Santiago Casilla continues his quest towards double digit blown saves

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).

Sean Doolittle ever more likely to return to closing in Oakland

September 17, 2016

Pittsburgh Pirates — Tony Watson converted his 13th save in the tenth inning of Friday’s game, but the real stories happened in front of him. Swingman Juan Nicasio set a club record with his 28th straight relief appearance with at least one strikeout, and Antonio Bastardo picked up the win with a clean ninth inning. Neftali Feliz hasn’t pitched since September 3, and though the team believes he’ll pitch again this season, it’s time to reward Bastardo for his legit work setting up Watson.

Updated hierarchy: Watson | Rivero | Bastardo.

Boston Red Sox — Koji Uehara pitched a clean eighth inning last night, his fifth straight scoreless appearance since returning from the DL. Over that time, Uehara has a 0.60 WHIP and has thrown 78% of his pitches for strikes. Koji seems to be returning to his eighth-inning role, and we’ll edge him in front of Brad Ziegler.

Updated hierarchy: Kimbrel | Uehara | Ziegler.

Oakland A’s — Ryan Madson’s seventh blown save of the season on Friday renews speculation that the team will return Sean Doolittle to the role next year, if not sooner.

Updated hierarchy: Madson | Doolittle | Axford.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Fernando Rodney, Miami Marlins — A.J. Ramos took the loss last night in the 12th inning, after throwing 30 pitches. He has pitched in three of the last four, so he is likely going to get a rest today.
2. Ryan Buchter/Kevin Quackenbush, San Diego Padres — Brandon Maurer blew a save with 36 pitches on Friday. Buchter has pitched in two of three, so Quack might get another shot.
3. Brad Brach, Baltimore Orioles — Zach Britton has pitched in three of four and five of seven.

Dellin Betances getting worked to death

September 16, 2016

New York Yankees – The “D” in the former “No Runs DMC” trio has had a rough couple of days, culminating in a disastrous outing Thursday that could cost the Yankees a chance at making the playoffs. Dellin Betances was not called upon to begin the ninth when the Yankees had a 5-2 lead over the Red Sox, as Joe Girardi was hoping to avoid using him. Instead of turning to Tyler Clippard as the Vulture Save Watch predicted, Girardi tried playing the matchups. He went to Tommy Layne to start the 9th. With one out, Girardi brought in Blake Parker, who hit Chris Young and was pulled. He then brought in Betances anyway, and things began to unravel. Betances walked Dustin Pedroia and got the second out when Young was thrown out at home. After allowing RBI singles to David Ortiz and Mookie Betts, he yielded a walk-off 3-run shot to Hanley Ramirez. Ugly. He’s certainly going to need some rest this weekend for you Tyler Clippard owners.

Hierarchy remains: Betances | Clippard | Warren.

Arizona Diamondbacks – Patrick Corbin tossed the last three innings of Arizona’s 7-3 win over the Dodgers to earn a vulture save, his first of the season and second of his career. He probably won’t get another save chance the rest of the season, but with this sorry group of relievers, who really knows?

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

St. Louis Cardinals – Former closer Trevor Rosenthal was activated from the disabled list (inflammation in his throwing shoulder) Thursday. With the Cardinals in the playoff race, it’ll be interesting to see how Rosenthal factors in with just a couple of weeks left. Meanwhile, the team has been mute on the status of closer Seung Hwan Oh, who is battling a sore groin. Expect Kevin Siegrist to fill in if Oh needs more time.

Hierarchy remains: Oh | Siegrist | Bowman.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Tyler Clippard, New York Yankees – Dellin Betances has pitched in three straight, including taking losses Wednesday and Thursday.
2. Kevin Siegrist, St. Louis Cardinals – Seung Hwan Oh has been battling groin soreness and hasn’t pitched since last Friday. Siegrist gets the next save chance if Oh can’t go.

Bruce Rondon finishing strong

September 15, 2016

Detroit Tigers – Bruce Rondon pitched a clean 8th inning ahead of Francisco Rodriguez on Wednesday, his second straight appearance where he’s nabbed an 8th inning hold. It also marked his 9th straight scoreless appearance (9 IP, 13 Ks, 4 BBs), and with his usage over the last few games, he’s the closest thing the Tigers have to a handcuff for K-Rod.

