Francisco Rodriguez has been one of the best relief pitchers in baseball since he broke into the majors with the Anaheim Angels in 2002. His massive strike out rate made him an immediate sensation and garnered him the nickname "K-Rod." He became the full-time closer for the Angels in 2005 and in 2008 he had the most prolific season of any closer in MLB history.
Part of what makes him successful is an unconventional delivery that makes it very difficult for the batter to predict the location of the pitch. The ball could be headed towards the backstop or the outside corner of the plate. Of course, K-Rod is not sure where the ball is ending up, either. Because of this a typical K-Rod save will involve walks, full counts, and lots pitches. His tendency to allow base runners while pitching at a deliberate pace led to his other less flattering nickname, "Twenty minutes of terror."
In a different life, Francisco Rodriguez would have been a tightrope walker. The final out is often not recorded until the bases are loaded or the go-ahead run is in scoring position. But just as easily as he works into trouble, K-Rod can wiggle off the hook. (The 2012 season not withstanding) This leads to a very specific emotion for the fan of the team he's closing for: The thrill of almost defeat.
As any baseball fan will tell you, few things are more demoralizing than a blown save. A 2-0 9th inning lead that turns into a 3-2 defeat can sour an evening more than locking your car keys in the ignition with the engine running. But a 2-1 victory with the tying and go-ahead runs stranded in scoring position, well that's something else entirely. You've already pictured the game-winning (or losing, depending on your perspective) hit safely nestling itself into the outfield and you've felt the sting that comes along with that. But instead of actually feeling the sting, you get to feel the same sense of relief as when you get pulled over for speeding and let off with a warning.
When you think about it, narrowly avoiding a come-from-ahead defeat is just as exciting as a come from behind victory. Then again, maybe I'm wrong. What do you think?
