Phillies Closer Options, and Metallica?

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Apr 25, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Frieri (43) pitches in the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field. (Photo Credit: Jeff Griffith-USA TODAY Sports) /

Ernesto Frieri – “Load” (1996)

Remember when “Load” came out? Everyone was excited on its arrival. “Hey! A new Metallica album! It’s gotta be awesome!”

Forget about them cutting their hair, that doesn’t matter to music. After their black album, most people just assumed that the next would be great because they had put out great music before.

Then you got deeper into listening to it. It just never felt right. Again, another album with some decent stuff, but just doesn’t feel like what it was billed to be.

That’s the feeling I get when I think of Frieri. Yes, he saved 37 games for the Angels in 2013. Sure, he had a K/9 near 13 that year, and was a really good setup man for San Diego prior to that.

But look at his xFIP’s. Never do they go below 3.30. He was pretty lucky to be racking up those numbers, but once his luck changed…poof. Closer job lost. He just never felt like a good enough closer. Sure he might produce a few good moments, but other than that, just another fungible reliever. Next.

Next: Phillies Pen Lacks Metal: AND JUSTICE FOR ALL

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