2011 Archives

2011 Archives

Winter 2011
Boston Red Sox- The Red Sox have acquired Andrew Bailey from the Oakland A’s. Bailey will assume the closer role immediately, and Mark Melancon will set up. Hierarchy change: Andrew Bailey to Closer, Mark Melancon to Set-up, Alfredo Aceves to 2nd in line.
Oakland A’s- Andrew Bailey is gone, and an A’s front office representative said that Grant Balfour, Fautino De Los Santos, and Joey Devine will compete for save chances. Balfour should get the first shot. Hierarchy change: Balfour to Closer, De Los Santos to Set-up, Devine to 2nd in line.
Boston Red Sox- The Red Sox acquired Mark Melancon from the Houston Astros, and the righty will move into the closer’s role. The Red Sox have not yet determined a role for Daniel Bard, who may be moving to the rotation. Hierarchy change: Mark Melancon to Closer, replacing Daniel Bard.
Houston Astros- With the trade of Mark Melancon, the Astros will probably give Brandon Lyon another shot at closing. Lyon, in the 2nd of a 3-year, $15 million deal with Houston, was hampered by injuries last year but will be healthy to start the season. Hierarchy change: Brandon Lyon to Closer, replacing Mark Melancon.
Texas Rangers- The Rangers have announced that Neftali Feliz will move to the rotation in 2012. Joe Nathan will assume the closer role. Hierarchy change: Joe Nathan to Closer, replacing Neftali Feliz.
Florida Marlins- The Marlins just gave a fat contract to Heath Bell, who will immediately assume the closer role. Hierarchy change: Heath Bell to Closer, Edward Mujica to Set-up, Steve Cishek to 2nd in line.
Toronto Blue Jays- The Blue Jays have traded for Sergio Santos, who will assume the closer’s role from the departing Frank Francisco. Hierarchy change: Sergio Santos to Closer, replacing Frank Francisco.
Chicago White Sox- Down the stretch in 2011, the White Sox split closing opportunities between Sergio Santos and Chris Sale. They’ve since traded Santos and announced that Sale will move to the rotation, which means a full revamp of the back end of their bullpen. The way it stands now, Jesse Crain will get the first crack at closing. Hierarchy change: Jesse Crain to Closer, Matt Thornton to Set-up, Addison Reed to 2nd in line.
Minnesota Twins- Joe Nathan has been signed away by the Rangers, which means Matt Capps will reassume the closer role in 2012. Hierarchy change: Matt Capps to Closer, Jose Mijares to 2nd in line.
New York Mets- The Mets acquired Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch during the winter GM meetings, and Sandy Alderson has announced that Francisco will close, with Rauch setting up. Hierarchy change: Frank Francisco to Closer, Jon Rauch to Set-up, Bobby Parnell to 2nd in line.
San Diego Padres- The Padres acquired Huston Street from the Rockies for a player to be named later, and Street will likely assume the closer’s role vacated by Heath Bell. Hierarchy change: Huston Street to Closer, replacing Heath Bell.
Philadelphia Phillies- The Phillies signed Jonathon Papelbon to a four-year deal. He’ll be their closer for the foreseeable future. Hierarchy change: Jonathon Papelbon to Closer, replacing Ryan Madson.
Boston Red Sox- With Jonathon Papelbon’s departure, Daniel Bard assumes the closer role by default, for now. Hierarchy change: Daniel Bard to Closer, Alfredo Aceves to Set-up, Franklin Morales to 2nd in line.

Sept. 28, 2011
Chicago White Sox- The White Sox continue to share their 9th inning opportunities. After Sergio Santos got the save two days ago, they went to Chris Sale last night. Barring a lefty-heavy 9th inning, a save opp on the season’s final day should go back to Santos. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 27, 2011
Washington Nationals- Both Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard had the night off, having pitched the previous two days, so Henry Rodriguez got the call for the save, his second this week. Rodriguez has surpassed Sean Burnett on the Nats depth chart, as Burnett was only used for 1 hitter in the 7th. Hierarchy change: Henry Rodriguez to 2nd in line, replacing Sean Burnett.

