September 18, 2016
San Francisco Giants – If you are a fan of the Mets, Cardinals, or Dodgers, your favorite player this year might not even be on your own team. Santiago Casilla did his best to help the playoff chances of those three teams on Saturday night by blowing his ninth save of the season. Sergio Romo started the ninth inning protecting a one run lead, but after giving up a single to the second batter of the inning, Romo was pulled (and he didn’t seem to agree with the move). Santiago Casilla came on to face Yadier Molina, which was the plan from the beginning if somebody got on. Casilla walked Molina and then gave up a game-tying single to Randal Grichuk. Casilla was removed without recording an out and the next batter hit a sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run. Hunter Strickland was warming up in the bullpen after Casilla and Romo, but the fact that Bochy didn’t bring him in means he doesn’t trust him very much after he couldn’t get the job done last time he pitched. We will speculate and move Derek Law to the head of the committee since he is only the one who hasn’t failed yet.
Updated hierarchy: * Law | Strickland | Romo.
* = closer-by-committee
Pittsburgh Pirates — Wade LeBlanc picked up his second three inning save of the season yesterday. LeBlanc only gave up one hit and zero runs in his three innings, which was much better than his last three inning save where he gave up three runs. Also for those following at home, Juan Nicasio got another strikeout yesterday and now has the longest streak of consecutive relief appearances with a strikeout in the league this season.
Hierarchy remains: Watson | Rivero | Bastardo.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. J.C. Ramirez, Los Angeles Angels – Andrew Bailey has pitched in two straight and three of four.
2. Addison Reed, New York Mets – Jeurys Familia has pitched in two straight, throwing a total of 45 pitches. Reed has also gone in two straight but has been much more efficient, only throwing 20 pitches.
3. Anybody but Santiago Casilla, San Francisco Giants – We think Derek Law will get the next save chance but with Bruce Bochy continuing to play match-ups, it could probably be anybody (except Casilla).