Petricka looking like the new White Sox closer

July 13, 2014

Chicago White Sox — After yesterday’s game, it looks like Jake Petricka is moving towards becoming the closer of the White Sox.  His main competition, Zach Putnam, was brought on in the 6th inning and gave up 3 hits and a run in his 1.1 innings of work.  Petricka was saved for the 9th inning and, although it wasn’t a save opportunity after the White Sox scored 3 runs in the top of the 9th, he pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.  This still could be a committee but Petricka is, at the very least, the top of the committee at this point.

Updated hierarchy: Petricka | Guerra | Putnam.

Atlanta Braves — David Carpenter recorded the save last night.  He entered the game in the 8th inning with a three run lead and then came back for the 9th after the Braves added two more runs to make it a five run game.  It was only Carpenter’s second appearance since coming off the DL, but it was much better than the first.  Shae Simmons still has an ERA under 1.00 so we will leave him at second in line for now but Carpenter could move back into that role shortly.

Hierarchy Remains: Kimbrel | Walden | Simmons.

Pittsburgh Pirates – Jeanmar Gomez picked up the save in the 11th inning last night.  Melancon, Watson and Frieri all pitched earlier in the game so, despite the save, Gomez still does not factor into the Pirates’ late inning plans.

Hierarchy Remains: Melancon | Watson | Frieri.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Grant Balfour/Brad Boxberger, Tampa Bay Rays – Jake McGee is out on paternity leave so Balfour or Boxberger should get the call if there is a save opportunity.
2. Jason Grilli, Los Angeles Angels – Joe Smith has pitched in 2 straight and 3 of the last 4.

Edward Mujica or Junichi Tazawa could close in Boston soon

July 10, 2014

Boston Red Sox — Trade rumors are heating up around Koji Uehara, raising the question of who would be next in line to replace him. John Farrell has mentioned that he likes to use Edward Mujica in the role with Uehara unavailable, Mujica’s 5.61 ERA and 1.49 WHIP notwithstanding. Farrell might be better served considering Junichi Tazawa or Andrew Miller — although lefty Miller could be leaving Boston soon himself.

Updated hierarchy: Uehara | Mujica | Tazawa.

Tampa Bay Rays — Time for our daily look at the bullpen you don’t want anything to do with! Use of would-be closer in the eighth inning? Check. Five pitchers called on to get the final seven outs? Check! Rookie Kirby Yates brought in at the highest-leverage moment to yield a game-winning home run? CHECK! The Rays have Thursday off, giving Joe Maddon the chance to take a fresh look at all of his bullpen options, then return to using them in baffling and inconsistent ways.

Hierarchy remains: McGee | Balfour | Peralta.

Arizona Diamondbacks — Kirk Gibson insisted he hasn’t “even considered” moving Addison Reed from the closer role after his recent struggles. If he ever manages to spare some time for thought on the subject, he might recall how effective Brad Ziegler was in the role in 2013. Then again, he may just be buying time until the Arizona front office can move Reed.

Hierarchy remains: Reed | Ziegler | Marshall.

Chicago White Sox — The Sox bullpen ruined a strong outing from would-be All-Star Chris Sale on Wednesday. Entering with two outs in the eighth, Jake Petricka gave up three hits and a walk without retiring a batter; after Javy Guerra got out of that jam, he came back out for the ninth and blew the save. Post-game criticism centered on Ventura’s decision to pull Sale, and with Chicago’s bullpen, that second-guessing seems pretty reasonable.

Hierarchy remains: Putnam | Petricka | Guerra.

Miami Marlins — Steve Cishek had a nightmare tenth on Wednesday night, entering with a two-run lead and giving up a single, a walk, a single, and a walk-off double. Although this is his second such meltdown in two weeks, he was working on a streak of 33 consecutive saves just a few months ago.

Hierarchy remains: Cishek | Gregg | Morris.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jeurys Familia, New York Mets — Jenrry Mejia has pitched in three of the last four games.
2. Antonio Bastardo/Ken Giles, Philadelphia Phillies — With Jonathan Papelbon having pitched in three straight games, Ryne Sandberg may audition young Ken Giles as a potential replacement in case of a trade.
3, Pat Neshek, St. Louis Cardinals — Trevor Rosenthal has pitched in two straight games.

