Oh Jenrry

August 21, 2014

San Diego Padres — As predicted in the Tuesday Vulture Save Watch, Kevin Quackenbush filled in for the injured Joaquin Benoit and picked up his first career save on Wednesday. After the game, Bud Black said that the team is considering placing Benoit on the disabled list, and will take the next day or two to assess Benoit’s condition.

Hierarchy remains: Benoit | Quackenbush | Thayer.

New York Mets — Jenrry Mejia is running out of body parts to injure. On Wednesday, he added a stiff back to his hernia and sore calf, which is a sentence that I can’t believe I’m writing about a 24-year-old professional athlete. Jeurys Familia picked up the five-out save while Mejia convalesced. With the Mets off tomorrow, Mejia believes that he’ll be ready for Friday’s game in LA, but this has gone far enough for us to speculate that Familia will close in 2015 (if not before), while Mejia moves to West Palm Beach and starts going everywhere on an electric scooter.

Hierarchy remains: Mejia | Familia | Black.

Houston Astros — Chad Qualls was unavailable with back stiffness on Wednesday, and Bo Porter surprised everyone by calling on Jose Veras for the save. Veras had pitched only once in the past week, and he let the tying run get as close as the warning track, but he still managed to pick up his first save in six opportunities this season. Josh Fields pitched the eighth and Tony Sipp had thrown 27 pitches on Tuesday, so let’s not get too excited about Jose just yet. Qualls’s injury is not expected to be serious.

Hierarchy remains: Qualls | Fields | Sipp.

Texas Rangers — After giving up two solo home runs and putting the tying run on base with a walk, Neftali Feliz made two unlikely escapes. First he convinced Ron Washington to let him stay in the game, then he struck out Donovan Solano on five mid-90s fastballs. The Rangers were encouraged by Feliz’s increased velocity, but they could do without the added drama.

Hierarchy remains: Feliz | Cotts | Tolleson.

Philadelphia Phillies — Ken Giles is in some impressive company as the pitcher with the sixth-best K rate in the game this season; naturally, he struck out the side in the eighth on Wednesday.

Hierarchy remains: Papelbon | Giles | Bastardo.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jason Grilli, Los Angeles Angels — Huston Street and Joe Smith have each pitched on five of the last six (and six of the last eight) days. Kevin Jepsen has pitched in three of four, including 28 pitches last night. Jason Grilli? Tan. Rested. Ready.
2. Kevin Quackenbush, San Diego Padres — Joaquin Benoit will be out at least another day or two.
3. Josh Fields, Houston Astros — If Chad Qualls isn’t ready to go today, Bo Porter will probably turn to Fields.

Joe Smith tightening his grip on Angels’ closer gig

June 27, 2014

Los Angeles Angels – That Joe Smith is one shrewd sidearmer. After inheriting three of Ernesto Frieri’s baserunners with two out in a 5-run 9th inning last night, Smith cleverly allowed a double to the first hitter he faced, plating all three runs and raising Frieri’s ERA to 6.39. Then he looked into the dugout and he laughed and he laughed (probably), before striking out Kendrys Morales to pick up the save. With Frieri’s continued implosion, Smith’s hold on the closer role is strengthening, with his main competition now coming from Kevin Jepsen and youngster Mike Morin, the latter of whom has a 1.37 ERA in 25 appearances.

Hierarchy remains: Smith | Jepsen | Frieri.

Houston Astros – Yeah, okay, he had an 8.10 ERA with the Cubs in a memorably awful two months earlier this year, but it wasn’t that long ago that Jose Veras was literally the only reliable reliever in the Houston bullpen. The Astros, who signed him to a minor league deal a few weeks back, just called Veras back to the bigs, where he’ll slide into the hierarchy based on experience alone. In our hierarchy and in the real life bullpen, Veras replaces Kyle Farnsworth (who, interestingly, was also holding a spot in both places based on experience alone), who was sent to the minors to make room.

