Ross Ohlendorf might be Cincinnati’s best option

May 2, 2016

Kansas City Royals – For the sixth consecutive appearance, Kelvin Herrera finished off the 8th inning for the Royals. And while we’re counting, that’s now 13 straight scoreless outings to start the year for hard-throwing righty (17 Ks in 12.1 IPs). Joakim Soria has the experience, but is off to a rocky start so far, and we now think Herrera will get the first nod should anything happen to superstar closer Wade Davis.

Updated hierarchy: Davis | Herrera | Soria.

Philadelphia Phillies – Jeanmar Gomez had pitched in four of the five previous games, so he got the day off on Sunday and Hector Neris picked up his first career save for the surprisingly decent Phillies. Neris remains a good candidate for holds going forward.

Hierarchy remains: Gomez | Neris | Hernandez.

Atlanta Braves – Arodys Vizcaino was forced into action in the 8th inning, and couldn’t hold the lead through the 9th, as the game went to extras. Jason Grilli ended up picking up his second save of the year — Jim Johnson had already pitched early in the game.

Hierarchy remains: Vizcaino | Johnson | Grilli.

Cincinnati Reds – It continues to be tough to read into a bullpen as messy as this one, but it appeared that the Reds were attempting to bridge the gap to Ross Ohlendorf on Sunday, using Tony Cingrani to start the 7th inning, with Caleb Cotham coming in behind him. Of course, Cingrani and Cotham failed to protect the lead and Ohlendorf had to come in early, with just one out in the 8th, and then when the Reds retook the lead, Ohlendorf gave it right back in the 9th. But still, this might be an indication of the way they want to play it in the future. Speculators should continue to keep an eye out for Blake Wood, who earned the win after posting scoreless 10th and 11th innings.

Updated hierarchy: *Ohlendorf | Cotham | Cingrani.
* = closer-by-committee

Baltimore Orioles – We won’t be convinced of this until it actually happens, but a Baltimore Sun beat writer is speculating that Darren O’Day might not be the man who gets saves in Zach Britton’s absence. Though the article doesn’t quote Buck Showalter, it references 2014, when O’Day was bypassed in favor of Britton after Tommy Hunter was removed from the role — this year, Brad Brach, Mychal Givens, and Dylan Bundy are listed as potential alternatives. Britton is still hoping to avoid the DL, of course, so this may not influence more than a small handful of save opportunities, but if you’ve got roster space, you might consider a flyer on one of these guys.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Brach.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles – Zach Britton will be out for a little while with an injury.
2. Chad Qualls, Colorado Rockies – Jake McGee has pitched in back to back games, allowing two baserunners each time which has forced him to throw 39 total pitches. Qualls has appeared in both of those games as well, but hasn’t faced the same adversity.

Blake Wood becoming key in the Reds’ brutal bullpen

April 23, 2016

Cincinnati Reds — J.J. Hoover is having a very rough April. Even a relatively low-pressure outing, down three in the ninth, turned into a four-run, five-hit implosion. It’s unclear whether Hoover will still be on the team through the weekend, but we have to believe he’s not sniffing any save chances for a while. Blake Wood and Ross Ohlendorf should move up accordingly.

Updated hierarchy: *Cotham | Cingrani | Wood.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies — Miguel Castro joined Jason Motte on the disabled list Friday, caused by inflammation in his right shoulder. It ain’t pretty, what’s left behind Jake McGee in the Rockies pen: new set-up guy Chad Qualls has a 6.35 ERA, Justin Miller averages two baserunners an inning, and Christian Bergman is giving up hits to everyone he doesn’t strike out. We’ll give the slot to lefty Boone Logan for now, but callup Gonzalez Germen could make it his before long.

Updated hierarchy: McGee | Qualls | Logan.

Oakland A’s — Although Bob Melvin says Oakland still has a closer committee, Sean Doolittle allowed two inherited runners to score before Ryan Madson earned save number seven with a perfect ninth. The A’s have been keeping their bullpen busy, with nine saves in their ten wins.

Hierarchy remains: *Madson | Doolittle | Axford.
* = closer-by-committee

Atlanta Braves — It doesn’t look like much of a committee in Atlanta either. Jason Grilli’s only save was of the vulture variety, and he came in on Friday night with the Braves down three in the eighth.

Updated hierarchy: Vizcaino | Grilli | Johnson.

Kansas City Royals — With Joakim Soria struggling, the Royals used Luke Hochevar in the seventh and Kelvin Herrera in the eighth, in a two-run game. Soria has earned enough goodwill to keep his slot through this one snub, but we’ll be watching to see who gets the next high-leverage eighth.

Hierarchy remains: Davis | Soria | Herrera.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Bryan Shaw, Cleveland Indians — Cody Allen didn’t take Friday off, but Saturday could be a different story. He’s now thrown 41 pitches in two days.
2. Joaquin Benoit, Seattle Mariners — Steve Cishek has gone in three straight.
3. Neftali Feliz, Pittsburgh Pirates — Both Mark Melancon and Tony Watson had lengthy outings on Friday night. Melancon also pitched on Thursday.
4. Joe Smith/Fernando Salas, Los Angeles Angels — Huston Street has pitched in two straight (37 pitches).

