Luke Gregerson now closing in Huston Street’s place

August 31, 2012

San Diego Padres – Luke Gregerson collected his third consecutive save on Saturday, just a few hours after Huston Street suffered a setback in his rehab.  Dale Thayer got the first two save chances after Street’s injury, but Gregerson has picked up the last three, and should continue to see chances until Street returns.  Hierarchy change: Luke Gregerson to Closer, Dale Thayer to Set-up.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Gregerson |Thayer |Layne |Street |8/31/12 |Street(DL) |

Another save for Luke Gregerson suggests likely platoon in San Diego

August 28, 2012

Colorado Rockies – Matt Belisle picked up his second save of the season on Monday.  He finished off the top of the 8th inning in a 3-run game, then stayed on for the ninth after the Rockies scored 7 runs in the interim.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCOL |Betancourt |Belisle |Brothers |Betancourt |8/28/12

 
San Diego Padres – Dale Thayer returned from paternity leave yesterday, but he was used in the 8th inning, while Luke Gregerson picked up the save in the 9th.  Gregerson has been on fire, having not allowed a run since July 3.  He’s now likely sharing opportunities with Thayer until Huston Street returns.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Thayer |Gregerson |Layne |Street |8/28/12 |Street(DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Luke Gregerson, San Diego Padres – It appears that the Padres will be splitting opportunities between Dale Thayer and Luke Gregerson until Huston Street returns.
2. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – The Twins are employing a committee, and while Glen Perkins remains the best bet for saves overall, Jared Burton could get an opportunity whenever match-ups are right.
3. Sergio Romo/Javier Lopez, San Francisco Giants – With the Giants in full committee mode, Sergio Romo or Javier Lopez could get a save on any night.

Luke Gregerson, Josh Lindblom, Mark Melancon, Shawn Camp all pick up random saves

August 27, 2012

San Diego Padres – With Dale Thayer still on paternity leave, Luke Gregerson picked up a save in his absence.  Thayer returns today and will resume closing until Huston Street is healthy.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Thayer |Gregerson |Layne |Street |8/27/12 |Street(DL) |

 
Philadelphia Phillies – Josh Lindblom picked up a 1.2 inning save on Sunday, as Jonathan Papelbon had the day off after pitching three in a row.  Antonio Bastardo has been the 8th inning man lately, so this may have been a match-up play– four of the five hitters Lindblom faced were righties.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedPHI |Papelbon |Bastardo |Lindblom |Papelbon |8/27/12

 
Boston Red Sox – With both Andrew Bailey and Vicente Padilla unavailable, the Red Sox went to Mark Melancon in the 9th inning on Sunday.  Craig Breslow has been pitching better than anyone else in the Boston bullpen lately, but the Red Sox appear to prefer Melancon’s experience in the closer role.  While there won’t be many nights where both Bailey and Padilla (and the suspended Alfredo Aceves) are unavailable, Melancon could see more late-inning work going forward.  Hierarchy change: Mark Melancon to 2nd in line, replacing Craig Breslow.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedBOS |Bailey |Padilla |Melancon |Bailey |8/27/12 |Aceves(SUSP)|

 
Chicago Cubs – Shawn Camp pitched the 8th inning with the Cubs up by 2 runs, and ended up earning the save when the game was rained out in the bottom of the 8th.  Camp will continue to be the 8th inning man moving forward, as he was tonight.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCHC |Marmol |Camp |Russell |Marmol |8/27/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – The Twins are employing a committee, and while Glen Perkins remains the best bet for saves overall, Jared Burton could get an opportunity whenever match-ups are right.

