Top to bottom:
Besides the five setup men, Hoby Milner is the lefty specialist, and he’ll also stay sharp with some work in the sixth if a starter falters. But one drawback in this blueprint is no long man if the Phillies carry 12 pitchers and 13 position players.
Compensating for the starting staff, the seven relievers are a left-handed specialist, a closer, and five setup men. So, the six moundsmen for the last nine outs will shoulder the weight for victory.
While many fans are unhappy with Neris as the closer, this probably will not change even if he saves his first 30 opportunities. In fact, if 10 chances are less than perfect due to a one-out walk or a two-out single, the nervous Nellies will complain.
In the first half, Neris had three blown saves out of 10 tries. And when he takes the mound for the final three outs during April, many locals will anticipate failure. That stated, he saved all 19 opportunities after the All-Star break, but unfortunately, the fans’ trust could be beyond repair.
Neris:
- Second half: 35 Gms., 36 1/3 Inn., a 2.70 ERA and 19 for 19 save chances.
Neris got the job done in the second half, although he gave you “heartburn” frequently. And while a success rate of 90 percent is excellent for a ninth-frame arm, Neris had 26 saves out of 29 attempts: 89.7 percent for the season. Expect more adventures!