Putnam blows save while Casilla picks up first save in Giants’ committee

July 6, 2014

Chicago White Sox – The White Sox took a 2 run lead in the bottom of the 8th inning yesterday and then brought on lefty Eric Surkamp to start the 9th inning.  He walked the only batter he faced before Zach Putnam came on to try and close it out.  Putnam gave up a sacrifice fly and then back to back two-out singles to allow the Mariners to tie the game.  Manager Robin Ventura said after the game that he is going to keep using different people until somebody emerges.  It seems likely somebody else gets a shot at the next save opportunity, but, even with the blown save yesterday, Putnam seems like the best bet overall for saves in the White Sox bullpen.

Hierarchy remains: Putnam | Petricka | Guerra.

San Francisco Giants — The Giants had their first save opportunity since Sergio Romo was removed as closer and it was Santiago Casilla who picked up the save.  Casilla pitched a scoreless 10th inning with two strikeouts to record his second save of the season.  This is still a committee with lefty Jeremy Affeldt but the righty Casilla will probably see the majority of the save chances.

Hierarchy remains: Casilla | Affeldt | Romo.

Minnesota Twins – Casey Fien pitched the 8th inning ahead of closer Glen Perkins for the second day in a row on Saturday.  Fien struggled a little bit in the middle of June when he took losses in back-to-back appearances, including a blown save, but has picked it back up since then.  Fien has only given up one run in his last seven games and, with an ERA less than half of Jared Burton’s, it looks like Fien is re-establishing himself as the primary backup to Perkins.

Updated hierarchy: Perkins | Fien | Burton.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jake Petricka, Chicago White Sox – Zach Putnam blew the save yesterday so Petricka could get a shot if there is a save opportunity today.
2. Jason Motte, St. Louis Cardinals – Trevor Rosenthal has thrown 54 pitches over the last 2 games.

Zach Putman moves to the top of White Sox closer committee, Sergio Romo blows save

June 29, 2014

Chicago White Sox – Zach Putnam recorded his first career save on Saturday.  He got the last out of the 8th inning and then came back out for the 9th to finish the game.  Putnam has been effective against both righties and lefties this season so we think he is the best option to close games.  However, Jake Petricka was warming up in the bullpen in the 9th inning yesterday and Robin Ventura has said they will mix and match so this is still very much a committee.  We will move Putnam to the top of the committee but it could be anybody getting the next save opportunity.

Updated hierarchy: Putnam | Petricka | Guerra.

San Francisco Giants — Sergio Romo blew his 5th save of the season last night, giving up a 2 run homer to Brandon Phillips.  After the game, manager Bruce Bochy said he wouldn’t answer questions about whether Romo would get the next save, but he did say it was something they would talk about.  Santiago Casilla has an ERA just over 1.00 and could be in line for some save opportunities if the Giants want to give Romo a break from closing.

Sergio Romo to Hot Seat.

Tampa Bay Rays – Jake McGee picked up his second save in two days on Saturday.  Grant Balfour worked the 8th inning ahead of McGee in game 1 of the doubleheader on Friday and did it again yesterday.  It is also worth noting that Joel Peralta gave up 2 runs in the 7th inning with the Rays losing in game 2 of the doubleheader on Friday.  McGee looks to be moving ahead of the other members of the Rays committee and could be establishing himself as the primary closer.

Hierarchy remains: McGee | Balfour | Peralta.

Oakland Athletics – Sean Doolittle’s scoreless inning streak ended at 26 yesterday, as he blew a one run lead in the 9th inning.  Jeff Francis ended up getting the save in the 14th inning, but he does not factor into the A’s normal late inning bullpen plans.

Hierarchy Remains: Doolittle | Gregerson | Otero.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jake Petricka, Chicago White Sox – The White Sox are using a committee and Zach Putnam has pitched in 2 straight and 3 of the last 4.
2. Jonathan Broxton, Cincinnati Reds – Aroldis Chapman blew the save yesterday and has pitched 4 games in a row.
3. Brandon Kintzler, Milwaukee Brewers – K-Rod and Will Smith have both appeared in 3 straight games.

Ronald Belisario out as closer for White Sox

June 27, 2014

Chicago White Sox – Ronald Belisario could only get 1 out in the 9th inning on Friday night and after the game, Robin Ventura finally pulled the plug on the laboring righty.  The only person mentioned specifically as being “in the mix” for save opportunities is Jake Petricka — the man who bailed Belisario out on Friday.  We like Zach Putnam’s ratios a lot better, while Javy Guerra has the most experience, and Daniel Webb has carried the “future closer” tag for a while.  But actually converting a save carries a lot of weight, so we’ll stick Petricka in the lead until we hear more.

Updated hierarchy: Petricka | Putnam | Guerra.