Philadelphia Phillies Could Have Closer By Default In Andrew Bailey

Closer by committee is a phrase baseball fans have come to know in the last decade or so when a MLB team suffers an injury to the designated closer and tries to substitute until his return. The Philadelphia Phillies might be trying something new this year, and that is closer by default.

That’s because the top candidates have suffered an assortment of injuries, and manager Pete Mackanin is an old-school guy who wants to settle on the next man up which is likely to be Andrew Bailey.

The job originally was David Hernandez’s to lose, but his sore right triceps is still hurting with two weeks to go before the season opener. As a result, the Phillies are eyeing Bailey for the job. Bailey grew up in the Philadelphia area and would be the team’s first significant hometown product since Jamie Moyer, who went to college at St. Joseph’s University in the city and won 16 games for the 2008 World Series champions. Bailey is from just across the river from Citizens Bank Park in South Jersey. He was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2009 and a two-time All-Star during his time with the Oakland Athletics, and he appears to be over the shoulder problems that have haunted him the last two seasons.

Bailey, 31, is making a solid case as being the default closer, pitching four scoreless innings and allowing just one hit this spring. He has not walked a batter and struck out five. He has a low 90 mph fastball to go with a slider.

After nearly three years of Jonathan Papelbon’s antics, the Phillies are excited to get a level-headed individual on the mound in the final inning—even if it is by default.