BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: STL Post-Dispatch: Izzy returns to closer role

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Monday, July 28, 2008

STL Post-Dispatch: Izzy returns to closer role

The ninth inning again belongs to Jason Isringhausen.

Pitching coach Dave Duncan notified Isringhausen early Monday afternoon that he would regain the role he lost more than two months ago when bruised confidence and a self-inflicted hand wound forced him to the disabled list and out of the role that has netted him 292 career saves.
...
Isringhausen did not say he was surprised by the move but clearly seemed energized by an escape from middle relief.

“This is what I’ve done for a long time,” he said. “Now it’s about me going out and doing it. I don’t want to go too far beyond that, OK?”

NTNgod Posted: July 28, 2008 at 11:31 PM | 13 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: cardinals

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

1. CraigK Posted: July 29, 2008 at 12:05 AM (#2878566)

WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY???????????????????

2. greenback

Posted: July 29, 2008 at 12:06 AM (#2878571)

You're a bad man, NTNgod. A bad man.

3. Crispix Attacks Posted: July 29, 2008 at 12:15 AM (#2878606)

Self-inflicted hand wound?!?!?

"YOU are the hand that can't strike anyone out anymore! You are the hand that refuses to grip the curveball the right way! You built me up, and then you tore me down! I HATE YOU, HAND! AND I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!"

4. Guts

Posted: July 29, 2008 at 01:13 AM (#2878879)

AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

5. Chase Utley, Shooty's Favorite Robot (Joey Belle) Posted: July 29, 2008 at 01:53 AM (#2879098)

How does Manny fit into all of this?

6. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: July 29, 2008 at 02:05 AM (#2879192)

Well this will end well.

He has the Proven Closer tag. What could go wrong? And they always have Joe Borowski to fall back on if Izzy has issues. Or heck, Jose Mesa isn't doing anything these days.

7. greenback

Posted: July 29, 2008 at 02:06 AM (#2879195)

This is just La Russa being La Russa.

8. Guts

Posted: July 29, 2008 at 02:08 AM (#2879210)

He has the Proven Closer tag. What could go wrong? And they always have Joe Borowski to fall back on if Izzy has issues. Or heck, Jose Mesa isn't doing anything these days.

Is Arthur Rhodes still a Proven Closer? The Cards could use him - he can't be worse than Villone. Or Flores.

9. Forsch 10 From Navarone (Dayn)

Posted: July 29, 2008 at 03:33 AM (#2879575)

And here I was thinking it was impossible for me to be any less confident in our ability to protect leads.

10. Champions Table Posted: July 29, 2008 at 04:08 AM (#2879626)

What's awesome is that if you go to the StL Post-Dispatch's Cardinals page now, there's the Izzy article ("Izzy returns to role as closer") and right underneath it is an article called "La Russa backs Franklin."

11. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: July 29, 2008 at 10:12 AM (#2879728)

I maintain my stance that any team that relies on Franklin to do anything more than keep a seat in the pen warm is in trouble.

12. Alex meets the threshold for granular review Posted: July 29, 2008 at 10:24 AM (#2879729)

Izzy at least has a shot at being good. He's come back from rough stretches before, so who's to say this time his mediocrity is a permanent thing? Look at 2006-2007: he went from a 1.46 WHIP, a 3.55 ERA, 10 homers allowed and 38 walks in 58 innings to a 1.07 WHIP, 2.48 ERA, 4 homers allowed and 28 walks in 65 innings.

Franklin in the meantime is a lost cause.

13. Arva Posted: July 29, 2008 at 12:05 PM (#2879741)

The back end of this bullpen reminds me of the bad ole day of 97-98-99. Back when the Cardinals closers were Jeff Brantley, Ricky Bottalico, Juan Acevedo, wiht Manny Aybar and Rich Croshure getting time out there. Bad memories.

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Monday, July 28, 2008

STL Post-Dispatch: Izzy returns to closer role

Reader Comments and Retorts

Support BBTF

Bookmarks

Hot Topics