The problem here is that every team since the 1990s has tried replicating the Mariano Rivera model but without the same level of success. Rivera was a unique talent who could be used for one inning. In the last few years this way of utilizing the bullpen has broken down and the one inning closer isn’t all that reliable anymore. Emmanuel Clase was phenomenal last year but he and rest of the Cleveland bullpen broke down in the postseason because they were overused. Clase has been so bad this year, Cleveland demoted him from the closer role. Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Edwin Diaz have all been terrible as well. Eventually a manager or GM is going to have the fortitude to abandon this model.
You are certainly right, especially when it comes to OOTP. Even in the current period, the game will dictate who the closer should be. If one is playing in the preseason mode (2024-2025) the game will list a pitcher (Ian Hamilton0 who is a reliever.
That supplemental question about extra innings is the one that grabs my attention when it happens in a live game. Who does the manager have in their hip pocket for extra innings...
Yeah - and it used to be a lot of fun, back before they brought in the ghost runner and other ridiculousness. Every now and then you'd wind up with a game that went 18 innings or longer.
The problem here is that every team since the 1990s has tried replicating the Mariano Rivera model but without the same level of success. Rivera was a unique talent who could be used for one inning. In the last few years this way of utilizing the bullpen has broken down and the one inning closer isn’t all that reliable anymore. Emmanuel Clase was phenomenal last year but he and rest of the Cleveland bullpen broke down in the postseason because they were overused. Clase has been so bad this year, Cleveland demoted him from the closer role. Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Edwin Diaz have all been terrible as well. Eventually a manager or GM is going to have the fortitude to abandon this model.
Dan,
You are certainly right, especially when it comes to OOTP. Even in the current period, the game will dictate who the closer should be. If one is playing in the preseason mode (2024-2025) the game will list a pitcher (Ian Hamilton0 who is a reliever.
That supplemental question about extra innings is the one that grabs my attention when it happens in a live game. Who does the manager have in their hip pocket for extra innings...
Yeah - and it used to be a lot of fun, back before they brought in the ghost runner and other ridiculousness. Every now and then you'd wind up with a game that went 18 innings or longer.
Yeah, those days seem part of baseball’s past now. The ghost runner seems so Little League to me.