Clack wrote:
What we don't know is whether Valverde was complaining of soreness. That is something the Astros obviously wouldn't want to disclose. No matter how many pitches are thrown, 4 straight days of use is considered the maximum use of a closer. It's hard to say much about the warm up day and how that count...it could depend on how earnestly he was throwing.

If he was complaining of soreness then he shouldn't have been pitching. The way he's been pitching/faltering this week, it probably wouldn't have made any difference if he had pitched last night, they still would have lost. Back in the old days of baseball, Geary would have finished it out.


One more thing...Brocail is not a closer. Nine in his career. Try someone else Coop!