Jays' Most Pressing Need For Next Year Is An Effective Clo..

Jason Frasor is just not big and strong enough to be an effective closer.
Yes, he can reach 94 mph with his fast ball, but with his diminutive size he
is very likely to come down with arm trouble if worked in many games
successively.
Billy Koch, who at one time could reach 100 MPH with his fast ball, soon
lost his velocity
and effectiveness after two or three years, as he lacked the size arm
strength to retain it.
Meanwhile Roger Clemens is still a power pitcher after about 17 years and
being close to 40
years old.

That is not to say that a little guy could ever be a really successful
closer. But
he would have to have one or two really effective pitches and outstanding
command.
He would have to be someone like Greg Maddox, Pedro Martinez, or Tommy
Glavine in their prime,
and such lightweight pitchers are very, very rare.

The Jays should be looking for an unproven free-agent, a big burly guy, who
can bring it at 97-98 miles
an hour and has the potential to develop command and one or two other
effective pitches.
Someone like Tom Henke or Duane Ward. These two outstanding relief pitchers
where acquired
by the Jays cheap before they had proven themselves. The Texas Rangers had
given up on Henke
as rookie and traded him to Toronto virtually for nothing. The Jays got
Duane Ward
as a rookie prospect from Atlanta for Doyle Alexander, a veteran pitcher
who later in 1987 pitched
effectively for Detroit.

Justin Speier is now being used as the Jays' closer with more effectiveness
than Frasor. But
Spieir is more suited to be a setup man.