I don't see anyone in the pen who can be our everyday closer. I see the price for closers like Soriano dropping, but is he cheap enough for the Tigers? The only one on the staff who could close is Scherzer, in that case they would need to keep Porcello.

No way they are going to waste Scherzer's workhouse talent in a closer's role.

Hopefully it doesn't come down to that decision.

Rest assured, it won't. They will try all the pen arms they have, or sign someone else before you see Max Scherzer in a closer's role. He is a 200 inning, 200 strikeout guy. A horse.

<The only one on the staff who could close is Scherzer, in that case they would need to keep Porcello.>

LOL..Golden keyboard material.

They will have Sanchez for a full season and remember Scherzer had a dead arm last year with 186 innings.

Who on the staff could close? Put it on the the rookie?

I understand why you say he could close, he is a power guy who strikes out a lot of hitters. But you don't take an upper tier front line starter and hide him at closer. I know they shut him down for a short bit before the playoffs, but he bounced back well. He will not be closing.

Who would be your closer in the pen?

Like many others on this board, I tend to like the idea of situational closer rather than the auto pilot "this guy pitches the ninth" no matter what mentality. But, if they must go with one guy, I would lean to Al BBQ. Strikeout guy.

They tried him in that capacity last year, he wasn't ready. They tried Dotel and Benoit, and both were train wrecks. Fans wanted to give Coke the first ticket out of town.

Well, like I say, I favor playing matchups for closing. But they could still make a move. Regardless, you won't see Scherzer closing.

<<<They tried him in that capacity last year, he wasn't ready>>>

Al? They never tried him in the ninth last year.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=albural01&t=p&year=2012#pitching_gamelogs::none

Closers are kind of like goalies in hockey. They can have a bad year and then recover and surprise you the next year. Coke, Benoit, Al-B-Que, etc. all are relievers. Coke pitched in the big apple (the bronx zoo) and has experience under pressure, Benoit can be lights out at times, Al Al-B-Que has a live arm. We went to the World Series and look good compared to a lot of teams. We can be more patient than most teams. Time is on the side of DD in finding a closer compared to teams that didn't even make the playoffs.

Signing a closer that makes us give up a first round draft pick is our ace in the hole and I hope we don't use it unless we have to.

Al was tried in a couple pressure situations at the end of last season and flopped in 13 innings allowing 8 walks.

Scherzer has made at least 30 starts every year since 2009. What makes you want to make him be a closer? Is it based on his talent? Then why not make Verlander the closer?

I don't think they ever classified Scherzer's injury as a "dead arm." And he was perfectly healthy in the playoffs.

We've already seen that this closer by committee did not work last year, so what would change? I remember Dotel couldn't even throw the ball to the catcher.

<Then why not make Verlander the closer?>

I think Verlander is his 2nd choice.