Santiago Casilla out a few days; Bruce Rondon gets doors blown off

July 3, 2015

San Francisco Giants — Manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday that he’s going to “back off” from using closer Santiago Casilla for a few days after the pitcher reported a “tired arm.” Casilla didn’t record an out Wednesday night, giving up a three-run shot to Justin Bour to blow the game. As you might expect, Sergio Romo will get the first shot at closing, but Bochy could also play the matchups, which means lefty Javier Lopez or righty Hunter Strickland might get a shot.

Hierarchy remains: Casilla | Romo | Strickland.

Texas Rangers — Former Rangers closer Neftali Feliz was activated from the disabled list Thursday and could factor into the team’s late-inning plans, despite a rough time of it during his rehab outings (7.36 ERA over 11 innings). We’ll see how manager Jeff Bannister chooses to use Feliz in the early going, but have no fear — Shawn Tolleson is still the closer moving forward. If Feliz continues to struggle, Texas might have a difficult decision to make, because (as a veteran with five years of service time) Feliz can decline any minor league option.

Hierarchy remains: Tolleson | Scheppers | Kela.

Detroit Tigers – What’s going on out in the Tigers bullpen on a nightly basis? Other than Joakim Soria, this team can’t seem to find any stability from its relief corps. The latest example of inconsistency was Bruce Rondon, who allowed four runs on four hits while recording just one out before getting yanked. Rondon’s outing was especially crushing, as Detroit had just scored three runs to get within one. One bad performance won’t shake our confidence in Rondon yet, but that 12.00 ERA sure doesn’t look pretty in the box score.

Hierarchy remains: Soria | Chamberlain | Rondon.

Toronto Blue Jays — Setup man Steve Delabar has been dynamite for the Jays all season, but he came unglued Thursday night against the Red Sox, uncorking three wild pitches in just two-thirds of an inning (he only had two all year entering the game). Delabar also allowed three runs on three hits and a walk. Perhaps this disastrous outing was an aberration, but his command was all over the place, so his performance moving forward bears watching. In other news, the Jays had to use every member of the bullpen in Thursday’s 12-6 loss after starter Matt Boyd failed to record an out, allowing seven runs in the first inning.

Hierarchy remains: *Osuna | Delabar | Schultz.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Sergio Romo, San Francisco Giants — With Casilla out the next few days, Romo is the most likely to get the call. If Bochy decides to play matchups, he could end up using lefty Javier Lopez.
2. Jeremy Jeffress/Jonathan Broxton, Milwaukee Brewers — Closer Francisco Rodriguez has pitched in four of the last five days and may need a break Friday. It’s also Independence Day weekend, so Will Smith — who has also pitched in four of five — may be a bit busy with other… matters. Look for Jeffress or maybe even Broxton, who has that invaluable “closing experience” managers love, to close if needed.
3. Hector Rondon/Pedro Strop, Chicago Cubs — Nothing is ever easy with Joe Maddon as the closer committee drags on in Chicago. Jason Motte had the most recent save, but Rondon or Strop get the next chance?
4. Carson Smith, Seattle Mariners — Smith was warming for the ninth inning on Wednesday, and could get the call in Seattle’s continued closer-by-committee.
5. Tommy Kahnle, Colorado Rockies — If John Axford remains out on Friday, the Rockies will turn to LaTroy Hawkins or Kahnle.

Luke Gregerson protects lead and gets…a win?

July 2, 2015

Houston Astros — Trivia question: When a relief pitcher (Luke Gregerson) enters the game in the 9th inning with his team up by one and retires the first three batters he sees (like he did last night) what does he earn? If you said “save” you’d be right…except if you were in Houston on July 1, 2015. The official scorekeeper decided that when Josh Fields surrendered a two-run triple in the top of the 7th, this made him unworthy of the win so he invoked MLB rule 10.17. This let him award the win to the “most effective” reliever. He decided that this was Gregerson and his perfect 9th inning, so instead of his 19th save, Gregerson picked up his third win. This isn’t the first time 10.17 has given a closer a surprise win in a save situation, and the rule even showed up in Game 7 of last year’s World Series. (although it was later overturned).

Hopefully this rare decision doesn’t cost any of our loyal readers!

Hierarchy remains: Gregerson | Neshek | Fields.

