Koda Glover on the inside track in Washington

March 22, 2017

Washington Nationals — Opening Day is just 12 days away, but Dusty Baker claims to have given no thought whatsoever to who will be closing for Washington. With most of the Nats’ big relievers pitching in minor league games, Koda Glover has been getting the bulk of the ninth innings for the big club — and Jon Heyman has reported that Shawn Kelley is no longer a candidate to close. Glover turns 24 next month, creating some concern about whether he can handle the role, but we think that Baker’s confidence in Glover’s skills (“We like us some Koda. Big time.”) and the manager’s preference for settled bullpen roles gives the youngster the advantage over Blake Treinen. Meanwhile, Joe Nathan’s strong spring might not be enough to allow him to survive Friday’s opt-out date on his contract.

Updated hierarchy: *Glover | Treinen | Kelley.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies — Greg Holland has looked healthy so far in his spring training appearances, and local reporters seem confident that he will start the season as the closer, moving Adam Ottavino into an eighth-inning role.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Ottavino | McGee.

Cincinnati Reds — Presumed committee head Raisel Iglesias was scratched from a Saturday appearance with back problems and a stiff elbow. Bryan Price claims that the issues are minor, but any missed time for Iglesias will be a boon for Drew Storen, Michael Lorenzen, and Tony Cingrani.

Hierarchy remains: *Iglesias | Storen | Lorenzen.
* = closer-by-committee

San Francisco Giants — Those considering Will Smith as a source of holds will need to go elsewhere; Smith might need Tommy John surgery to repair a sprained UCL.

Hierarchy remains: Melancon | Strickland | Law.

2017 NL East Preview

March 1, 2017

Atlanta Braves — After a comically horrific start to the 2015 season, Jim Johnson returned to the Braves, where he’s quietly spent the past season and a half regaining his form. His strikeout rate climbed back over the magical one-per-inning mark in 2016, and he ended the year with 20 saves after Arodys Vizcaino went down with an injury. That performance has earned J.J. first dibs on closing this season, as Braves skipper Brian Snitker recently said he didn’t know why Johnson wouldn’t close to start the season. Vizcaino and fireballer Mauricio Cabrera could push him, so he’s not in the most secure of spots, but you could do worse.

Starting 2017 hierarchy: Johnson | Vizcaino | Cabrera.
Holds candidates: Vizcaino, Cabrera, Ian Krol.

Miami Marlins — The Marlins bulked up their bullpen in the offseason, adding a few relievers with closing experience in Brad Ziegler and Junichi Tazawa. Ziegler, who was given a 2-year, $16 million contract, will likely set up for closer A.J. Ramos, while Tazawa will compete for holds alongside last year’s holdovers, David Phelps and Kyle Barraclough.

Starting 2017 hierarchy: Ramos | Ziegler | Phelps.
Holds candidates: Ziegler, Phelps, Barraclough, Tazawa.

New York Mets — The Mets are preparing to start the season without Jeurys Familia, who is awaiting a likely suspension from MLB due to a domestic violence incident in the offseason. (Charges were dropped, but Jose Reyes got a 51-game suspension from MLB despite charges being dropped in his case.) Addison Reed will close in Familia’s absence, with Fernando Salas picking up the eighth inning. Our guess is that Familia misses about 30 games, but until MLB makes an official decision, we’ll leave him at the top of the hierarchy.

Starting 2017 hierarchy: Familia | Reed | Salas.
Holds candidates: Salas, Hansel Robles, Jerry Blevins.

Philadelphia Phillies — Jeanmar Gomez wouldn’t be our choice to close in Philadelphia, but he’ll start the season as the ninth inning guy in Pete Mackanin’s bullpen. There’s a chance he’ll be fine, of course — he saved 37 games last year and was quite good for much of the season despite paltry strikeout totals. But he faltered down the stretch, and then the Phillies couldn’t find a taker for him in the offseason, and there’s probably a good reason for that. We expect Hector Neris, who struck out 102 batters last year and spent the winter adding a third pitch, or maybe even the recently-signed Joaquin Benoit, to take the job at some point during the year.

Starting 2017 hierarchy: Gomez | Neris | Benoit.
Holds candidates: Neris, Benoit, Edubray Ramos, Pat Neshek.

Washington Nationals — The Nationals head into 2017 with World Series hopes, but no proven closer in the back of their bullpen. Dusty Baker doesn’t seem too worried about it, with early indications pointing towards Shawn Kelley and Blake Treinen as the most likely candidates. A late-spring trade remains a possibility for the reigning NL East champions, and another outside possibility is Joe Nathan, who has Baker intrigued despite averaging only 91 mph on his fastball last year. The 42-year-old will have to make the roster first, though. For now, we’ll give Kelley the slight edge.

Starting 2017 hierarchy: *Kelley | Treinen | Nathan.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Nathan, Koda Glover, Sammy Solis, Oliver Perez.

Hunter Strickland could stabilize volatile Giants bullpen

September 12, 2016

Miami Marlins – It was only a one-out save, but A.J. Ramos showed he was up to the task despite his troublesome finger. He remains the most likely choice for saves for the Marlins down the stretch.

Hierarchy remains: *Ramos | Rodney | Barraclough.
* = closer-by-committee

San Francisco Giants – The San Francisco closer roulette wheel on Sunday landed on Hunter Strickland, who pitched the final 1.1 innings for his third save of the season. Sergio Romo and Will Smith bridged the gap to Strickland, though Romo had a forgettable outing, allowing a home run and a hit while only retiring one man. All things considered, this pushes Strickland to the top of the Giants closer committee. If he’s given (and converts) the next opportunity, he could seize hold of the job.

