Benoit to close after Street is traded to Angels, Putnam picks up save

July 19, 2014

San Diego Padres — Huston Street has been traded to the Angels and set-up man Joaquin Benoit will assume the 9th inning duties.  It sounds like the Padres will use a number of different guys in the set-up role, with Dale Thayer, Kevin Quakenbush and Nick Vincent, when he returns from injury, being mentioned.

Updated hierarchy: Benoit | Thayer | Quakenbush.

Chicago White Sox — Zach Putnam got the first save opportunity coming out of the All-Star break and converted for his third save of the season.  It’s hard to read too much into one game, especially with the way Robin Ventura has been using his relievers recently, but it looks like we are back to Putnam and Petricka sharing the closing duties for now.

Updated hierarchy: Petricka | Putnam | Guerra.

Los Angeles Angels — The Angels acquired former Padre closer Huston Street late Friday night, and he is expected to immediately bump Joe Smith back to a setup role.

Updated hierarchy: Street | Smith | Jepsen.

Miami Marlins — Kevin Gregg has been placed on the DL with right elbow inflammation.  The Marlins activated A.J. Ramos from the DL and he should split time with Bryan Morris in the 7th and 8th innings.

Updated hierarchy: Cishek | Morris | Ramos.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Zach Putnam, Chicago White Sox – The White Sox are still going with a committee so it could be Putnam or Petricka on any given night.
2. Grant Balfour/Brad Boxberger, Tampa Bay Rays – Jake McGee has been pitching great and getting most of the save opportunities, which means it’s a perfect time for Joe Maddon to try somebody else in his committee.

Kevin Gregg? Kevin Gregg. And Twitter hates Brian Wilson’s beard

June 26, 2014

Miami Marlins — We can’t hide from this anymore. Kevin Gregg, fresh from coaching Little League, is relevant again in Miami. Wednesday night, he pitched a perfect eighth in a one-run game, an enormous, bespectacled bridge to Steve Cishek. His vast (if checkered) closing experience, combined with Mike Redmond’s obvious willingness to use him in big spots, will make him the next guy up when necessary.

Updated hierarchy: Cishek | Gregg | Ramos.

Los Angeles Dodgers — As predicted in Wednesday’s Vulture Save Watch, Kenley Jansen got the night off and Brian Wilson picked up his first save in 26 months, oblivious to the endless litany of catty tweets he inspired.

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Wilson | League.

Los Angeles Angels — Although the Angels scored an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, Joe Smith had been warming in preparation for a second straight save. That news pales in comparison to the true accomplishment in Anaheim on Wednesday night.

Hierarchy remains: Smith | Jepsen | Frieri.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jason Motte, St. Louis Cardinals — Trevor Rosenthal threw a whopping 41 pitches on Wednesday night.

Gregg grabs hold in Miami; Nats pitcher picks up vulture save

June 24, 2014

Miami Marlins — Kevin Gregg collected his second hold of the season on Monday, and this one was far cleaner than his previous outing. He mowed down the Phillies on just 12 pitches in the eighth inning to keep Miami ahead, 2-0. It appears he may become part of the Marlins’ late-inning plans after all, but we need to see some consistency before anointing Gregg as the new eighth-inning savior.

Hierarchy remains: Cishek | Ramos | Morris.

Washington Nationals — Yes, it’s actually a Nats update! As predicted in yesterday’s Vulture Save Watch, Tyler Clippard picked up his first save of the season with Rafael Soriano having pitched in three straight contests.

Hierarchy remains: Soriano | Clippard | Storen.

Chicago Cubs – Hector Rondon took the loss after the Reds scored five in the ninth – all with two outs – to earn a 6-1 win. One bad outing shouldn’t immediately threaten Rondon’s job security, but it doesn’t help, either.

Hierarchy remains: Rondon | Ramirez | Strop.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Neil Ramirez, Chicago Cubs – Hector Rondon threw 32 pitches last night.

Kevin Gregg back with the Marlins

June 3, 2014

Miami Marlins – An old friend has returned to Miami, as the Marlins signed former closer Kevin Gregg to a minor-league contract. They plan to call him up after a couple weeks in the minors, but despite 33 saves for the Cubs last season, Gregg is not expected to factor into the Marlins’ late-inning plans.

