Feliz and Quackenbush record saves

August 28, 2016

Pittsburgh Pirates — As predicted in yesterday’s Vulture Save Watch, Tony Watson got the day off on Saturday and Neftali Feliz picked up the save.  Feliz should continue to fill in as closer when Watson is unavailable.

Hierarchy remains: Watson | Feliz | Rivero.

San Diego Padres — Kevin Quackenbush pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts for his first save of the season.  The Vulture Save Watch correctly predicted that Brandon Maurer would have Saturday off and that Quackenbush would get the save.  However, Brad Hand was available and pitched the eighth inning.  Quackenbush saved six games for the Padres down the stretch in 2014 and it looks like he has moved ahead of Hand in the Padres bullpen and could continue to see save chances when Maurer is not able to go.

Updated hierarchy: Maurer | Quackenbush | Hand. 

Seattle Mariners — The Mariners have placed Tom Wilhelmsen on the disabled list with back spasms.  Steve Cishek and Nick Vincent should help set-up Edwin Diaz while Wilhemsen is out.

Updated hierarchy: Diaz | Cishek | Vincent.

Colorado Rockies – Up until yesterday, Adam Ottavino’s ERA for 2015 and 2016 matched his jersey number; 0.  Ottavino blew the save on Saturday while giving up his first run since September 2014.  Ottavino had the longest active scoreless streak in the majors, but it was ended by the Washington Nationals, who ended Zach Britton’s streak just a few days earlier.

Hierarchy remains: Ottavino | Logan | Estevez.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Shawn Kelley, Washington Nationals – Mark Melancon has gone in three straight.
2. Joe Blanton, Los Angeles Dodgers – Kenley Jansen has pitched in back-to-back games and four of the past five.
3. A.J. Ramos, Miami Marlins – Fernando Rodney has appeared in three of the past four games.
4. Randall Delgado, Arizona Diamondbacks – Daniel Hudson got the last save opportunity but was unable to convert it so Delgado could get the next shot.

0.11 not a good ratio for Jeremy Jeffress

August 27, 2016

Texas Rangers — Jeremy Jeffress was placed on the restricted list following a Friday morning DWI arrest. Jeffress failed three drug tests in the minors — which he attributed to self-medicating his epilepsy — and was suspended twice. The Rangers are likely to activate him today and allow the legal process to play out before deciding on any suspension, but with Matt Bush and Jake Diekman pitching effectively, Jeffress may have to earn his way back into the hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Dyson | Diekman | Bush.

Arizona Diamondbacks — True to his word, Chip Hale used Randall Delgado and Daniel Hudson to protect a one-run lead on Friday. Delgado escaped the eighth with his scoreless streak intact (now 13 appearances), but Hudson, pitching for a third straight day, was not so lucky. He got two outs, then gave up three straight singles to blow his first save of the year. Arizona recovered to win in extra innings, but the bullpen woes continue and the team is no closer to finding an answer at closer. Delgado may have the inside lane for the next save chance.

Hierarchy remains: *Hudson | Delgado | Barrett.
* = closer-by-committee

Houston Astros — Luke Gregerson remained unavailable with an ankle injury; although he hasn’t pitched in nine days, the team is hopeful that he will return over the weekend. Michael Feliz, Chris Devenski, and Pat Neshek have filled in for Gregerson.

Hierarchy remains: Giles | Harris | Gregerson.

Kansas City Royals — The scoreless streak for the Royals bullpen came to an end at 41.1 innings on Friday night. Peter Moylan gave up two singles to start the ninth, and Kelvin Herrera couldn’t keep the inherited runners from scoring. This was the longest such streak since one by the 1966 A’s, also in Kansas City. Meanwhile, Wade Davis should be back next week.

Hierarchy remains: Herrera | Soria | Strahm.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Randall Delgado, Arizona Diamondbacks — Daniel Hudson has pitched in three straight games, needing 32 pitches on Friday.
2. Neftali Feliz, Pittsburgh Pirates — Tony Watson has pitched three days in a row.
3. Kevin Quackenbush, San Diego Padres — Brandon Maurer threw 38 pitches on Friday and Brad Hand has gone in three of four. Brandon Morrow would be an option, but he’s on paternity leave.
4. Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals — Kelvin Herrera was on the mound when the Royals’ scoreless streak ended, so clearly he can’t be trusted. He’s also pitched in two straight and three of four.
5. Xavier Cedeno, Tampa Bay Rays — Alex Colome has gone in three of four.

Thanks, Chip Hale, for reading Closer Monkey

August 26, 2016

Arizona Diamondbacks — Arizona is home to the worst bullpen in the major leagues (5.19 ERA) without anyone good enough to be considered a closer. Manager Chip Hale is searching for answers. Clearly, he must be a Closer Monkey subscriber as we pointed out yesterday that Daniel Hudson — he of 11 straight scoreless outings, including Thursday — and Randall Delgado (12 straight scoreless outings) were the likely next candidates for a D-Backs save. Hours later, Hale announced as much to reporters.

Hierarchy remains: *Hudson | Delgado | Barrett.
* = closer-by-committee

Tampa Bay Rays — Congratulations to Enny Romero, who picked up the first save of his major league career Thursday when he struck out a pinch-hitting David Ortiz to end things against the Red Sox. While the Vulture Save Watch correctly predicted a night off for Alex Colome, manager Kevin Cash played the matchups. He went with Tyler Sturdevant to start the ninth and Romero to end it, as his other late-inning options (Xavier Cedeno, Brad Boxberger) each pitched in two straight and needed a breather.