Sept. 26, 2011
Tampa Bay Rays- Kyle Farnsworth pitched his first inning in several weeks on Saturday, so the Rays gave him Sunday off and turned to Joel Peralta for the save. No hierarchy change.
Boston Red Sox- Felix Doubront picked up the 14th inning save in the Red Sox wild nightcap on Sunday. No hierarchy change.
Florida Marlins- Steve Cishek was summoned for 2 innings of middle relief last night. Though Cishek was used to close earlier in the year, this signals that the Marlins will turn to Edward Mujica for any save opps in the season’s final three days. Hierarchy change: Edward Mujica to Closer, Steve Cishek to Set-up.

Sept. 25, 2011
Kansas City Royals- With Joakim Soria out with a hamstring pull, Royals manager Ned Yost has said that he is likely done pitching this year. Holland came in for the save again, and it is safe to say he will get the rest of the chances this year.Hierarchy change: Holland to Closer, Crow to Set-up, Collins to 2nd in line.
New York Mets- After Miguel Batista got in some trouble in the 8th inning, the Mets used Bobby Parnell to escape the jam, then summoned Manny Acosta in the 9th for his third save of the season. Parnell and Acosta are platooning at this point, though Parnell still should see the majority of the final week’s save chances. No hierarchy change.
Pittsburgh Pirates- Joel Hanrahan was unavailable for the 9th inning after throwing 32 pitches the previous night, so the Pirates turned to Jason Grilli for the save. No hierarchy change.
Baltimore Orioles- With Jim Johnson having thrown 25 pitches the night before, as well as having pitched in 4 of the previous 5 games, the Orioles gave Kevin Gregg another save chance, and the veteran delivered. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 24, 2011
St. Louis Cardinals- Summoned in a tie game in the 8th, Kyle McClellan gave up 3 runs and got the lost last night. McClellan has had a tough couple weeks and the Cardinals have been looking to Marc Rzepczynski, who they acquired from the Blue Jays last month, later in games. Hierarchy change: Marc Rzepczynski to 2nd in line, replacing Kyle McClellan.

Sept. 23, 2011
Baltimore Orioles- Jim Johnson was given the night off after pitching on three consecutive nights. Kevin Gregg got the save in his stead. No hierarchy change.
St. Louis Cardinals- Jason Motte won the closer’s job in early September after an incredible string of 33 consecutive outings without allowing an earned run. But he’s been shaky of late, and walked 3 of the 5 batters he faced last night, contributing to the Cardinals 9th inning collapse. Fernando Salas couldn’t salvage the damage, but the Cardinals may go back to their original closer in the season’s final week. Jason Motte to Hot Seat.

Sept. 22, 2011
Florida Marlins- Leo Nunez has been suspended and placed on the restricted list, and is reportedly on his way back to his home in the Dominican Republic. The Marlins turned to Steve Cishek to close when Nunez was given a week off last month, and he will likely get first crack at the suddenly-vacant closer’s position. Hierarchy change: Steve Cishek to Closer, Edward Mujica to Set-up, Mike Dunn to 2nd in line.
New York Yankees- Rafael Soriano picked up the save in the second game of yesterday’s doubleheader. Mariano Rivera had already pitched the day game, so he was given the night off. No hierarchy change.
Washington Nationals- Drew Storen picked up saves in both halves of Tuesday’s doubleheader, so he got the night off on Wednesday and Henry Rodriguez earned the save against the Phillies. No hierarchy change.
Seattle Mariners- Tom Wilhelmsen has supplanted Jamey Wright as the Mariners primary set-up man. He’s pitched the 8th inning each of the last two nights, each time setting up a Brandon League save. Hierarchy change: Tom Wilhelmsen to Set-up, Jamey Wright to 2nd in line.

