So the Blue Jays would like to have a reliable closer in 2004. This doesn't mean they're going to sign Roberto Hernandez to a multi-year deal, but it does mean that they'd like to have someone who can be counted on to shut down the opposition late in the game. The ideal candidate would be affordable (probably no more than $3 million for a one-year deal, preferably less) and resilient (the Jays are not devotees of the exclusively ninth-inning reliever, so someone willing and able to enter with two on and one out in the 8th and finish the game would be welcome). Here's an article detailing the best closing candidates on the market; lower-priced names like Tom Gordon, Latroy Hawkins, Rod Beck, Tim Worrell and even Armando Benitez have been tossed around by Jays fans. With such a bumper crop available, the odds of bringing in a solid pitcher for a budget price seem promising. Even if not, there are reasonable in-house candidates like Aquilino Lopez, Jason Kershner and, in a pinch, Cliff Politte. Longer-term solutions at Triple-A include flamethrower Adam Peterson and perhaps even dark horse Jason Arnold. So here's our question: who do you think will lead the Jays in saves in 2004, and how much will he cost?
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20031116061512999