Updated hierarchy: *Strickland | Romo | Nathan.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies – Jake McGee got the 9th inning of a tie game on Sunday, and pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. He’s now logged seven straight scoreless appearances and has fought his way back on to the Rockies hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Ottavino | Logan | McGee.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Shawn Kelley, Washington Nationals – Mark Melancon has pitched in three straight.
2. Kelvin Herrera, Kansas City Royals – The Royals may take it easy on Wade Davis today, who has pitched in two straight and thrown over 20 pitches in each appearance.

Santiago Casilla burns Bruce Bochy for the last time

September 10, 2016

San Francisco Giants — Turns out Bruce Bochy wasn’t kidding when he said that the Giants’ new closer committee could include the struggling Santiago Casilla — it was Casilla himself who got the very first save chance, in the tenth inning of Friday’s game. Casilla blew the save when Jake Lamb hit his third home run in three at-bats against the righty this season, and Bochy admitted Casilla probably won’t get the next opportunity: “I’ve touched that hot stove enough.” The Giants took the lead in the twelfth, and Cory Gearrin wound up with a unique save that saw him retire a batter, move to left field, then return to the mound. San Francisco has no shortage of save options: Derek Law probably has the inside track when he returns from the DL early next week, but other qualified candidates include lefties Will Smith and Javier Lopez, ex-closers Sergio Romo and Joe Nathan, and eternal closer-in-waiting Hunter Strickland. Or Bochy could grab that stove again.

Updated hierarchy: *Romo | Nathan | Strickland.
*  = closer-by-committee

Miami Marlins — Fernando Rodney has struggled recently as head of the Miami committee, giving up six runs over four September appearances. On Friday, he gave up a leadoff homer and two singles before being pulled with no outs — but A.J. Ramos came in and set down three straight to record the save. We think Ramos is back ahead in the Miami ‘pen.

Updated hierarchy: *Ramos | Rodney | Barraclough.
*  = closer-by-committee

Texas Rangers — Matt Bush picked up a win last night after recording the last out of the seventh and staying on for the eighth. Bush has been getting eighth innings ahead of Sam Dyson lately, while Jake Diekman has struggled mightily in three September appearances (45.00 ERA, 7.00 WHIP). Keone Kela has looked good lately and could pass Diekman soon.

Updated hierarchy: Dyson | Bush | Diekman.

Chicago Cubs — Hector Rondon looked solid in a high-leverage eighth-inning hold Friday night, and should see vulture save chances over young C.J. Edwards going forward.

Updated hierarchy: Chapman | Rondon | Edwards.

Minnesota Twins — Trevor May returned from the DL on Friday, but because he didn’t get the benefit of any minor league rehab appearances, he isn’t expected to get any high-leverage use right away.

Hierarchy remains: Kintzler | Pressly | Rogers.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Andrew Miller, Cleveland Indians — Cody Allen has pitched in three straight and Miller got last night off.
2. Felipe Rivero, Pittsburgh Pirates — Tony Watson has pitched in four of five, and Neftali Feliz is still out.
3. Steve Cishek/Nick Vincent, Seattle Mariners — Edwin Diaz has gone in three straight, and Cishek has pitched in three of four himself.
4. Fernando Salas, New York Mets — The Mets may well keep riding their workhorse Jeurys Familia, but both he and Addison Reed have pitched in three of four and five of seven.

Santiago Casilla is still the closer in San Francisco…for now

September 9, 2016

San Francisco Giants – The Giants were off Thursday, but that didn’t stop some beat writers from writing off closer Santiago Casilla, who has struggled recently. While he’s certainly on the hot seat, there’s still no word on whether he’s off the job. Sergio Romo or even Joe Nathan would be candidates to lead what would likely be a closer-by-committee should Casilla get the ax.

Hierarchy remains: Casilla | Romo | Nathan.

Pittsburgh Pirates — Setup man Neftali Feliz will be unavailable through the weekend due to a muscular issue in his right arm. He hasn’t pitched since last Saturday. In the meantime, expect Felipe Rivero, Juan Nicasio and Antonio Bastardo to fill up the back end of the bullpen behind Tony Watson.

Hierarchy remains: Watson | Feliz | Rivero.

Colorado Rockies – The Rockies activated Jason Motte from the 15-day disabled list. He had been on the DL since late July with a rotator cuff strain. We’ll monitor how Walt Weiss uses Motte (5.66 ERA) in the coming days.

Hierarchy remains: Ottavino | Logan | Estevez.

St. Louis Cardinals — Former closer Trevor Rosenthal (forearm) and injured starter Michael Wacha are expected to rejoin the Cardinals bullpen next week for the playoff push. Rosenthal has thrown two bullpen sessions recently, while Wacha threw one Wednesday and felt no pain. It was the first time Wacha threw on the side since being shut down with a shoulder injury Aug. 9.

Hierarchy remains: Oh | Siegrist | Bowman.

New York Mets — The Mets signed veteran quarterback Tim Tebow to a minor league deal Thursday. The former Heisman Trophy winner joins a number of Mets cash cows after inking a deal that nets him a $100,000 signing bonus.

Updated hierarchy: Bonilla | Madoff | Tebow.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. David Hernandez, Philadelphia Phillies – OK, hear us out. The Phils’ top three relievers, Jeanmar Gomez, Hector Neris and Edubray Ramos, have all pitched in three of four and four of six. If Philadelphia has a ninth-inning lead Friday and Gomez needs a rest, Hernandez could get a chance.
2. Santiago Casilla, San Francisco Giants – Will Santiago Casilla get the next save chance? If so, will he have a short leash? Lots of questions. No answers yet.