Updated hierarchy: Qualls | Sipp | Veras.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jonathan Broxton, Cincinnati Reds – Aroldis Chapman has pitched in back to back games, and has thrown 81 pitches across four outings this week.

Rays committee continues to baffle; DL moves aplenty across majors

June 17, 2014

Tampa Bay Rays – Committees can be maddening for fantasy owners, and Joe Maddon hasn’t helped matters by the way he has gone about the late innings. Joel Peralta pitched the seventh before giving way to Grant Balfour, who struggled through one out of the eighth. Jake McGee, who appeared to be the leading candidate for saves, was called upon to bail him out and instead allowed an inherited runner to score, tying the game. The Rays regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning and it was Juan Carlos Oviedo who picked up his first save since he was Leo Nunez in 2011. After the game, Maddon insisted that there’s “no need” to settle on one closer, and that it’ll be the opponents’ batting order that dictates who enters the game. We still think McGee is at the head of the committee, but at this point it really could be anyone who gets the call at any particular moment.

Hierarchy remains: McGee | Peralta | Balfour.

San Francisco Giants — Santiago Casilla will rejoin the Giants beginning with their two-game series against the White Sox that opens tonight. Jean Machi, who sports a tremendous 0.29 ERA in 31 innings pitched this season, will cede the 8th-inning role to Casilla and become the go-to guy in the sixth and seventh innings.

Updated hierarchy: Romo | Casilla | Machi.

San Diego Padres — Nick Vincent was placed on the 15-day DL due to right shoulder fatigue. Dale Thayer will be the likely replacement for Vincent.

Updated hierarchy: Street | Benoit | Thayer.

Houston Astros – Josh Fields became the latest Astros arm to hit the disabled list with soreness in his throwing forearm. Kyle Farnsworth should see time in Fields’ stead. In addition, Houston signed former closer Jose Veras to a minor-league deal and he will be worth keeping an eye on as he continues rehabbing an oblique strain.

Updated hierarchy: Qualls | Sipp | Farnsworth.

Cleveland Indians — The usual suspects in the Indians’ bullpen were tuckered out – Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw had pitched in three straight games and John Axford was used in consecutive contests – which allowed an opportunity for Carlos Carrasco to pick up his first career save on Monday night. Carrasco certainly earned it, striking out four and allowing just one hit in 2.1 innings of work.

Hierarchy remains: Allen | Shaw | Axford.

Chicago Cubs – Hector Rondon returned on Monday night against the Marlins and needed 26 pitches to strike out the side in the bottom of the ninth inning, keeping the game tied. The Cubs took the lead in the top half of the 13th before James Russell breezed through the final three outs to record his first save of the season and just the third of his career.

Hierarchy remains: Rondon | Ramirez | Strop.

St. Louis Cardinals — Seth Maness got the Cardinals out of a minor jam in the eighth inning and stayed on to complete the ninth and collect his first save of the season in a 6-2 victory over the Mets.

Hierarchy remains: Rosenthal | Motte | Neshek.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Junichi Tazawa, Boston Red Sox – Koji Uehara has pitched in three straight while Andrew Miller has appeared in four consecutive contests.
2. Neil Ramirez, Chicago Cubs – Hector Rondon threw 26 pitches in his return last night and might get a breather.

Juan Carlos Oviedo might be next in line for Tampa

June 11, 2014

Tampa Bay Rays — It’s fun to talk about, but until the team finally wins a game, the Tampa closer committee will remain a matter for philosophers, theologians, and Seminole medicine men. Juan Carlos Oviedo might get the first shot at breaking the curse tomorrow, since Joel Peralta was used Tuesday in a high-leverage spot in the eighth, and Jake McGee followed him with a 20-pitch ninth. If that happens, we can’t rule out the possibility that Oviedo takes the job and runs with it, perhaps earning up to one save per month for the flailing Rays. Watch out for Kirby Yates as a dark horse candidate too; he’s been a lights-out closer for the AAA Durham Bulls.

Hierarchy remains: Peralta | McGee | Oviedo.