Sept. 21, 2011
San Francisco Giants- The Giants lost a tight game last night, but manager Bruce Bochy said that Brian Wilson will reassume the closer role for the remainder of the years. Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo will likely share 8th inning duties for the season’s final week. Hierarchy change: Brian Wilson to Closer, Santiago Casilla to Set-up.
Chicago White Sox- Sergio Santos was on the bench for the 9th inning last night after giving up runs in his previous two outings. Chris Sale picked up a 1.2 inning save, but barring another blown save, Santos will still get the majority of the remaining opportunities this year. No hierarchy change.
Chicago Cubs- Kerry Wood is out for the season with a torn meniscus in his knee. Jeff Samardzija has assumed Wood’s late inning role. Hierarchy change: Jeff Samardzija to 2nd in line, replacing Kerry Wood.
Los Angeles Angels- The Angels were up 5 runs going into the 9th inning last night, but Garrett Richards got in a little trouble, allowing a run and several baserunners before Scott Downs got a one-out save, his first of the season. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 20, 2011
Baltimore Orioles- Since being acquired in the Mike Gonzalez deal, Pedro Strop has been quietly solid for the Orioles. He was one of four relievers the O’s used to bridge the gap between their starting pitcher and closer Jim Johnson last night, and currently sports a sub-3 ERA. Hierarchy change: Pedro Strop to 2nd in line, replacing Chris Jakubauskas.
St. Louis Cardinals- Jason Motte struggled in the 9th last night, giving up a pair of runs while only recording two outs, and the Cardinals lifted him in favor of Arthur Rhodes, who gave up a hit to the only man he faced. Octavio Dotel was the next man out of the pen, and he finally retired the last man, earning the save. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 19, 2011
New York Mets- Manny Acosta picked up his 2nd save of the season after the struggling Bobby Parnell was used in the 8th. Parnell should still get the majority of the remaining save opps, but the ones that he doesn’t will likely go to Acosta, as Jason Isringhausen is on the shelf with a sore back. Hierarchy change: Manny Acosta to Set-up, Jason Isringhausen to 2nd in line.
Tampa Bay Rays- Kyle Farnsworth is still out for at least two more days, and Joel Peralta picked up another save in his absence on Sunday. No hierarchy change.
San Francisco Giants- Up 7 runs in the 8th, the Giants turned to Brian Wilson, who had just returned from the DL. Wilson pitched a scoreless inning, and will be eased back in to the closer’s role. With only 10 days left in the season, Casilla probably gets one or two more save opps before Wilson returns to the 9th inning role. Hierarchy change: Brian Wilson to Set-up, Sergio Romo to 2nd in line.

Sept. 18, 2011
Tampa Bay Rays- Joel Peralta picked up the save last night with Kyle Farnsworth still on the shelf. Farnsworth is due to return on Wednesday or Thursday, so Peralta may get one or two more opportunities to close. No hierarchy change.
Chicago Cubs- Carlos Marmol had the night off on Saturday after pitching two innings the night before, so Sean Marshall came in for the save in the 9th. No hierarchy change.
Kansas City Royals- Nate Adcock picked up the save last night against the White Sox, pitching three innings in a 10-3 blowout. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 17, 2011
St. Louis Cardinals- Fernando Salas picked up the save in the 11th inning last night, after Jason Motte had already pitched. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 16, 2011
Pittsburgh Pirates- Evan Meek, the Pirates lone All Star in 2010, has been re-establishing himself as a reliable late-inning reliever since returning from the DL a few weeks ago. Hierarchy change: Evan Meek to 2nd in line, replacing Jason Grilli.

Sept. 15, 2011
Los Angeles Dodgers- With Javy Guerra getting the night off, it was Kenley Jansen, not Mike MacDougal, who picked up the save in last night’s Dodgers victory. Guerra should resume closing tonight, though he’s been knocked around as of late. Hierarchy change: Kenley Jansen to Set-up, Mike MacDougal to 2nd in line. Javy Guerra to Hot Seat.

Sept. 14, 2011
San Diego Padres- After a rough patch that saw him fall out of the 8th inning role, Chad Qualls has re-established himself as the primary set-up man for Heath Bell. Hierarchy change: Chad Qualls to Set-up, Luke Gregerson to 2nd in line.

