Here is my 2002 Pedro, from a *nearly* completed Champs League (home park - AT&T):
G GS W L SV SVO IP BFP NP H ER HR BB SO OAV OBP SLG WHIP ERA
79 0 25 2 6 7 233.3 944 3349 182 74 11 48 240 .207 .254 .311 0.99 2.85
I did not use Pedro as a closer, but rather as a Long A in a modified superman setup (which, ironically, I never actually tried during the glory days of Super-Maddux). He was available to come in at either the 4th or 5th inning (varied based on usage and fatigue), pull set at 1, PC at 35-45 (avg. 42), auto-rest at 99, PH setting off. Pedro only pitched in back-to-back games twice all season (did not give up a run either time, and earned 1 save), and in only 2 other appearances did he come in at 99%. Every other appearance he was at 100%. I did not micro-manage him, other than to tweak his inning availability / PC / rest every 10-15 games during the first half of the season; by the ASB he was mostly on auto-pilot.
Team won 91 games, but lost a play-in game for the playoffs (I did NOT start Pedro, and got Milacki'd ... grrr.....). Pedro finished 2nd in CY voting; across both leagues the other CY finalists were 08 Joss(x3), 02 Taylor(x2), 07 Joss, 08 Mathewson, 10 Walsh and 72 Sutton(!). As you can see, I got every penny that I paid for out of him, and more, without a single spot start. Had I made the playoffs he would have moved to the rotation. I don't see why you couldn't get similar use out of him at the very back of the bullpen, although appearance fatigue is going to limit him to approx 80 games (more than that and you start gradually degrading your 10% IP bonus). Personally, though, I think he is more valuable in innings 5-7, rather than 8-9. Good short-IP closers are way cheap.
I've done this twice now, and it worked like a dream both times.
4/20/2011 10:03 PM (edited)