More on Julio

by craig on Mar 27, 2007 6:58 AM EDT in News and Rumors

The details of his contract are starting to roll in.

He will make $3.6 million this season, of which the Diamonbacks have agreed to pay about $1.5 million, after which he will become eligible for free agency and likely command a heftier price tag than the thrifty Marlins will be willing to swallow. His addition will bring the on-field payroll this season to about $28 million.

Assuming I can do basic math, the club is going to pay $2.1 million for his services this season in what amounts to a one-year deal.

Right.

The part I liked the best was this:

''We have a closer now,'' Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest said.

Julio, who has 99 career saves but would have served in a secondary setup role had he remained with Arizona, becomes the latest makeover project for the Marlins, who resurrected careers of ninth-inning specialists Armando Benitez, Todd Jones and Joe Borowski.

Julio hasn't been a full-time closer since 2003 when he saved 36 for Baltimore.

First off, I was alive for the 2005 season and Todd Jones wasn't acquired to be the closer. The job initially fell to Guillermo Mota and he basically stunk. Todd Jones only took over the job after Mota got injured.

But leaving that aside, the organization is going to pay Julio $2.1 million to walk batters and throw gopher balls, it's what he has done in the past, just because they think we need someone has been in the closer spot before.

I still don't see it. If the front office wanted an experienced closer, it seems to me that the money would have been better spent on a pitcher who could.......you know, actually close out a game.

Since Julio is now a Marlin, I will let this drop, at least for now. And cheer him on with all my voice but the logic of this is still baffling to me.

That said, Go Jorge Go!

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