Dale Thayer struggling; Jesse Crain, Francisco Cordero now setting up

May 31, 2012

San Diego Padres – Pitching in a tie game on Wednesday, Dale Thayer gave up a walk off home run to Darwin Barney.  In his last two outings, Thayer has given up 7 earned runs in just 1.2 innings.  Dale Thayer to Hot Seat. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Thayer |Cashner |Gregerson |Street |5/31/12 |Street(DL) |

 
Chicago White Sox – Jesse Crain continues to dominate hitters, with a 1.26 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, and he picked up his second consecutive 8th inning hold last night.  Hierarchy change: Jesse Crain to Set-up, Matt Thornton to 2nd in line.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCHW |Reed |Crain |Thornton |Reed |5/31/12

 
Toronto Blue Jays – His ERA is still ugly due to some awful outings earlier in the year, but Francisco Cordero has been solid since being demoted from the closer role, holding the opposition scoreless in 10 out of 11 outings.  He pitched the 8th inning last night- setting up for Casey Janssen- his second such appearance in a row.  Hierarchy change: Francisco Cordero to Set-up, Jason Frasor to 2nd in line.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedTOR |Janssen |Cordero |Frasor |Santos |5/31/12 |Santos (DL) |

 
Arizona Diamondbacks – JJ Putz arrived at the ballpark with a sore back yesterday and wasn’t able to pitch.  David Hernandez got the save in his place.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedARI |Putz |Hernandez |Shaw |Putz |5/31/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Vicente Padilla, Boston Red Sox – Alfredo Aceves has pitched in four straight games.
2. Jose Veras, Milwaukee Brewers – John Axford has pitched in four straight, and ace set-up man Francisco Rodriguez has pitched in three straight. If the Brewers have a late lead, they’ll probably play match-ups, with Jose Veras having the best shot at nabbing the save.

Dale Thayer closing in San Diego; Chris Sale, Francisco Cordero on Hot Seat

May 9, 2012

Chicago White Sox – Closer Chris Sale was summoned in the 8th inning on Tuesday, and was lifted in the 9th after surrendering the lead; Addison Reed eventually got the save in the 10th.  Robin Ventura said after the game that he’d intended to use Sale for a 2-inning save and that the lefty was still the closer, but after the game, pitching coach Don Cooper had some cryptic remarks about Sale’s future.  Cooper, speaking to the Chicago Sun-Times, likened Sale to Neftali Feliz, who the Rangers had given a few extra days between starts, and suggested that Sale could quickly and easily be moved back to the rotation.  Sale also told the Sun-Times that he wants to start again, and if he does, Reed could be poised to seize the job.  Even if Sale isn’t yo-yo-ed back, another bad outing or two could see Reed (0.00 ERA, 14 Ks in 10 IPs) surpass him.  Hierarchy change: Addison Reed to Set-up, Hector Santiago to 2nd in line.  Chris Sale to Hot Seat.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCHW |Sale |Reed |Santiago |Reed |5/9/12

 
New York Mets – As noted in yesterday’s Vulture Save Watch, Frank Francisco had pitched on three consecutive nights, and Jon Rauch got the save in his absence.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedNYM |Francisco |Rauch |Parnell |Francisco |5/9/12

 
Toronto Blue Jays – Francisco Cordero blew a save in ugly fashion last night, allowing 5 earned runs including a walk-off grand slam.  Injured closer Sergio Santos has begun a rehab program, but is likely still two weeks away from returning.  Another bad outing or two by Cordero, and he may not hold the job until Santos’s return.  Francisco Cordero to Hot Seat.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedTOR |Cordero |Janssen |Perez |Santos |5/9/12 |Santos (DL) |

 
San Diego Padres – Dale Thayer collected his 2nd save in as many days for the Padres on Tuesday, who opted to use Andrew Cashner in the 8th inning and Luke Gregerson in the 7th.  Cashner’s meltdown on Sunday appears to have cost him, as Thayer, who has 173 career minor league saves, has inherited the closer role in Huston Street’s absence.  Hierarchy change: Dale Thayer to Closer, Andrew Cashner to Set-up.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Thayer |Cashner |Gregerson |Street |5/9/12 |Street(DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Andrew Cashner, San Diego Padres – Dale Thayer threw 25 pitches yesterday, his second consecutive day of work and fourth outing in the last five days.
2. Joaquin Benoit, Detroit Tigers – Jose Valverde threw 31 pitches yesterday, and has pitched in four of the last five games.
3. Scott Downs, Los Angeles Angels – Downs is making a quick recovery from his injury, and Mike Scioscia said that Downs will return to the mound– and presumably, the closer’s role– whenever he feels up to it.

