Ed Price takes exception to Joe Sheehan’s criticism of the Twins going with a single closer. Price’s criticism is a nit-pick however. He argues that Ron Gardenhire isn’t being driven by the save rule, the bullpen staff is being driven by the rule:

More than 10 years ago, when I was covering the Arizona Diamondbacks, I asked closer Gregg Olson about a theory I had. What if a team designated an “ace reliever” instead of a closer, and used him when the situation was most crucial — maybe in the ninth, as a closer would, but maybe with men on in the eighth, or with the heart of the order up in the seventh?

Olson told me it wouldn’t work because relievers want to know their roles. Because of the way bullpens have evolved, players expect to be a closer, or the eighth-inning pitcher, or the seventh-inning pitcher, or the long man, or the lefty specialist.

Baseball people say that relievers want to know it’s their turn even before the phone rings. If they are handed a certain role, they know how and when to prepare to pitch.

Needing to know the role was driven by the development of relief staffs around the save rule. The sabermetricians were hoping that Gardenhire was a strong enough manager to break out of that mold. It’s tough to do, however. The Red Sox couldn’t pull it off in 2003. If a manager tries, he gets nothing but grumbling from his pitchers. Maybe someone could pull it off with an all-rookie staff, or with a bunch of stat-head pitchers like Greinke and Bannister in the bullpen.

Despite Prices closing paragraph, Sheehan knows this. He’s just trying to point out a better way.