Grant Balfour on the hottest of Hot Seats

May 23, 2014

Tampa Bay Rays – We’ve mentioned Grant Balfour’s ratios here before, but it truly is incredible to see a pitcher with peripherals this bad continue to get the ball in the 9th inning. After walking two (and getting annoyed with the crowd for booing him) in a blown save on Thursday afternoon, Balfour now has 18 BBs and just 15 Ks in 18.1 innings pitched. He’s already on the Hot Seat, though he might hang on to his job in part because the Rays ended up winning their game in extras. But Joel Peralta — and maybe Jake McGee — is definitely worth a speculative pick up at this point.

Hierarchy remains: Balfour | Peralta | McGee.

New York Mets – The 9th inning in New York suddenly seems like a pretty solid proposition, as Jenrry Mejia has now pitched 5.1 scoreless innings (6 Ks, 0 BBs) since his move to the bullpen, including his first back-to-back appearances on Wednesday and Thursday. But after that, it’s hard to figure anything out. Would-be set-up man Jeurys Familia has a 2.38 ERA in May, but he was summoned in the 5th inning a few days back. (This, just a week or so after Terry Collins said Familia was about to win the closer gig.) And instead, last night, it was Daisuke Matsuzaka who got the 8th inning hold. Matsuzaka isn’t an ideal reliever by any means; astoundingly, he has walked at least one batter in 14 of his 17 appearances. But perhaps even more astoundingly, he’s managed to post an ERA of 2.14 thus far, and his strikeout rate is higher than it ever was when he was a starter (24 Ks in 21 innings).

Updated hierarchy: Mejia | Familia | Matsuzaka.

Baltimore Orioles – Tommy Hunter was placed on the disabled list on Thursday with a strained groin. There’s no indication of when he was injured, but this might be why the former closer had been so ineffective as of late.

Updated hierarchy: Britton | O’Day | Webb.

Cleveland Indians – Scott Atchison picked up a 13th inning save on Thursday. Cody Allen and John Axford had already pitched, and Bryan Shaw was unavailable.

Hierarchy remains: Allen | Shaw | Axford.

Chicago Cubs – Carlos Villanueva threw the final three innings in the Cubs victory to earn his first save of the season. He does not factor in to Chicago’s usual late-inning plans.

Hierarchy remains: Rondon | Ramirez | Schlitter.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles – Zach Britton has been more effective than Darren O’Day since Tommy Hunter’s demotion, but Britton pitched two innings last night.
2. Daniel Webb, Chicago White Sox – Ronald Belisario has thrown 4 innings (65 pitches) over the last four days.
3. Bryan Shaw, Cleveland Indians – Cody Allen has pitched in four of the last five, throwing 70 pitches in the process.
4. Jeurys Familia/Daisuke Matsuzaka, New York Mets – Jenrry Mejia has pitched in back to back games, and we doubt he can go three in a row just yet.

Matt Lindstrom out for three months; Cubs turn to Schlitter

May 22, 2014

Chicago White Sox — Bad news for Matt Lindstrom Wednesday; the righthander will need surgery on his injured ankle and is unlikely to return before late August. In his absence, Robin Ventura has chosen Ronald Belisario and his speedy sinker as the team’s closer.

Hierarchy remains: Belisario | Webb | Petricka.

Los Angeles Dodgers — Chris Perez hasn’t pitched since May 17, and when he has been used, he’s been strikingly ineffective in some low-leverage spots. We can’t yet tell you whether injury, fatigue, or ineffectiveness is to blame for him being passed over in situations like Wednesday’s tight seventh and eighth, but we’re concerned enough to move him out of the top three until he proves he’s okay.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Wilson | League.

Pittsburgh Pirates — Jason Grilli expects to return on Saturday, and should slide back into the closer role soon thereafter. He’s owned in over 80% of ESPN and Yahoo! leagues, so we won’t issue an email alert when he comes back, but if he’s available in your league, act now.

Hierarchy remains: Melancon | Watson | Wilson.

San Francisco Giants — Santiago Casilla injured his right hamstring during a rare plate appearance late Wednesday. He’ll be tough to replace, but the search should start with Jean Machi, who’s working on a 15-game scoreless streak.

Updated hierarchy: Romo | Machi | Lopez.

Chicago Cubs — The euphonious Brian Schlitter pitched a scoreless eighth before Hector Rondon blew his first save of the year and Jose Veras lost a game of dodgeball with John Ryan Murphy. Schlitter happens to be getting what passes for high-leverage work in the Cubs bullpen lately.

Updated hierarchy: Rondon | Ramirez | Schlitter.

Texas Rangers — When Tanner Scheppers returns from the disabled list after this weekend’s rehab assignment, he will do so as a set-up reliever, the role that he filled so ably for the team in 2013.

Hierarchy remains: Soria | Frasor | Ogando.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Luke Gregerson/Jim Johnson, Oakland A’s — New closer Sean Doolittle might not be ready to pitch in three straight games.
2. Chris Perez, Los Angeles Dodgers — If he’s healthy and mentally sound, he’s the best-rested option.
3. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles — Still a possibility at any time.

