The Pulse: D-backs should turn to Matt Stites at closer after ASG break
Jul 11, 2014, 3:15 AM | Updated: 3:15 am
Every day, ArizonaSports.com asks readers a question. It’s the Sanderson Ford Poll Question of the Day, and it can be found midway down the right side of our home page.
On Thursday, we asked who the Arizona Diamondbacks should turn to as their closer following next week’s All-Star break.
One of the options, current closer Addison Reed, has had a rough time of it in Arizona since being acquired in an offseason trade with the Chicago White Sox.
In 25 save chances, Reed has blown five (tied for most in the National League), surrendering nine home runs in the process (worst among all MLB closers).
Not surprisingly, our readers would like to see Kirk Gibson turn to a bit of a youth movement in the ninth inning.
More specifically, 24-year-old reliever Matt Stites, who was acquired in the deal that sent Ian Kennedy to the San Diego Padres last July.
Stites, who has a 2.11 ERA in 11 career appearances, garnered 48 percent of the 469 votes tallied.
And as for Reed (17 percent), he didn’t even come in second place.
That distinction belonged to veteran Brad Ziegler, who served as the team’s de facto closer to end the 2013 campaign. Ziegler was favored by 35 percent of the voters as Arizona’s top replacement option.