Miami Marlins — Since arriving in a trade from Pittsburgh on June 1, Bryan Morris has been immediately thrust into higher-leverage spots for the Marlins, including four eighth-inning appearances in the last five days. His ascent will allow Mike Redmond to use Mike Dunn in more of a matchup role.

Updated hierarchy: Cishek | Ramos | Morris.

New York Yankees — Shawn Kelley will be activated from the disabled list on Wednesday, but Joe Girardi will be careful with him for a while, avoiding use in back-to-back games. Dellin Betances and Adam Warren have been exemplary in Kelley’s absence.

Hierarchy remains: Robertson | Betances | Warren.

Atlanta Braves — Jordan Walden returned from the DL today after a month away, and we were all set to move him right into the Braves’ hierarchy — that is, until he entered Tuesday’s game with a four-run lead in the eighth and immediately issued three straight walks. Thanks to Shae Simmons, the Braves yielded only one run. Walden hasn’t historically struggled with control, but we’ll still wait to see what his next game holds before making the move.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Simmons | Carpenter.

Chicago Cubs — $4 million mistake Jose Veras was released today. Cubs fans, he can’t hurt you now. The bad man is gone.

Hierarchy remains: Rondon | Ramirez | Strop.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Juan Carlos Oviedo, Tampa Bay Rays — As noted above, if the Rays don’t give Joel Peralta the save opportunity Wednesday, it will likely go to Oviedo.
2. David Carpenter, Atlanta Braves — Craig Kimbrel struck out the side Tuesday with 11 pitches and 11 strikes, but it was his fourth night of work in the last five days. Shae Simmons has a similar usage pattern, leaving Carpenter as the best-rested option.
3. Luke Gregerson, Oakland A’s — Sean Doolittle threw 28 pitches in a two-inning outing.

Matt Lindstrom out for three months; Cubs turn to Schlitter

May 22, 2014

Chicago White Sox — Bad news for Matt Lindstrom Wednesday; the righthander will need surgery on his injured ankle and is unlikely to return before late August. In his absence, Robin Ventura has chosen Ronald Belisario and his speedy sinker as the team’s closer.

Hierarchy remains: Belisario | Webb | Petricka.

Los Angeles Dodgers — Chris Perez hasn’t pitched since May 17, and when he has been used, he’s been strikingly ineffective in some low-leverage spots. We can’t yet tell you whether injury, fatigue, or ineffectiveness is to blame for him being passed over in situations like Wednesday’s tight seventh and eighth, but we’re concerned enough to move him out of the top three until he proves he’s okay.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Wilson | League.

Pittsburgh Pirates — Jason Grilli expects to return on Saturday, and should slide back into the closer role soon thereafter. He’s owned in over 80% of ESPN and Yahoo! leagues, so we won’t issue an email alert when he comes back, but if he’s available in your league, act now.

Hierarchy remains: Melancon | Watson | Wilson.

San Francisco Giants — Santiago Casilla injured his right hamstring during a rare plate appearance late Wednesday. He’ll be tough to replace, but the search should start with Jean Machi, who’s working on a 15-game scoreless streak.

Updated hierarchy: Romo | Machi | Lopez.

Chicago Cubs — The euphonious Brian Schlitter pitched a scoreless eighth before Hector Rondon blew his first save of the year and Jose Veras lost a game of dodgeball with John Ryan Murphy. Schlitter happens to be getting what passes for high-leverage work in the Cubs bullpen lately.

Updated hierarchy: Rondon | Ramirez | Schlitter.

Texas Rangers — When Tanner Scheppers returns from the disabled list after this weekend’s rehab assignment, he will do so as a set-up reliever, the role that he filled so ably for the team in 2013.

Hierarchy remains: Soria | Frasor | Ogando.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Luke Gregerson/Jim Johnson, Oakland A’s — New closer Sean Doolittle might not be ready to pitch in three straight games.
2. Chris Perez, Los Angeles Dodgers — If he’s healthy and mentally sound, he’s the best-rested option.
3. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles — Still a possibility at any time.