J.J. Hoover: Not locked in as the closer

Hoover might be the front-runner to win the Reds' open closer job, but he's not a sure-thing, the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "I'm going to wait and see," manager Bryan Price said. "I think he's certainly a front-runner for this opportunity, but I don't think I'm quite ready to be assigning roles for on the team just quite yet. We'll see what the final roster looks like coming out of spring training. He's absolutely in contention for the position."

Analysis:

Hoover's component stats didn't track along with his improved ERA in 2015, and skill set doesn't scream out lock-solid closer. Opportunity is the most important factor in evaluating potential closers, but ultimately Hoover will have to perform well enough to hold the job. Bid cautiously when it comes to Hoover.