Updated hierarchy: Rodriguez | Rondon | J.Wilson.

Miami Marlins – David Phelps returned from the disabled list and also returned to the Miami bullpen, splitting the 8th inning with Mike Dunn. Phelps, who set up for A.J. Ramos for a time earlier this year, re-enters the hierarchy as a reliable bridge to the late-inning guys.

Updated hierarchy: Ramos | Rodney | Phelps.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Hector Neris, Philadelphia Phillies – Jeanmar Gomez has pitched in three straight.
2. Tyler Clippard, New York Yankees – Dellin Betances has thrown in back to back games (2.1 IP). Clippard has also appeared in both games, but with a significantly lighter workload.
3. Brad Brach, Baltimore Orioles – Zach Britton has pitched in back to back games and four of five.

Derek Law set to return to Giants bullpen Wednesday

September 14, 2016

San Francisco Giants – Hunter Strickland was summoned for the 9th inning on Tuesday, but the newest committee head failed to pick up his second straight save. Instead, three hits, a walk and an RBI ground out cut a 4-1 lead to 4-3. Lefty Steven Okert came in to face left-handed Ryan Schimpf, and Schimpf promptly hit a home run to give San Diego the lead. After the game, Bruce Bochy blamed “bad luck” and reaffirmed his confidence in Strickland. However confident Bochy may still be in Strickland, Derek Law is due back on Wednesday and should immediately challenge for save chances following one low-leverage outing. Meanwhile, poor Sergio Romo hasn’t seen a save chance all year and who knows if he will in this crowded committee.

Updated hierarchy: *Strickland | Law | Romo.
* = closer-by-committee

Texas Rangers — The Rangers erased a one-run deficit in the top of the 9th, paving the way for Tanner Scheppers to grab his first save since Aug. 6, 2013. Scheppers has been stupendous since returning to the Rangers’ bullpen on Sept. 7, retiring all seven batters he has faced in four appearances. It’s a crowded bullpen in Texas at the moment, but Scheppers is making a case to move into the hierarchy as the postseason approaches.

Hierarchy remains: Dyson | Bush | Diekman.

New York Mets — After the Mets regained a lead previously blown by Jeurys Familia, Fernando Salas got the first two outs of the 10th inning. With lefty Daniel Murphy at the plate, Terry Collins called upon LOOGY Jerry Blevins for the final out. Blevins struck Murphy out and picked up his first save since Sept. 11, 2012.

Hierarchy remains: Familia | Reed | Salas.

St. Louis Cardinals — Seung Hwan Oh has been battling a groin problem and was unavailable on Tuesday, paving the way for Kevin Siegrist to collect a save. Oh should be back on Wednesday, but if he isn’t then Siegrist should see the 9th once again.

Hierarchy remains: Oh | Siegrist | Bowman.

San Diego Padres – As the Vulture Save Watch predicted, Brandon Maurer did indeed get a day off, but so did Ryan Buchter, which left Kevin Quackenbush to pick up the save after the Padres erased a 4-1 ninth-inning deficit. Brad Hand had thrown in four straight games, but he didn’t pitch a full inning in any of those outings. We’ll move Quackenbush back into the hierarchy for now, but don’t be surprised if Hand gets some more late-inning chances.

Updated hierarchy: Maurer | Buchter | Quackenbush.

Arizona Diamondbacks — Matt Koch made his major league debut on Sept. 9. He needed just one more appearance to pick up his first career save, a four-inning gem in which he allowed just two hits while striking out four Rockies in an 11-4 victory.

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

Minnesota Twins — In case you didn’t get enough Trevor May news, he’s now out for the season due to a back problem. No word yet if his fingers will hurt due to the forthcoming landscaping duty.

Hierarchy remains: Kintzler | Pressly | Rogers.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Luke Gregerson, Houston Astros – Ken Giles has thrown 42 pitches in three innings over the past two days, including a blown save on Tuesday. Gregerson and Will Harris have also pitched in back-to-back games, but Gregerson has thrown the fewest pitches among the trio.