Do you believe Starting Pitchers would make good closers?

Question

A friend of mine brought up a point that it would be such an easy job for starters to be closers.....i dont agree fully with that

So what is your opinion? Would starters make good closers?

Please Star

Answer 1

I would disagree with your friend.  A starting pitcher has to pace themselves and not give it their all for 1 inning.  They also don't have to come into the game with runners on already.  It's a different mind set getting up in the bullpen and warming up to come into a pressure cooker situation than taking all the time you need to warm up before a game where you come in with a clean slate.

Answer 2

It depends on the starter, the starters that make great closers (eckersley, Smoltz) are guys that can throw one to two pitches lethally to hitters for one inning...just rear back and leave it all on the mound making the hitters realize that they have something that is devastating in their repetoire.

Control and location (Maddux, MOyer, Glavine) guys are not great closers, they stay int hat starting role because that is what suits their style the best but a rare breed of guys can convert to closers...it also takes a mentally tough pitcher to close, the mind is completely different, very little room for error in closing where as a starter can shrug off a bad inning because in a couple of minutes he can redeem himself.

Answer 3

Yes I do believe that becuz they go 6 or 7 inings and could easily strike out three batters

Answer 4

yes I think most starters would make good closers if they had a few weeks or months to adjust their arm, stamina, and physche to that type of role. Starters are asked to pitch much longer in games. I would think it's easier for a starter to come out gunning one inning and be effective for 3 batters when he's use to being effective for, 15, 20, 25 batters, then vice versa

Answer 5

I am curious about that myself.

I think personally that they would not exceed b/c they sometimes don't have the confidence to be a reliever (oh,the pain they would have if they knew they lost a game)

I say leave it to the real closers.

I'm out peace.

Answer 6

There are qualities that starters may have that can make them a dominant closer.

A starter needs to have endurance. You need to be able to eat up innings.

A Closer needs Adrenaline. Make quick work of your opponent and overpower them.

Example: Ryan Dempster 11-4 this year with a 3.05 ERA former closer for 3 years.

Kerry Wood 24 Saves this season. Former starter for 9 years.

Answer 7

I don't agree with that.  There's a different mentality in being a closer than being starting pitcher.  Also there's more pressure involved as a closer.  However, a starting pitcher can be a good closer if he can handle the pressure.  I don't think it could work as easily for a closer wanting to be a starter.

Answer 8

I think that a starter could do well in relief if he started the inning.  He would be in the fresh position against players who largely have performed all game and may be a little off.

The mid-inning stressful situation might be different, though.  His state of mental preparedness might be off.  Some guys will handle that better than others.  

As an example of mental state, look at Mariano this years.  In games where it is not a save situation, he seem downright mortal.  Game on the line- unstoppable.

Answer 9

well alot of the good closers around were failed starters (rivera, papelbon, lidge, etc.) that being said, some starters have the stuff to be a good closer, such as harden, peavy, and volquez just to name a few, but in general i would have to say most starters wouldn't be good closers.

Answer 10

Just look at what John Smoltz did as closer for the Braves. He was an excellent starting pitcher who ended up being a very good closer. But the best example is probably Dennis Eckersley, who started off as a starter and ended up with the 5th most saves in MLB history with 390 saves. So my answer would be yes, many starters could end up being very good closers!

Answer 11

I would guess that the answere is no.  A starter is more likely to be a better reliever or set up pitcher than a closer.

Answer 12

It all depends on the pitcher. Some can handle pitching in the bullpen, and some can't. Each guy is different on the way they approach and handle different situations.

Joe Nathan used to be a starting pitcher when he was with the Giants, and now he is one of the best closers in baseball.

And then there are some starting pitchers who can't handle being the closer, let alone being in the bullpen.

It just all depends on the player.