Sept. 13, 2011
Baltimore Orioles- Jim Johnson picked up the save tonight. Kevin Gregg was available, having not pitched in three days, so it appears that the Orioles have finally handed the job to the hard-throwing sinkerballer. Hierarchy change: Jim Johnson to Closer, Kevin Gregg to Set-up.
Tampa Bay Rays- Kyle Farnsworth will be out a few days as he recovers from some shoulder soreness. Joel Peralta picked up the save last night and will close until he gets back. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 12, 2011
San Francisco Giants- Santiago Casilla has held firm to the closer’s job, even with Sergio Romo’s activation from the disabled list. Romo was called on for the 8th inning tonight in a game the Giants were up 8-3, the second time this week he’s been used in this fashion. Hierarchy change: Casilla to Closer, Romo to Set-up.
Toronto Blue Jays- Jon Rauch has barely pitched since his return from the DL. Casey Janssen has been used in most of the high-leverage non-save situations as of late. Hierarchy change: Janssen to Set-up, Rauch to 2nd in line.
Colorado Rockies- Long reliever Jason Hammel picked up a four-inning save in the Rockies blowout win yesterday. No hierarchy change.
San Francisco Giants- Jeremy Affeldt is out for the year after cutting his pitching hand in a kitchen accident. As the Giants’ remaining left-handed reliever, Javier Lopez will likely pitch in his stead. Hierarchy change: Lopez to 2nd in line, replacing Affeldt.

Sept. 11, 2011
New York Mets- Bobby Parnell blew yet another save yesterday. With little to lose, the Mets are still likely to give him a few more save opportunities, but Parnell has already been sharing those chances with Jason Isringhausen and Manny Acosta, and he’s in danger of losing the lion’s share of 9th innings. Parnell to Hot Seat.
Colorado Rockies- Huston Street is unlikely to return to the closer role in the season’s final weeks, but he does appear to have ascended to the 8th inning role, which is where he pitched yesterday. Hierarchy change: Street to Set-up, Brothers to 2nd in line.

Sept. 10, 2011
Baltimore Orioles- Kevin Gregg was rested last night after throwing 52 pitches in the previous two games, so Jim Johnson pitched the ninth, picking up his 4th save of the season. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 9, 2011
Los Angeles Dodgers- Kenley Jansen pitched the 7th inning last night, while Mike MacDougal pitched the 8th. It was Jansen, not MacDougal, who picked up a scavenger save when Guerra had a recent night off, but over the past two weeks, MacDougal has pitched later in games than Jansen. Hierarchy change: MacDougal to Set-up, Jansen to 2nd in line.
Arizona Diamondbacks- Brad Ziegler finished off the 8th inning for the D’Backs last night. With a sub-2 ERA, the laredo man has been ascending the depth chart. Hierarchy change: Ziegler to 2nd in line, replacing Paterson.

Sept. 8, 2011
Baltimore Orioles- Jim Johnson picked up an 11th inning save last night after Kevin Gregg had already pitched. No hierarchy change.
New York Mets- With Bobby Parnell and Jason Isringhausen unavailable, Manny Acosta pitched the 9th inning to earn his first save of the season. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 7, 2011
Florida Marlins- Steve Cishek was brought in for the 7th inning with the Marlins down by one run– the second time this week he’s been used in this fashion. The Marlins haven’t had a save opp in a while, but it’s pretty clear that Leo Nunez has his job back. Hierarchy change: Nunez to Closer, Cishek to Set-up.
San Francisco Giants- Up by 2 runs, Bruce Bochy used Sergio Romo for the 8th inning last night, and then tried to play matchups in the 9th. He used a trio of relievers in the final frame, the first two of which (Lopez, Casilla) got in trouble before Ramon Ramirez closed the door for the save. It actually seems that Casilla was meant to get the save in this one, but Romo is still the top candidate for the Giants remaining save opps. Still, his position bears watching. Hierarchy change: Casilla to Set-up, Affeldt to 2nd in line. Romo to Hot Seat.
New York Mets- Rookie Josh Stinson got the save in a 13th inning game last night. All the relievers above him on the depth chart had already pitched. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 6, 2011
Chicago White Sox- After getting knocked around a bit last night, Sergio Santos was yanked in favor of Chris Sale, who got the final out of the game and the save. Sale was brought in for a lefty, so this wasn’t a total vote of no confidence in Santos. Though this is clearly a platoon, Santos will still see more than half of the remaining save opps this season. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 5, 2011
Chicago Cubs- Carlos Marmol was held out of last night’s game, having thrown 39 pitches the night before, so Sean Marshall picked up the save. After the game, Mike Quade said that Marmol is still the Cubs’ closer. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 4, 2011
Chicago Cubs- Carlos Marmol got bombed last night and is in danger of losing his job, but it would likely be to Sean Marshall, who pitched the 8th inning last night, not Kerry Wood, who was used for the 7th. This one wasn’t about match-ups; Marshall has surpassed Wood on the depth chart. Hierarchy change: Marshall to Set-up, Wood to 2nd in line. Marmol to Hot Seat.
New York Yankees- David Robertson notched the save last night, as Rivera had pitched several games in a row. No hierarchy change.
Chicago White Sox- Sergio Santos blew the save last night, which means Chris Sale could be in line for more save opps. This was already a platoon that had Santos getting the majority of looks, but if he continues to falter, Sale could start seeing more chances. Also last night, Jesse Crain pitched the 7th, and has surpassed Matt Thornton on the depth chart. Hierarchy change: Crain to 2nd in line, replacing Thornton. Santos to Hot Seat.
Colorado Rockies- After announcing that Huston Street would be eased back in to the role, Jim Tracy said last night that it would be “asinine” to remove Betancourt from the closer role, given the job he’s done. He suggested that Betancourt could even head in to the winter as the closer, and if he falters, then Brothers will likely get an audition. Hierarchy change: Betancourt to Closer, Brothers to Set-up, Street to 2nd in line.

