Didn’t you pay attention when your professor showed “Glengarry Glen Ross” in business class? Well don’t feel bad, because neither did four MLB closers during the opening round of the playoffs.
In the movie, Alec Baldwin‘s character gives a curse-filled rant on the ABCs of the hard sell. “Always be closing,” he booms. “You close or you hit the bricks.”
Apparently Ryan Franklin, Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon and Huston Street didn’t get this memo. Now they (along with the Cardinals, Twins, Red Sox and Rockies) are watching the rest of the postseason in stunning high-definition. The quartet delivered a knockout punch to the notion that any lockdown reliever in June can be a lockdown reliever in October.
Franklin (the career journeyman closer) imploded after Matt Holliday‘s fielding error, blowing a 2-1 lead with two outs in the ninth in Game 2 against the Dodgers. Nathan (the converted-starter-turned-closer) lost a two-run lead without recording an out in Game 2 against the Yankees. Papelbon (the lights-out adrenaline-junky closer) surrendered a two-run lead with two outs in the ninth in Game 3 against the Angels. And Street (the comeback closer) impressively blew two saves in a 20-hour window during Games 3 and 4 against the Phillies.
Yikes! This isn’t what we expected. Cheers & Jeers had Brad Lidge as the odds-on favorite to implode. Then again, there’s still time for that. So be leery, Phillies fans, and remember, always be closing. Because if you aren’t, someone else is.
