Quieter closing time
Workman talks about pitching sans fans
When Craig Kimbrel left the Red Sox for free agency after the 2018 season, the question for former Sox boss Dave Dombrowski kept coming: Who is going to be the new closer?
And when Dombrowski had no answer, when he kept insisting a closer by committee might be OK or that the Red Sox would find someone in their bullpen to handle the job, a new question formed: can just anybody become a closer?
With 40 years of front office experience, Dombrowski thought about it for a moment, then said no, not anybody could be a closer because there’s a certain adrenaline required for the role.
When the lights flash at Fenway Park, the music starts playing, the crowd is on its feet and everybody’s screaming ahead of the most critical three outs of the game, it takes a specific personality to handle that environment.
Brandon Workman stepped into it as well as almost anyone in Red Sox history with a remarkable 2019 season that finished with a sparkling 1.88 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 74 M innings.
But now there’s a new question to ask of the Red Sox closer: What kind of personality does it take to close games in an empty stadium, with no fans, no cheering, no energy and maybe no music, depending how the Red Sox choose to handle their ingame experience?
“I mean, there’s no doubt when the crowd’s all on their feet — whether we’re at home or on the road, they’re all screaming for you or against you —there’s a certain amount of adrenalin that comes with that, motivation,” Workman said Monday. “It’ll be something that you’ve got to make an adjustment to and generate that yourself in this season because that’s the way it’s going to be.”
The Red Sox, among other teams, still hope to have fans in the park at some point this year (despite the owners and commissioner arguing dollars and cents with the players for three months on the basis that there would be no fans). The teams want gate revenue. They want to sell beers and hot dogs. And there’s no question the players want some help getting motivated.
“You’re going to have to make an adjustment (without fans),” Workman said. “That’s everybody, not just closers or starters. When the bases are loaded in the fourth inning and the crowd would be on their feet, you’re going to feel that difference as well. That’s everybody, so that’s just something we’re all going to have to deal with and do it. That’s leaguewide.”
It’s true, every team will have to deal with it. But each team can control its own in-game atmosphere.
Perhaps the Sox will go with some form of what teams have done in Korea, where they’ve streamed a Zoom session on the big video board in the outfield so players and fans could see each other with live reactions.
More likely there will be some fake crowd noise, some injected applause and the same music teams would typically play during key moments.
But there’s one more new wrinkle for closers and late-inning relievers this year: the new extra-innings rule.
As soon as the 10th inning begins, every inning will start with a runner on second base.
That should work out OK for Workman, who blew his mid-90s fastball and kneebending breaking ball by hitters all year. They batted just .167 with a measly .571 OPS against him with runners in scoring position.
“I’ve had to do it in Triple-A since that became a rule in the minor leagues, so it is what it is,” he said. “In my opinion, it’s no different than someone hitting a leadoff double off you. The guy is on second and you’ve got to get your job done. Or coming in mid-inning with runners on base. As a reliever, sometimes you come into a game in a bad spot and you’ve got to get your job done and I don’t see it being any different than that.”
Workman, who turns 32 in August, will be a free agent after this season, adding to the importance that he follow up his breakout campaign with another strong season.
“My focus is getting ready for this year, the rest of that will take care of itself when that time comes,” he said.
But getting ready for the season wasn’t simple.
Workman said he threw to a “kid living down the street” and worked out in his garage to stay in shape. He also lives near Red Sox catcher Jonathan Lucroy and was able to throw some bullpen sessions with him.
In the first two intrasquad games, Workman has struggled. He’s been hit well by his teammates but the Sox aren’t concerned.
“Obviously my first two outings haven’t gone exactly how I wanted them to but I’m feeling good right now,” he said. “The ball is coming out good. I’ve just got to dial in a little bit with command and some of my pitch sequencing.”
And eventually, get used to closing games without any adrenaline from the ballpark.