Huston Street heads to the DL — Dale Thayer likely to close over Luke Gregerson

August 11, 2012

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) |

 

Jim Henderson takes over for good; Huston Street injury may open door for Dale Thayer

August 11, 2012

San Diego Padres – Huston Street suffered what initially appeared to be a bad injury on Friday night, pulling up lame as he went to cover first base on the last out of the game.  Reports from after the game suggested the injury was not as bad as it appeared, though Bud Black still speculated that the injury would keep Street out for a few days.  If the injury does require a trip to the disabled list, then Dale Thayer could close in Street’s absence, Bud Black told the San Diego Union-Tribune. Luke Gregerson could also be in the mix.No hierarchy change.

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

 
Milwaukee Brewers – John Axford blew his 8th save of the season last night.  After the game manager Ron Roenicke said that Jim Henderson was only guy in the bullpen pitching well, and also went on to say about Henderson, “We’ll give the ball to him and see what happens there.”  Henderson will get a chance to close and could very well hold the job for the rest of the season if he continues to convert his chances.   Hierarchy change: Jim Henderson to Closer, John Axford to Set-up.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedMIL |Henderson |Axford |Rodriguez |Axford |8/11/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Luke Gregerson, San Diego Padres – Even if Huston Street avoids the DL, he’s unlikely to pitch today.
2. Joaquin Benoit, Detroit Tigers – Jose Valverde has pitched in two straight and four of the last five.
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.

Santiago Casilla out as closer in San Francisco, Jeremy Affeldt to lead committee

August 8, 2012

San Francisco Giants – Jeremy Affeldt just picked up his 3rd save of the season and is a good bet to continue getting save chances for the Giants.  Bruce Bochy said that the acquisition of Jose Mijares allowed him to move Affeldt into a full-fledged committee with Sergio Romo and Javier Lopez.  Casilla will not be part of the mix, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.  Romo is still being held out of back-to-back action for the most part as he recovers from several long-term injuries and Lopez is more of a LOOGY type who will be situational at best.  That leaves Affeldt, who has been steady and solid for the Giants all season.  Hierarchy change: Jeremy Affeldt to Closer, Sergio Romo to Set-up, Javier Lopez to 2nd in line. 

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

 
Milwaukee Brewers – Jim Henderson picked up his first big league save on Tuesday night, pitching a 1-2-3 inning.  John Axford had thrown 29 pitches the night before, but the outing for Henderson was also well-deserved– the 29-year-old rookie now has a 1.50 ERA.  Axford is still the best bet to emerge from the Brewers’ closer-by-committee, but Tuesday’s outing is a precursor for a more regular high-leverage role for Henderson.  Hierarchy change: Jim Henderson to Set-up, Francisco Rodriguez to 2nd in line.

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

 
Miami Marlins – Steve Cishek has been rock solid of late, and has gotten all but one of the save chances for the Marlins since the demotion of Heath Bell.  Bell, however, has also pitched well recently, and was used to finish off the 8th inning ahead of Cishek on Tuesday.  Hierarchy change: Heath Bell to Set-up, Mike Dunn to 2nd in line.

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

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Sean Burnett, Washington Nationals – Tyler Clippard has pitched two nights in a row, throwing a total of pitches, and has pitched in five of the last six.
2. Vinnie Pestano, Cleveland Indians – Chris Perez blew his second consecutive save on Tuesday, and has now thrown 61 pitches over the past three days.  His job is not in jeopardy yet, but he could get a day off to clear his head.
3. Dale Thayer, San Diego Padres – Both Huston Street and Luke Gregerson have pitched in three straight, and in four of the last five.
4. 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.

Trade Deadline Buy/Sell: National League Closers

July 12, 2012

SPECIAL UPDATE: TRADE DEADLINE BUY/SELL (PART 1 OF 2)

Glossary
BUY+: This player has a large chance of becoming a closer by the trade deadline.
BUY: This player has a small chance of becoming a closer by the trade deadline.
SELL: This player has a small chance of losing his closer job by the trade deadline.
SELL+: This player has a large chance of  losing his closer job by the trade deadline.

TLDR Version
BUY+: Brandon Lyon, Francisco Rodriguez, Luke Gregerson.
BUY: Jose Veras, David Hernandez, Dale Thayer.
SELL: Frank Francisco, John Axford, Jason Motte, J.J. Putz, Huston Street.
SELL+: Brett Myers.

Atlanta Braves – Atlanta is still in the playoff hunt and could look to add an arm down the stretch.  This is unlikely to mean much to their bullpen hierarchy, however, as no one they could possibly acquire could threaten Craig Kimbrel.  BUY/SELL: None. 
Miami Marlins – The Marlins need bullpen help, but are several games under .500 and are unlikely to make any moves either way.  They have former closer Juan Oviedo (Leo Nunez) returning from suspension soon, and will hope to rally with the staff they have.  BUY/SELL: None. 
New York Mets – The Mets may look to add an arm in the bullpen– Grant Balfour’s name has been bandied about– and that’s actually bad news for their current crop of relievers.  Frank Francisco, due to return from the DL after the All Star Break, has been far from solid, and any new acquisition could push him for the closer’s job.  BUY: None.  SELL: Frank Francisco. 
Philadelphia Phillies – Despite the Phillies’ struggles, they’re unlikely to sell off any valuable bullpen assets.  Jonathan Papelbon has a long term contract, and they value Antonio Bastardo too highly to move him.  BUY/SELL: None.
Washington Nationals – Even without Drew Storen– who is expected back in a few weeks– the first place Nats have one of the strongest bullpens in the NL.  They’re unlikely to make any moves that would affect their hierarchy.  BUY/SELL: None.