Hierarchy remains: Colome | Cedeno | Boxberger.

Los Angeles Angels – Injured closer Cam Bedrosian — originally on the shelf with middle finger tendinitis —  was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right arm, putting his season in jeopardy. Further examination by a vascular specialist is scheduled to determine the severity of the issue.

Hierarchy remains: Salas | Ramirez | Guerra. 

Boston Red Sox — Converted starter Clay Buchholz has been sent back to the bullpen after a pair of quality spot starts. Now that he’s pitching much better (2.37 ERA in 19 August innings), there has been chatter in Boston about the righty’s role in a not-so-great bullpen. Could he slide into a cushy role in the 7th or 8th innings?

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Ziegler | Barnes.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Any warm body, Arizona Diamondbacks — Our best bet is it’s Daniel Hudson’s job, for now. He pitched a scoreless ninth Thursday with a two-run deficit. If it’s not Hudson, keep an eye on Randall Delgado.
2. A.J. Ramos, Miami Marlins –What are Don Mattingly’s plans for the closer role? He has used Ramos and Fernando Rodney recently, even suggesting Rodney could close most games the rest of the way. Nothing official has been announced by the team.

Fernando Rodney is still shooting arrows for Miami

August 25, 2016

Miami Marlins — It wasn’t a huge surprise when Don Mattingly called on Fernando Rodney in a save situation on Wednesday, and it certainly didn’t shock anyone when Rodney loaded the bases, then managed to escape. But it was unusual when the manager suggested he might leave Rodney in the closer role down the stretch, in part to take advantage of A.J. Ramos’s ability to pitch “multiple innings.” The team hasn’t made an official announcement — and might never do so — but we’re going to call it a committee at this point, with Rodney taking the first chair. Ramos stays in the lead for next year, though; Rodney’s 2017 team option is on the rise, due to incentives for appearances and games finished.

Updated hierarchy: *Rodney | Ramos | Barraclough.
*  = closer-by-committee

Arizona Diamondbacks — Gifted a four-run lead in the ninth, the least bad option in Arizona’s bullpen (Enrique Burgos) gave up a home run, two walks, and an RBI single. Randall Delgado and Daniel Hudson had already pitched, and Jake Barrett threw 22 pitches on Monday and Tuesday, so Dominic Leone dragged his 7.91 ERA and 2.28 WHIP out to the mound for the inevitable blown save. Hudson hasn’t allowed a run in his last 10 games — although his last four appearances have been a combined 16 pitches — so he could get the next Arizona save opportunity. Have at him, masochists.

Updated hierarchy: *Hudson | Delgado | Barrett.
* = closer-by-committee

Kansas City Royals — While the Royals extended their bullpen’s scoreless innings streak to 34.2, Wade Davis pitched a scoreless rehab inning in 102-degree Arizona heat.

Hierarchy remains: Herrera | Soria | Strahm.

Boston Red Sox — Overrated reliever Jonathan Papelbon evidently has a standing offer to return to the Red Sox. If Papelbon wants a chance to help out the Rangers or Indians in the playoffs, he’ll have to sign with Boston by the end of this month.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Ziegler | Barnes.

Baltimore Orioles — Freakin’ Zach Britton gave up an earned run on Wednesday night, just like he did on April 30. What a bum.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | Brach | Givens.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jake Barrett, Arizona Diamondbacks — If Arizona doesn’t give Hudson the next shot at blowing a save, it could well be Barrett again.
2. Xavier Cedeno, Tampa Bay Rays — Alex Colome has pitched in three of four.
3. Adam Liberatore/Pedro Baez, Los Angeles Dodgers — So has Kenley Jansen. Joe Blanton is also tired (two straight, 42 pitches).

Matt Strahm surging in Kansas City

August 24, 2016

Kansas City Royals – The Royals’ bullpen is on fire right now, having thrown a club record 32 scoreless innings. A big part of that has been rookie southpaw Matt Strahm, who has compiled a streak of nine straight scoreless innings. That included a clean seventh inning on Tuesday, which lowered his ERA to 0.96. He has also struck out 17 of the 35 batters he has faced, and while Strahm still may end up in the starting rotation next season, for now he’s an important piece of a red-hot ‘pen.

Updated hierarchy: Herrera | Soria | Strahm.

Arizona Diamondbacks — Jake Barrett had another rough outing Tuesday, allowing three runs in the eighth to turn a 4-3 lead into a 6-4 deficit. Barrett said he has been dragging, and a busy August may have a lot to do with that. This is good news for Enrique Burgos, who likely would have had the ninth last night and should continue to have the edge over Barrett for future save opportunities.

Hierarchy remains: *Burgos | Barrett | Hudson.
* = closer-by-committee

Milwaukee Brewers – Tuesday’s Vulture Save Watch listed just one name, Corey Knebel, and it was indeed a correct prediction. Knebel collected his first career save while Tyler Thornburg rested after throwing three innings over the last two days.

Hierarchy remains: Thornburg | Knebel | Torres.

Baltimore Orioles – Vance Worley didn’t join Knebel on the Vulture Save Watch, but he too picked up his first career save after pitching the final three innings in an 8-1 Baltimore victory. Worley does not factor into the Orioles’ usual late-inning plans.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | Brach | Givens.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Robert Carroll, Goodlettsville, Tennessee – While the Southeast squad in the Little League World Series appears to be in a committee, Carroll picked up an extra-inning save last night and could see another save chance in today’s elimination game.