[ an inning of relief is an inning of relief, whether its in the 7th, 8th, or 9th. ] While factually that is true, I believe some pitchers have a better time pitching when they have a defined role. Some pitchers are great for intense situational pitching (makes me think of Mike Myers, and the Chad Fox of old), and some pitchers just thrive as closers. I think that if you have the right mix of personalities, a closer by committee can work. But some closers probably feel like being the last word on a game gets them pumped up.