September 17, 200323 yr I know ramp will be happy with this.... I dont know what McKeon is waiting for. Looper already has like 6 blown saves. I think Jack wants 7 or more because he isnt taking him out. Looper has a record of like 6-3. What does that tell you when a closer has alot of wins and losses? That he has blown so many games. We brought Urbina to close out games. For godsake he was leading the AL saves. Beinfest brought him in the close games. Looper and Urbina won't be trading roles By Joe Capozzi, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Wednesday, September 17, 2003 PHILADELPHIA -- With 12 games left and the Marlins clinging to the NL wild-card lead, manager Jack McKeon plans to stick with Braden Looper as his closer and Ugueth Urbina as his setup man. Looper had thrown 88 innings going into Tuesday, the most among Florida's relievers. After pitching solidly the past few weeks, he blew a 4-3 lead Sunday against the Braves and allowed five runs in the ninth inning. McKeon knows the stakes are higher at this point, but he has no plans to switch Looper's and Urbina's roles, or allow relievers who haven't had much work to close out games in which the Marlins have a comfortable lead. "You could take your chances two months ago. Right now you got to go with the guys who brought you here,'' McKeon said. Looper has pitched in eight games this month but has thrown in the bullpen for 12 of the past 14 games. Every day, pitching coach Wayne Rosenthal asks his relievers whether they feel strong enough to pitch. Looper has always said he is available. "We need to win and if that means I've got to throw 10 out of 10 games, I'll do it,'' Looper said. Conine dropped: Left fielder Jeff Conine was dropped from fourth to sixth in the order Tuesday after hitting.178 in 13 games since being traded to Florida. First baseman Derrek Lee, who is batting.348 with four home runs and 11 RBI in September, hit fourth. Manager of the year? McKeon laughed when asked how he felt to be mentioned as a candidate for manager of the year. "Last time I got manager of the year (1999 with the Cincinnati), the year after that I got fired. So I ain't worried about manager of the year,'' he said. McKeon, 72, has led the Marlins to a 67-45 record since he took over May 11. He'll discuss his future with the team after the season. ''Anytime you're manager of the year, it's a tribute to your players,'' he said. "They're the guys who make you manager of the year. In '99 when I got the award I felt it was an award for the whole team. If that happened I'd be thrilled to death, not for me but that, oh, we've done something very special.'' No laments for Lowell: Injured third baseman Mike Lowell said he isn't upset that he won't get to play in Florida's final visit to Veteran Stadium, where his childhood idol, Mike Schmidt, starred for the Phillies. "I was so excited to play my rookie year here (1999) and I proceeded to go 0-for-16 in the four-game series so I left a message on my parents' answering machine and told them that I denounced my childhood,'' said Lowell, who hopes to return for Florida's final two games if his broken left hand heals in time. "There was just so much hype I guess I thought I was going to be Mike Schmidt. Oh-for-16 makes you hate things a little bit.'' Noteworthy: Right-hander Brad Penny said he felt fine after throwing long toss for 10 minutes Tuesday. Penny will throw a bullpen session today. If all goes well, he should start Saturday in Atlanta. Link
September 17, 200323 yr I know ramp will be happy with this.... I dont know what McKeon is waiting for. Looper already has like 6 blown saves. I think Jack wants 7 or more because he isnt taking him out. Looper has a record of like 6-3. What does that tell you when a closer has alot of wins and losses? That he has blown so many games. We brought Urbina to close out games. For godsake he was leading the AL saves. Beinfest brought him in the close games. what a crappy player! 5 blown saves! What a terrible pitcher!
September 17, 200323 yr I dont know what McKeon is waiting for. Looper already has like 6 blown saves. 5 blown saves. Get it right, or don't comment. Urbina has 6 blown saves. You know nothing.
September 17, 200323 yr I know ramp will be happy with this.... I dont know what McKeon is waiting for. Looper already has like 6 blown saves. I think Jack wants 7 or more because he isnt taking him out. Looper has a record of like 6-3. 5 blown saves, Uggy has more his record says 6-3, pretty much meaning out of those blown saves, only 3 were losses
September 17, 200323 yr We brought Urbina to close out games. For godsake he was leading the AL saves. Beinfest brought him in the close games. WRONG we did NOT bring Bina here to close games (as evidenced), we brought him here to do EXACTLY what he's been doing - tighten up the 8th inning.
