Co Co flies the coop

So the Reds think that Francisco Cordero is the missing link for a playoff bid, do they? How else would you explain Cincinnati giving the closer what I heard last night is a $46 million contract? I didn't follow the Reds that closely last season - help me out Austy - but it's safe to assume that while they probably had closer issues, the team probably has other issues that $46 million could have addressed.

That's a lot of money to spend on a closer, even a good one like Co Co, and I'm of the Billy Beane school of thought that you don't pay that much. Closers are not quite a dime a dozen, they don't quite grow on treese (excuse me - we're reading a Berenstain Bears book that talks about figures of speech), but they're not as difficult to unearth as quality starters or regular lineup contributors. I'm confident Doug Melvin will find someone to take the ball in the ninth inning.

Then again, it's different this time around. Before, when the Brewers were pulling Dan Kolbs and Derrick Turnbows off the scrap heap and turning them into closers, expectations were low - there weren't playoff berths on the line. In 2008, Milwaukee should be on the short list to win the National League Central, and there won't be time to audition three or four different guys on the fly - as bad as the division is, you can't have guys blowing saves left and right and expect to win.

With Cordero and Linebrink leaving in the last couple days, a weak spot only gets weaker. But I feel good about Melvin and Ash bringing in guys to plug the holes.