Dale Thayer shaky; random saves for Axford, Luetge, Lopez

August 22, 2012

Milwaukee Brewers – John Axford earned a one-out save on Tuesday, as the Brewers used three relievers- Axford, Jim Henderson, and Manny Parra- to get through the 9th inning.  Milwaukee’s big messy committee forges on, with Henderson still the most likely to get the save on any given night.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedMIL |Henderson |Axford |Loe |Axford |8/22/12

 
Seattle Mariners – Lucas Luetge got out of a jam in the 8th inning on Tuesday, then stayed on for the 9th in a four-run game.  Luetge earned his 2nd save of the season because there were several runners on when he was summoned in the 8th– Tom Wilhelmsen’s job remains extremely safe.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSEA |Wilhelmsen |Furbush |Luetge |Wilhelmsen |8/22/12

 
San Diego Padres – Dale Thayer blew the save last night, and has now allowed runs in 2 of his 4 appearances since Huston Street hit the disabled list.  If he blows another game, the Padres might give Luke Gregerson a shot at closing until Street returns.  Dale Thayer to Hot Seat.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Thayer |Gregerson |Brach |Street |8/22/12 |Street(DL) |

 
San Francisco Giants – Javier Lopez picked up his second save in as many days, as the Giants again used him and Sergio Romo to get through the 9th.  Jeremy Affeldt was warming in the bullpen and likely would’ve been summoned had Lopez not induced a double play to end the game.  With the Giants still using a committee, any one of these three could get a save on any given night, though Affeldt remains the best bet.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSF |Affeldt |Romo |Lopez |Wilson |8/22/12 |Wilson(DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Drew Storen, Washington Nationals – Tyler Clippard has pitched in three straight games.
2. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – The Twins are employing a committee, and while Glen Perkins remains the best bet for saves overall, Jared Burton could get an opportunity whenever match-ups are right.

Dale Thayer and Grant Balfour inherit closer jobs again

August 12, 2012

Milwaukee Brewers – A day after inheriting the closer job from a struggling John Axford, Jim Henderson took the loss for the Brewers on Saturday night.  He came on in the 9th inning and struck out the side, but then couldn’t find the plate in the 10th, as all four runners he faced reached base.  Given the volatility of the Brewers bullpen and Ron Roenicke’s recent tendency to try anyone and everyone in the closer role, this outing is enough to put Henderson on notice.  Jim Henderson to Hot Seat.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedMIL |Henderson |Axford |Rodriguez |Axford |8/12/12

 
Miami Marlins – Since Heath Bell supposedly regained his closer job a few days ago, the Marlins haven’t had a save opportunity.  But even if they’d had one last night (they ended up winning by four), it wouldn’t have gone to Bell, who pitched in the 8th inning with the Marlins up by two runs.  While this could’ve been a final tuneup before he re-enters the closer role, Steve Cishek is still certainly worth holding on to until Ozzie Guillen proves that he meant what he said earlier this week.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedMIA |Bell |Cishek |Dunn |Bell |8/12/12

 
Oakland A’s – Bob Melvin has removed Ryan Cook from the closer role, saying he wanted to use the rookie in lower-pressure situations.  Melvin emphasized that the move may not be permanent, but that he’d go with a closer-by-committee for the time being.  Grant Balfour got the save on Saturday after Cook pitched in the 7th and 8th, and Balfour is the best short-term (and possibly long-term) option for saves at this point.  Hierarchy change: Grant Balfour to Closer, Ryan Cook to Set-up. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedOAK |Balfour |Cook |Neshek |Cook |8/11/12

 
San Diego Padres – Huston Street took his 21 1/3-inning scoreless streak to the disabled list today after straining his calf on the final play of last night’s game. Bud Black offered three options to the San Diego Union-Tribune last night: a return to Dale Thayer, an elevation of Luke Gregerson, or the dreaded “closer-by-committee.” Although Gregerson has the best numbers in the Padres pen, it seems most likely that Black will keep him in the set-up role and go back to Thayer come the 9th. Hierarchy change: Huston Street to DL, Dale Thayer to Closer, Brad Brach to 2nd in Line.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Thayer |Gregerson |Brach |Street |8/11/12 |Street (DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jonathan Broxton, Cincinnati Reds – Aroldis Chapman has pitched in back to back games, and the Reds have used him thrice in a row only once all season.
2. Wesley Wright/Fernando Rodriguez, Houston Astros – Wilton Lopez threw 40 pitches over two innings on Saturday, his second consecutive night of work.  The Astros could play match-ups to determine their closer tonight.
3. Jared Burton, Minnesota Twins – The Twins are employing a committee, and while Glen Perkins remains the best bet for saves overall, Jared Burton could get an opportunity whenever match-ups are right.