Hierarchy remains: Cishek | Ramos | Dunn.

Cleveland Indians — Bryan Shaw had a tough go of it in the eighth inning of Monday’s 3-2 win against the Red Sox, giving up a two-run homer before ceding way to Marc Rzepczynski, who recorded the final out of the frame. However, Shaw can smile knowing he isn’t this Bryan Shaw, who had a much worse Monday.

Hierarchy remains: Allen | Shaw | Axford.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. A.J. Ramos, Miami Marlins – Steve Cishek has pitched in back-to-back games.

Doolittle bested by a Trout; seven walks for sorry Brothers

April 16, 2014

Oakland A’s — Sean Doolittle blew a save late Tuesday night, courtesy of a Mike Trout home run. No instant alert for this one — they were even anyway — but we’re ready to shuffle Luke Gregerson to the top of the Oakland closer committee. Note also the resurgence of Jim Johnson, who’s pitched five scoreless innings since he was moved out of the ninth inning. Hierarchy change: Luke Gregerson to Closer, Sean Doolittle to Set-up.

.Closer.Set-Up.2nd in line.2015 Closer.Updated
OAKLuke GregersonSean DoolittleRyan CookRyan Cook4/16/14

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Colorado Rockies – Rex Brothers has been awful this year, and Walt Weiss has decided to give the lefty a few days off. Boone Logan, who escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh on Tuesday night, should reap some high-leverage rewards. For his part, Adam Ottavino has been practically unhittable. Hierarchy change: Adam Ottavino to Set-up, Boone Logan to 2nd in line.

.Closer.Set-Up.2nd in line.2015 Closer.Updated
COLLaTroy HawkinsAdam OttavinoBoone LoganRex Brothers4/16/14

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Cincinnati Reds — Jonathan Broxton picked up his first save of the year on Tuesday night, cementing his hold on Cincy’s closer job until the return of Aroldis Chapman. On Monday, Chapman threw off a mound for the first time since his injury, and the Reds are cautiously optimistic. No hierarchy change.

.Closer.Set-Up.2nd in line.2015 Closer.Updated
CINJonathan BroxtonSam LeCureManny ParraAroldis Chapman4/16/14
Aroldis Chapman (DL)Sean Marshall (DL)

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Chicago White Sox — The Sox signed ex-closer Frank Francisco on Monday and assigned him to their AAA team in Charlotte. With the struggles in the White Sox pen so far, Francisco has a good shot at being this year’s Kevin Gregg. That might be the saddest sentence I’ve ever typed. No hierarchy change.

.Closer.Set-Up.2nd in line.2015 Closer.Updated
CHWMatt LindstromDaniel WebbMaikel CletoNate Jones4/16/14
Nate Jones (DL)

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Toronto Blue Jays — Casey Janssen pitched a scoreless inning for class-A Dunedin on Tuesday; he’s expected to make two more minor league appearances before returning in about a week. What role he’ll have upon his arrival is still unknown. No hierarchy change.

.Closer.Set-Up.2nd in line.2015 Closer.Updated
TORSergio SantosBrett CecilSteve DelabarSergio Santos4/16/14
Casey Janssen (DL)

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VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. David Carpenter/Jordan Walden, Atlanta Braves — Craig Kimbrel is still day-to-day with a sore shoulder.
2. Kevin Jepsen, Los Angeles Angels — Ernesto Frieri has pitched in four of the last five games, as has Joe Smith, who got blasted on Tuesday.
3. Chad Qualls/Anthony Bass, Houston Astros — It’s Houston, what are you gonna do?
4. Pedro Strop, Chicago Cubs — Rick Renteria might call on Strop after demoting Jose Veras. Heck, he might call on Kevin Gregg, or Gregg Olson.
5. Ryan Cook/Dan Otero, Oakland Athletics — Luke Gregerson is most likely to get an A’s save on Wednesday, but these two have a shot.
6. Brian Wilson/J.P. Howell, Los Angeles Dodgers — Kenley Jansen has thrown in three of the last four games, including a 25-pitch outing yesterday, and Brian Wilson has returned from the disabled list.