Talk:Closer (baseball)

Careful with closer links

not all relief pitchers are closers, but all closers are relief pitchers. Many links here should be to Relief Pitcher not closer. The closer role came into exisitance in the 1970s, so any pitcher playing before that cannot be called a closer.

Reduce list?

Could we reduce the list of notable closers? It's very long...

Jarfingle 01:44, 6 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

It's longish, but until a couple of weeks ago it didn't even inlcude John Wetteland, who was (remarkably) the World Series MVP as well as Reliever of the Year (1996)! So the list may need just a little finessing. Pinkville 03:42, 6 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

We could remove a lot of the more recent ones. Seriously, Chad Cordero? Danny Graves? Danys Baez? B.J. Ryan? Huston Street? Woodshed 09:55, 23 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Editing Details

well Woodshed, i think that adding details about the pitchers (mvp, cy youngs) is not something that should be under "Closers" because what the article should be basically saying is what a closer is, not their accomplishments. Personally i don't think their names should be included either but well, i think it's okay if they prefer to add names. And yeah, you are right, if i removed mvps and cy youngs i should have also removed the historical records. At the moment i thought that (and i still think) that was relevant because is an article about MLB closers and the save record is 100% related to that, when Mariano Rivera winning the mvp award is not 100% related to closers in general, that's Mariano's accomplishment. I didn't like how it looked, it was just a mess. I don't think the information was relevant, again, the article is about closers not closers awards or accomplishments. --CesarCossio 05:47, 26 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

When a closer wins a major award like an MVP or a Cy, it's a rarity. But I have no problem with its current status. Woodshed 07:59, 28 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with Woodshed. There should be a mention of these rare feats. Since the old version did look cluttered, why don't we add a Trivia section or Awards section and list the awards. For example, "Closers who have won Cy Youngs", "Closers who have won World Series MVP's", etc.Ags412 08:13, 28 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

that's a very good idea Ags412, someone should do that. Excellent idea again. what do you think about that Woodshed? --CesarCossio 16:17, 28 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Another possible way to sperate the list of closers, maybe we can first have a list of "300 Save" closers and maybe a list of a few other notable closers without 300 saves and then have lastly have an "Active Closers" list later on.Ags412 16:55, 28 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, that's a good idea by Ags412. As far as the "300 saves" thing, I don't really know that the save stat has a widely remembered plateau, like "300 wins", "500 homers", "3000 hits", etc. etc. But 300 saves is a good number since it encompasses about 20 guys -- same as 300 wins and 500 HRs.

I don't know about having an "active closers" list, since that's bound to change frequently given the revolving door of closers. I just don't know if we want this article to undergo constant edits when closers get promoted/demoted, to say nothing of teams that use 2 closers. (I would rather have it be a more static "established closers" list -- like Hoffman, Rivera, Wagner, Gagne, Izzy, etc. etc. But who knows if relative newcomers like Cordero, Ryan, Papelbon, Fuentes, Jenks, Turnbow, will be around in 3 years?)

But if we are going to do an active list, why not do active closers by team? That would keep the list devoid of the roaming "current established closers" who aren't closing at the moment -- those middling "guys who used to be closers and maybe could be again, but for now get the occasional save" like, say, Tom Gordon for the past few years. Woodshed 22:57, 28 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I think that's a good idea by Ages412 again. I also like the idea of a closer list by teams. The only thing i'm worried about is that the page is going to get pretty big because all the things you want to add (cy young, mvp, current closers, established closers, closers from the past, etc) that's a pretty long list of people. How about setting like a minimum number of saves for those people to be in the list, like, i don't know, 200, 300. If they have at least 200 saves that means they closed for at least 4 years and that way we don't have names like "papelbon and street or cordero for that matter (i'm not sure about that (if he has more that 200 saves) BUT he is not a closer anymore (although he might start doing it again" I don't know, that's just an idea. If we add all the things you guys said the page will be big and i wouldn't mind as long as it is organized (which was not the case before with all the "2000 cy young winner" or "2000 world series mvp winner") If anyone finds a way to get all that information in there without the page becoming a mess i wouldn't mind at all. You could add minor league closers if you want as long as it is organized (i'm exagerating a little) --CesarCossio 07:24, 29 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

My only concern with this article containing a list of the 200+ save guys: Shouldn't that be under save (sport)? We could just refer to that. That article's list isn't very extensive, but it could be expanded over there. I'm not sure what the WP policy on repeating info is.