September 17, 200323 yr yes he led the AL in saves....and also had an ERA well over 4.00....what does that mean? Things chance when you change leagues. He has done fine in the 8th inning. And why does everyone want Looper to go to the 8th inning? I mean, he just as easily give up runs in the 8th as in the 9th? Ooohh, but there is that b.s. about how he fails under pressure (although, his saves prove otherwise).
September 17, 200323 yr Author 5 blown saves. Get it right, or don't comment. Urbina has 6 blown saves. You know nothing. Yea he has 6 blown saves but what team was he on? Oh the Rangers... Oh the answer to your First Question: I dont have to be Exact on Loopers Blown Saves.
September 17, 200323 yr Ugy is much better in the 8th than Loop could hope to be. He comes in often when the pressure is on with a man on and the tying run at the plate or something similar to that, and he produces. He's the pressure guy, leave him in the pressure situation.
September 17, 200323 yr 5 blown saves. Get it right, or don't comment. Urbina has 6 blown saves. You know nothing. Yea he has 6 blown saves but what team was he on? Oh the Rangers... Oh the answer to your First Question: I dont have to be Exact on Loopers Blown Saves. why should it matter what team you are on? obviously he was getting hit hard there...
September 17, 200323 yr Author Looper cannot be a closer. We cant risk another blown save. These games count from here till october. Looper will get racked, fastball's down the middle and thats it. No other pitch he has mastered.
September 17, 200323 yr 5 blown saves. Get it right, or don't comment. Urbina has 6 blown saves. You know nothing. Yea he has 6 blown saves but what team was he on? Oh the Rangers... Oh the answer to your First Question: I dont have to be Exact on Loopers Blown Saves. He has 2 blown saves with the Marlins. And yes, you do have to be exact on Looper's blown saves, because you were trying to say he had more blown saves than Urbina. Have a nice day.
September 17, 200323 yr Looper cannot be a closer. We cant risk another blown save. These games count from here till october. Looper will get racked, fastball's down the middle and thats it. No other pitch he has mastered. In this time of the season, you go with the guys that got you this far. You don't suddenly change the players' roles.
September 17, 200323 yr Wow, feisty. But I will agree, you can't fix something that isn't broken. It isn't the smoothest working machine, but it isn't broken.
September 17, 200323 yr Author Well do you want to win? Or Lose? Urbina needs to be the closer. He is way more experienced. We cant depend on looper to close out games for us. It is just to risky.
September 17, 200323 yr Looper cannot be a closer. We cant risk another blown save. These games count from here till october. since when is Urbina a sure thing? and every game counts
September 17, 200323 yr Well do you want to win? Or Lose? Urbina needs to be the closer. He is way more experienced. We cant depend on looper to close out games for us. It is just to risky. We've been winning with Ugy 8 and Loop 9.
September 17, 200323 yr Author since when is Urbina a sure thing? and every game counts Since he first started in the Majors.... He has been a closer all his life.
September 17, 200323 yr Author We've been winning with Ugy 8 and Loop 9. Yea we have but there is a point when they figure how easy looper is too hit with all the fastballs his throws.
September 17, 200323 yr Yea we have but there is a point when they figure how easy looper is too hit with all the fastballs his throws. For doubting a Marlin.....
September 17, 200323 yr since when is Urbina a sure thing? and every game counts Since he first started in the Majors.... He has been a closer all his life. so Urbina is a SURE THING? he has more blown saves than Looper Looper must be a 1st ballot Hall of Famer then
September 17, 200323 yr Author That was with the Rangers Ramp. What has he done with the Marlins and what has Looper done with the Marlins. Compare them....
September 17, 200323 yr That was with the Rangers Ramp. What has he done with the Marlins and what has Looper done with the Marlins. Compare them.... whats the difference between the Rangers and the Marlins? it still means Urbina is getting hit doesnt it?
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