Sept. 3
Colorado Rockies- Rafael Betancourt got the save for the Rockies last night, who are still easing Huston Street back in to the role. Street should get the next, and most the remaining, save opps. No hierarchy change.

Sept. 2, 2011
Los Angeles Dodgers- Since returning from the DL, Kenley Jansen has been thrust back in to his late-inning role. With Javy Guerra on the bench after pitching two straight days, Jansen was called upon for the save last night. Hierarchy change: Jansen to Set-up, MacDougal to 2nd in line.
Toronto Blue Jays- Jon Rauch, fresh off the DL, pitched the 8th inning last night. He won’t reclaim his old closer job, but he’ll likely be the guy the Jays call upon if Francisco gets hurt. Casey Janssen, who will be sidelined for a few days with a stiff back, will assume the 2nd in line role as soon as he’s healthy. Hierarchy change: Rauch to Set-up, replacing Janssen.

Sept. 1, 2011
Texas Rangers- The Rangers acquired Mike Gonzalez from the Orioles last night. Gonzalez has a stellar ERA over the past month and a half and will likely assume the 7th inning role over Koji Uehara, who has struggled as of late. Hierarchy change: Gonzalez to 2nd in line, replacing Uehara.
Baltimore Orioles- With the trade of Mike Gonzalez, Jim Johnson returns to the set-up role for now. The O’s still want to give him a start or two though, so this could change quickly. Hierarchy change: Johnson to Set-up, Jakubauskas to 2nd in line.
New York Mets- Manny Acosta pitched the 7th inning last night and has been used in the late innings more often than Pedro Beato lately. Hierarchy change: Acosta to 2nd in line, replacing Beato.

Aug. 31, 2011
St. Louis Cardinals- Tony La Russa has said save opps will be merit-based for the rest of the year, but it was Fernando Salas, not Jason Motte (and his streak of 30 straight games without an earned run), who pitched the 9th last night. This looks to be a platoon for now. No hierarchy change.
Pittsburgh Pirates- Chris Resop was used in a total blowout last night and has been surpassed on the Pirates depth chart by Jason Grilli. Hierarchy change: Grilli to 2nd in line, replacing Resop.

Aug. 30, 2011
Kansas City Royals- Blake Wood picked up the save for the Royals last night. He entered the game with a runner on in the 8th, and pitched 2 scoreless innings. No hierarchy change.

