Brett Myers: A Closer Once More

For the first time since 2007, Brett Myers is once more a closer in the National League. The Houston Astros have formally announced Brett Myers as their new closer for the 2012 season after many delegations. This raises many questions of what will happen with the Astros rotation. In the past two seasons, Myers has started 67 games for the Astros with a record of 21-22, and ERA of 3.79, and 439 2/3 innings. In the National League Myers has the 5th most innings pitched as a starter, so how do the Astros easily move him only into the 9th inning? Well they have many young arms to take his place in the rotation, those arms being: Livan Hernandez, Zach Duke, J.A. Happ, Wandy Rodriguez, Bud Norris, Jordan Lyles, Lucas Harrell, Henry Sosa, and Kyle Weiland. Let's just say they have their fair share of minor league pitchers to choose from if one doesn't work out. So let's just say that the Astros are "set" in their rotation, but how does Myers stack up as a closer? In 2007, Myers went 5-5 with a 2.87 ERA with 21 saves. Not too bad, but compared to last year's closer Mark Melancon, who had 20 saves in the 2011 season, Myers could be a large improvement. But what do the Astros need to do to compete in the only division that has six teams? What do they need to do to win more than 56 games? My guess would be that they need to fix their team batting average of .258 and their team ERA of 4.51. While increasing one, and decreasing the other, there is no reason that the Astros should at least finish above the Cubs(?). Myers will have five weeks of Spring Training to get his arm ready to be a closer once more, I wish him luck in the 2012 season and hope he is a successful closer for the Astros.