Scott Downs picks up rare save; Jose Valverde released

May 27, 2014

New York Mets — They say that if you love something, you should let it go; apparently, the Mets have a thing for mediocre relievers on the high side of 35. On the heels of turning Kyle Farnsworth into Inigo Montoya, New York axed Jose Valverde on Monday for giving up four runs in two-thirds of an inning. Even after his successful spot start on Sunday, Dice-K still appears to be the next guy up in the bullpen — but if Vic Black, freshly recalled from AAA, can improve his command, the Mets might be able to leave thirtysomethings behind them for good.

Updated hierarchy: Mejia | Familia | Matsuzaka.

Los Angeles Dodgers — After Hyun-Jin Ryu lost his perfect game and shutout in the eighth inning, Brian Wilson entered and loaded the bases while yielding two inherited runs. Kenley Jansen bailed everyone out with a four-out save, but the rest of the Dodgers’ bullpen has become a series of question marks. Wilson has allowed an astonishing 36 baserunners in 16.2 innings, and Chris Perez’s ERA over the last three weeks is 17.35. On the whole, LA relievers are 4-12 with a 1.42 WHIP. Brandon League and J.P. Howell have been pitching the best, if only by default, but Howell is limited by his status as the only non-Paul Maholm lefty in the pen. We think Wilson’s last outing has dropped him below these two, but in this bullpen right now, nothing is certain.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | League | Howell.

Chicago White Sox — After Zach Putnam loaded the bases with a four-run lead in the eighth, Scott Downs came in and retired his fellow lefty, pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy. Downs stayed on to pitch the ninth and earn his first save of the year. As the only lefty in the White Sox pen, Downs is likely to see continued use in a matchup role.

Hierarchy remains: Belisario | Webb | Petricka.

Pittsburgh Pirates — As predicted in Monday’s Vulture Save Watch, Mark Melancon earned another save on Monday as Jason Grilli is eased back into the closer role.

Hierarchy remains: Grilli | Melancon | Watson.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Adam Warren, New York Yankees — David Robertson has pitched on three of the last four days.
2. Will Smith, Milwaukee Brewers — K-Rod has pitched on two straight days, including a 21-pitch blown save on Monday.

Joel Peralta struggling; Jose Valverde somehow still relevant

May 26, 2014

Tampa Bay Rays – Joel Peralta has had his problems with the long ball this year, but despite Jake McGee’s dominance, Peralta has consistently been the 8th inning guy all year long.  However, McGee owners had reasons to feel optimistic yesterday, as Peralta, for the first time, was summoned in the 7th, rather than the 8th.  He gave up his fifth home run of the season — a 2-run shot to Jonny Gomes — and saw his ERA climb to 5.24.  Though we’re not ready to deem McGee the heir apparent just yet, any small shift in the Rays pen is worth mentioning, given Grant Balfour’s struggles.

Hierarchy remains: Balfour | Peralta | McGee.

New York Mets – When Terry Collins started talking about Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia in the back of the New York bullpen, we thought he’d turned a corner and was finally going to commit to the good young arms that had been developed in the Mets farm system. And while we can at least be grateful that Mejia has stuck, it seems Collins is still going to use Jose Valverde — arguably the worst pitcher in the Mets’ pen — as Mejia’s backup. On Friday, Collins said that Valverde would be his closer since Mejia was unavailable, and followed it up by saying the same thing between games during Sunday’s doubleheader. Weirdly, he still went to Mejia in game two on Sunday after saying he wouldn’t, but Papa Grande now appears to be the handcuff.

Updated hierarchy: Mejia | Valverde | Familia.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jose Valverde, New York Mets – Jenrry Mejia pitched in both games of Sunday’s doubleheader.
2. Joe Smith, Los Angeles Angels – Ernesto Frieri has pitched three innings over the last two games, throwing 52 total pitches.
3. Mark Melancon, Pittsburgh Pirates – Mark Melancon could still get the 9th inning while Jason Grilli reacclimates to Major League hitting.
4. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles – Based on usage so far, Zach Britton looks like the guy, but Darren O’Day could still get a 9th inning call if match ups are right.

Belisario blows save and moves to hot seat

May 25, 2014

Chicago White Sox — Ronald Belisario blew the save yesterday by allowing three runs in the 9th and now has given up at least 1 run in all three of his save chances.  Manager Robin Ventura never committed to Belisario as closer after Lindstrom’s injury and will likely consider other options after yesterday.  Daniel Webb or Jake Petricka could see the next save opportunity if Ventura wants to make a change.

Ronald Belisario to Hot Seat

Pittsburgh Pirates — We mentioned in the Vulture Save Watch yesterday that the Pirates might want to ease Jason Grilli back from his injury and that was the case yesterday as Grilli was unavailable.  Mark Melancon recorded the save, and lowered his ERA under 2 in the process.  Manager Clint Hurdle didn’t insert Grilli immediately into the closer’s role last year when he came back from injury, and even though Grilli got the save on Friday, Melancon could still see some save opportunities for the time being.

Hierarchy Remains: Grilli | Melancon | Watson

Toronto Blue Jays – Brett Cecil picked up his third save of the season yesterday as closer Casey Janssen was given the day off.

Hierarchy Remains: Janssen | Cecil | Delabar

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Adam Warren, New York Yankees – David Robertson has pitched in 2 straight and 3 of the last 4.
2. Mark Melancon, Pittsburgh Pirates – Jason Grilli is back but the Pirates could still use Melancon to close games while they ease Grilli back from his injury. 
3. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles – O’Day could still get the call in the 9th inning over Britton if the match-ups are right

Jason Grilli back as closer, Howell pitching in big spots for Dodgers

May 24, 2014

Pittsburgh Pirates — Jason Grilli was activated from the DL on Friday and immediately got the call in the 9th inning.  He worked around a lead-off walk and picked up his 5th save of the season.  Mark Melancon pitched well in Grilli’s absence, and is worth handing onto in case Grilli struggles, but it looks like he will go back to his set-up role for now.

Updated Hierarchy: Grilli | Melancon | Watson

Los Angeles Dodgers — The Dodgers called on Brandon League in the 7th inning last night with a 2 run lead.  League loaded the bases while recording no outs.  J.P. Howell came on and finished off the 7th inning by stranding all three runners.  Howell has 10 holds on the season, an ERA just over 2, and proved last night that he can be trusted to pitch in tough spots in the later innings.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Wilson | Howell.

San Francisco Giants — Jean Machi picked up his 2nd save of the season last night.  He entered the game with two men on and one out in the 8th inning with the Giants up 4.  He got a double play to get out of that inning and then came back for the 9th inning to finish the game.

Hierarchy Remains: Romo | Machi | Lopez.

Colorado Rockies – Walt Weiss has said that LaTroy Hawkins is still their closer but he also mentioned that Adam Ottavino could be an option to close down the road.  Hawkins has given up 22 hits, with only 6 strikeouts, in his 16 innings of work so far this year so Weiss might be forced to give Ottavino a shot at closing sooner rather than later.

Hierarchy Remains: Hawkins | Ottavino | Brothers.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Mark Melancon, Pittsburgh Pirates – Jason Grilli returned last night and got the save but Melancon could still see some save opportunities if the Pirates want to ease Grilli’s workload right after coming back from his injury.
2. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles – O’Day could still get the call in the 9th inning over Britton if the match-ups are right
3. Bryan Shaw, Cleveland Indians – The Indians could give Allen another night off after a heavy workload this week.

 

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.