Aroldis Chapman looks good; Joaquin Benoit will avoid the DL

August 22, 2014

Cincinnati Reds – Aroldis Chapman owners can breathe a cautious sigh of relief for now — Chapman got an inning of work in yesterday’s blowout and appeared totally fine, striking out two in a 1-2-3 frame. We’ll keep an eye on him going forward, but this was a good sign.

Hierarchy remains: Chapman | Broxton | Diaz.

Los Angeles Angels – We know that we can be a little gratuitous about patting ourselves on the back when the Vulture Save Watch gets one right. But our arms are downright sore from all the self-congratulations after we picked not-even-on-the-hierarchy Jason Grilli as a vulture save candidate yesterday. Huston Street, Joe Smith, and Kevin Jepsen all got Thursday off, and Grilli converted for his first save as an Angel.

Hierarchy remains: Street | Smith | Jepsen.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Kevin Quackenbush, San Diego Padres – The Padres don’t anticipate putting Joaquin Benoit on the DL, but if he still can’t go today, Kevin Quackenbush will get the save chance.

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.

Jonathan Broxton might be worth an add

August 20, 2014

Cincinnati Reds — It’s time to worry about Aroldis Chapman. The fireballing righthander is day-to-day with an “achy” shoulder, which we learned about after Chapman walked all four men he faced on Sunday. Jonathan Broxton would be the beneficiary of any extended rest for the closer, and with the team’s playoff hopes dwindling by the day, there is little to be gained by pushing their star to pitch through pain. In other news, Jumbo Diaz has moved ahead of Sam LeCure to enter our hierarchy for the first time, and J.J. Hoover picked up his tenth loss of the year, tying the team record for relievers.

Updated hierarchy: Chapman | Broxton | Diaz.

Detroit Tigers — Almost a week after Joe Nathan made an obscene gesture at Detroit fans, he struggled again in a save situation, giving up a run on two hits and a walk. Nathan’s seat remains boiling lava hot.

Hierarchy remains: Nathan | Chamberlain | Alburquerque.

Tampa Bay Rays — Lately it has seemed that Grant Balfour pitches only when the Rays are losing. Though that wasn’t the case when he entered the game on Tuesday night, it certainly was when he left, three runs and no outs later. Of Balfour’s 14 pitches, only two were strikes — and one of those was lined for a hard-luck triple. Grant’s struggles (he leads all relievers in walks) make Joel Peralta relevant again, if only by default.

Updated hierarchy: McGee | Boxberger | Peralta.

New York Yankees — The Yankees have had to cobble things together at almost every position, but the bullpen had remained a strength — until recently. Aside from the still-otherworldly Dellin Betances, no Yankee reliever has pitched well since the All-Star break. After a lights-out April and May, Adam Warren has struggled recently, and he saw more than a week go by between his last two outings. Shawn Kelley’s stats aren’t much better, but he seems to be the reliever that Joe Girardi trusts most in the seventh these days.

Updated hierarchy: Robertson | Betances | Kelley.

Toronto Blue Jays — John Gibbons just keeps going to Dustin McGowan early these days, summoning him in the fourth last night. Brett Cecil has a narrow edge over top prospect Aaron Sanchez right now.

Updated hierarchy: Janssen | Loup | Cecil.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Dellin Betances/Shawn Kelley, New York Yankees — David Robertson has pitched on three of the last four days, and he threw 20 pitches while picking up the loss on Tuesday. Betances has pitched in each of those games too, but he had an easier time last night. Kelley is better rested still.
2. Kevin Jepsen, Los Angeles Angels — Both Huston Street and Joe Smith have pitched in four of the last five games. Jepsen got a vulture save Monday and might earn a second today.
3. Brad Boxberger, Tampa Bay Rays — Jake McGee threw 35 pitches on Tuesday.
4. Kevin Quackenbush, San Diego Padres — Joaquin Benoit’s shoulder troubles continued on Tuesday, so we’ll keep Quack here until we hear different.

Trevor Rosenthal’s rocky road continues; Jepsen nails down save for Halos

August 19, 2014

St. Louis Cardinals – Trevor Rosenthal’s troubles continued on Monday, as he blew his fifth save of the season. This came on the heels of being yanked mid-save chance on Sunday, but despite that, Mike Matheny continues to back his closer. He claimed Rosenthal’s performance “was not actually that bad” on Monday, but with Pat Neshek lurking, Rosenthal’s hot seat has to be even hotter now. Additionally, Carlos Martinez is back in the Cards’ bullpen after being recalled from Triple A and is expected to slide into the seventh inning.

Updated hierarchy: Rosenthal | Neshek | Martinez.

Los Angeles Angels — As predicted in Monday’s Vulture Save Watch, Kevin Jepsen picked up his first save of the season as both Huston Street and Joe Smith got a night off. Jason Grilli needed just nine pitches to secure an eighth-inning hold.

Hierarchy remains: Street | Smith | Jepsen.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Pat Neshek, St. Louis Cardinals – Trevor Rosenthal has pitched in back-to-back games, and is in the hot seat, despite his manager’s faith.
2. Jeurys Familia, New York Mets – Jenrry Mejia has pitched in four of five and has been battling injuries.
3. Kevin Quackenbush, San Diego Padres – Joaquin Benoit is dealing with a “cranky” right shoulder and will be re-evaluated today. If he can’t go, Quackenbush is in line for a save chance.

Trevor Rosenthal yanked mid-save chance

August 18, 2014

Baltimore Orioles – The Orioles have an embarrassment of riches in their bullpen right now, as Andrew Miller has wonderfully complemented the dominant duo of Darren O’Day and Zach Britton. Miller got the 8th inning hold last night, and has been splitting those opportunities with O’Day over the past several weeks, depending on match ups. This does make it hard to guess who would be the beneficiary should Britton go down — but we’ll leave the hierarchy as is for the time being with the above qualifier in place.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Miller.

St. Louis Cardinals – After Trevor Rosenthal walked three batters in the 9th inning on Sunday, Mike Matheny yanked him from the game, allowing Seth Maness to pick up his second save of the year. Despite the hook, Matheny remained adamant after the game that Rosenthal was his man. But with Pat Neshek continuing his run as maybe the best set-up man in the game, Rosenthal has to be looking over his shoulder.

Hierarchy remains: Rosenthal | Neshek | Maness.
Trevor Rosenthal to Hot Seat.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Kevin Jepsen/Jason Grilli, Los Angeles Angels – Both Huston Street and Joe Smith have pitched in three straight.
2. Jeurys Familia, New York Mets – Jenrry Mejia has pitched in three of four and has been battling injuries.