Chris Perez wants the ninth inning; he feeds off the pressure of closing games. From the looks of things, he’s been feeding well for a long time…and he has. He’s been shutting the door on the opposition since pitching at the U (He’s a soldier), closing Major League baseball 
games is his dream. Despite the Cardinal’s glaring need at the position and Perez’s three saves in three chances since his recall from Memphis, Bird’s skipper Tony LaRussa refuses to name the rookie as the team’s closer. Why?
Perez is everything the rest of the potential Cardinal’s closers are not. The guy actually wants the ball in the ninth, he has a swagger on the mound, and he’s an intimidating presence that chucks it up there at 98 mile per hour. Almost as important as what he does, is what he doesn’t do. He doesn’t look scared, pussyfoot around batters, or take a half an hour between pitches.
There is a huge difference between throwing heat and being the gas can that spreads it. Perez extinguishes fires while the rest of the pen spreads them. Perez doesn’t have to strike out every guy he faces and he won’t, but he does have the ability to fan any hitter in the Majors if he has to. Isn’t that what you want from your closer?
I feel like Chris Farley imploring someone to employ Adam Sandler in the famous “Herlihy Boy” Saturday
Night Live skit. “With over 50,000 house sitting services worldwide the Herlihy Boy is by far the best.” Sweet mother of God! What is the hold up? Name the boy your closer!
Sometimes Tony can get a little carried away with his Jedi mind tricks and this is a classic example. There is no reason Perez can’t handle the title of closer. Perez is a tough dude that is hungry for the spotlight and the pressure that comes with it. Jason Bourne was groomed to kill, Perez to close games. Make it official already.
Once again we are waiting for our mid-season “acquisitions” to return. I’m relieved that Carp’s return is imminent after leaving his previous start in the middle of an at-bat with Jimmy Baseball. However, I think it’s a huge mistake to prepare Waino for the bullpen. Name Perez the closer and put Wainwright at the top of your rotation where he is mor
e valuable to the team.
In the recent MLB Players Poll published in Sports Illustrated, 449 active players voted on who they believe is the best all-around catcher in baseball. It’s a joke that Yadier Molina did not make the top five. He has been outstanding at the plate this season and I can’t imagine there is a better defensive catcher in baseball. Unbelievable that it goes unnoticed amongst his peers. FYI: Jason Varitek and his .214 average ranked fourth with ten percent of the vote.
Braden Looper and Todd Wellemeyer have been outstanding lately. Looper has allowed two or less runs in his last 5 starts while pitching 7 or more innings in his last 4. Wellemeyer was dominant Thursday night, has 4 consecutive quality starts and has added a much improved change-up to his rediscovered slider.