General manager Mike Hazen of the Arizona Diamondbacks said he would continue to search for bullpen help.
When the championship season begins March 29 at home against the Colorado Rockies, general manager Mike Hazen of the Arizona Diamondbacks promises there will be a closer in place.
As the calendar is about to turn another year, there is no true closer currently on the roster, but that will change, Hazen told Call to the Pen recently.
With that declaration, there is an uncomfortable feeling that by the time Hazen believes it’s the right time to declare a closer, none will be found. That would mean the team may enter the season with a closer by committee.
By all accounts, that might be sufficient, but once the season rolls into high gear, the dependability of a top-flight closer would appear necessary. Then again, the way Hazen has constructed his bullpen, that may not seem a reasonable concern.
So far in this offseason, Hazen picked up three relievers, and each seems destined for a role. In a conference call with reporters right before the Christmas holiday, Hazen told Call to the Pen enhancement of the bullpen may not be complete.
"“We have made inroads in our quest to improve the bullpen,” he said. “We’ve addressed locking down the back end of the bullpen, but we’ll see how the market develops once we get into the new year.”"
For now, Hazen acquired three relievers who may have interchangeable roles.
To address the departure of Fernando Rodney and his 39-save season, Hazen signed Japanese reliever Yoshihisa Hirano, a right-hander whom Hazen told Call to the Pen was on his radar screen since the end of last season. Hirano signed a two-year, $6 million deal.
Earlier this month, Hazen selected right-righter Albert Suarez in the Rule 5 draft from the San Francisco Giants organization. Before the off-season, Hazen acquired righty Brad Boxberger in a trade with the Tampa Rays.
All of which would appear to mark an improvement to a bullpen which was considered creditable last season.
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To improve also means to cut away dead wood. Here, Hazen did not offer a 2018 contract to reliever J. J Hoover and cut ties with veteran lefty Jorge De La Rosa.
With spring training set to open in less than two months, Hazen will look at these three additions, along with holdovers Archie Bradley, Andrew Chafin, Jake Barrett, T. J. McFarland, Silvino Bracho, Randall Delgado, Jared Miller and Jimmie Sherfy and declare a competitive camp.
Regarding a potential closer, Hazen admitted to Call to the Pen he has no one at the moment and does not expect to have a closer coming into camp.
When the Arizona Diamondbacks leave their Salt River training facility in late March, Hazen declared a closer would be in place. At this point, that would likely be Hirano, but Boxberger or Sherfy could also serve in that capacity.
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If Hirano can develop around 30 saves and Boxberger pick up about 15, that would total 45 and the kind of number competitive teams need from their closer to stay in the race for post-season play.