Aug. 29, 2011
Colorado Rockies- Rafael Betancourt recorded the save last night, as Jim Tracy said he would be easing Huston Street back in to his closer role. Street should assume the job any day now. However, Matt Lindstrom may not return to his former role for a while, as Rex Brothers pitched the 8th last night and has been hot lately. Hierarchy change: Brothers to 2nd in line, replacing Lindstrom.
Houston Astros- David Carpenter logged a save in the 11th inning last night, after the Astros had used up Melancon and several of their stronger relievers. No hierarchy change.
St. Louis Cardinals- Jason Motte has not allowed a run in 28 straight appearances, and Tony LaRussa finally gave him the chance to close. He picked up the save yesterday, and replaces a struggling Fernando Salas. Hierarchy change: Motte to Closer, Salas to Set-up.

Aug. 28, 2011
San Francisco Giants- Sergio Romo is scheduled to come off the DL today and should immediately take over as the Giants closer while Wilson is still on the DL. Romo to Closer, Affeldt to Set-up, Casilla to 2nd in line.
Colorado Rockies- Huston Street pitched a scoreless 8th inning yesterday and Rafael Betancourt blew the save in the 9th. Manager Jim Tracy said he was going to ease Street back in the closer role but expect to see Street closing out games very soon especially after Betancourt’s blown save last night. Matt Lindstrom was also taken off the DL and moves to 2nd in line but should re-claim his set up job shortly. Lindstrom to 2nd in line, replacing Rex Brothers.
Tampa Bay Rays- Joel Peralta got the save last night as Farnsworth was unavailable due to a sore elbow. Madden said Farnsworth should be able to pitch tomorrow. No hierarchy change.
Los Angeles Angels- Jordan Walden loaded the bases with 1 out and a 4 run lead last night and was pulled for Hisanori Takahashi. Takahashi picked up the save by getting a game ending double play. Walden is still the closer and Downs had already pitched the 8th but Takahashi moves ahead of Fernando Rodney. Takahashi to 2nd in line, replacing Rodney.

Aug. 27, 2011
Florida Marlins- Steve Cishek pitched the 9th inning last night, recording the save against the Phillies. Nunez was well rested and ready to go, but McKeon still went to the young righty. Cishek to Closer, Nunez to Set-up, Mujica to 2nd in line.
Chicago White Sox- Sale got the save last night, but it was a strategic move facing a lineup that hit righties hard. Santos is clearly still the first choice. No hierarchy change.
San Francisco- Casilla was called on for the save against a righty-heavy lineup last night and has surpassed Ramirez as the set up guy with Wilson and Romo still on the DL. Casilla to set up, Ramirez to 2nd in line.

Aug. 26, 2011
Colorado Rockies Huston Street is returning from the 15-day DL and should be activated for the game today against Los Angeles. Although Betancourt has pitched well in Street’s absence, expect Street to reclaim the closer job for the stretch run. Hierarchy change: Street to Closer, Betancourt to Set-Up, Brothers to 2nd in line.
Houston Astros- With Sergio Escalona on the DL with elbow tendinitis, Wilton Lopez has reclaimed his role, pitching in three straight games.Hierarchy change: Lopez to 2nd in line.
Kansas City- Although Greg Holland gave up 2 runs last night, his strong work over the last month (5 holds and 1 save since August 7) has vaulted him over Aaron Crow into the Royals’ set-up role. Hierarchy change: Holland to Set-Up, Crow to 2nd in line.

Aug. 25, 2011
Baltimore Orioles- Mike Gonzalez looked sharp again for Baltimore, striking out all three batters he faced in the 8th. The O’s are looking to move Jim Johnson in to the rotation, so Gonzalez should assume the full-time set-up role soon. Hierarchy change: Gonzalez to Set-Up, Johnson to 2nd in line.
Florida Marlins- Setup man Edward Mujica got the call in the 9th with a 6-3 lead and gave up two runs; Steve Cishek came on in relief and got the save. McKeon gave Nunez a vote of confidence yesterday though, saying he didn’t pitch because of his Tuesday workload. No hierarchy change.
Milwaukee Brewers- Takashi Saito pitched a 1-2-3 7th inning yesterday with two strikeouts. He has better stats and more experience closing than Kameron Loe, and they used Saito in a fairly high-leverage situation yesterday. Hierarchy change: Saito to 2nd in line, replacing Loe.
Oakland Athletics- Fautino De Los Santos came into a tie game in the 9th and pitched a scoreless inning, earning the win. De Los Santos recorded a hold in his previous outing, and looks to be gaining the trust of Bob Melvin. Hierarchy change: De Los Santos to 2nd in line, replacing Brian Fuentes.
San Francisco Giants- Santiago Casilla got the save for the Giants last night, his first of the season. Jeremy Affeldt didn’t pitch due to matchup problems with the Padres lineup last night, and Ramon Ramirez pitched the night before. Casilla does jump Lopez in the hierarchy, though. Hierarchy change: Casilla to 2nd in line, replacing Lopez.
Toronto Blue Jays- Pitching in relief, Jesse Litsch earned the win last night. Litsch has been impressive since being recalled from Triple-A, and he came in the 7th in a tie game. Hierarchy change: Litsch to 2nd in line, replacing Camp.

