St. Louis Cardinals: Ride the hot hand while you can

The St. Louis Cardinals signed a trio of relievers to secure the back-end of the bullpen, but only one of them has truly stepped up.

Last night on the Official Redbird Rants podcast, I asked a question to my fellow contributors about Bud Norris and the St. Louis Cardinals’ closer role. The question was, “Now that John Mozeliak stated Norris would be the closer, and Greg Holland would be used in a different capacity for now, is there a chance Norris could take the job indefinitely for the rest of this season?” While the answer is fairly simple, I do think there is more intrigue behind it.

As Larry, Dr. Miles, and Trevor stated, the simple answer to the question is there is no way Norris is the closer the entire year. You’ll find no disagreement from me either. We know the St. Louis Cardinals did not expect Holland to start so slowly even though the majority of us were skeptical. I mean what do we expect to happen when a team decides to sign a guy on Opening Day and bring him up not long after that? I digress.

But the reality is the Cardinals are paying Holland $14 million this season as a reliever, but more importantly as the closer for this team. But Holland has been FAR from the closer we know him to be. Just take a look at his performances so far this season up to May 4th:

Of course the only good stretch of pitching for Holland has been low leverage situations to get him some work, but look what happened April 27th. After four straight appearances of not giving up a run, Holland comes in to lockdown a three run game for a save. Wouldn’t you know, he gives up three runs and gets a blown save, oh and the St. Louis Cardinals lost.

Chalk this up to rust or not being prepared, but Holland isn’t the answer right now in the ninth inning. Mozeliak knows that and forced Matheny’s hand by saying Norris is closer. Here is where the intrigue sets in for me.

As long as Bud Norris is performing, there is really no reason for the Cardinals or Mike Matheny to stray off this path. Again, I know and understand he isn’t the long-term closer this season, but he is getting the job done. How many times did we complain over the last two seasons about blown saves (reminder that the Cardinals had 35 blown saves in the last two seasons)?

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Norris has done everything you could have asked for at this point in the season, especially when practically all of Cardinal Nation did not want him on the team. He is six for six in save opportunities, including a hold the game Holland blew up against the Pirates.

He holds a 1.72 ERA in 15.2 innings pitched, including a 2.17 xFIP. He’s outperformed practically every reliever the St. Louis Cardinals have in the bullpen.

Even if Holland appears to be set and the St. Louis Cardinals give him the opportunity to close, there should be a short leash. Now I’m not saying a couple of games. I’m talking about a couple of weeks.

The Cardinals can’t afford to waste a month of save opportunities on someone who clearly wasn’t ready to start the season.

So maybe, just maybe, there is some part of me that actually believes Norris might hold the job should he continue to be lights out for the team even with a return to form from Greg Holland. I know what reality and money say, but if I take into consideration of how the last two seasons have gone for the St. Louis Cardinals and their adventures with closers, I am riding the hot hand whomever that maybe.

And right now, that’s Bud Norris.

Next: WAR, was is it good for?

What do you think? Should Bud Norris get a chance to keep the closer role?