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CLOSE IT OUT
The only thing that matters in baseball (all sports for that matter) is wins. As a fan you don’t even care sometimes how your team gets the win, as long as it does. I have stated before with baseball that the key to winning is pitching, defense and timely hitting. I have failed to mention though another key component to winning baseball games, and not just regular season games, but post-season games… is a closer. Not just any closer, but one who is mentality tough. I think we have seen over the course of many years that closing is an art form for an individual that is mentality and emotionally prepared to step into a tense situation and ready to shut down the opposition. We have seen many fail, and aren’t able to close games out for a season, let alone a career.
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We have seen Trevor Hoffman close games out, just over 570 of them. We have recently seen Mariano Rivera reach 500 career saves with an ERA just above 2.30. Currently our beloved White Sox have a closer in the name of Bobby Jenks, and in save situations, “Big, Bad,” Bobby Jenks! There have been rumors, small ones, and not recently, but the Sox may trade Big Bobby. Why? Well this season has definitely turned back around in favor of the Sox competing again for another division title, but Jenks, at 28 years old and with 136 career saves could bring a lot back in return. But why give him away? He may not have the “stuff” of a Rivera, but he as proven that he can close out games with consistency. Why not lock him up for the next 4-5 years? That will put him around age 33 and if he keeps up the average of 38 saves a year, will put him over 300 for his career. Nothing is guaranteed in this life and in sports for that matter. Why not lock up a sure thing while you have it? Well, in the case of the Sox, money is always an issue. How much will Bobby command? Will he take a hometown discount like Mark Buehrle did?
All that remains to be seen, but if the price is right and without a closer waiting in the wings, Big Bad Bobby Jenks is, and needs to be the guy for the next handful of years.
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By Brian Gioia
MLBcenter.com Guest Writer
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