Dale Thayer is Padres’ closer in Huston Street’s absence

San Diego Padres – Dale Thayer collected his 2nd save in as many days for the Padres, who opted to use Andrew Cashner in the 8th inning and Luke Gregerson in the 7th.  Cashner’s meltdown on Sunday has cost appears to have cost him, as Thayer, who has 173 career minor league saves, has inherited the closer role in Huston Street’s absence.  Hierarchy change: Dale Thayer to Closer, Andrew Cashner to Set-up.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Thayer |Cashner |Gregerson |Street |5/8/12 |Street(DL) |

Kenley Jansen to close; Dale Thayer could see more opportunities

May 8, 2012

Cleveland Indians – As predicted in yesterday’s Vulture Save Watch, Chris Perez and Vinnie Pestano were both held out of Cleveland’s doubleheader on Monday, and Cleveland went to young lefty Nick Hagadone in the first game.  Tony Sipp got the save in game 2, but Hagadone (1.08 ERA) has been the Indians most impressive middle reliever as of late.  Hierarchy change: Nick Hagadone to 2nd in line, replacing Joe Smith.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCLE |C.Perez |Pestano |Hagadone |C.Perez |5/8/12

 
Boston Red Sox – Vicente Padilla recorded a 2.2 inning save yesterday in a game the Red Sox won comfortably.  No hierarchy change. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedBOS |Aceves |Morales |Albers |Bailey |5/8/12 |Bailey(DL) |

 
San Diego Padres – As noted yesterday, Andrew Cashner was given the night off after a long outing on Sunday, but the Padres opted to use Dale Thayer in the 9th inning, leaving Luke Gregerson in the 8th inning role.  Should Cashner falter again, it could be Thayer (173 career minor league saves) who nabs the most opportunities in Huston Street’s absence.  Hierarchy change: Dale Thayer to Set-up, Luke Gregerson to 2nd in line.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Cashner |Thayer |Gregerson |Street |5/8/12 |Street(DL) |

 
Los Angeles Dodgers – Don Mattingly before Monday’s series opener said that he was removing Javy Guerra from the closer role.  Kenley Jansen will close in his place, Mattingly said.  Hierarchy change: Kenley Jansen to Closer, Javy Guerra to Set-up.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedLAD |Jansen |Guerra |Lindblom |Jansen |5/8/12

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jon Rauch, New York Mets – Frank Francisco has pitched on three consecutive nights.
2. Scott Downs, Los Angeles Angels – Downs is making a quick recovery from his injury, and the Angels have opted not to put him on the disabled list.  Mike Scioscia said that Downs will return to the mound– and presumably, the closer’s role– whenever he feels up to it.

Cashner to close in San Diego; Ernesto Frieri acquired by Angels

Atlanta Braves – Livan Hernandez came in when the Braves were up by 3 runs in the 8th inning, then stayed after they scored again in the 9th for the 2-inning save.  No hierarchy change. 

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedATL |Kimbrel |Venters |O'Flaherty |Kimbrel |5/6/12

 
Los Angeles Angels – Ernesto Frieri, recently acquired from the Padres, was handed a 4-run lead in the 9th inning and was dominant, striking out the side against the Blue Jays.  Frieri has a 2.13 ERA and 21 Ks in just 12.2 innings and should quickly establish himself as a key part of the Angels bullpen.  Hierarchy change: Ernesto Frieri to 2nd in line, replacing LaTroy Hawkins.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedLAA |Downs |Walden |Frieri |Walden |5/6/12

 
Chicago White Sox – Chris Sale doesn’t embark on his new role as closer until Monday, so the White Sox, up by one run in the 9th, called on Hector Santiago.  But Santiago struggled, allowing two baserunners, and Addison Reed came in to bail him out for the one-out save.  No hierarchy change.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedCHW |Sale |Santiago |Thornton |Sale |5/6/12

 
San Diego Padres – The Padres will place Huston Street on the disabled list after he suffered a right posterior shoulder strain on Friday.  After being hurt last night, Street said he didn’t think the injury was too serious, but perhaps that was wishful thinking; Andrew Cashner will close in his stead, and Bud Black said that Luke Gregerson and Dale Thayer could also see occasional opportunities.  Hierarchy change: Huston Street to DL, Andrew Cashner to Closer, Luke Gregerson to Set-up, Dale Thayer to 2nd in line.

 |Closer |Set-Up |2nd In Line |2013 Closer |UpdatedSD |Cashner |Gregerson |Thayer |Street |5/6/12 |Street(DL) |

 
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Hector Santiago/Matt Thornton/Addison Reed, Chicago White Sox – Chris Sale doesn’t start closing until tomorrow, and over the past two days, Robin Ventura has played matchups to determine his 9th inning man, with Santiago, Thornton, and Reed all getting opportunities.
2. Edward Mujica, Miami Marlins – After the demotion of Heath Bell, the permanent closer job likely belongs Steve Cishek, but Cishek threw 52 pitches over 3 innings on Friday, and could be given a second day off to rest up.