What I take from this is that Kevin Gregg will remain the closer, your interpretation may vary.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez snapped at a radio reporter when asked if he had thought about replacing Gregg in the closer's role: ''Do you have anything else other than that [question]?'' Gonzalez said, bristling.
Gregg has some self awareness that he isn't getting the job done.
''I'm killing the guys right now,'' Gregg said. ``They're playing good baseball, and I screwed it up.''
---
''He hit that ball 500 feet,'' Gregg said of a pitch that was aimed low but floated up in the strike zone.
Asked what thought went through his mind at that precise moment, Gregg replied: ``I don't think you can't publish that.''
---
''My last few outings have been horrible, just uncalled for,'' Gregg said.
Let's look at Gregg's performance so far in August and I promise not to get all statsy on you.
Gregg appeared in 10 games, so far, in the month of August, recording 6 saves and 4 blown saves. Not a very good percentage for a team that still has a shot.
So let's concentrate on the blown saves, all which turned into losses.
The first was August 15 against the Cubs. This one was all Gregg: he walked a batter, gave up a single and then a three run homer.
The second was August 22 against the Giants. In this one he gave up a walk and the runner stole at will and ended on third with one out. He later scored when, what I assume was a splitter bounced past Baker. It was a pitch, that on the replays, should have been blocked. After this game the Marlins started putting Treanor behind the plate when, if possible, Gregg entered the game. Because if Treanor can't block the pitch the Marlins have no one who can.
The third was August 27 against the Braves. While Gregg definitely had a hand in causing the problems, however, if Hanley turns a routine DP the Marlins win the game.
And then last night, it was all Gregg again. The Marlins had their best defensive alignment, or at least close their best defensive alignment on the field, and they were making plays. Need I remind anyone of Danny's excellent play at second? Gregg hung some sort of a breaking pitch, it was hard to tell exactly what it was since it only spun about belt high to Beltran and he crushed it.
Which was completely unacceptable since Treanor was behind the plate and if had missed in the dirt, it would've been blocked.
So if you want to give Gregg the benefit of the doubt, and I think most Marlins fans don't, and who could blame them, he would be 8-2 in August if he had gotten some help. But still, that ain't that great when a team is heading down the stretch trying to make a run at the division title.
I guess the main problem is all the crap has happened recently and it doesn't appear to be getting better. And actually, is starting to show up more frequently. Which makes me wonder about Gregg's knee and if the season has finally taken a toll on it, since it really hard for a pitcher to get on top and complete his pitches on a bum knee.
Assuming the club sticks with Gregg for the rest of season, he has to get the walks under control. If he does or if he doesn't, really doesn't matter in the long term, because he has already written his ticket out of town.