Cleveland Sports Forum

Strike one, strike two...strike THREE!

WHEW!!!

So, as Hammy is asking, who is the closer now?

...............

Never a doubt!

As I said last night, Perez has to go.

The Indians (89-70) have now won 12 of 14 to improve to 18-6 in September. Cleveland also has posted a 21-win improvement from a season ago, marking the second-largest year-to-year jump in victories in franchise history. Excluding strike-shortened seasons, the club record is a 24-win jump from 1985 to '86.

I'm glad I was already asleep for that one.

Problem now is more complicated,,,who would take Perez in a trade?

loufla wrote:Problem now is more complicated,,,who would take Perez in a trade?

It really doesn't matter, in my opinion. He's lost it. When is he a free agent? I doubt anyone will be interested.

Kind of a tough time of the year to develop a closer, but I would use Cody Allen.
Francona may have to share the job out among Allen, Smith and Masterson.

Perez joins Pestano in the junk pile.

I kinda agree with Civ. It's pretty late to develop a closer and all that does is mess up the continuity we currently have throughout the bullpen. I would gamble and maintain the status quo.

I didn't say that! Perez is done. Francona acknowledged that. I think he'll use Smith. I'd pick Allen with a dose of Masterson.

Smith is a free agent next year, I think. That is why I would like to get something in exchange for Perez.

Perez would have to be a throw in or part of a package.

Known clubhouse lawyer and hot head since St Louis dumped him. Now he is known as a dope head and has almost single handed destroyed the Indians season. Remember the key "Detroit" 2 home runs in the 9th ?

Teams will pick him up on the waiver line but I do not think they will trade for him.

MINNEAPOLIS --

The last thing the Indians need right now is controversy. Cleveland closer Chris Perez knows this as much as anyone inside the clubhouse, considering what is at stake and the fact that only three games remain guaranteed on the schedule.

In the aftermath of Thursday's 6-5 victory over the Twins -- a win nearly derailed by a disastrous ninth inning from Perez -- the embattled closer stopped by the office of manager Terry Francona. With one of the American League's two Wild Cards within reach for Cleveland, Francona might be forced to make a change with the closer's role.

Perez let his manager know ahead of time that he understands.

"You never make decisions five minutes after a game," Francona said. "He popped his head in here after the game and was actually really good about it. He was like, 'Hey, I don't want to cost us games, because I'm not locating.' We'll figure it out."

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"We're not a team made of one person," Francona said. "We'll figure it out."

Indians general manager Chris Antonetti is in Minnesota with the team, so he will undoubtedly meet with Francona to consider their options for the ninth inning. Cleveland's setup men include Smith and Allen, and its hottest hand is Shaw. There is also an intriguing option in sinkerballer Justin Masterson, who is the team's No. 1 starter but is currently filling a relief role in his comeback from an oblique injury.

With fans still exiting the ballpark, Francona was not about to announce any decisions.

"We need to settle down and kind of think it through," he said. "Five or 10 minutes after the game is not the time."