Why aren't setup men paid better?

[Wynton]

Unless I'm mistaken, it seems that setup men are way undervalued and underpaid. Nowadays, the setup guys often pitch more innings than the closers and usually come into the game in more difficult situations. In fact, most managers don't like bringing in their closers in any situations except to start the last inning, before anyone is on base.

I guess the answer is purely statistics: saves are sexier than "holds." But if I were a gm, I would be placing at least as much importance on getting a reliable setup guy as getting a closer or even a 4th starter.

[ColdCaller]

Lots of pitchers can pitch "setup." Very few can go six innings of quality work.

[Jack of Arcades]

He was speaking in comparison to closers.

[MikeyPatriot]

Setup men are a dime a dozen. Sure, there's a demand for quality setup men, but there's a huge supply of them as well.

Also, it's not so much that setup men are being underpaid, but more that closers are being overpaid.

[TheRover]

There really isn't much difference between a good setup man and a good closer. /captain obvious

I wouldn't sign any one-inning reliever to a large or long term contract at typical free agent prices.

Closers are paid so much because most GMs don't realize any of this.

p.s. jim hendry sucks.

[samjjones]

[ QUOTE ]
There really isn't much difference between a good setup man and a good closer. /captain obvious

I wouldn't sign any one-inning reliever to a large or long term contract at typical free agent prices.

Closers are paid so much because most GMs don't realize any of this.

p.s. jim hendry sucks.

[/ QUOTE ]
The Red Sox tried this a few years ago. Didn't work out so well.

[Wynton]

[ QUOTE ]
Lots of pitchers can pitch "setup." Very few can go six innings of quality work.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was primarily comparing setup men to closers, but I also disagree that lots of pitchers can effectively pitch setup. My main point is that the setup man is often pitching at the most critical stage of the game, with men already on base.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, managers brought in closers in DIFFICULT situations, frequently for more than one inning. But now it is the setup men who face those situations more than the closers. But for some reason, the market has not recognized this shift in responsibilities.

[LionelHutz00]

supply and demand

[MinRaise]

The reason is that that the media, especially ESPN, make the save into a much more important stat than it really is. Most good setup men become closers to get more money. Look at that rediculous BJ Ryan deal. If you give him a bunch of holds, rather than saves, he gets less than half of what he got.

The "closer mentality" is greatly exaggerated. On Baseball tonight the other night, they said Papelbon was the most important player on the Red Sox right now. The truth is the vast majority people that can get outs in the 7th inning can get outs in the 9th inning, and vice versa.

[tdarko]

[ QUOTE ]
The truth is the vast majority people that can get outs in the 7th inning can get outs in the 9th inning

[/ QUOTE ]

Not necessarily true.