J.J. Hoover on thin ice in Cincinnati

April 20, 2016

Cincinnati Reds — It was quite the day for the Reds’ bullpen. The biggest news came after their 4-3 win, when manager Bryan Price said he would “sleep” on the closer situation. J.J. Hoover struggled again on Tuesday, allowing two runs in the ninth to bloat his ERA to 15.19. Assuming Hoover is out as closer after Price wakes up, Tony Cingrani is most likely to take the job. It certainly won’t be Jumbo Diaz, who was optioned to AAA before the game. It appears as if Caleb Cotham will replace Diaz, after a successful eighth inning on Tuesday that earned him his third hold of the season.

Updated hierarchy: Hoover | Cingrani | Cotham.

Kansas City Royals — Joakim Soria has allowed a run in each of his last two outings. On Tuesday, he couldn’t get out of the eighth inning and was booed off the mound, paving the way for Kelvin Herrera to get the final two outs of the frame. Herrera has yet to allow an earned run and may get some more looks in the eighth if Soria continues to struggle.

Hierarchy remains: Davis | Soria | Herrera.

Oakland A’s – Ryan Madson solidified his spot at the top of the Oakland committee on Tuesday, picking up the eleventh-inning save. Sean Doolittle pitched the eighth in a tie game, a role Doolittle should have more often than not, given Madson’s success so far.

Hierarchy remains: *Madson | Doolittle | Axford.
* = closer-by-committee

Tampa Bay Rays – Alex Colome recorded his second save and remains the number one option in Kevin Cash’s committee, though he and the team have only two saves.

Hierarchy remains: *Colome | Cedeno | Farquhar.
* = closer-by-committee

Chicago White Sox — Nate Jones earned the first save of his career thanks to a pair of scoreless innings in a 5-0 victory.

Hierarchy remains: Robertson | Jones | Albers.

Arizona Diamondbacks – Tyler Clippard picked his first save of the season in a 3-0 win on Tuesday. Brad Ziegler had thrown in three of the last four days and Daniel Hudson tossed 38 pitches on Monday.

Hierarchy remains: Ziegler | Hudson | Clippard.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Koji Uehara, Boston Red Sox – Craig Kimbrel has pitched in two straight and four of the last five; Uehara was rested on Tuesday.
2. Tony Cingrani, Cincinnati Reds – As mentioned above, J.J. Hoover’s days as the Reds closer may be over.
3. Trevor May, Minnesota Twins – Kevin Jepsen has pitched four of the last five days.
4. Sean Doolittle, Oakland Athletics – Ryan Madson has appeared three times over the last four days, and this is still a committee.

2016 AL Central preview

February 29, 2016

Chicago White Sox – The back end of the White Sox bullpen settled into a nice groove at the end of last season and the good news is that all of the key members will be returning for 2016.  David Robertson has established himself as a solid closer, with the potential to be elite, after he finished last season with a WHIP under 1.00 and 86 Ks in only 63.1 innings.  Flamethrower Nate Jones pitched well after returning toward the end of last season, and has been impressive so far this spring.  Matt Albers re-signed after a successful first year with the White Sox and should slot into the late innings too.  Zach Duke could see time in the later innings as well, as a situational lefty.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Robertson | Jones | Albers.
Holds candidates: Jones, Albers, Duke.

Cleveland Indians – Cody Allen will close again for the Indians in 2016, and Bryan Shaw should return to the set-up role.  Zach McAllister will get a chance to compete for a spot in the starting rotation, but is more likely to end up at the back end of the bullpen.  Jeff Manship is coming off an incredible year, and we’ll slide him into 2nd in line while McAllister fights for a rotation spot.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Allen | Shaw | Manship.
Holds candidates: Shaw, Manship.

Detroit Tigers — The Detroit Tigers have revamped their bullpen for 2016.  They acquired veteran closer Francisco Rodriguez — who was a little late to spring training due to visa issues — as well as Mark Lowe and Justin Wilson.  Alex Wilson was the team’s best relief pitcher last year and he will return in 2016, though likely in a middle relief role.  Talented Bruce Rondon is also back, after being sent home early last season, and could factor into the late-inning plans if he can get his act together.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Rodriguez | Lowe | J. Wilson.
Holds candidates: Lowe, Justin Wilson, Alex Wilson.

Kansas City Royals – The Royals won the World Series on the strength of their bullpen last year and bring back several key members, including closer Wade Davis, who has been pretty good the past two seasons.  They also added former closer Joakim Soria, who should share set-up duties with Kelvin Herrera.  Veteran Luke Hochevar also returns and should see time in the later innings.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Davis | Soria | Herrera.
Holds candidates: Soria, Herrera, Hochevar.

Minnesota Twins — Glen Perkins had a tough second half of 2015, but he will start 2016 as the closer for the Twins again.  Kevin Jepsen filled in for Perkins at the end of last season and will be right behind him in case anything happens, and Casey Fien will also return.  Trevor May pitched well out of the pen last season, but he could move to the starting rotation this year.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Perkins | Jepsen | Fien.
Holds candidates: Jepsen, Fien, Fernando Abad.