Pedro Strop looking to get back on track; Mitchell Boggs continues to implode

April 22, 2013

Baltimore Orioles – Nearly all season, Darren O’Day has served as the 8th inning man for the Orioles.  Pedro Strop was the go-to set-up man for Baltimore last year, but has struggled out of the box this year, having posted a 9.45 ERA through the season’s first three weeks.  He pitched yesterday in the 7th inning of a game the Orioles were losing, and will need to get back on track before he’s used in high-leverage situations again.  Hierarchy change: Darren O’Day to Set-up, Pedro Strop to 2nd in line.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2014 Closer |UpdatedBAL |Johnson |O'Day |Strop |Johnson |4/22/13

 
Miami Marlins – Jon Rauch faced six batters on Sunday and five of them reached base, and when the dust cleared, the Reds had plated eight runs in the inning and Rauch’s ERA had ballooned to 9.45.  Until he figures it out, the Marlins are unlikely to go to Rauch in high-leverage spots.  That duty will likely fall to AJ Ramos or Chad Qualls, the former of which has 16 Ks in 11.2 innings pitched thus far.  Hierarchy change: AJ Ramos to 2nd in line, replacing Jon Rauch.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2014 Closer |UpdatedMIA |Cishek |Dunn |Ramos |Cishek |4/22/13

 
Texas Rangers – Michael Kirkman picked up a 3-inning save in a blowout on Sunday.  He does not figure in to the normal late-inning hierarchy in Texas.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2014 Closer |UpdatedTEX |Nathan |Ross |Scheppers |Nathan |4/22/13

 
St. Louis Cardinals – Mitchell Boggs’s nightmare season continued on Sunday, as he was summoned in a tie game in the 8th inning, and allowed four runs while only recording one out.  With an ERA that now stands at 12.46, he’s got a long way to go before he returns to any kind of substantial role in the Cardinals bullpen.  Trevor Rosenthal will be the guy to set up Edward Mujica for the time being.  Hierarchy change: Trevor Rosenthal to Set-up, Mitchell Boggs to 2nd in line.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2014 Closer |UpdatedSTL |Mujica |Rosenthal |Boggs |Motte |4/22/13 |Motte(DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Koji Uehara, Boston Red Sox – Andrew Bailey has pitched on two straight days and on four of the last five.
2. Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs – James Russell pitched in the 7th inning of a game the Cubs were losing Sunday. As we’ve stated before, he is the best reliever in the Cubs bullpen, and it isn’t even close; however, it might be Carlos Marmol who is summoned in an upcoming save situation.

Brad Ziegler moving up in Arizona; more wackiness in Detroit

April 6, 2013

Detroit Tigers — Jim Leyland is just messing with us now, leaving long man Drew Smyly in for a four-inning save, as the Tigers slowly pulled away from the Yankees. No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2014 Closer |UpdatedDET |Coke |Benoit |Alburquerque|Rondon |4/6/13

 
Arizona Diamondbacks — Arizona has used Brad Ziegler in a few high-leverage spots so far this season, while Heath Bell’s only appearance left him with an 81.00 ERA and more home runs allowed than batters retired. At this point, Bell is strictly a reliever of last resort. Hierarchy change: Brad Ziegler to 2nd in line, replacing Heath Bell.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2014 Closer |UpdatedARI |Putz |Hernandez |Ziegler |Putz |4/6/13

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Charlie Furbush, Seattle Mariners –– Tom Wilhelmsen loaded the bases and needed 34 pitches to get last night’s save. Stephen Pryor could be sidelined too; he threw 28 pitches over two innings himself.
2. Mike Dunn/Jon Rauch, Miami Marlins — Steve Cishek threw 30 pitches on Friday and 10 on Thursday.

Santiago Casilla picks up first save since July

September 29, 2012

San Francisco Giants – Sergio Romo got a night off on Friday, so Javier Lopez and Santiago Casilla combined to get through the 9th inning.  Casilla got the last two outs and picked up his first save in several months.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSF |Romo |Lopez |Casilla |Wilson |9/29/12 |Wilson(DL) |

 
New York Mets – Bobby Parnell just picked up his 6th save of the season.  Earlier today, the Mets said that Parnell would close for the last week of the season, so he might be good for one or two more save chances.  Hierarchy change: Bobby Parnell to Closer, Jon Rauch to Set-up.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedNYM |Parnell |Rauch |Edgin |Francisco |9/28/12 |Francis(INJ)|

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jon Rauch, New York Mets – Bobby Parnell has pitched in two straight and five of the last six.
2. Javier Lopez, San Francisco Giants – Javier Lopez and Sergio Romo continue to share the 9th inning role for the Giants.

Bobby Parnell to close for the last week of the season

September 28, 2012

New York Mets – Bobby Parnell just picked up his 6th save of the season.  Earlier today, the Mets said that Parnell would close for the last week of the season, so he might be good for one or two more save chances.  Hierarchy change: Bobby Parnell to Closer, Jon Rauch to Set-up.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedNYM |Parnell |Rauch |Edgin |Francisco |9/28/12 |Francis(INJ)|

Bobby Parnell to share save chances in New York

September 28, 2012

New York Mets – After Jon Rauch gave up a 2-run HR in the 9th inning on Thursday, Bobby Parnell got the last two outs for his fifth save of the season.  With Frank Francisco likely done for the year, Rauch and Parnell will split opportunities in the season’s final week.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedNYM |Rauch |Parnell |Edgin |Francisco |9/28/12 |Francis(INJ)|

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Javier Lopez, San Francisco Giants – Javier Lopez and Sergio Romo continue to share the 9th inning role for the Giants.
2. Bobby Parnell, New York Mets – With Frank Francisco on the shelf, Jon Rauch and Bobby Parnell will split save chances in the season’s final week.