Fuentes blows it, Cook next in line for A's?

BOX SCORE

Brian Fuentes has 204 career saves. He also has a 5.24 ERA. He has lost ten games in the last two seasons. His most recent loss came on Friday night, when he gave up a walk-off three-run homer to Ryan Roberts, giving the Diamondbacks a 9-8 win over the A's. On May 29 he also blew a two-run lead after he allowed a three-run homer to Josh Willingham. The numbers don't lie. It is time to make a change (again) in the A's closer role. Speaking of numbers, Ryan Cook's are spectacular. He has 0.69 ERA. It's no fluke either. He struck out three more hitters in the eighth inning on Friday. It's the way Cook is doing it that leads me to believe he is ready for the pressure-packed ninth inning. He has the lowest batting average on balls in play -- or BABIP -- in Major League Baseball (.105). He also has the lowest line drive against percentage in the league (9). Simply put, no one is making solid contact against him. Cook has the stuff to be a closer. Right now hitters are batting just .119 against his fastball, and .032 against his slider. His fastball averages 94.9-mph. Fuentes' averages 90.4. The A's unwillingness to make Cook their closer is easy to understand. He is just 24, and this is just his second season in MLB. He is just now coming into his own as a professional baseball player, and the team is wary of thrusting him into the ninth inning. The A's showed earlier this season that they aren't afraid to make a change though. They already demoted Grant Balfour, in favor of Fuentes. Fuentes had a good run in his career, but he is 36 now. He is still very serviceable as a set-up man. He is a great mentor to the young relievers. Cook himself credits Fuentes' leadership for his success. This isn't the end of the road for Fuentes. But it is time to start a new career path for the A's top reliever.