The Observation Deck

To talk about other local news...
Andrew Miller, a middle relief pitcher who occasionally closes, was the series MVP. I can't ever recall a middle reliever getting such an honor, here or elsewhere.
Anybody else know of one?
Is this the start of a new respectability for middle relievers?

Dan, I can't think of one. Miller has been lights out.
Francona has been real close to perfect.
This is a fun ride.

Dan Alaimo wrote:Andrew Miller, a middle relief pitcher who occasionally closes, was the series MVP. I can't ever recall a middle reliever getting such an honor, here or elsewhere.
Anybody else know of one?
Is this the start of a new respectability for middle relievers?

This is a new trend in baseball.
Closers came to prominence in my childhood....Goose Gossage became well known in the late 70s.
Francona has made the middle reliever a new "thing"....although I'm not sure the trend will last.
Pretty much by definition, the best pitchers will still want to start or close.

Michael Deneen wrote:

Dan Alaimo wrote:Andrew Miller, a middle relief pitcher who occasionally closes, was the series MVP. I can't ever recall a middle reliever getting such an honor, here or elsewhere.
Anybody else know of one?
Is this the start of a new respectability for middle relievers?

This is a new trend in baseball.
Closers came to prominence in my childhood....Goose Gossage became well known in the late 70s.
Francona has made the middle reliever a new "thing"....although I'm not sure the trend will last.
Pretty much by definition, the best pitchers will still want to start or close.

Every time I've seen this, either the team needs a spot starter and he soon enters the rotation, or the closer blows up repeatedly and he becomes the 9th inning pitcher. But as Mark says, Francona has different ideas. I would speculate he will stay the star pitcher in the middle for awhile as long as Francona is the manager. Then others will steal the idea, a well worn baseball tradition, and a trend is born.

I recall that Julian Tavarez was like Miller but never got the same recognition.

Michael, I have an old Hoyt Wilhelm card ( White Sox) somewhere in the attic.
For me the concept of a relief pitcher starts with him and the improbable of a knuckleball closer.
I know technically he wasn't a closer but still it's a wild notion to have a knuckleballer pitch in relief.