Is it time for a change?  Is “He’s the Closer” the right approach for Dave Trembley to take with Mike Gonzalez and the Orioles bullpen, right now?  We have lamented over Gonzo’s struggles and even agreed that 3 games is too little time to make an accurate judgement on a players ability.  But is a “stick with him until he completely fails” approach the best way to get Gonzalez straightened out and help the O’s win games?

I get that he was signed to be the closer and I hope that is his long term role with the club, but wouldn’t it make more sense to let Gonzalez work out his problems in a different role?  Let him fix things with a few situational appearances, or as a set up guy in the 7th or 8th.  Jim Johnson is throwing the ball well right now, Mike Gonzalez is not.  Maybe he did not log enough innings in the spring to get his arm strength and mechanics where they need to be.  So why not let Gonzo assume a role where his failure might not be so crushing to the Orioles chances, until he can get his stuff together?  It might be a way to find out if he can get it together and not cost the O’s so many games.

I know there are not a myriad of better options, but for the time being there are guys in the ‘pen performing better than Gonzalez and there are a couple arms in the minors that have closer written all over them in Kam Mickolio and Luis Lebron.  I guess sticking with George Sherrill worked for Trembley and the O’s last year, but I question whether this is the best philosophy for an Orioles team that is playing well enough to win games right now.