WHO'S YOUR CLOSER...!!!!!!!!!??????!!!!!!

and because we don't know, the Defs lose in spectacular fashion tonight 2-1. Nursing a 1-0 lead from the second inning on we waste a good outing from Henry Sosa and an even better one from Ben Snyder because we don't know who our closer is.
Decker brings in Joe Paterson in the top of the 9th to close it out. Paterson, a lefty, is greeted by what turn out to be three straight righty pitch hitters. First batter singles on Paterson's first pitch. It was only the RockCat's second hit of the game and they didn't need anymore. Next batter sac bunts to Paterson who has all day to throw to first but throws it wild down the right field line instead to put runners on second and third with no outs.
NOTE: the real closer, Dan Otero, is warming up. Paterson gets a K on a righty then we intentionally walk (why?) a righty to load the bases.
NOTE: Otero's ready.
Paterson walks in the tying run on a 3-2 count to a righty, who batting next to nothing on the season. Paterson then strikes out a lefty for the second out.
Paterson then hits the next batter, a lefty, with two strikes to force in the winning run.
NOW we bring in Otero, who is the closer, to get the third out.

Pick a closer and go with him Mr. Decker. You have a chance the snap a three game losing streak at home--where you not even playing .500 and you get cute and over manage. And a nice vote of confidence (not) to Otero as well in the process--who has had one bad outing so far this season and the defense hurt him in that.

Fair is fair and the other part of this is the team has scored 2 runs in three games. No margin of error for the pitching staff. A total of just 5 hits tonight as Crawford and EME are just killing them now. Crawford is batting .158 (6 for 38) in his last ten games. EME is 1-17 for the five games he's played in on this home stand.

Sosa who was wild at times (4 BBs) threw 6 IP allowing 1 hit and had 7 Ks. Ben throws 2 IP and K's 4.

Misc fan notes: A couple of hundred of the faithful on hand as there was a light rain for most of the game.
Great turkey and bacon panni up in Lou's tonight.
Channel 61 in the house tonight--how did that happen?....
God does even things up as I got a rare foul ball (it landed at my feet--no effort required) and of course I HAD to give it to the nearest kid. So when I got to my car, after EME had stuck out for the final out, there was a foul ball nearby my car and in pretty good condition--second time that's happened this season.
Tonight's loss has almost sucked the life out of me for the morning game tomorrow plus I have to be at work for 1:00 PM but I'll soldier on...hey as Joe Perez points out in today's Bulletin the sale's going to happen anyway so let's see as much as possible.

Kyle Haines, who we all liked last season, and was lost to the Phillies in the offseason Rule 5 draft and then cut by Philly, has ended up with the Akron Aeros after spending some time with the Camden Riversharks of the indy Atlantic League.

Pic is Henry Sosa