Aug. 24, 2011
Colorado Rockies- Rex Brothers got the save last night because Betancourt had pitched 3 days in a row. His strong outing, however, combined with his recent work has made Brothers a strong 8th inning option. Hierarchy change: Brothers to Set-Up, Reynolds to 2nd in line.
Florida Marlins- Leo Nunez blew the save and has now given up a total of 9 ER in his last 3 outings. If he blows another one, McKeon could look to Mujica. Nunez to Hot Seat.
Detroit Tigers- Since Jose Valverde had pitched in the last few games, Phil Coke got a rare opportunity for a save. He got the save, stranding two runners on base. Valverde’s role will obviously not be affected, but keep an eye out for Coke to be in the mix more often. No hierarchy change.

Aug. 23, 2011
Los Angeles Dodgers- Scott Elbert was used rather early in last night’s game while the Dodgers were losing. Their 8th inning role has been muddled, but Elbert’s early outing coupled with Mike MacDougal and his stellar 2.18 ERA suggest that MacDougal is the go-to guy now, should Guerra go down. Hierarchy change: MacDougal to Set-Up, Elbert to 2nd in line.
St. Louis Cardinals- Fernando Salas got in trouble in the 9th, and after allowing the tying run, he wasn’t even allowed to get out of his own jam. Jason Motte came in and allowed an inherited runner to score. Salas has had a great season so far, but this was his 2nd straight blown save. Salas to Hot Seat.
Atlanta Braves- Jonny Venters got the save last night, but it was only because Craig Kimbral had worked the previous night, and in three of the previous four games. No hierarchy change.
New York Mets- Mets manager Terry Collins initially hinted that Pedro Beato could get some opportunities to close, but now it’s pretty clearly just going to be shared between Bobby Parnell and Jason Isringhausen (with Parnell getting slightly more chances). Hierarchy change: Isringhausen to Set-Up, Beato to 2nd in line.

Aug. 22, 2011
Toronto Blue Jays- Casey Janssen picked up a 3-inning save in the Blue Jays’ 1-0 victory last night. Frank Francisco warmed up for the 9th, but felt stiffness in his shoulder, so Janssen stayed in. At the moment, Francisco’s injury doesn’t appear serious. No hierarchy change.
San Francisco Giants- After the Giants took the lead in the top of the 11th, Ramon Ramirez pitched the bottom half to close it out. But Jeremy Affeldt had already pitched the 9th and 10th innings, and will still get the majority of save opps with Wilson and Romo out. No hierarchy change.
Seattle Mariners- Jason Gray has been pitching in a number of late game scenarios over the past several weeks, and the Mariners will likely look to him even more now that Laffey is gone. Hierarchy change: Gray to 2nd in line, replacing Laffey.
St. Louis Cardinals- Jason Motte pitched the 8th inning last night and has finally moved ahead of Kyle McClellan on the Cardinals depth chart. The Cards did have a 4-run lead, but were trying to avoid the sweep and were treating it as if it were a save situation, using Salas in the 9th as well. Hierarchy change: Motte to Set-Up, McClellan to 2nd in line.

