Closer Monkey

Category: New York Yankees

  • Trade Deadline Buy/Sell: American League

    July 12, 2017 Special Update (Part 1 of 2 — check back tomorrow for the National League) —– Glossary: BUY+: This player has a strong chance (at least 50%) of becoming a closer by the trade deadline. BUY: This player has a small chance (at least 20%) of becoming a closer by the trade deadline.…

  • Bud Norris is restoring order to the Angels’ bullpen

    July 6, 2017 Los Angeles Angels — Miracle of miracles, the Angels actually had a low-drama save, courtesy of Bud Norris. One more and we jettison the asterisk. Meanwhile, Huston Street’s twingy groin will put him back on the disabled list until the season restarts on July 14. Hierarchy remains: *Norris | Hernandez | Bedrosian.…

  • Matt Bush could be out of a job very, very soon

    July 1, 2017 Texas Rangers — Matt Bush blew his third save in the last five chances, the league-leading 16th blown save for Texas this season. After the game, the normally taciturn Jeff Banister kept repeating, “We’ve got to find a way to close baseball games out.” Complicating that search immensely is Keone Kela’s struggle with…

  • Cody Allen going on paternity leave; look out for Phil Maton in San Diego

    June 22, 2017 Cleveland Indians — The vaunted Allen-for-Miller role swap is on hold, it seems. When Carlos Carrasco loaded the bases up three in the seventh, Terry Francona went right back to his 6’7″ security blanket, who pulled a Houdini, then pitched a scoreless eighth for good measure. After Bryan Shaw earned the eventual one-out…

  • All of a sudden, we have a committee in Cleveland

    June 19, 2017 Cleveland Indians – After Andrew Miller got the save in yesterday afternoon’s 5-2 victory, Terry Francona said that Allen and Miller would be temporarily trading roles. Apparently, this was Allen’s idea, and Francona was on board because, as the league’s thought leader in progressive bullpen usage, he’s fully aware that Miller usually…