2013 IPP: Frank Francisco

[Benjamin Grimm]

He'll get some save opportunities early, and he'll do poorly. He'll lose the "closer" job some time in May, and he'll be gone for good before July 1.

[Guest vtmet]

Frank Frank is one of those guys like Armondo Benitez or Branden Looper that are better suited as a "setup man" with an occasional save opportunity than actually being the every day closer...the guy on his career only has 72 saves vs 67 "holds" and 24 "blown saves"...

15 saves; 8 blown saves...4.5 ERA as the "closer"...3.3 ERA when he gets demoted to the 7th/8th inning role...

[dinosaur jesus]

vtmet wrote: Frank Frank is one of those guys like Armondo Benitez or Branden Looper that are better suited as a "setup man" with an occasional save opportunity than actually being the every day closer...the guy on his career only has 72 saves vs 67 "holds" and 24 "blown saves"... 15 saves; 8 blown saves...4.5 ERA as the "closer"...3.3 ERA when he gets demoted to the 7th/8th inning role...

That's 139 saves or holds in 163 opportunities, or 85%. Which really isn't that bad--it's pretty much what Jason Motte, for example, did last year, when he saved 42 and blew 7. And all that proves is that in most save or hold opportunities you can stick just about anyone in there and get away with it. But I'd rather have an actual competent major league pitcher.

I'll go with my heart on this one: Parnell wins the job, and Francisco never throws another pitch for the Mets.

[Guest vtmet]

And all that proves is that in most save or hold opportunities you can stick just about anyone in there and get away with it

pretty much why I never understand wasting a lot of money on a veteran closer that isn't elite (which pretty much is anyone not named Mariano Rivera)...Somebody like Frank Frank, or Looper, or Wagner, or Lidge, blows just as many saves as a young guy that throws gas and costs relatively little...and tell me that KRod didn't give you more panic attacks than Parnell does...

[Ceetar]

vtmet wrote: And all that proves is that in most save or hold opportunities you can stick just about anyone in there and get away with it pretty much why I never understand wasting a lot of money on a veteran closer that isn't elite (which pretty much is anyone not named Mariano Rivera)...Somebody like Frank Frank, or Looper, or Wagner, or Lidge, blows just as many saves as a young guy that throws gas and costs relatively little...and tell me that KRod didn't give you more panic attacks than Parnell does...

Well most years you can find someone better than Rivera, if it's just one year, and certainly now. It's not so much about 'veteran closer' as it is about giving money to a reliever that you have any confidence can simply be good and won't have a 2012 Ramon Ramirez year.

[Guest vtmet]

Ceetar wrote: And all that proves is that in most save or hold opportunities you can stick just about anyone in there and get away with it pretty much why I never understand wasting a lot of money on a veteran closer that isn't elite (which pretty much is anyone not named Mariano Rivera)...Somebody like Frank Frank, or Looper, or Wagner, or Lidge, blows just as many saves as a young guy that throws gas and costs relatively little...and tell me that KRod didn't give you more panic attacks than Parnell does... Well most years you can find someone better than Rivera, if it's just one year, and certainly now. It's not so much about 'veteran closer' as it is about giving money to a reliever that you have any confidence can simply be good and won't have a 2012 Ramon Ramirez year.

IMO, the difference between Rivera and others, is that Rivera is pretty consistent from month-to-month and year-to-year; whereas most closers are a crapshoot: sometimes dominant, sometimes awful...and I think that the 'unbalanced schedule' where a team faces their own division's teams 18 times a season each; makes it really rough for a veteran reliever to not lose their effectiveness; at least with "young guns" in the bullpen, they have a chance of surprising the hitters a little bit...

[Edgy MD]

Neither Francisco nor Looper really represented a lot of money, relatively.

Billy Wagner, who had led the league in games finished in 2005, with a 1.51 ERA with 38 saves (and had 284 on his career), certainly represented elite. As additionally did Francisco Rodriguez, who had led the league in saves three of the previous four years, and had set the all-time record the previous year.

I agree generally on not committing limited funds to the pen, but not with those characterizations.

[Lefty Specialist]

Gets blind drunk and does drugs with a stewardess, but manages to get himself together and take off from Orlando but encounters turbulence and mechanical failure which he combats by flipping the plane over and flying it upside down. Saves most of the passengers but is charged with flying while intoxicated. Suspended without pay by the Wilpons and never pitches for them again.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

5 IP, a whole lot of elbow-related sturm-und-drang, 0 friendly karaoke nights/happy hours with NY media, 1 dented chin

[Theoldmole]

Setup man all year long. 3 save opps, converts 2.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm gonna go against the grain here and say that once he's back up and healthy in late April, Double F pitches well enough in a setup role to get traded to Cincinnati in July.

1-2, 3.00, 49-15 in 44 IP

[Vic Sage]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I'm gonna go against the grain here and say that once he's back up and healthy in late April, Double F pitches well enough in a setup role to get traded to Cincinnati in July. 1-2, 3.00, 49-15 in 44 IP

i like that scenario.

[MFS62]

It looks like Parnell has been grabbing at the closer spot this Spring, and I think he'll get it.
So it's setup man for FF. Some closers don't take that too well, and I think Frankie will pout his way to a 2-2 4.06 in about 25 games before he is traded to a team that just had their closer injured. In that scenario, the Mets might even leverage him into a starting outfield prospect.

Later