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| Photo Courtesy of the Globe |
Koji Uehara has been used a lot this season, so questions about his durability have always been brought up by the media. Those questions are sure to have increased after the team used him four times in five days as the team's new closer. When a reporter asked a question about it after the game on Sunday, he cut his translator off and said "Tomorrow: Day off!" according to the
Boston Globe. I'm sure that came as relief (no pun intended) to him, as the team has had 20 games in 21 days, and against tough opponents as well. Uehara has offered the team some security, at least for now, that the team hasn't had at closer since the days of Jonathan Papelbon. Joel Hanrahan might have been that, but he's out for the season and I'm not even going to talk about Andrew Bailey because his struggles have been under a glaring spotlight both here and in the rest of the New England media. Koji Uehara closed his first three games with great success (33 of 44 pitches for strikes and six strikeouts over three innings according to the
Globe) until he blew his first save against the Toronto Blue Jays. But even then, he kept the damage to one run and allowed the Red Sox to walk off with the win in the bottom of the 9th inning.
His teammates have marveled at his consistency all season, including Dustin Pedroia and Bailey. Pedroia said that he hides his fastball really well and mixes in his nasty splitter well, and Bailey has said it's "like a video game to him," according to the
Globe. So is he the answer to our prayers at closer? Right now, it's hard to argue with the numbers. Obviously, the questions about the stamina will remain until he does this on a consistent basis, but hopefully we won't need to use him four out of five days. But, for right now, yes, he is the answer to our closer problems. Also, I love his enthusiasm and his dugout celebrations.
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Conor Frederick
Contributing Writer
