Balfour?

[David]

Patrick Mooney ‏@CSNMooney 3m3 minutes ago

Grant Balfour is one name on the radar as #Cubs look for bullpen reinforcements: http://bit.ly/1KvHhCz

[Deeg]

Good God, just say no. His velocity has plummeted and he can't throw strikes. He's old and in the way.

[Backtobanks]

Patrick Mooney ‏@CSNMooney 3m3 minutes ago

Grant Balfour is one name on the radar as #Cubs look for bullpen reinforcements: http://bit.ly/1KvHhCz

 

Here's a better option (from MLBTR):

 

Right-hander David Aardsma has a May 1 opt-out on his Minor League pact with the Dodgers, Jacob Unruh of NewsOK.com reported yesterday. Aardsma can opt out on Friday if another club wants him on its Major League roster, and he has a complete opt-out from the Dodgers on June 15, per Unruh. The 33-year-old veteran didn’t make the club’s bullpen out of Spring Training despite strong numbers, but he’s continued to pitch effectively, yielding one run on five hits with six strikeouts and no walks in seven Triple-A innings. Aardsma hasn’t logged significant big league action since 2013, but he pitched quite well for the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate last year (1.48 ERA, 38-to-18 K/BB ratio in 37 innings) before a groin injury sidelined him for the season’s second half. The Dodgers’ bullpen has been surprisingly dominant despite incurring significant injuries, and with Kenley Jansen nearing a return, things will get even more crowded, further blocking Aardsma’s path to L.A. It wouldn’t be a shock for one of the many teams around the league in need of ‘pen help to look at the former Mariners closer as a potential upgrade.

[Little Slide Rooter]

It seems as though over the past 10 years or so, baseball is just littered with these closers who come out of nowhere, firing bullets. And for a 2-5 year period in which they put everything they have into every pitch, they're absolutely dominant. And then they break. When they're on, they're on. When they're off, they don't tend to come back. When they do manage to make it back, it's because they learned some new tricks from the junkballers.

 

For every Papelbon, Wagner, and Rivera who can do it for years, there's a handful of, off the top of my head:

 

Eric Gagne

Brian Wilson

Chad Cordero

Billy Koch

Joe Borowski

Carlos Marmol

Brad Lidge

Dan Kolb

Kevin Gregg

Derrick Turnbow

Fernando Salas

Joel Zumaya

Chad Cordero

Bobby Jenks

...and of course, John Rocker.

 

And they always seem to hang on long enough for that big payday.

 

Maybe it's too soon to lump Johnny Venters, Jason Motte, and Chris Perez in with this lot, but they're close.

 

My point is that if someone like this is available for nothing, sure, why not. But if there's already a line forming, it's not worth the risk.

[jersey cubs fan]

It seems as though over the past 10 years or so, baseball is just littered with these closers who come out of nowhere, firing bullets. And for a 2-5 year period in which they put everything they have into every pitch, they're absolutely dominant. And then they break. When they're on, they're on. When they're off, they don't tend to come back. When they do manage to make it back, it's because they learned some new tricks from the junkballers.

 

Yes, that is called relief pitchers and it's not just the past 10 years or so.

[jersey cubs fan]

Balfour to rays on minor league deal.

[Cubbie Swagger]

I'm usually in favor of giving washed-up has-beens a chance to make a comeback, even when it makes no logical sense. Everyone told me I was nuts for wanting to sign Jim Edmonds. Everyone told me I was even more nuts for wanting to sign Lance Berkman the year that he signed with the Cards and became good again.

 

My gut reaction is that these successful comebacks are much more of a long shot with closers (and pitchers in general) than with, say, an outfielder or first baseman.

 

Also... This type of thing makes less sense when you are playing for something. Back when the Cubs sucked, it was really a, "why not?" thing.

[Little Slide Rooter]

It seems as though over the past 10 years or so, baseball is just littered with these closers who come out of nowhere, firing bullets. And for a 2-5 year period in which they put everything they have into every pitch, they're absolutely dominant. And then they break. When they're on, they're on. When they're off, they don't tend to come back. When they do manage to make it back, it's because they learned some new tricks from the junkballers.

 

Yes, that is called relief pitchers and it's not just the past 10 years or so.

 

But I don't remember their being as many guys who spent a few years absolutely dominating and then completely falling off as there have been the past 10. Could be wrong though.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It happened constantly. The Cubs were especially skilled at signing them as free agents just before they lost it.