Ronald Belisario and Cody Allen moving up

May 21, 2014

Cleveland Indians — Bryan Shaw pitched the seventh and eighth innings up three runs, yielding to Cody Allen for the ninth — although by then the Indians had scored another run to eliminate the save situation. Without that run, this would have been the second straight save chance for Allen, who hit 100 mph on the radar gun on Tuesday. We interpret this as a sign that he’s the favored option in the committee. He’s pitched on three straight days, though, so don’t lose faith when he doesn’t get called on Wednesday.

Updated hierarchy: Allen | Shaw | Axford.

Chicago White Sox — After Jake Petricka pitched a solid seventh for the Sox, Chicago scored three runs in the top of the eighth — only to see Scott Downs and a horrid Frank Francisco give them right back. After Zach Putnam got out of the jam, it was indeed Ronald Belisario who got the first post-Lindstrom save chance. Belisario gave up one run (on a bizarre passed ball and a single through a shifted infield) before striking out Lorenzo Cain to clinch the win. He’s not likely to be able to go tomorrow, but he’s still our best bet for saves from this pen with Lindstrom out.

Hierarchy remains: Belisario | Webb | Petricka.

Oakland A’s — Sean Doolittle’s first walk in nine months didn’t scare off Bob Melvin Tuesday night. After the lefty finished off the Rays, he was officially anointed Oakland’s closer. “It’s pretty cool, I guess,” was Doolittle’s response — fitting for a man who’s been known to dance like no one is watching to George Michael.

Hierarchy remains: Doolittle | Gregerson | Johnson.

Colorado Rockies – LaTroy Hawkins blew his first save of the season on Sunday, and he followed it up by giving up the go-ahead run in a tied ninth last night. In his last nine appearances, Hawkins has given up seven earned runs in seven innings — and, more importantly, has surrendered 16 hits with only 2 strikeouts. With Adam Ottavino and Rex Brothers each pitching well, Hawkins might not have many more shots at the ninth.

LaTroy Hawkins to Hot Seat.

St. Louis Cardinals — Jason Motte, he of the beard and the cancer foundation, returned to the Cardinals roster on Tuesday after Tommy John surgery. Mike Matheny didn’t commit to a role for Motte apart from “right-handed pitcher,” but he also hinted that he wouldn’t be afraid to use Motte in a high-leverage spot right away.

Updated hierarchy: Rosenthal | Martinez | Motte.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. John Axford, Cleveland Indians — Cody Allen has pitched in three straight games and Bryan Shaw threw two innings on Tuesday.
2. Daniel Webb, Chicago White Sox — Belisario has had two straight lengthy outings, while Webb has had two days off.
3. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles — The Orioles haven’t had many save chances lately, but as last night’s usage shows, they can go with either O’Day or Zach Britton in the ninth.

White Sox to use closer committee after Matt Lindstrom’s injury

May 20, 2014 (1:59 PM)

Chicago White Sox — Matt Lindstrom has been placed on the DL with an injured ankle; in his absence, the White Sox are likely to turn to a closer committee of Ronald Belisario (who hasn’t allowed a run in his last 12 outings), Daniel Webb (who has 17 walks in 17 games this year), and young Jake Petricka, who earned his first career save on Monday night. We like Belisario best going forward, but note that he did pitch two innings last night. If Robin Ventura is forced to use Frank Francisco in a high-leverage spot, he might wind up charging the mound again.

Updated hierarchy: Belisario | Webb | Petricka.

Lindstrom limps off field; Allen, Chapman blow saves

May 20, 2014

Chicago White Sox – Matt Lindstrom limped off the field in the ninth inning of Monday’s 7-6 win after he appeared to injure his left ankle. Scott Downs and Jake Petricka combined to close the game, with Petricka picking up his first career save. Sox manager Robin Ventura gave no specifics on the injury, but did say that it “didn’t look good.” We expect Belisario and Webb to form a committee if Lindstrom is indeed headed to the disabled list, with Webb getting the first crack at a save due to Belisario pitching two innings on Monday.

Hierarchy remains: Lindstrom | Belisario | Webb.

Cleveland Indians – Cody Allen blew the save on Monday, his first blown chance of the season. It marked his second straight bad outing, as he allowed three earned runs without recording an out on Sunday. Bryan Shaw should get the next save chance, while Allen may soon find himself below John Axford in the Indians’ committee.

Hierarchy remains: Shaw | Allen | Axford.

Cincinnati Reds — Aroldis Chapman suffered his first blown save of the season on Monday, but stayed in for a 1-2-3 10th inning in a 15-frame victory for the Reds. His job is not in jeopardy, though he is likely to get a night off after throwing 29 pitches. No hierarchy change.

Hierarchy remains: Chapman | Broxton | LeCure.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Daniel Webb, Chicago White Sox – Matt Lindstrom hobbled off the field on Monday after Ronald Belisario already threw two innings.
2. John Axford, Cleveland Indians – Cody Allen has been bad in back-to-back games, so Axford is the likely committee member to get the nod if Bryan Shaw can’t pitch the ninth.
3. Sam LeCure, Cincinnati Reds – Aroldis Chapman had a 29-pitch outing on Monday and Jonathan Broxton has pitched in back-to-back games, throwing 27 pitches across two days.