Brian Wilson’s season in jeopardy; Sergio Romo likely to close

April 14, 2012

San Francisco Giants – Brian Wilson’s season is likely over.  After complaining of elbow soreness on Friday night, the Giants sent him for tests, where an MRI showed structural damage to his right elbow.  Bruce Bochy said that the Giants will go closer-by-committee at first, though Sergio Romo is the best bet to seize the permanent job.  Hierarchy change: Sergio Romo to Closer, Santiago Casilla to Set-up, Javier Lopez to 2nd in line.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSF |Romo |Casilla |Lopez |Wilson |4/14/12 |Wilson (DL) |

 
Visit our main page for more fantasy baseball bullpen information.

Ryan Cook primary set up man; Joe Nathan still closer

April 14, 2012

Texas Rangers – Alexi Ogando got the save last night.  Ron Washington declared after the game that Joe Nathan was still the closer but with Adams getting the save the night before, the Rangers have several other options if Nathan continues to struggle. Joe Nathan to Hot Seat.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedTEX |Nathan |Adams |Ogando |Nathan |4/14/12

 
Oakland A’s – Ryan Cook got the call for the 8th inning in a 3 run game last night and manager Bob Melvin has said that he plans on using Cook as his primary right-handed set up man.  Hierarchy change: Ryan Cook to 2nd in line, replacing Fautino De Los Santos.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedOAK |Balfour |Fuentes |Cook |Balfour |4/14/12

 
Baltimore Orioles – Pedro Strop pitched in the 8th last night with the Orioles up one.   Strop has only given up one run so far this season while Kevin Gregg has gotten off to a slow start.   Hierarchy change: Pedro Strop to Set-up, replacing Kevin Gregg.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedBAL |Johnson |Strop |Lindstrom |Johnson |4/14/12

 
Los Angeles Dodgers – Kenley Jansen came in for the save with the Dodgers up 2 in the 9th but was unable to convert the save opportunity.  Javy Guerra is still clearly the closer and was just getting a day off after pitching three consecutive days.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedLAD |Guerra |Jansen |Guerrier |Guerra |4/14/12

 
Cincinnati Reds – Logan Ondrusek pitched 1.2 scoreless innings last night and has yet to give up a run this season.  He replaces the injured Nick Massett and moves to second in line behind Marshall and Chapman.  Hierarchy change: Logan Ondrusek to 2nd in line, replacing Nick Masset.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCIN |Marshall |Chapman |Ondrusek |Madson |4/14/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Henry Rodriguez, Washington Nationals  – Lidge has pitched two days in a row and it still should be Rodriguez’s turn for a save opp since Lidge got the lass one.
2. Francisco Cordero, Toronto Blue Jays – Sergio Santos was not with the team last night due to the birth of his daughter.  Santos is expected to back today in time for the game but if something came up and Santos was not able to get back in time for the game, Cordero would likely get the save opportunity.

Drew Storen out until All Star break; Scott Downs injured

April 13, 2012

Los Angeles Angels- Set-up man Scott Downs suffered a gruesome ankle injury on Thursday, and was seen on crutches after the game.  The Angels have yet to determine whether to place him on the DL, but he’ll likely miss some action.  In the mean time, the Angels could look to Jason Isringhausen, who is spotless in three outings so far this year and has surpassed LaTroy Hawkins on the depth chart, to close games on nights that Jordan Walden is unavailable.  Hierarchy change: Jason Isringhausen to Set-up, replacing Scott Downs.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedLAA |Walden |Isringhausen|Hawkins |Walden |4/13/12 |Downs(INJ) |

 
Detroit Tigers- Phil Coke was the last of several relievers used by the Tigers to bridge the gap to 8th inning man Joaquin Benoit yesterday, and he’s been used 3 times in the 8th inning in pressure spots, pitching to both righties and lefties.  Hierarchy change: Phil Coke to 2nd in line, replacing Octavio Dotel.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedDET |Valverde |Benoit |Coke |Valverde |4/13/12

 
Washington Nationals- Drew Storen underwent surgery earlier this week and will be out until the All Star break, with Davey Johnson indicating that he would continue to alternate between Brad Lidge and Henry Rodriguez.  Lidge, however, blew the save Thursday; another bad outing for him could mean Rodriguez wins the full-time job.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedWAS |Lidge |Rodriguez |Clippard |Storen |4/13/12 |Storen(DL) |

