Tanner Scheppers earns first save; Darren Oliver setting up in Toronto

June 30, 2012

Toronto Blue Jays – Darren Oliver pitched the 8th inning ahead of Casey Janssen on Friday, his fourth consecutive 8th inning hold.  The ageless lefty is having the best season of his career, sporting a 1.59 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.  Hierarchy change: Darren Oliver to Set-up, Francisco Cordero to 2nd in line.  

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedTOR |Janssen |Oliver |Cordero |Santos |6/30/12 |Santos (DL) |

 
Texas Rangers – With both Joe Nathan and Mike Adams unavailable, the Rangers called on young Tanner Scheppers in the 9th inning yesterday.  Scheppers was an unexpected choice, as he’d struggled so far this season since being called up in early June.  But the righty is a former first round pick, and despite some early road bumps (his current ERA is 9.31), he’s been pitching in some high-leverage spots.  Hierarchy change: Tanner Scheppers to 2nd in line, replacing Robbie Ross.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedTEX |Nathan |Adams |Scheppers |Nathan |6/30/12 |Uehara(DL) |

 
Baltimore Orioles – Matt Lindstrom got the final out of the 7th inning on Friday, and eventually earned the win in his second appearance since returning from the DL.  The hard-throwing righty has a 1.80 ERA on the season, and given his past closer experience, he’d likely be the guy the Orioles went to if Jim Johnson and Pedro Strop were unavailable.  Hierarchy change: Matt Lindstrom to 2nd in line, replacing Darren O’Day.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedBAL |Johnson |Strop |Lindstrom |Johnson |6/30/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – With with the Twins employing a true platoon, Jared Burton could get the save opp if there’s a righty-heavy ninth inning due up.

Jake Diekman ascending after a steady June

June 29, 2012

Philadelphia Phillies – Chad Qualls was sent to the minors on Thursday.  Jake Diekman has a 2.08 ERA in June and has been pitching in some higher-leverage late-inning spots as of late, and will move up to take Qualls’s place.  Hierarchy change: Jake Diekman to 2nd in line, replacing Chad Qualls.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedPHI |Papelbon |Bastardo |Diekman |Papelbon |6/29/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Robbie Ross, Texas Rangers – Both Joe Nathan and Mike Adams have pitched in three straight, and four of the last five.
2. Brandon Lyon, Houston Astros – Brett Myers had a horrendous outing last night, and has pitched in four of the last five.  He could get the night off tonight.
3. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – With with the Twins employing a true platoon, Jared Burton could get the save opp if there’s a righty-heavy ninth inning due up.

Aaron Crow now the set-up man in Kansas City

June 28, 2012

San Francisco Giants – Sergio Romo picked up his fourth save of the season on Wednesday.  Both Santiago Casilla and Jeremy Affeldt had pitched the night before, and in 4 of the last 5.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSF |Casilla |Affeldt |Romo |Wilson |6/28/12 |Wilson(DL) |

 
Kansas City Royals – Aaron Crow finished the 8th inning yesterday, keeping the game tied and eventually earning a win when the Royals scored in the bottom half.  On Tuesday, he pitched the 8th inning with the Royals ahead by 2 runs.  Greg Holland has struggled over the past two weeks, allowing 11 baserunners in his last 3.1 innings.  Hierarchy change: Aaron Crow to Set-up, Greg Holland to 2nd in line. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedKC |Broxton |Crow |Holland |Broxton |6/28/12 |Soria(DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. David Robertson, New York Yankees – Rafael Soriano threw 30 pitches in earning the save last night, and has now pitched in four of the last five games.

Shawn Camp, Jeremy Affeldt ascending

June 27, 2012

Chicago Cubs – Shawn Camp pitched 1.1 innings on Tuesday, finishing the 7th and 8th innings ahead of Carlos Marmol.  James Russell’s usage lately has been sporadic, as he’s often pitched in blowouts, or early in games, as he did yesterday.  Hierarchy change: Shawn Camp to Set-up, James Russell to 2nd in line. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCHC |Marmol |Camp |Russell |Marmol |6/27/12

 
San Francisco Giants – Yesterday, Jeremy Affeldt pitched the 8th inning ahead of Santiago Casilla for the third time in the last four days.  To be frank, Affeldt is not as good as Sergio Romo.  But he does have more experience as a closer, and based on his recent usage, Bruce Bochy would probably promote the lefty to the 9th inning role if anything were to happen to Santiago Casilla.  Hierarchy change: Jeremy Affeldt to Set-up, Sergio Romo to 2nd in line.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSF |Casilla |Affeldt |Romo |Wilson |6/27/12 |Wilson(DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – With with the Twins employing a true platoon, Jared Burton could get the save opp if there’s a righty-heavy ninth inning due up.
2. Brandon Lyon, Houston Astros – Brett Myers has pitched in three straight.

Jared Burton and Glen Perkins sharing closer role for Twins

June 26, 2012

Minnesota Twins – With two lefthanders due up in the 8th inning, the Twins summoned Glen Perkins, leaving the ninth to Jared Burton.  Burton earned his second save in as many days, after Perkins got the first two opportunities last week in Matt Capps’s absence.  The Twins will use a true committee going forward, basing the 9th inning role on match ups, Ron Gardenhire said before the game.  But given Gardenhire’s aversion to using Burton against lefties– and his reluctance to use Burton too frequently due to the righty’s injury history, which he referenced before Monday’s game– Perkins is still the more likely candidate for a save on any given night, since he’s shown the ability to get both righties and lefties out.  No hierarchy change.  

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedMIN |Perkins |Burton |Burnett |Capps |6/26/12 |Capps(DL) |

 
Houston Astros – Fernando Rodriguez gave up 2 more runs on Monday, and his ERA now sits at 6.28 for the season.  While he was one of the more reliable relievers for the Astros in 2011, he’s struggled all year long.  Lefthander Wesley Wright, meanwhile, now has 10 holds on the season and often stays in to pitch to righthanded hitters.  Hierarchy change: Wesley Wright to 2nd in line, replacing Fernando Rodriguez.  

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedHOU |Myers |Lyon |Wright |Myers |6/26/12 |Lopez(DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – Glen Perkins is most likely to nab a save today, but with the Twins employing a true platoon, Jared Burton could get his third straight save chance.