Why do we have closers again?

And yet, the number of pitchers today with chronic arm problems seems higher than ever.

 

Seems being the operative word. They had just as many guys with arm troubles in the past, you just never heard about them because they had their arm thrown off at AA and were then replaced by a guy with less talent but more durability.

 

Bill James wrote something a decade or more ago (I forget where it appeared) that maintained teams would probably be better bringing in their relief aces for critical innings rather than automatically holding them back for the ninth.

 

Red Sox tried this at some point. Did not work.

 

It only works if you actually have a relief ace to use in any situation. That Red Sox team just had a bunch of sucky relievers who were going to suck no matter what order you used them.

 

One case does not a study make

 

Ah, come on, one case does a study make. That's why they call them case studies!

 

There also is greater technology today. 50 years ago, guys had sore arms and they rested it for a bit, then pitched through it. Nowadays, if an arm is even slightly sore, they go for an MRI, which can find any slight damage. Then the pitcher is shut down.

There's also millions of dollars at stake now, instead of maybe $15-20,000 (even taking inflation into account). Teams are going to be much more cautious with their investments.

 

Remember, back then the player's salary was only a minor consideration. Pitchers in their prime could be sold for tens of (if not hundreds of) thousands of dollars to other teams.

 

Comparing 1952 to 2010 is somewhat meaningless. Many of those leads in 1952 were held by starting pitchers. It wasn't that bullpens were used differently in 1952, it's that bullpens were used a lot less.

Because you could also use that stat to come to the conclusion that closers have helped teams win more often. Through the invention of closers, teams have been able to maintain the same % of 9th inning leads, even though their starting pitchers throw FAR less complete games. The closer has compensated for the fact that teams don't have their most talented pitchers - their starting pitchers - on the mound in the 9th with a lead like they did in other eras.

 

Taking a pitcher out of a game when he is getting batters out has never made any sense to me.

 

You call yourself a salesman, you son of a bitch?