Putz is almost unhittable. If I had to name another, it would be Saito.

[Razz]

You'll be surprised by my answer, but I feel most confident or hopeless when J.J. Putz enters the game.

Well done sir. This guy is phenomenal. The Mariners are the only team in baseball that I feel play an 8-inning game. With him out there in the 9th, it's hopeless. His numbers last year were incredible (104 K, 13 BB, 2.30 ERA, 0.92 WHIP), but this year ... He's on pace for the greatest season in the history of his position, and no one realizes it.

17 saves in 17 chances. 1.27 ERA, 0.60 WHIP. 29 K, 5 BB, 12 hits in 28.1 IP. 23 total bases in 28.1 innings. Opposing hitters are hitting .129.
In 17 save opportunities, covering 19 innings, Putz has given up five hits and four walks. Total. These numbers are staggering.

[Terpman92]

Putz is the man no question

[Senator7]

He's on pace for the greatest season in the history of his position, and no one realizes it.

Actually, this was incorrect until the bottom of the 9th in the Milwaukee/Texas game.

Only those who understand Sabermetrics could appreciate the season Francisco Cordero was having until tonight...

[AC1318]

Actually, this was incorrect until the bottom of the 9th in the Milwaukee/Texas game.

Only those who understand Sabermetrics could appreciate the season Francisco Cordero was having until tonight...

It is funny you say that because I was on texas and when cordero came in I highlighted his name to punch up his stats and when I read them I said to myself oh Shit texas has no chance but I got lucky and am glad for it, texas had the bases loaded numerous times and should have been winning 10-3 going into the ninth. In any case cordero was 22 saves for 25 innings 36 k's and 9 walks

[Senator7]

It is funny you say that because I was on texas and when cordero came in I highlighted his name to punch up his stats and when I read them I said to myself oh Shit texas has no chance but I got lucky and am glad for it, texas had the bases loaded numerous times and should have been winning 10-3 going into the ninth. In any case cordero was 22 saves for 25 innings 36 k's and 9 walks

From Jayson Stark @ ESPN.com:

A year ago this month, Francisco Cordero was a guy with an ERA over 6.00 in Texas. Now he's in Milwaukee, on pace for the greatest closer season of all time. Seven other closers have had fewer hits allowed than saves in a season of 20-plus saves. But Cordero is on pace for 59 saves, and just 19 hits. Which would obliterate Gagne's record in that rarified category (55 saves, 37 hits in 2003). So what's the difference? "His slider is better than I've ever seen it," one scout said. "His fastball is 94-97 [mph]. But his slider is 89-90-91. He's got two dominant, hard pitches. And right now, he's throwing them both for strikes."

[Razz]

From Jayson Stark @ ESPN.com:

A year ago this month, Francisco Cordero was a guy with an ERA over 6.00 in Texas. Now he's in Milwaukee, on pace for the greatest closer season of all time. Seven other closers have had fewer hits allowed than saves in a season of 20-plus saves. But Cordero is on pace for 59 saves, and just 19 hits. Which would obliterate Gagne's record in that rarified category (55 saves, 37 hits in 2003). So what's the difference? "His slider is better than I've ever seen it," one scout said. "His fastball is 94-97 [mph]. But his slider is 89-90-91. He's got two dominant, hard pitches. And right now, he's throwing them both for strikes."

Pitching in the National League. The same reason I'd take Putz, Papelbon, Rivera, or Nathan over anyone in the NL.

[Razz]

Seattle up 4-3 going to the bottom of the 9th. Game over, unless I jinxed him.

[Razz]

Another Putzian effort - K, K, popout.

[rjt721]

Seattle up 4-3 going to the bottom of the 9th. Game over, unless I jinxed him.

I was on the wrong side of both. That SD offense is a joke. Another losing day....4 in a row.

[snail8029]

putz is solid, no doubt, but even if he maintains this pace, it doesn't beat Gagne's 2003 - maybe it ties it. How quickly we forget:

55 saves, 82.3 IP, 37 H, 11 ER, 20 BB, 137 K, 1.20 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, zero blown saves

or how about Dennis Eckersley's 1990?

48 saves, 73.3 IP, 41 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 73 K, 0.61 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, two blown saves

now those are sick numbers

[Razz]

Opposing hitters now hitting .084 against Putz in save situations.

[Razz]

Update on a season that is bar none the best I have personally witnessed from a closer:

1.1 IP and a save against the best offense in baseball. A weak groundout back to Putz for the last out in the 8th and strikes out the side in order in the 9th. 26 of 26 this year in save situations, and sets a franchise record for consecutive saves at 28.

More impressively, in save situations, here are his numbers:
26 games, 30 IP, 10 hits, 6 BB, 1 ER, 30 K. 0.30 ERA, 0.53 WHIP.

He's gone more than one inning for a save eight times, which is more than Papelbon, Hoffman, Saito, Nathan, K-Rod, Wagner, and Cordero COMBINED. These are numbers we may not see for years to come.

[onlooker]

I thought that bad outing in the all star game would throw him off. Seems like that is not the case, he is still lights out when it counts.

[Razz]

Were those runs earned? I don't really have any idea (but I don't remember seeing anything in the error column for the AL), but that was an error on Roberts that led to the two runs, whether it was ruled that way or not.

[stump]

joe nathan

[MJFtheGenius]

eric gagne

[JBC77]

John Papelbon the closer for the Red Sox, he rarely blow a save,...

That was the first guy to come to my mind.

[imgv94]

Saito

[djeffectz]

Dan Wheeler

[Stumpage]

Putz is certainly "The Man" this year.....The most incredible stretch I've seen though has to go to a guy a couple others mentioned, that being Gagne. That guy was lights out for 3 years in a row at one time. 84 straight converted save chances.....84!!

[Razz]

Gagne's numbers at his absolute peak weren't really close to what Putz has done to this point of the season. Ironically, he got the BS and the loss in the All-Star Game in 2003, his best year, and Putz struggled in this year's All-Star Game as well, even though it was mostly because his defense let him down. I'm all for honoring what previous people have done, and you could make a claim for Eck's 1990 season - though his WHIP and BAA are far from what Putz is doing (his ERA is better, though his RA isn't. His numbers in save situations are also inferior in all three major pitching categories), and he blew two regular season saves and a World Series save - but Gagne doesn't fit the bill.

Pitching in the much weaker National League, Gagne still had an ERA and WHIP noticeably higher than JJ's this season. Their numbers in save situations aren't even close. Granted, Putz still has a couple months to be dominant for it to be an all-time great season, but there's no reason to think he won't if you've watched him pitch this season. If he continues this pace, it's the best I've ever seen.

[moses millsap]

Here he comes to close the door on the hapless O's.

[Razz]

You have Balty OWNED? At least it's the heart of the order.

[Razz]

That's about right.

[MBENZ]

Well, Mine sure isn't Chris "P"Ray.

I actually would have to say Papelbon as well.

Dan,are you still thinking about that Vladimire walk off 3 run homer?I don't know who I hated more that day,Ray or Asshat Perlozzo