Today, Ryan Franklin blew his fourth save in five opportunities for the St. Louis Cardinals. The local media is going nuts with the headline in the St. Louis Post Dispatch screaming:
Road trip ends with thud on Franklin’s blown save
While I added the color and size, the description is straight from the article.
Some choice comments:
BB For Truth, I’m not sure what you are watching, but it’s not “baseball knowledge” that we are seeing. It’s inept managing by TLR, who’s thought of as some kind of rock star. Until this man is forced to make fundamental changes (unlikely), we are all subject to futile, crappy baseball that will continue to accomplish nothing. I’ve spent much time and money on this team in the past and refuse to do so any longer until TLR and DD are long gone.
and then this one:
I think Franklin is done as a closer. He could probably slide into the long relief role, but it’s pretty clear he can’t handle the pressure anymore. Franklin was always an oddity in the job, had pretty remarkable results considering his lack of velocity for a closer. But that meant that his margin for error was pretty thin, and he is a year older and not the over achiever anymore. I think Boggs is ready to take over. This team would be 12-4 with a shut down closer.
Franklin has never been a lights out closer, but he’s gotten the job done. What could cause Ryan Franklin to suck now?
Guys have seen him: The more you pitch like Franklin does, keep the ball in play and in front, the more guys are going to get used to coming out and cracking the ball. Franklin cannot blow it by anyone, so he relies on spot pitching and defense.
He’s hurt: There is no indication Franklin is hurt, but there is always the possibility he is trying to gut out an injury.
Personal problems: Problems with marriage, kids, family, other dysfunctions can cause a mind to wander.
I don’t think we’re ever going to find out why he started to suck and why he couldn’t get out of the funk. There are times in a athlete’s life where they face adversity and work through it, but the closer on a major league team is devoid of the time and methods available to others. You’re it. The last line of defense.