There is always the question about who to call on to save the game in baseball which is the closer’s job. It has only been a real stat kept since 1969 really you would have your starters and who eve wasn’t a starter was a reliever to come in after. For the White Sox it usually hasn’t been a real problem since the closer came to be.
They had the likes of Bobby Thigpen, the former record holder of most saves in a year, and Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm and Goose Gossage and greats like Wilbur Wood, Bob Locker, and Keith Foulke. Also, early Sox players like Ed Walsh and Ted Lyons are counted among them.
The Sox for the past five years had a stable most of the time in closer Bobby Jenks, the current leader in White Sox for saves. He came on the scene as a rookie acquired on waivers. In 2005 down the stretch he was inserted as the closer for the pennant race. The Sox went on to win the world series and he was a huge part of the team being an all star closer capable of 40 saves a season.
Going into spring training 2011, there were many questions for the team but one question is who will be the closer? Since Bobby Jenks left through free agency to the Boston Red Sox to setup for their closer. There are three options to the closer problem really; last year’s all star setup man Matt Thornton and rookie star Chris Sale and free agent signing Jesse Crain. The simple solution is to go with the man with the most saves and experience in the 9th inning. That guy is Matt Thornton who has the most saves and experience out of the three.
Jesse Crain is the former setup man for years for the Twins. But he really doesn’t have the closer experience needed and that’s why he’s best suited as the setup man. On the other hand, Matt Thornton has been a setup man most of his career after not making it as a starter with the Mariners. But he is an All-Star and has more saves out of the three. Chris Sale was drafted the same season as he was called up. He was a starter in college but they decided for him to be a reliever so he could make it up quickly and he did pitching down the stretch for a playoff contender.
For Sale the Sox want him to be the future lefty ace not the closer. So to waste him going back and forth between closer and fill in starter just to keep him in the bullpen as a lefty setup man. So in conclusion the White Sox closer should be Matt Thornton based on experience and the numbers and what is best for the White Sox.