Fuentes flourishing in closer role

[awefullspellare]

Fuentes flourishing in closer role
Rockies reliever has converted six consecutive saves
By Michael Gluskin / MLB.com

DENVER -- Several hours before it's time to "Play Ball!" Rockies reliever Brian Fuentes sits in front of teammate Shawn Chacon's locker. Fuentes is not trying to bother Chacon, but lands there because Chacon has an Xbox system.

Closer to game time, Fuentes can be seen sitting down again, but this time at a table in Colorado's clubhouse, studying the opposing team's lineup.

After a rough start for the Rockies bullpen at the beginning of this season, Fuentes has become a stabilizing force among the relievers. The southpaw took over the closer role after Chin-hui Tsao suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.

Although Fuentes is 6-for-6 in save opportunities since being named the closer, he is quick to point out he's officially 6-for-7 on the year. His 2.70 ERA leads the team, and Fuentes has 29 strikeouts in 30 innings worked.

Fuentes is called "Tito" by his teammates, because of the Cuban infielder, Tito Fuentes, who played in the 1960s and '70s. He has earned the confidence of those teammates to close out a game. Friday's winning pitcher, Jamey Wright, said he was not nervous at all when handing a 2-0 lead against Detroit over to the bullpen. In the ninth, Fuentes gave up a leadoff single but eventually preserved the shutout.

"Tito has been solid," Wright said. "I have a lot of faith in our bullpen. There's no one I'd rather have out there on the mound than Tito."

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Always been pretty impresed with Fuentes. Like him alot.

Sadly, I didn't even know Tsao was out for the year.

[Kingdom]

I hope his team mates call him Daisy.