Colorado Rockies: Wade Davis is the closer… for now
The Colorado Rockies named their closer the other day and it is a name many will recognize in Wade Davis.
Now the Colorado Rockies are showing a tremendous amount of trust in a reliever whose two seasons with the club could not have been more unlike the other. They are hoping to get the 2018 version of Wade Davis, not last year’s version.
Davis is in the final year of a three-year, $52 million deal. In 2018 that deal looked like a steal as Davis went 3-6 with a 4.13 ERA, but led all of baseball in both games finished at 63 and saves at 43. He only had 6 blown saves as he struck out 78 and had a WHIP of 1.056.
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Now 2019 was the complete opposite, unfortunately. He suffered an oblique injury which hampered him, but he finished the season 1-6 with an 8.65 ERA with 15 saves in 18 save opportunities. He also had a WHIP of 1.875, the worst of his career.
Now, this is 100% the right decision for Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black to name Davis as the closer as long as he is absolutely sure he is completely healthy. It’s reasonable to think that 2019 was simply an aberration, but what if it wasn’t?
The injury really hampered him, but the career-worst ERA and WHIP are troubling. At 34 years old, he is really not going to add any more velocity to his pitchers but will need to continue to put spin on the ball and out-think hitters.
I will say this again, this is the right move to make early in the spring. You don’t want your bullpen speculating who will be the closer and who won’t be. It’s best to name the positions and be done with it.
Next. Starlin Castro giving Nats something to believe in. dark
I expect Davis to have a much tighter leash though after what happened in 2019. If there is any sign of that player returning, Black will have to pull the plug and pull it quickly.