I went ahead added some charts. Lemme know what you think, or change 'em into something better! Woodshed 11:03, 30 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Nice job on the charts, especially the current closers one. We'll have to keep watch on this one of course, as it could change any day. Also, Hoyt Wilhelm should be on the HOF closers list.Ags412 12:24, 30 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Ok, so I added Wilhelm and somehow screwed up the alignment of the column. Can someone help fix it?Ags412 12:24, 30 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Added some links, screwed up the alignment again. Please help. Thanks.Ags412 12:42, 30 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

OK, I fixed it. Looks like you killed a couple of |} things that close the tables. I added Jim Konstanty too, though I'm sure someone will eventually take issue with that given his era. Woodshed 18:07, 30 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for fixing the alignments. Is there a wikipage where I can become more familiar with the codes? Good job by Woodshed and anyone else who helped fix up this page. This is a very good looking page now. Lots of interesting and well-organized information.Ags412 22:44, 30 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

All I know is Wikipedia:How to use tables and more generally, Wikipedia:How to edit a page. Woodshed 03:29, 31 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Dude Wooshed, good job on editing the page. It looks pretty nice, and thanks to Ages412 for the idea too.--CesarCossio 17:43, 31 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Removed images

Why was Rollie Fingers' picture and the team logos removed from this page? Was there a copyright violation or something? If not, I think those graphics added to the page significantly and should be returned.Ags412 08:22, 1 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

It's not worth really going into in length. Suffice it to say that Ed g2s, the mod who made those changes, is part of the "fair use" police here on WP. There's some disagreement about the stringent nature of WP's fair use policy -- as a law student, I can tell you that most people on WP are pretty clueless on the subject -- but it is what it is. According to the powers that be, the Fingers picture is only licensed for the Rollie Fingers page, not any others. And as for the logos, that's apparently not allowed for that same reason, as well as some nebulous and subjective idea they are "unnecessary" and "purely decorative" (I'd guess Ed g2s has never seen a WP soccer tournament page). It appears to be official policy, so I don't think edit warring over it is necessary or worth doing here. If you want to read up on some of these past debates, see Wikipedia_talk:Fair_use/Fair_use_images_in_lists, Wikipedia_talk:Fair_use and Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Fair_use.

(I cleaned up the current closers chart to better streamline it from the state Ed left it in.) Woodshed 09:33, 1 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Woodshed

ok, i just finished watching the 18-inning Astros' game and Brad Lidge was still the closer so how come you changed that right now?? --CesarCossio 09:07, 16 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

"I'm going to take him out of the closer's role," Garner said. [1] [2] Woodshed 09:28, 16 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

oh wow, you are fast. I wasn't saying that you were wrong or anything, i just wanted to know 'cause i didn't watch the news or read any articles so yeah, well thanks :-D --CesarCossio 09:31, 16 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Seeing as he has been closing as of late and the depth chart[3] says he is the closer, I put him back on. --Rabbethan

He hasn't been closing "of late"; he hasn't been brought in in a save situation since his demotion. Also, Dan Wheeler has a 17-inning scoreless streak. Woodshed 06:56, 26 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

You spoke to soon good sir, as in the 9th inning of a 7-4 game against the Pirates, Brad Lidge came in and got the S. Also, weather or not Wheeler has a scoreless streak, he is not the closer. The article you provided as "proof" that Lidge was no longer the closer states that there is no closer on the team, so until there is some proof that Wheeler is designated the closer by the Astros, I will continue to use the Astros Depth Chart previously linked and this last game as a basis for putting Lidge as the closer. --Rabbethan 10:32, 27 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

So you're saying I was right when I posted that (and your edit was premature)? And then he subsequently regained the role? Thanks for the clarification, I think.

In other news, the MLB.com depth charts are often outdated or erroneous. (For example, David DeJesus is the starting left AND center fielder for the Royals. Amazing!) Woodshed 00:28, 28 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

No, I am saying that while you may have been right about Lidge losing his starting spot, you had no reason to replace him with Dan Wheeler. And I'm not doing this because I am some kind of Lidge fan, his blown saves kill me just as they do any Astro fan, I just know that you were wrong, but maybe I was too. Maybe we should have put "Closer by Commitee" or something of that sort.