Don't expect the Nationals to lose 125 games if they get 16 more cracks at Jorge Julio (shown here as a Met after getting bombed by the Nationals in the tenth inning one year ago tomorrow ... there's some symmetry for you).Julio came on in the ninth with a more than decent chance to grab his first save of the season with a 6-4 lead, nobody on and nobody out. The day ended in complete chaos for Julio, and bedlam for the Nationals as they came back in the ninth with three to give Manny Acta his first managerial victory, 7-6. The celebration was intense and filled with free alcohol.
"It was kind of fun to see the players go out there. You know, we just snapped a two-game losing streak, and they're celebrating like we clinched the (NL) East. That tells me a lot about their character," said Acta, who received bottles of bubbly from the Nationals and from his former employer, New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya.If Julio was a drinking man, he might be having something a little harder right now. But then again, he's not worried.
"Sometimes, when you throw good pitches, and they get a base hit from a blooper or something, you say, 'Oh, wow. Bad luck today.' You go in the next day, ready to go," Julio said.Here's my theory on closers: They blow leads. There's no use hoping otherwise, and there's no way around it. The best you can hope for from a closer is that they have the intestinal fortitude to get through it, face the music, and forget about it the next day (his quote tells me that he can at least make it past the first two steps ... for now). But I can't help but think that there isn't a Marlins fan alive that isn't at least a little worried about Jorge Julio. The Marlins gave up a good prospect in Yusmeiro Petit to get him because they didn't trust Henry Owens or Matt Lindstrom. If one blown save turns into blown saves at the rate of Brad Lidge, they've given up a good prospect for nothing. As they say in the business, stay tuned.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jorge Julio was at it again last night!!!!! Im a huge Marlins fan and didnt want him here to begin with. First off....Petit was ablsolute garbage. My issue is the fact that Julio is making 10% of our total payroll, not giving up Petit. He was on this team for less than a week, and just plopped down in the closer role. Right now, he is the only weak spot on our team. Our other relivers have a combined ERA of 2.10. Fredi Gonzalez needs to put Owens, Gardner or even Lindstrom in the 9th inning now. At least of they blow the lead, they are a young pitcher taking their lumps and learning form it and not a fat overpaid has-been Oriole just losing games for a team he has absolutely no place on.