 
Arizona Diamondbacks- Bryan Shaw pitched the 8th inning in front of JJ Putz yesterday, and, in Takashi Saito’s absence, has established himself as the go-to set-up man when David Hernandez is unavailable.  Hierarchy change: Brian Shaw to 2nd in line, replacing Takashi Saito.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedARI |Putz |Hernandez |Shaw |Putz |4/13/12

 
Texas Rangers- Mike Adams, yesterday’s #1 candidate for a vulture save, filled in yesterday for Joe Nathan, who had the night off.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedTEX |Nathan |Adams |Ogando |Nathan |4/13/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Henry Rodriguez, Washington Nationals- It’s Rodriguez’s turn for a save opp in Davey Johnson’s back-and-forth rotation between he and Brad Lidge.  Rodriguez should be owned in all leagues at this point.
2. Joaquin Benoit, Detroit Tigers- Jose Valverde has pitched on three consecutive nights and will almost certainly get the day off on Friday.
3. Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers- Javy Guerra has also pitched three consecutive nights, so the Dodgers will look to Jansen for any save chances.
4. Glen Perkins, Minnesota Twins- Matt Capps has pitched on two consecutive nights, and in three of the last four.
5. Sergio Romo, San Francisco Giants- Brian Wilson has pitched on two consecutive nights, throwing a total of 56 pitches.

Joe Smith establishing himself in Indians’ bullpen

April 12, 2012

Cleveland Indians- The middle-inning portion of the Indians bullpen continues to be shaky, as lefty specialist Rafael Perez had a bad outing on Wednesday.  Joe Smith, who in past years has been used exclusively against righties, has been one of the few steady arms thus far, and this year is being used against both lefties and righties.  Hierarchy change: Joe Smith to 2nd in line, replacing Rafael Perez. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCLE |C.Perez |Pestano |Smith |C.Perez |4/12/12

 
Colorado Rockies- Long reliever Tyler Chatwood recorded a three-inning save in a Rockies blowout on Wednesday.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCOL |Betancourt |Brothers |Belisle |Betancourt |4/12/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Mike Adams, Texas Rangers- Joe Nathan has pitched on each of the last two days, including a 26-pitch blown save yesterday, and may get the night off.
2. Andrew Cashner, San Diego Padres- Given Huston Street’s history of fragility, the Padres may give him the night off after two outings in a row.
3. Joaquin Benoit, Detroit Tigers- Jose Valverde has pitched two days in a row, including a 23-pitch outing yesterday.
4. Kenley Jansen/Matt Guerrier, Los Angeles Dodgers- Javy Guerra has pitched two days in a row, and could conceivably get a night off.  Kenley Jansen could as well, as he’s thrown more pitches than Guerra in the last two days.

Visit our main page for more fantasy baseball bullpen info.

Late inning roles for Miguel Batista, Mitchell Boggs

April 11, 2012

New York Mets- The Mets had an uneventful game, bullpen-wise, on Tuesday.  However, earlier this week, Terry Collins surprisingly indicated that Miguel Batista would be his 9th inning man on any days when Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch are unavailable.  Hierarchy change: Miguel Batista to 2nd in line, replacing Ramon Ramirez.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedNYM |Francisco |Rauch |Batista |Francisco |4/11/12

 
Milwaukee Brewers- Francisco Rodriguez was called on for the save last night because– as was noted in yesterday’s vulture save watch– John Axford had thrown 53 pitches over the previous two games.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedMIL |Axford |Rodriguez |Veras |Axford |4/11/12

 
St. Louis Cardinals- Mitchell Boggs pitched two perfect innings of relief on Tuesday and has established himself as a reliable late-inning replacement for the ailing Scott Linebrink.  Hierarchy change: Mitchell Boggs to 2nd in line, replacing Scott Linebrink. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSTL |Motte |Salas |Boggs |Motte |4/11/12

 
Kansas City Royals- Aaron Crow picked up the save last night in a rain-shortened game that only went 7 1/2 innings.  No hierarchy change. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedKC |Broxton |Holland |Crow |Broxton |4/11/12 |Soria(DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
David Robertson/Rafael Soriano, New York Yankees-  Mariano Rivera has pitched on consecutive days and could get the night off.  David Robertson could get the call, but he has also pitched two days in a row, opening the door for a possible Rafael Soriano save opp.
Henry Rodriguez, Washington Nationals- Davey Johnson is going back and forth between Brad Lidge and Henry Rodriguez, and Lidge pitched last night in a 4-run game.  He didn’t record a save, so it still could be his “turn,” but with Rodriguez idle yesterday, the Nats will probably go with him tonight.

Visit our main page for more fantasy baseball bullpen info.