Closer Monkey

Year: 2015

  • Carson Smith struggles again; Nate Jones is filthy

    August 17, 2015 Seattle Mariners – After a successful recent stretch in AAA, Danny Farquhar returned to the big leagues over the weekend and picked up a save in extra innings on Sunday. At the moment, he doesn’t factor in to the usual late-inning plans in Seattle, but given Carson Smith’s struggles (he blew another…

  • Bruce Rondon blows save, Justin Grimm pitching well

    August 16, 2015 Detroit Tigers — Blaine Hardy and Alex Wilson combined to pitch a scoreless eighth inning and it was Bruce Rondon again who got the call in the ninth.  However, this time Rondon was unable to convert the save opportunity, as he blew the one run lead by giving up a leadoff home run.  He…

  • Sean Doolittle is almost back to save Oakland’s bullpen

    August 15, 2015 Oakland A’s — Edward Mujica pitched the seventh and eighth innings with Oakland down two runs, and after the A’s tied the score, Fernando Rodriguez pitched the ninth. As the game stretched on, Drew Pomeranz worked the eleventh and twelfth, then suffered an apparent elbow injury in the thirteenth. The good news is that Sean Doolittle pitched…

  • Hot Seat: August 15, 2015

    Here’s our latest Hot Seat update, a ranking of current closer job security. Hottest – In a committee, or on the verge of losing their job right now 30. Edward Mujica (cuffs: Fernando Rodriguez/Sean Doolittle) 29. Junichi Tazawa (cuff: Jean Machi) 28. Tommy Kahnle (cuff: Justin Miller) 27. Bruce Rondon (cuff: Alex Wilson) -Oakland’s next save…

  • Greg Holland melts down, Jake Diekman moves up

    August 14, 2015 Kansas City Royals — It can’t get worse than how the Royals’ top two relievers performed Thursday night. Wade Davis, who has been unhittable all year, allowed two runs. To put it into context, Davis has now only allowed five earned runs all season (0.96 ERA), but three have come in his last three…