The right guy is finally closing. Photo via mlb.com
New anointed Nationals closer Koda Glover came into Friday night’s game in what was absolutely a “save situation.” Max Scherzer ran out of gas, clearly, had loaded the bases and the tying run was at the plate.
What’d he do? He threw four “sliders,” all of them between 95.4 and 96.4 MPH, all of them unhittable, and struck out Hunter Renfroe with ease to close the game out.
Here’s the video of the final pitch: http://m.mlb.com/video/v1430295083/sdwsh-glover-strikes-out-renfroe-to-notch-the-save/?game_pk=490824
Now, some might call his pitch a cutter; Glover refers to it as a cutter while Pitch F/X classifies it as a slider. It seems to me to be somewhere in between in terms of movement: i think it moves more than Mariano Rivera‘s cutter/cut-fastball, but doesn’t move as sharply as other sliders that we’ve seen. Either way, a 96 mph pitch with that kind of movement is a heck of a pitch.
Lots of people freaked out when Noah Snydergaard debuted his 95mph slider, which looks like an actual slider (see video evidence here) more than Glover’s. And Snydergaard’s pitch is pretty amazing. But so is a 96-mph cut-fastball, especially from a guy who really doesn’t have that much time in the majors and who might be improving/learning as we speak.
Glover should have been the closer from day one and now he is; i’m guessing he doesn’t get supplanted from the role for a while.
That’s Koda with a K! If he can stay healthy . . .
Seriously, there’s no reason to trade any assets right now for a closer. And if the Nats have six years of a closer with an 8th round pick only two years after they drafted him, it’s one of the steals of the century.
Pretty awesome couple of days from Max and Stras as well. I realize that the Padres are essentially a AAA team, particularly when Myers sits, but it was impressive nevertheless.
KW
27 May 17 at 10:26 pm
Well, so far so good. But the team could still use at least one more reliable arm.
Kevin Rusch
27 May 17 at 11:34 pm
Oh, I agree that the Nats are probably going to have to make a move for another bullpen arm or two. But a “closer” would cost one or two of their top-ten prospects, while a generic bullpen arm won’t.
There was a report yesterday that Blanton is throwing without pain, so I imagine they want to get him up to speed before making a big move. Solis has gone to Florida to start rehabbing. Is Kelley completely healthy? They brought him off the DL but then haven’t used him after he struggled in ATL. They’ve also got some guys in Gott, Adams (currently on the DL), and Cotts at Syracuse who have been having good runs, so they may want to give some of them a look before investing.
We’ll see. The starters have had a good run, so the bullpen is pretty rested right now. The Mets are 9.5 back. There’s no reason to do anything drastic. But there probably do need to be some upgrades on the ‘pen before October.
KW
28 May 17 at 8:45 am
Oh, and Fedde, that reliever-in-the-making I keep forgetting.
KW
28 May 17 at 9:03 am
This discussion is evolving to a buyers market, and quickly.
The Nats are way up. Glover is rising.
The farther in we get to the season, the more the closer market….drops. So much is about perception and hitting the market right. I know that people did not like the Melancon trade, but face it, the price was far less than Chapman and Miller. Because of perception.
We can debate this, but its how Rizzo rolls. I was a bit shocked about the Eaton trade, and how much the Nats gave up, and it felt like a goaded move triggered by media pressure and intense McCutcheon talk. The Papelbon move certainly was borne of chattering pressure to upgrade the closer spot.
I’d like the media to just shut up and let Rizzo be Rizzo. He knows who is a good fit and what is good value.
Who knows what we’ll think of this situation in a month.
forensicane
29 May 17 at 1:32 pm
Off topic. For those who do not envision Robles as a more than a 10-15HR guy, especially because of the shots he has taken to his hands, he is showing a leap forward in pop — at age 20.
We’ll see him sooner than you think.
forensicane
29 May 17 at 1:34 pm
And here I had been thinking that Hunter Strickland might be a trade target. Not! Maybe we can arrange for him to meet our old friend the D.C. Strangler!
Maybe the incident will light a little fire under the Nats and restore a little of the swagger.
Meanwhile, Glover delivers again, and Tanner looks like he’s finding his groove. Alas, Joe Ross looked like he lost his as quickly as he found it.
KW
29 May 17 at 8:20 pm
So, any predictions on suspensions? I haven’t seen any takes on it yet but I’ll bet Bryce gets the bigger one because of the helmet. And I’m guessing it will be a decent one – 10 games after appeal? If anything, that’s low. The only thing that mitigates is that it looks like he intentionally threw it to the side. But still, you could see MLB feeling like they have to take a hard line on it.
I’d say Strickland gets 5 games. Wasn’t at his head. There has been a million of these as precedent. Really hard to give him more, imo.
Ross – I dunno, I can’t shake the feeling that he is a reliever when all is said and done. Tires quickly, no reliable third pitch. I know I’m in the minority on this one, but it’s what my gut says. Still could be a valuable multi inning guy.
Wally
29 May 17 at 9:25 pm
All I know is that if I was a Giants’ player, I would have been tempted to run out there and deck Strickland myself. What a stupid, selfish move in a two-run game. Your team is desperately trying to cling to relevance, and you’re facing a team with a shaky bullpen, only two runs down. Then this fool decides to revisit something from three years ago? Let’s just say that there’s a reason that Posey didn’t exactly spring to his defense.
The Nats, meanwhile, got the Meal Ticket not only out of the melee but off the field with surgical precision.
Whatever the suspension, go on and serve it. The Nats have two with the Braves and four with the Mets in the middle of June, and we need Bryce back by then.
KW
30 May 17 at 8:28 am
When I saw the MLB.com notification on my phone that “Harper charged the mound” … I already knew who hit him before reading the story. If its that ridiculously obvious, SO long after the fact, then the pitcher needs to grow up.
I’m guessing the suspensions will be completely out of whack with our read on the situation; Strickland 3 games, Harper 3 games.
The most ironic thing to me was the absolute lack of involvement of Buster Posey. If you re-watch the video (link here at the WP story: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/nationals-journal/wp/2017/05/29/we-dont-take-nothing-nationals-react-to-bryce-harper-hunter-strickland-fight/) Posey stands up and is clearly disgusted by the act … then does nothing as Harper charges, only starting to the mound when its clear they’re throwing fists.
Todd Boss
30 May 17 at 8:53 am
Yep, the Giant side agrees with the Nat side on this one:
http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2017/5/30/15710926/bryce-harper-hunter-strickland-brawl-sf-giants-washington-nationals
KW
30 May 17 at 9:26 am
And here’s who the Nats can activate as Bryce’s replacement on the bench for the next couple of games:
https://twitter.com/tom_wilso/status/869326048495886336
He’s already up to speed on the story.
KW
30 May 17 at 9:50 am
Pretty much.
Todd Boss
30 May 17 at 10:11 am
Glover’s stuff is just nuts – that cutter/slider/whatever it is moves so much the umpires aren’t used to it yet. In each of his last two saves umpires missed calls on baseballs comfortably in the zone (the 0-2 pitch in the 9th yesterday is one example) (Glover K’d the batter anyway, it just took him two more pitches).
John C.
30 May 17 at 12:55 pm