Chicago Cubs – The Cubs are selling anything and everything, but they may not have many takers for the top arms in their bullpen.  Carlos Marmol has a big contract and is far too volatile to generate any interest.  Meanwhile, Shawn Camp, James Russell and Rafael Dolis are unlikely to affect the 9th inning role if they do end up landing anywhere else.  BUY/SELL: None.
Cincinnati Reds – Aroldis Chapman, despite some recent road bumps, is locked in to the closer role for the remainder of the year.  Sean Marshall has also been rock solid in the 8th inning role.  If the Reds look to make a trade, it won’t affect the bullpen.  BUY/SELL: None.
Houston Astros – The Astros are looking to move Brett Myers, whose has a $10 million option that will kick in if he finishes 45 games.  This makes him an interesting trade acquisition, as cash-strapped teams may be reluctant to move him into the closer role if they acquire him.  Unfortunately, this also hurts his value, as it further decreases the chance that he’ll close wherever he lands.  Brandon Lyon would inherit the job if Myers is dealt, which seems likely at this point.  BUY+: Brandon Lyon.  SELL+: Brett Myers.
Milwaukee Brewers – Brewers GM Doug Melvin said he would like to see how the team performs in the weeks after the break before deciding to sell.  But if they do, they have several players in the bullpen that could interest contenders.  John Axford has blown a handful of saves this year, and like most closers on bottom feeders, could see his value drop if he is dealt and moved into a set-up role.  Francisco Rodriguez and Jose Veras have also been mentioned in trade talks, though their values are likely to rise if they (or Axford) is moved.  BUY+: Francisco Rodriguez.  BUY: Jose Veras.  SELL: John Axford.
Pittsburgh Pirates – The first-place Pirates are buyers, but most media reports have them seeking a bat, not an arm.  Even if they were to tack on in the bullpen, an acquisition would probably inherit the 7th or 8th inning role, as Joel Hanrahan has been solid all year.  BUY/SELL: None.
St. Louis Cardinals – The Cardinals need some bullpen help, as Jason Motte has been shaky for much of the season.  The St. Louis Dispatch reported on Tuesday that Huston Street could be an option, and Street expressed the desire to close if he moves elsewhere.  Such a deal could hurt Motte’s value.  BUY: None.  SELL: Jason Motte.

Arizona Diamondbacks – They haven’t performed as well as expected, but the Diamondbacks are only four games out of first.  But as of right now, they’re sellers, reportedly listening to offers to Justin Upton.  J.J. Putz is an interesting trade target, and though his name hasn’t surfaced in trade talks yet, but he’s in the last year of his contract (the D’Backs have a club option) and could generate interest from contenders.  However, this might be more likely to hurt his value than help it, as he could land with a team that puts him in a set-up role.  David Hernandez would inherit the role if he gets traded.  BUY: David Hernandez.  SELL: J.J. Putz.
Colorado Rockies – ESPN’s Buster Olney has reported that the Rockies would have to be overwhelmed in a deal for either Rafael Betancourt or Matt Belisle, so there isn’t much chance that either will move before the trade deadline.  At 32-51, the Rockies are obviously not buyers, either.  BUY/SELL: None.
Los Angeles Dodgers – The Dodgers’ bullpen is solid, with Kenley Jansen still racking up strikeouts at an absurd rate.  They’re unlikely to be factors in the bullpen market at the deadline.  BUY/SELL: None.
San Diego Padres – Huston Street is a great bet to move somewhere else before the All Star Break, and a trade would either cause his value to rise slightly (if he goes to a contender and continues to close out games) or plummet (if he becomes a set-up man).  But a definite beneficiary is Luke Gregerson– or possibly Dale Thayer– who could see saves once Street lands elsewhere.  BUY+: Luke Gregerson.  BUY: Dale Thayer.  SELL: Huston Street. 
San Francisco Giants – The Giants proved last year that they’re willing to make a splash at the deadline, but they’re unlikely to make any moves, bullpen-wise, as they have two solid top-tier relievers in Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo.  BUY/SELL: None.

Luke Gregerson moves to set-up role in San Diego

June 14, 2012

Tampa Bay Rays – Jake McGee pitched a perfect inning in a losing effort on Wednesday, lowering his ERA to 1.69.  JP Howell, meanwhile, has not rediscovered the velocity that made him such a dynamic reliever two years ago and has struggled, particularly in recent weeks.  Hierarchy change: Jake McGee to 2nd in line, replacing JP Howell. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedTB |Rodney |Peralta |McGee |Farnsworth |6/14/12 |Farnswor(DL)|

 
San Diego Padres – Luke Gregerson picked up the 8th inning hold for the second straight day on Wednesday.  Dale Thayer, who flamed out spectacularly as the fill-in closer just as Huston Street was returning from the DL, has been used minimally since.  Hierarchy change: Luke Gregerson to Set-up, Dale Thayer to 2nd in line. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Street |Gregerson |Thayer |Street |6/9/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Shawn Camp, Chicago Cubs – James Russell has registered 2 saves for the Cubs since the demotion of Rafael Dolis; Camp has gotten the other.  Matchups will likely determine who is used in the 9th today.