March 12, 200620 yr Closer role remains up for grabs By Joe Capozzi Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Sunday, March 12, 2006 PORT ST. LUCIE ? In past years, the Marlins opened the season with a designated closer such as Guillermo Mota, Armando Benitez or Braden Looper. This season might be different. "I may not necessarily have a closer when we leave (spring training). It might be kind of a mix and match,'' manager Joe Girardi said before Saturday's 10-6 loss to the Mets. "Obviously, you don't like to do that, but if there's not someone that's strictly standing out, then we may not (have a set closer).'' Veteran right-hander Joe Borowski has made no secret that he wants a chance to win the closer's job. But he's competing with veteran right-handers Matt Herges and Kerry Ligtenberg, among others. Also in the mix is rookie right-hander Travis Bowyer, who allowed five runs in the fifth inning Saturday. "I may feel a couple of guys are capable of doing it,'' Girardi said. "Maybe one of them's a young guy. I may want to see him and not put him in too many situations too early.'' Last season, right-hander Todd Jones assumed the closer's role when Mota got hurt in April. Jones went on to convert 40 saves, then signed with Detroit as a free agent when he realized the Marlins wouldn't offer him a two-year contract. "The winning teams I've been on, there's always been a clear-cut closer. I think that's important,'' Girardi said. "But I guess we're going to play the hand we're dealt with and see what happens in the next three weeks.'' The Marlins must decide if they'll go with six or seven relievers. Choosing those pitchers especially will be important on this team, Girardi said, because the Marlins can't afford to blow any leads. "It's really important because you want to win the games you're supposed to win,'' he said. "Those are the hard games to get over, games that you let slip away. A younger team, you don't know how they'll respond.'' Vargas and Lo Duca: Left-hander Jason Vargas had another strong start Saturday, pitching four scoreless innings and giving up just two hits, both by former teammate Paul Lo Duca. After his start, Vargas had good things to say about Lo Duca, Florida's catcher last season when Vargas went 5-5 with a 4.03 ERA as a rookie. "I owe a lot of my success last year to him. He basically nurtured me back there,'' Vargas said. "I had no clue on what to throw these hitters. I'd only seen them on TV and they'd been doing it a little while. Whenever you can get somebody like that behind the plate in your first year in the big leagues, it's a tremendous help.'' It may take the first month of the season before someone emerges. If not, Girardi will be forced to go with individual match-ups.....so having that 7th guy will become a necessity. And we will likely see that revolving door to Albuquerque.... again.
March 12, 200620 yr Who's considered the 'front runner' for the job? my guess is borowski 1st, followed by bowyer 2nd
March 12, 200620 yr I think its Borowski's to lose, Bowyer so far this spring has been exhibiting the problems scouts said he had, people just sit on his fastball. That said I wouldn't rule out Lightenberg.
March 12, 200620 yr I'd think the original front runner was Bowyer. The team wanted him to win it and were and still are willing to give him every opportunity to. But, clearly, you can't ignore that he hasn't capitalized on that opportunity or that Borowski has
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