F. Cordero named closer in Milwaukee

August 1, 2006 @ 16:00:00

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Ryan Dodson

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Francisco Cordero was given a new lease on his pitching life when he was traded from the Texas Rangers in the Carlos Lee deal earlier this month. He had begun the year as the Rangers closer but after a horrible April, in which he blew five saves, he was taken out of the closing role and replaced by relief pitcher Akinori Otsuka. So when he was traded to the Brewers, who were struggling with their own closing problems, it was a new opportunity for the former All-Star.

Cordero was the Rangers' closer for two full seasons, 2004 and 2005, and posted save totals of 49 and 37 respectively in those two seasons. He has added seven saves to his career total this season but also has nine blown saves, all of them coming with the Rangers. He has appeared in three games with the Brewers, picking up a hold July 29 and a save in his first appearance July 30. The 30th was when Cordero replaced former closer Derrick Turnbow, who gave up three runs in the ninth inning before Cordero came in to close it out. Cordero has posted 118 saves and has a 3.42 ERA in seven seasons.

Brewers manager Ned Yost has said he is going to go with Cordero for now, and Turnbow will be moved into middle relief temporarily. Turnbow has not been bad by any margin this season, racking up 23 saves before the All-Star break, but since then he has gone 0-4 with four blown saves and a 24.00 ERA in nine appearances. Turnbow put up 39 saves last year in his first full year as the Brewers closer, and they signed him to a three-year contract last offseason so they have a vested interest in his future. 

This situation is by no means stable, and Turnbow could easily be back in the closing role soon. He is relatively young and should be able to bounce back quickly. Combine that with Cordero’s shaky past as a closer, and things could easily be back to their pre-All-Star break make-up.

Yost will also have to decide who pitches the eighth inning on match-ups. At his disposal is left-hander relief pitcher Brian Shouse and right-handers relief pitchers Dan Kolb, Matt Wise and Rick Helling.

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Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

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