Is it Rafael Perez' time to shine?

The hits keep on happening, and two more closers have fallen by the wayside. In Cleveland, the Indians have simply cut Joe Borowski, firing they can lose games quite well on their own without his help. Meanwhile, Matt Capps has hit the disabled list, and the Pirates will be without his services for at least two months, potentially for the season. Who is his replacement? We will check him out. As for the Indians, they have yet to name a closer, but the obvious one – Rafael Betancourt – might not be so obvious after his horrific performance earlier in the year in the role, so we have a different take on who it will be. Who is that? Read on to find out.

Damaso Marte, Closer, Pittsburgh Pirates

This is somewhat speculative at this point, as the Pirates have not officially named Marte the closer, but the Pirates have not had need for a closer since Capps went down. That said, Marte is the one with the most closing experience on the staff, making him the most likely to assume the role.

How much experience? Well, he would get none at all in his first two years in the majors, first with the Mariners and then with the Pirates, but he would receive significant ninth inning action after the White Sox acquired him, in a poorly conceived trade for Rob Mackowiak. In his first year with the White Sox, he would immediately pick up some save opportunities, as the Sox soured, irrationally, on Keith Foulke, and Marte would convert 10 of 12 chances in his first year with the South Siders. Over 68 appearances that year, Marte would post a record of 1-1 with a 2.83 ERA, with 72 strikeouts and only 18 walks in 60 1/3 innings.

Save opportunities would come to Marte again in 2003, as he would be one of three (the other two being Billy Koch and Tom Gordon) to receive save chances for the White Sox that year. He would successfully convert 11 of 18 opportunities, posting an ERA of 1.58 with four wins, two losses, and a K/BB ratio of 87:34.

That would be a high water mark for Marte however, as over the next two years his control numbers would drop while his save opportunities withered away. In 2004, he would convert just six of twelve chances, and his K/BB ratio would fall to 68:34. In 2005, he would convert only four saves, in eight chances, and his ratio became an unacceptable 54:33.

That would spell the end for Marte in Chicago, and he would return to Pittsburgh in 2006. There would be no hope of him picking up saves there, however, as he would pick up none in his first two years. The positive though is that his ratios would start to turn around, with a 63:31 K/BB ratio in 58 1/3 innings in 2006, 51:18 in 45 1/3 innings in 2007, and so far this year he clocks in at 44:11 in 40 2/3 innings. Those are closer-like numbers there.

The usual biases against lefties are still there, and while one could argue that this is a franchise that used Mike Gonzalez as a closer; however, the regime that did so has long since been kicked to the curb. The fact is though that Marte has the best experience – the only, really – of any in the pen currently as a closer, and he has the best stuff there for the job now. Consider this one a promotion by default.

Rafael Perez, Relief Pitcher, Cleveland Indians

Speaking of default…

Rafael Betancourt has converted four of his six save opportunities this year, so he did not blow many in the short time that he had the job. However, his performance outside of simple save totals has not been good at all, as he is 2-4 with a 6.03 ERA. This extremely high ERA did not come from only one or two bad outings either, as he posted an ERA of 6.52 in April, 5.25 in May, and 7.43 last month. Of his last 17 appearances, only in two has he kept baserunners off the bases, which does not give one visions of an elite closer.

As a result, there is next to no way that he becomes the closer with Borowski gone, and that leaves Rafael Perez as the next best option. Perez was a big part of the Indians’ success last year, as he was 1-2 with a 1.78 ERA in his first full season, and in his 44 appearances he struck out 62 while walking only 15 over 60 2/3 innings.

This year, the results have not been as good, but still quite solid. In 36 2/3 innings, Perez has recorded 37 strikeouts, similar to his pace last year, but he has also walked 14. That gives him a walks-per-nine ratio over a full walk higher this year, although still giving him a K/BB ratio of well over 2:1. He has been more hittable too though, with a batting average against of .268, well above his total last year of .187.

Still, he is the best option here. Jensen Lewis had appeared to be the closer of the future last year, only to struggle with his control this year and make a return back to Triple-A for a period. Masahide Kobayashi has been respectable, but he does not look like closer material.

This is another one where we are tagging the closer with the title by default. We like Perez, but not a whole heck of a lot; we just like the other options even less.

Last Week Revisited

Our third baseman under the spotlight last week was Brian Buscher, who did get in five games, and pick up 18 at-bats, over the last seven days, but he did not perform incredibly well, hitting .222 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Daryl Thompson, meanwhile, made one start in the rotation for the Reds and was beat like a rented mule, allowing eight hits, two of which left the yard, and one walk, contributing to seven runs in just 4 1/3 innings.

We still believe in both these players though, so we are not giving up after just one week.

That wraps up this week’s Treasure Hunting – we will see you next Saturday for more on the hunt!