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Tomko the Closer

Bret Tomko says he's happy with his non-starter role in L.A., and his new aspiration is to become a closer, according to the L.A. Daily News.  He's specifically saying he's not after Saito's job, necessarily... this is just his latest goal in life.

Couple things come to mind.  One being, well, why didn't the Giants think of that -- or just put him in the bullpen in some capacity, anyway.  I never saw him as much of a contributor over there.  He was more a plot device, something to add unnecessary suspense to those otherwise boring games against the (then sucky) Rockies or Nationals.  A long-winded way of saying I thought he wasn't very good, and the Giants' faith in him perplexed me (as did the Dodgers').

Imagine if the Giants had him now ... he could be talking his closer talk at the same time as the self-immolation of Armando Blownitez (as the McCovey Chronicles folks have taken to calling him).

It all makes sense, though.  Based on flashes of brilliance with the Dodgers, and even with the Giants, Tomko can still pitch in some limited capacity.  With the superstition of The Closer well ensconsed in baseball mentality now, the ability to get through a lineup only once is no longer a handicap.  If Jason Isringhausen can keep his "closer" status while walking the bases loaded every other game, Tomko could certainly fill the role.

Besides -- if he's going to be on staff for another year, I'd rather see him pitch ONE inning per game than four or five.  I say give him a shot -- or trade him to someone nuts enough to.

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He isn't a closer
because he lacks an "out" pitch.  Tomko is basically a right-handed Kirk Reuter, and those stories never end happily on the other side of the mirror.
The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

by scareduck on Aug 5, 2006 8:27 PM PDT reply actions  

Rueter?
Tomko has far better stuff than Rueter ever did. He's just never known what to do with it. Broxton clearly should be our closer next year however.

by Mike D on Aug 20, 2006 6:12 PM PDT reply actions  

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2012 Dodgers Payroll

Italics denote estimates
Pos No Player 2012 Salary
C 17 Ellis $500,000 team control
1B 7 Loney $6,375,000
2B 14 Ellis $2,500,000
3B 5 Uribe $8,000,000
SS 9 Gordon $485,000 team control
LF 21 Rivera $4,000,000
CF 27 Kemp $10,000,000
RF 16 Ethier $10,950,000

IF/OF 6 Hairston $2,250,000
OF 10 Gwynn $850,000
2B/3B 3 Kennedy $800,000
C 18 Treanor $850,000
IF 12 Sellers $485,000 team control

SP 22 Kershaw $8,500,000 arb
SP 58 Billingsley $9,000,000
SP 29 Lilly $12,000,000
SP 37 Capuano $3,000,000
SP 44
Harang $3,000,000

CL 54 Guerra $485,000 team control
RHP 74
Jansen $500,000 team control
RHP 55 Guerrier $4,750,000
RHP Coffey $1,000,000
RHP 66 MacDougal $650,000
LHP 57 Elbert $485,000 team control
RHP 36
Hawksworth $500,000 team control

TJ 41 De La Rosa $485,000 team control



Manny $8,087,432 deferred


Andruw $3,375,000 deferred


Pierre $3,050,000 deferred
Furcal $3,000,000 deferred
Kuroda $2,000,000 deferred
Garland $1,500,000 option buyout
Blake $1,250,000 option buyout

Totals
$114,662,432

For more detailed information, click here.

Players on 40-man roster used as roster
fillers until moves are made.

Current 40-man roster count: 40
(not including Belisario)

2012 Non-Roster Invitees

No Player Age*
63 Jose Ascanio rhp
27
61 Alberto Castillo lhp
36
60 Matt Chico lhp
29
35 John Grabow lhp
33
59 Angel Guzman rhp
30
47 Wil Ledezma lhp
31
72 Shane Lindsay rhp
27
62 Fernando Nieve rhp 29
73 Scott Rice lhp 30
70 Will Savage rhp
27
71 Ryan Tucker rhp
25

30 Josh Bard c 34
82 Griff Erickson c 24
81 Matt Wallachc 26
67 Jeff Baisley 3b/1b 29
62 Luis Cruz ss/2b 28
33 Josh Fields 3b 29
64 Lance Zawadzki if 27
56 Cory Sullivan of 32

*Age on June 30, 2012

NRI count: 19

For more info, click here.


Manager

Eric___ned___reporters_2011_trade_deadline_small Eric Stephen

Editors

100_1427_small Phil Gurnee

Dgy_small David Young

Hanauma_bay_small Chad Moriyama

2501_small Michael White

Raptors_small Brandon Lennox