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Secret Squirrel said 04/13, 10:03 PM
I would take Joe Nathan...

Career...

2.98 ERA
1.15 WHIP
.207 BAA
9.09 K/9
2.52 K/BB
And I couldn't find the last stat....

The problem with his career stats is that he was a starter in SF in 1999 and 2000.

Since he came to MN, he has compiled even better stats..

1.67 ERA
0.94 WHIP
,184 BAA
11.34 K/9
4.53 K/BB


Nathan has only surrendered 18 blown saves in 8 seasons in the majors, compiling just over 1 strikeout per inning pitched.

Last year, Joe had a bit of a "down year" with a 1.88 ERA and 37 saves. If you ask me, a down year like that is amazing...He held hitters to a .209 BAA and had a 1.02 WHIP, but he maintained that 9 K/9 average, and he didn't blow too many saves.

What makes Nathan so good is that he has FIVE pitches that he can throw for strikes. A four seamer in the mid to upper 90s, a two seamer in the low to mid 90s, an electric slider, a nasty 12-6, and a solid changeup. Few other closers are able to stupefy hitters by having that many pitches they need to be ready for.

Secret Squirrel said 04/13, 10:28 PM
The BS one...I spaced on that...he has 18 in 7 years (He DID get one in 2000)

I just don't think that starting has ANYTHING to do with how you close out the game in the ninth inning....You aren't gonna approach it with the same mindset, you aren't holding back a little to keep your arm from falling off. It's get the job done, and as you can see, Nathan was obviously better at getting the closer's job done.

How exactly does Putz own Nathan in career stats? They are basically similar, with the only major discrepancies being in the strikeout categories.

Yes, last year was no contest, but pitchers can have off years....

The other consideration you have to take into account...Nathan has been closing games for four years now (This is his fifth) and this is Putz's third season. That extra two years can make a huge difference in the savviness of the pitcher.

Yes, he has five different pitches, which makes him more unpredictable than Putz....

Damn...we are SOOO homers....

I'm almost more surprised we didn't say Rivera....or Hoffman....the music alone would be intimidating enough....

Secret Squirrel said 04/14, 08:13 PM
Nathan has pitched one more year with over 50 appearances than Putz has, (5 to 4), yet Nathan has 18 blown saves in his career, while Putz has 17.

Between 2006-07, Putz had NINE blown saves and Nathan had six.

Saves themselves are probably one of the most overrated statistics in baseball, but blown saves are very important to me in saying who you want on the mound in that close game.

Another way to look at that stat, is that over his career, Nathan has been able to convert 90.2% of his save chances, while Putz has converted only 83.7% of his.

Nathan has shown that he is a much more consistent closer than Putz is, while posting almost exactly the same career stats in several important categories.

Part of the reason...Nathan gives up fewer HRs than Putz does. As a closer, Nathan has averaged 18.2222222222222222222 games between HRs given up, but Putz gives up one HR per 14 games pitched. Giving up more HRs allows more opportunities for the walk-off bombs that you don't need.

So Putz throws two pitches and Nathan throws five, and I don't know why the hell we're talking about the transitive property, but they both throw their best pitches effectively, and that's all that counts