From Deseret News archives:
Utah's Lyon relishes role as MLB closer
"He earned it through performance," said Bryan Price, the D-backs' pitching coach.
The Salt Lake City native promptly had two blown saves in his first four outings and allowed homers in both games. But Arizona manager Bob Melvin kept Lyon as the team's closer.
"Bob stuck with him. There was never any wavering," Price said.
Lyon, a Taylorsville High graduate, rewarded Melvin for that show of support. The 6-foot-1 right-hander set a franchise record earlier this season for relievers with 25 straight scoreless innings. The streak was broken June 17 against Oakland.
That was the longest streak for a Major League reliever since Francisco Rodriguez went 31 straight innings in 2006. Lyon notched his career-high 19th save on July 8 as Arizona All-Star Brandon Webb won his 13th game of the season against the Nationals.
"It is a situation I am comfortable with," said Lyon, 28, sitting in the Arizona clubhouse before last Thursday's game in the nation's capital. "I have been here before" as a closer.
Lyon, a former pitcher at Dixie State, was second in the majors with 35 holds — coming into the game with his team ahead or tied for the lead, and not relinquishing the lead — last season, when he appeared in a career-high 73 games. He pitched in all three National League Division Series games against the Cubs and in two NLCS games against Colorado.
The St. George resident entered this season with a franchise-best 59 holds. But Price and Glenn Sherlock, the Arizona bullpen coach, said Lyon's personality is ideal as the closer.
"He does a great job. He is the leader of our bullpen," Sherlock said. "He has been very durable. He runs the bullpen. The guys look up to him."
Sherlock said he has not noticed a difference in how Lyon prepares for games now that he is the closer. "I don't do anything different," said Lyon, who had 14 saves in 2005 for Arizona.
In his first 38 games this season, Lyon was 2-3 with a 2.43 earned run average and had allowed 35 hits in 37 innings with 28 strikeouts and just seven walks. He had a blown save July 10 in the bottom of the ninth against Washington, thanks in part to fielding woes by third baseman Mark Reynolds, but the D-backs went on to beat Washington 7-5 in 11 innings.
Lyon, who throws a fastball in the low-90s with a curveball and change-up, made his Major League debut with Toronto in 2001. He says his curve was once his fourth-best pitch but has developed into his second-best offering after his heater.
"His temperament fits the role of closer," Price said.
