Who's the Dodgers' closer?
Who’s the Dodgers’ closer?
Manager Don Mattingly responded to the question with one of his own: “How do I know?”
Jonathan Broxton, Hong-Chih Kuo, Vicente Padilla and Kenley Jansen are on the disabled list.
Mattingly said that if his team has a ninth-inning lead, he is inclined to call on one of the pitchers recently promoted from the minors to close: Javy Guerra, Scott Elbert or Rubby De La Rosa.
Veterans Matt Guerrier and Mike MacDougal have been the Dodgers’ most consistent performers out of the bullpen, but Mattingly said he would like to continue using them in middle-relief roles. Mattingly pointed to how Guerrier and MacDougal have often entered games in the middle of innings with men on base and limited the damage.
“If one of our younger guys get in trouble, it’s nice to have a MacDougal or Guerrier right there to come in the middle of an inning and know where they’re at,” Mattingly said. “They know how to pitch in those situations.”
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-- Dylan Hernandez
Photo: Left-hander Scott Elbert will be among a group of relievers who could be used in a save situation while a handful of potential closers are on the disabled list. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire
Donnie's obviously was a student of Joe's cliches:
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"They know how to pitch in those situations.”
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"The game really slows down for him."
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"He's a grinder."
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We'll know Donnie's achieved Joedom when we have to check for a pulse... he's already burned out the bullpen.
Posted by: Labeldude | 05/30/2011 at 08:40 PM
Judge Scott Gordon is the Dodger closer.
Posted by: Judge Scott Gordon Fan Club | 05/31/2011 at 12:46 AM
What do they need a closer for?
Posted by: McCourt blows | 05/31/2011 at 10:16 AM
If Dodgers fans were as clueless as ginat fans, they'd be petitioning Selig to change the rules by eliminating the 9th inning.
Posted by: Chumpy Kemp | 05/31/2011 at 11:29 AM
My vote right now is MacDougal. After Padilla returns and if he shows well in some non-save situations, then the job is his.
Posted by: Airedale | 05/31/2011 at 03:23 PM