Aug. 21, 2011
Houston Astros- Sergio Escalona struck out 3 in 1.2 innings of work last night, and has been called upon more often than Wilton Lopez in close, late-game situations over the past several weeks. Hierarchy change: Escalona to 2nd in line, replacing Lopez.
Baltimore Orioles- Jim Johnson pitched 3 scoreless innings last night, while Mike Gonzalez was used for only 0.2 innings in the 6th. While Gonzalez has more career saves, Johnson is clearly the best pitcher in the Orioles bullpen, including closer Kevin Gregg, who blew the save last night. Hierarchy change: Johnson to Set-Up, Gonzalez to 2nd in line. Gregg to Hot Seat.

Aug. 20, 2011
St. Louis Cardinals- While Mitchell Boggs has great stuff, he’s still unpolished, and Tony LaRussa has been reluctant to use him in close, late-game situations. Those innings are usually spread around to several relievers, the most prominent being Kyle McClellan, who pitched in a scoreless game in the 8th and 9th innings last night. Hierarchy change: McClellan to Set-Up, replacing Boggs.
Texas Rangers- Despite blowing the game last night, Mike Adams returned to his 8th inning role even though Koji Uehara was also available in the bullpen. Adams responded well, logging two Ks in a spotless 8th inning. Hierarchy change: Adams to Set-Up, Uehara to 2nd in line.
Boston Red Sox- Alfredo Aceves picked up the save last night, but it was of the 3+ inning variety, as the Red Sox were blowing out the Royals. No hierarchy change.

Aug. 19, 2011
Texas Rangers- Neftali Feliz was given the night off after pitching four of the previous five games, and his temporary replacement, Mike Adams, faced only two batters in his save opportunity, yielding a single and a walk-off HR. Should Feliz need the day off again, Uehara will likely get the next save opp. Hierarchy change: Uehara to Set-Up, Adams to 2nd in line.

Aug. 18, 2011
Boston Red Sox- Alfredo Aceves struck out 3 in a crisp 1.1 innings of work last night. Dan Wheeler also had a good outing, but Wheeler has been used predominantly in blowouts lately and seems to have fallen out of favor with Terry Francona. Hierarchy change: Aceves to 2nd in line, replacing Wheeler.
Houston Astros- Fernando Rodriguez pitched the 8th inning in Houston’s 4-3 win against the Cubs. The Astros don’t get many save opportunities, and when they do, they’ve been mixing and matching in the 8th, but Rodriguez has had a strong month and has moved past Wilton Lopez on the Houston depth chart. Hierarchy change: F.Rodriguez to Set-Up, Lopez to 2nd in line.
Colorado Rockies- With both Street and Lindstrom out, Matt Reynolds has emerged as primary set-up man, as he pitched 1.1 innings to close out a 5-run victory yesterday. Should he and Betancourt both go down, the Rockies will likely turn to Matt Belisle for save opportunities. Hierarchy change: Reynolds to Set-Up, Belisle to 2nd in line.

Aug. 17, 2011
San Francisco Giants- With Brian Wilson out for a few games with an elbow injury and Romo still on the DL, Affeldt was brought in to close out a 7-2 contest with 2 men on. This indicates that Bochy will look to Affeldt as the short-term closer. Although Affeldt gave up a double, he was brought in to get the final out in a close game. Hierarchy Change: Affeldt to Closer, (Brian Wilson day-to-day), Ramirez to Set Up.
New York Mets- Now that Jason Isringhausen has recorded his 300th career save, Terry Collins has said that the Bobby Parnell will close games for the remainder of the year. If he struggles, keep an eye on Pedro Beato. Hierarchy change: Parnell to Closer, Beato to Set-Up, Isringhausen to 2nd in line.

Aug. 16, 2011
Toronto Blue Jays- Jon Rauch has been placed on the DL after undergoing an emergency appendectomy this morning. Frank Francisco will assume the closer role indefinitely. Hierarchy change: Rauch to DL. Francisco to Closer, Janssen to Set-Up, Camp to 2nd In Line.
San Francisco- With Sergio Romo dinged up, Bruce Bochy called on Javier Lopez to pitch the 8th inning with a 2-run lead. It’s become clear that Lopez is the Giants’ most reliable lefty. Hierarchy change: Lopez to 2nd in line, replacing Affeldt.
Chicago Cubs- Carlos Marmol was given a day off last night after pitching 5 of the 6 previous games. Kerry Wood got the save. No hierarchy change.

Aug. 15, 2011
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