Who could be the 8th inning guy in 2010 (provided Valverde comes back. Or doesn't.)? Let's ask Alyson Footer:
Ed Wade:
Wade rattled off four names who could possibly act as setup men in '10: Alberto Arias, Jeff Fulchino, Chris Sampson, LaTroy Hawkins.
So with the non-tender deadline coming up on Dec 12, that's good news for Sampson.
Regarding the bench, Wade will try to fortify it "sooner" rather than later.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith