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« What It Takes To Win - Correction | Main | Waiver Wire Starters »
Keep An Eye On Riske
FOX's Ken Rosenthal has some Opening Day musings in today's column. He compares the blowups of closers Kerry Wood and Eric Gagne at Wrigley yesterday, noting that it's the Brewers who should be concerned.
I watched the game, and I agree. Gagne looked very hittable. His goggles kept fogging up, but I'm not buying that excuse. He looked pretty lousy - tentative and throwing very straight fastballs. When was the last time he looked decent? July of last year?
Given his $10MM salary, Gagne will have a mighty long leash with the Brewers. But he's also fragile, so they could easily cook up some reason to toss him on the DL if they don't want to embarrass him or themselves. In that case David Riske would probably become the closer. Riske makes $4MM this year but has a bunch of incentives for games finished. He's the logical choice, and if you have bench room and fierce closer competition in your league a pre-emptive pickup might be wise.
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Isn't Derek Turnblow the next in line? Wouldn't this move come as bit of a surprise?
Posted by: Kevin W. | April 01, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Tim...
According to the following site, Turnbow also has "games finished" incentives in his contract:
$0.3M total in performance bonuses for games finished; $50,000 each for 45 & 50 GF, $75,000 for 55 GF, $0.125M for 60 GF.
Source: http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/milwaukee-brewers.html
Given this, his past experience as a closer in the organization, and the fact that Doug Melvin had publicly anointed him the team's closer in December prior to the Gagne signing, I'm curious as to why you think that Riske has the upper-hand if a switch is made...?
Not that it means much, but let's remember that Salomon Torres has ML closing experience, too.
--Daniel
Posted by: copusd | April 01, 2008 at 11:37 AM
I'm with Tim on this one, guys. Turnbow pitched his way out of the closer role previously, and would be a much worse option than Riske, in my opinion.
Posted by: ticohans | April 01, 2008 at 03:30 PM
Turnbow was conspicuously absent yesterday as well--looks to me like if they were turning to Turnbow next then he would have had the gig after Gagne.
Posted by: madx34 | April 01, 2008 at 04:02 PM
I don't get the Turnbow love...I don't think he's anywhere near Riske for second in line to close. That he was the team's default closer before they signed anyone or that he got incentives in his contract signed two years ago aren't factors for me.
Posted by: Tim Dierkes | April 01, 2008 at 04:55 PM
Tim...
No argument from me here, I'm no Turnbow fanboy. Riske is clearly a superior pitcher and *SHOULD* be given the duties if Gagne gets pulled. Was just curious to hear your opinion, as I've seen many others touting Turnbow and rushing to the wire to grab him.
--Daniel
Posted by: copusd | April 01, 2008 at 06:41 PM
Riske has saved a few times successfully in the past... he's also blown a number of opportunities as well. He's not such a sure thing as he pulls a Broxton.
Posted by: Wonderbat | April 01, 2008 at 08:24 PM
I am with you Tim. That's why I picked him up in the RA league after Gagne blew up. But I do think that the Brewers will give Gagne a very long leash given his current salary.
Posted by: Leagle | April 02, 2008 at 06:29 AM
Speaking of relievers... how about Leo Nunez? Talk about bringing the heat.
Posted by: squad | April 02, 2008 at 10:56 PM