Washington Nationals: Is Drew Storen Out As the Team's Closer?

Going into spring training, by all accounts, Drew Storen was going to be the Washington Nationals’ Opening Day closer.

Now, a month into the spring, Storen might be losing the grip on his job.

Storen has allowed 10 hits and seven runs in 4.1 innings of work this spring, and according to Nationals beat writer Bill Ladson, Washington manager Jim Riggleman will go with a closer-by-committee approach in 2011. That committee would potentially consist of Storen (if he makes the team), Tyler Clippard, Sean Burnett and Todd Coffey.

I think this would be a big mistake.

Yes, Storen has struggled this spring, but that’s why we have spring training. Spring training is a time to get your timing down and figure things, so by the time the regular season starts, the player is full steam ahead.

Storen has the most ability of anyone in the Nationals bullpen and he should be given every shot to close. Most of the other potential committee guys are journeymen. I say most of because Burnett is one of the most underrated relievers in the game. Due to the fact that he has played in Pittsburgh and Washington for his career, he gets no love.

I always felt like the bullpen-by-committee approach is similar to the two-running-back approach in the NFL. Only the combination of the right guys will be able to pull it off. A bunch of journeymen won’t be able to pull this off.

The Nationals should let it ride with Storen. He is their closer of the future, but he should be the closer of the present as well.

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