Tied Again

Looks like it may be time for THE EDITOR to do a “How do You Have a Job: Brandon Lyon” post. A popular candidate to lose his job before the season even started, Lyon started the season strong but has floundered miserably of late. Here’s a quick look at his splits since the start of the season:
April/March: 2.57 ERA, 1-1, 9 saves
May: 0.00 ERA, NR, 3 saves
June: 4.91 ERA, 1-1, 5 saves
July: 9.45 ERA, 0-2, 3 saves
Beside blowing the hell out of the game last night, Lyon also did his damnedest to give up the lead in Saturday’s game as well. Pretty tough to compete in a close race when your closer is anything but. The D-Backs traded away the sometimes erratic but always entertaining Jose Valverde to the Astros last year, acquiring middling utility player Chris Burke, quality reliever Chad Qualls and Juan Gutierrez, who currently sports a 2-10 record for AAA Tucson (don’t think he’s been unlucky either, he’s given up 107 hits in just under 73 IP). While I’m all for trading away a closer for some valuable pieces, for a club looking to compete and win now, a valuable, shutdown closer is a must. Of the current or projected division leaders only the Brewers and Rays seem to have end-game issues (add the Cubs to the list if Wood heads to the DL [shocker]) but all three clubs have valuable fill-ins in the forms of Torres, Balfour and Marmol, respectively. The Dodgers have been prepared for life without Saito for quite some time, and so far JB has done his part.