Devine Ready For Closer?

[Go Bravos!!!#1]

I believe Joey Devine is up for the challenge of closer. I also believe as of now he should thrive in the role. If you look at his spring training stats his is playing on a superior level.
C'omon Atlanta, learn something from the White Sox, when they put Bobby Jenks in the role. It's time for the Braves to do that with Devine. 14 k in 7IP with a save and an ERA of 0.00 this spring, I think he must be ready.
I know Reitsma, is more experianced etc. etc. etc. But he is not our best option. I'm telling you it has to be Joey.
I know I've shifted on this position, from Jorge Sosa, to Anthony Lerew among others, but I am sticking firm on this one.

JS and Bobby, I am ready to see...
Devine In Inning Nine

[Atlanta Braves Freak]

I don't think he is ready, he was overwhelmed when he came up last year and right now I don't think he can take on the closers role. Reitsma is the incumbent and unless he slips it his job. We'll have to see how he does when the real season come, but those numbers are encouraging.

[jpenrod]

My personal take, and I have been saying this since last year, Devine is the closer of the FUTURE for Atlanta. I believe Reitsma starts as the Closer and Devine as his set-up guy. If Reitsma struggles and Devine continues the sucess of the spring he will be given a shot. Reitsma is in the final year of his contract, unless he has a lights out year as a closer I do not figure the Braves will resign him to that role. Devine will be the closer for ATL for the 2007 season. I think Devine could handle the role, but I also understand the Braves wanting to ease him into it.

[KCGHOST]

Hard to get excited about any pitcher who is only going to pitch 70-80 innings a year.

[grizzly451]

Devine will probably not even start as Retisma's primary setup man, depending on who all makes the bullpen, but regardless of that, Devine will probably end up as the setup guy for a while and by the time Retisma wears out at the all-star break (like he usually does), Devine might end up as the closer depending on how well he is doing.

Who knows he might end up as closer sooner then that, depends on how well the other guys are doing. Heck, given that strong of a spring he might even get some early shots at it.

[Go Bravos!!!#1]

With Reitsma doing so well this spring, I seriousley doubt Cox will put Devine in that role.
But around June or July when Chris starts getting tired as he always has, Cox will probably put Devine in the role.
I'm still sticking firm to wanting Devine to close. But unfortunently, Bobby sees something I don't. Maybe Chris will prove me wrong, maybe not...
I mean he's going to be gone after this season. If he saves 35 games, he'll be testing other teams, and if he is sub-par the Braves will not try to re-sign him.
So why wait longer to get Devine it the role ,sooner or later, he's going to have.
If the braves were concerned about rushing him ,he wouldn't have been brought up last year.

I wish Chris all the best, and I hope for the sake of the team we don't get Dan Kolb 2: The Contamination of The Reitsma.

I like this bullpen pretty well anyway.

LR L Chuck James (Future Star/ Best Lefty Option)
LR R Lance Cormier (Impressive Spring/ERA of 2 till ASB in 05)
MR R Blaine Boyer (Great RP /Star of 05)
MR L Macay McBride(Best Lefty)
MR R Joey Devine (Future Closer/Great Spring)
SU R Oscar Villareal (Experienced/Nasty Stuff This Spring?Great RP)

CL R Chris Reitsma (Good RP/ Hopefully Not The Sequel)

[ATL22]

Devine is still the closer of the future I think and he will be important to the pen this year. But Bobby is notoriously loyal to his veterans so it's Reitsma as closer until Chris does something to lose that job. If Boyer gets healthy, a set up team of Villarreal, Boyer, and Devine could be outstanding. The Braves appear to be in much better shape in the pen this year. For a change we should feel pretty confident when leading after 6 innings.