The phrase "closers who flame out" sounds like a Wikipedia article that should redirect to the Milwaukee Brewers page, doesn't it? The Brewers have had a long and proud tradition of pulling closers out of nowhere. Closers who eventually go on to flame out, that is. Mike "Mustard Man" DeJean, Leo "Icelandic Brand" Estrella, Dan Kolb, Mike Adams, Derrick Turnbow, and coming soon - the Francophone Turnbow - Eric Gagne, have all fallen off the face of the Earth since being removed from the closer role.

Last night, I flipped on the AAA All-Star game just in time to see Nashville closer Luis Pena attempt close out the game for a Pacific Coast League victory. Unfortunately, he gave up 3 runs in the 9th and nearly gave up the lead. Pena is the logical choice to take over as the Brewers closer next season, so let's just hope he doesn't flame out before he arrives in Milwaukee.

Good business would be to let a guy close for a year, trade him, and let him flame out with the new club. We did that with Dan Kolb, and it netted us (the admittedly disappointing) Jose Capellan. Saloman Torres is having a solid year since being inserted in the closer role. We have an option for 2009, so we should pick that up and trade him in the offseason. Watch him flame out while Pena flourishes. Trade Pena, find another one-year wonder off the scrap heap for 2010, and so on.