Seattle Mariners – Just when it seemed like Fernando Rodney had resumed his 9th-inning duties, manager Lloyd McClendon opened up the committee again. Rodney came into the 8th inning to protect a three-run lead. This makes sense if he was facing the heart of the order, but he was facing the 7-8-9 hitters. Not really a place where you would find your closer. Carson Smith was warming up for the save opportunity, but when the Mariners tacked on four runs in the top of the 9th, they sat him down and turned to Tom Wilhelmsen. We are still big fans of Carson Smith, and this seems to suggest he will still see some save chances down the road despite McClendon’s affinity towards Rodney.

Hierarchy remains: *Rodney | Smith | Lowe.
* = closer-by-committee

Chicago Cubs – Justin Grimm picked up a one-out save after he bailed out James Russell in the 12th inning. Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon and Jason Motte all pitched earlier in the game, in that order. Grimm is another Cubs reliever who is having a great season, but with the logjam at the top of the hierarchy, his first career save might be his last for the foreseeable future.

Hierarchy remains: *Motte | Rondon | Strop.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Hector Rondon/Pedro Strop, Chicago Cubs – Strop, Rondon and Jason Motte have all pitched in two straight, so Joe Maddon’s options are seemingly endless.
2. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles – Zach Britton has pitched back-to-back games, but has been efficient, needing only 24 pitches. He has yet to appear on three straight days this season, however.
3. Tommy Kahnle/Scott Oberg, Colorado Rockies – The Rockies are in a committee until John Axford returns.
4. Carson Smith, Seattle Mariners – Smith was warming for a save chance on Wednesday, which means he could get the nod Thursday.

Rockies move to committee as John Axford tends to family

July 1, 2015

Colorado Rockies –John Axford was placed on the personal inactive list Tuesday night in order to take care of things at home, though thankfully it seems as if his son, who was bit by a rattlesnake earlier this year, is fine. By rule, Axford’s absence must last a minimum of three days, and the Rockies will go to a committee during that time. LaTroy Hawkins, Tommy Kahnle and Scott Oberg were mentioned by manager Walt Weiss as committee members, with Hawkins getting the first chance on Tuesday. The 42-year-old earned his second save of the season and his first since April 7. He has allowed just one earned run in nine appearances since returning to the Rockies’ roster and is the leading candidate for saves in Axford’s stead. Boone Logan was up in the ‘pen if a lefty got into the game for the A’s in the 9th, meaning Weiss is willing to play matchups as well.

Updated hierarchy: *Hawkins | Kahnle | Oberg.
* = closer-by-committee.

Chicago Cubs – Jason Motte picked up his second save in June, with Hector Rondon being used in the 7th and Pedro Strop taking the 8th ahead of Motte. Each of the last two save chances for the Cubs have gone to Motte, who has moved to the top of the their committee for the time being.

Updated hierarchy: *Motte | Rondon | Strop.
* = closer-by-committee

Texas Rangers – Tanner Scheppers pitched the 8th inning on Tuesday, facing the 2-3-4 hitters in the potent Orioles lineup and retiring the side in order. Keone Kela got the 7th ahead of Scheppers, which was the order of appearance the previous evening. Expect Scheppers to get more of the high-leverage work immediately ahead of Shawn Tolleson in the future.

Updated hierarchy: Tolleson | Scheppers | Kela.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Daniel Hudson, Arizona Diamondbacks – Brad Ziegler has appeared in each of the last three games.
2. Junichi Tazawa, Boston Red Sox – Koji Uehara has pitched in three straight and four of the last five.
3. Hector Rondon/Pedro Strop, Chicago Cubs – Joe Maddon can go to any of his three late-inning options to get a save.
4. Tommy Kahnle/Scott Oberg, Colorado Rockies – Same goes for Walt Weiss, who may choose to rest 42-year-old LaTroy Hawkins.
5. Jeremy Jeffress, Milwaukee Brewers – K-Rod has gone in three straight games and so has Will Smith, who struggled a bit in the 8th on Tuesday before Jeffress bailed him out.
6. Trevor Gott/Fernando Salas, Los Angeles Angels – We’ll try this again. After both Joe Smith and Huston Street pitched in their fourth straight game on Tuesday, expect youngster Trevor Gott or one-time Cardinals closer Fernando Salas to get the call in the ninth if the Angels have a lead.