Unorthodox closer Ziegler just as effective for D-backs
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Diamondbacks have made a habit recently of going against the industry norm.
It is part of the reason their offseason trades that brought in Shelby Miller and Jean Segura were widely criticized. They don't view things the same as every other franchise.
That also extends to how they will fill their closer role when Opening Day rolls around next week.
With a small lead in need of protection, manager Chip Hale will give the ball to Brad Ziegler in the ninth inning.
From his slender build to his mid-80s fastball, Ziegler is far from intimidating. The submariner is perhaps the least likely closer in the game. And yet, after he was thrust into the role midway through last season, Ziegler converted 30 save opportunities -- including 28 straight to end the year.
"Sometimes our industry focuses too much on what a guy has to be and doesn't see how successful he can be as he is," said former prototypical closer J.J. Putz, who saved 189 games during his 12-year career and now is a special assistant in the organization. "It used to be that left-handed pitchers couldn't be closers."
Billy Wagner proved the faulty logic there. And the game's most dominate closer today, Aroldis Chapman, is left-handed as well. But both of those guys, though, regularly eclipsed 100 mph.
Ziegler's sinker averaged 84 mph last season, the slowest mark of his career.
"I don't care. To me, it doesn't matter," Ziegler said. "If 29 other teams think it's dumb the D-backs are doing it but the D-backs are the one team that values what I do, then I'm glad I'm here."
Amid the other flashy offseason moves, the D-backs could have brought in a prototypical, hard-throwing closer -- there were linked to Chapman as far back as the 2015 trade deadline. But they chose to stick with Ziegler, who will be set up by hard throwers Daniel Hudson and Tyler Clippard.
"To be valued where you're at is one of the best feelings in this game," Ziegler said.
"It just a matter of getting three outs. The only difference is that when the third out is recorded -- assuming you haven't given up the lead -- you get to exhale the take a deep breathe."
Ziegler throughout his career has left his team in just as good a position on the scoreboard as when he entered the game. Ziegler started with the A's and did not allow an earned run in his first 25 innings that spanned 28 games. Among pitchers with at least 500 appearances, Ziegler's career ERA of 2.47 ranks eighth all-time.
"There's a reason he's been sought after," Hale said, referring to trade overtures from other teams in recent years.
Ziegler doesn't rack up strikeouts like his peers do, but he doesn't give up home runs either. His steady mix of sinkers and changeups, with a few curveballs here and there, induces groundball after groundball. Even if a few get through the infield, it's tough to create a ninth-inning rally that way.
"When they put a defense on the field like we have, my goal is to go out there and have an inning with 10 pitches or less," said Ziegler, who at 36 is the oldest player on team. "I can use those guys to my advantage and feel like I have to do everything by myself."