Jesse Crain to DL, Jason Frasor ascending

July 5, 2012

Toronto Blue Jays – Jason Frasor pitched the 7th inning of a close game for the second night in a row.  He now has 11 holds on the season and seems to have established himself as the guy that the Blue Jays will use ahead of Oliver and Janssen.  Hierarchy change: Jason Frasor to 2nd in line replacing Francisco Cordero.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedTOR |Janssen |Oliver |Frasor |Santos |7/5/12 |Santos (DL) |

 
Chicago White Sox – Jesse Crain was placed on the 15 day DL with a shoulder injury.  Matt Thornton piched the 8th and 9th innings of a tie game last night and will move back to the set-up role.  Hierarchy change: Matt Thornton to Set-up, Nate Jones to 2nd in line, Jesse Crain to DL

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCHW |Reed |Thornton |Jones |Reed |7/5/12 |Crain (DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jose Veras, Milwaukee Brewers – John Axford and Francisco Rodriguez have both pitched in four straight games.
2. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – Glen Perkins has gotten the majority of save opportunities recently but Burton could get the call on any night if the match-ups are right.

 

Tyler Robertson moves up for Twins

July 4, 2012
Minnesota Twins –  Tyler Robertson pitched a perfect 8th with the Twins up 1 as he picked up his 2nd hold in three games.  Robertson was called up from Triple-A Rochester when Matt Capps was put on the DL and has been used in a bunch of late inning situations.  He also has some closer experience in the minors as he has 18 saves over the past two seasons.   Hierarchy change: Tyler Robertson to 2nd in line replacing Alex Burnett.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedMIN |Perkins |Burton |Robertson |Capps |7/4/12 |Capps(DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – Glen Perkins has pitched 4 games in a row and Burton got the night off last night so he will likely get the call if their is a save opportunity.
2. Jose Veras, Milwaukee Brewers – John Axford and Francisco Rodriguez have both pitched in three straight games.
3. Joel Peralta/Kyle Farnsworth, Tampa Bay Rays – Fernando Rodney has pitched in 3 straight and 4 of the past 5 games.  Peralta could get a save but he has pitched in 2 straight and 3 of 4 so Kyle Farnsworth could see his first save opportunity since coming off the DL.

 

 

 

Random saves for James Russell, Scott Downs, Joe Thatcher

July 3, 2012

Chicago Cubs – Carlos Marmol was unavailable on Monday, but it was James Russell who got the call in the 9th inning, not Shawn Camp.  This came as a bit of a surprise, since Camp had pitched as a set-up man in the 8th inning in the previous two games.  But it worked out for the Cubs, as Camp again pitched the 8th and allowed only one hit in his inning of work, leaving a lefty-heavy 9th inning for Russell, who earned the save.  Camp, who now has 9 straight scoreless outings, is still the most likely candidate for a save on nights when Marmol is unavailable.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCHC |Marmol |Camp |Russell |Marmol |7/3/12

 
Los Angeles Angels – Scott Downs cleaned up Jered Weaver’s mess in the 8th inning of a 3-0 game on Monday, and then stayed on for the lefty-heavy ninth to earn his 7th save.  Downs remains arguably the best set-up man in baseball, but will only see occasional save opportunities if Ernesto Frieri’s dominance continues.  No hierarchy change. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedLAA |Frieri |Downs |Hawkins |Walden |7/3/12

 
Miami Marlins – The Marlins placed Edward Mujica on the DL over the weekend.  Mike Dunn has pitched in the 8th inning in each of the last three games, and slides up to take his place.  Hierarchy change: Mike Dunn to 2nd in line, Edward Mujica to DL.  

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedMIA |Bell |Cishek |Dunn |Bell |7/3/12 |Mujica(DL) |

 
San Diego Padres – Clayton Richard couldn’t quite close out a complete game on Monday, as Joe Thatcher was summoned to record the final out in a 6-2 game.  There were a couple men on base, so Thatcher earned his first save of the season.  The lefty is unlikely to get many save chances going forward, even if Huston Street is dealt.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Street |Gregerson |Thayer |Street |7/3/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Brandon League, Seattle Mariners – Tom Wilhelmsen has pitched 4 innings over the last three games.
2. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – With with the Twins employing a true platoon, Jared Burton could get the save opp on any night, but that’s especially true tonight, as Glen Perkins has pitched three games in a row.

LaTroy Hawkins solid since returning from DL

July 2, 2012

Los Angeles Angels – Jordan Walden gave up 3 runs last night and saw his ERA climb to 3.96. LaTroy Hawkins, meanwhile, has given up just 1 run in 8 innings since returning from the DL and has a 1.10 ERA on the season.  Hierarchy change: LaTroy Hawkins to 2nd in line, replacing Jordan Walden.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedLAA |Frieri |Downs |Hawkins |Walden |7/2/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Vicente Padilla, Boston Red Sox – Alfredo Aceves has pitched 3.1 innings over the past two nights.
2. Shawn Camp, Chicago Cubs – Carlos Marmol has pitched in three straight games.
3. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – With with the Twins employing a true platoon, Jared Burton could get the save opp if there’s a righty-heavy ninth inning due up.

Jared Hughes nabs a save; Kyle Farnsworth returns

July 1, 2012

Tampa Bay Rays – Kyle Farnsworth pitched his first inning of year on Saturday, logging a scoreless frame in the 7th inning.  The former closer immediately slots in to the Rays late-inning hierarchy, and could push Joel Peralta for the 8th inning role.  Hierarchy change: Kyle Farnsworth to 2nd in line, replacing Jake McGee.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedTB |Rodney |Peralta |Farnsworth |Farnsworth |7/1/12

 
Pittsburgh Pirates – Jared Hughes got the last out of the 8th inning with the Pirates up three runs, then stayed on for the 9th after the Pirates added to their lead.  Hughes does not fit in to the Pirates regular late-inning plans.  No hierarchy change. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedPIT |Hanrahan |Grilli |Cruz |Hanrahan |6/11/12

 
Oakland A’s – Brian Fuentes was summoned in the 6th inning on Saturday with the A’s down by 4 runs, and he proceeded to give up a run on two hits and a walk in 1.1 innings.  Bob Melvin has said that he’s trying to work Fuentes back into a late-inning role, but the lefty isn’t helping himself, as he now sports a 6.84 ERA.  Jerry Blevins (2.51 ERA) has been a much more reliable lefty for the A’s, as he picked up a 7th inning hold on Friday.  Hierarchy change: Jerry Blevins to 2nd in line, replacing Brian Fuentes. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedOAK |Cook |Balfour |Blevins |Cook |7/1/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Vicente Padilla, Boston Red Sox – Alfredo Aceves pitched 2.1 innings yesterday in an extra inning game.
2. Brandon League, Seattle Mariners – Tom Wilhelmsen pitched 2 innings yesterday in an extra inning game.
3. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – With with the Twins employing a true platoon, Jared Burton could get the save opp if there’s a righty-heavy ninth inning due up.