Closer Watch Blog 12

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Brian Meadows still Closer
Chad Harville to 1st in line in place of Shawn Camp
Seth McClung still 2nd in line
Tyler Walker DL

Harville pitched out of an 8th inning jam yesterday in a 3-2 game and stayed on for the 9th to record his first save of the season; 1 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. Meadows pitched on 3 of the previous 4 days, earning saves on each of his last 2 appearances.

The 29-year-old Harville has a 1.55 WHIP and 6.05 ERA in 19+ IP with 16 K and 1 hold.

Tyler Walker played catch for the first time on Friday since his elbow injury and still may be a few weeks away from returning, barring any set backs.

San Francisco Giants
Armando Benitez still Closer
Tim Worrell to 1st in line in place of Jeremy Accardo
Jeremy Accardo to 2nd in line in place of Tim Worrell

There has been speculation that Benitez has been pitching injured this year, and he wasn't available to pitch yesterday due to a sore elbow. The veteran Worrell has a bad numbers on the season, 7.32 ERA and 1.68 WHIP, but his closing experience may move the 38-year-old in to the closers' role if Benitez lands back on the DL.

Accardo's closer value was rising a few weeks ago, but he's been scored upon in 3 of his past 5 appearances. The 24-year-old still has solid numbers on the season; 1.08 WHIP in 29+ IP with 30 K and 5 holds.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Atlanta Braves
Jorge Sosa to Closer in place of Ken Ray
Ken Ray to 1st in line in place of Chad Paronto
Chad Paronto to 2nd in line in place of Mike Remlinger

Sosa has been moved to the bullpen and debuted in relief last night with two scoreless innings to earn a win; 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K. Ray was bypassed in the 11th for the save opportunity after Sosa pitched a scoreless 10th inning. The Braves went ahead 4-3 in the 11th with Sosa staying in the game to earn the win.

The 29-year-old Sosa was a closer in the Winter Leagues this off season, as the Braves may want to salvage his season in the bullpen after he failed as a starting pitcher. Sosa still has to prove he can be effective in relief as he was completely ineffective against left hand hitters in a starting role with an opposition OPS over 1.000.

Florida Marlins
Joe Borowski still Closer
Logan Kensing still 1st in line
Taylor Tankersley to 2nd in line in place of Carlos Martinez

Martinez has landed on the DL for a second time this year with elbow problems. The left handed Tankersley has impressed in his 9 outings since an early June call up; 1.31 WHIP in 5+ IP with 7 K, 2 saves and 4 holds.

Oakland A's
Huston Street still Closer
Justin Duchscherer to 1st in line in place of Kiko Calero
Kiko Calero to 2nd in line in place of Chad Gaudin

Duchscherer is back from the DL and an elbow injury pitching a scoreless, 1 K inning last night. The 28-year-old has a 1.27 WHIP in 17+ IP with 17 K, 2 saves and 2 holds on the season.

Friday, June 23, 2006

New York Mets
Billy Wagner still Closer
Duaner Sanchez still 1st in line
Aaron Heilman still 2nd in line

Chad Bradford got out of an 8th inning jam yesterday in a four run game, then stayed on for the 9th to record his 2nd save of the season; 1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K. The 31-year-old is having a terrific season in front of the Mets' big three late inning relievers. Bradford has a 0.97 WHIP in 24+ IP with 22 K, 4 holds, 2 saves and now has an 13 game scoreless appearance streak.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Brian Meadows still Closer
Shawn Camp to 1st in line in place of Ruddy Lugo
Seth McClung still 2nd in line
Tyler Walker DL

Lugo had to leave his potential save outing Tuesday due to a back injury which has landed him on the DL.

The D'Rays received their first traditional save opportunity last night since Walker went on the DL and Meadows did get the call and converted the save in a 1 run game; 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K. The 30-year-old journeyman has a 1.48 WHIP and 4.75 ERA in 30+ IP with 15 K. Meadows is emerging from this committee as the closer.

Camp set Meadows up with a scoreless 8th last night and has a 1.53 WHIP in 32+ IP with 15 K and 9 holds.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Brian Meadows to Closer
Ruddy Lugo to 1st in line
Seth McClung to 2nd in line
Tyler Walker DL

The D'Rays have not had a save opportunity since Tyler Walker hit the DL last week. Lugo pitched a scoreless 8th last night with a 2 run lead and stayed on to begin the 9th with the lead pushed to 4. However, Lugo was pulled from a potential save after recording 1 out and replaced by Meadows, who allowed a HR around getting the final 2 outs of the game in a non save situation.

Manager Joe Maddon recently praised Meadow's lately, but the numbers don't support the managers' enthusiasm. The 30-year-old journeyman has been scored upon in 5 of his past 9 appearances and has a 1.50 WHIP in 29+ IP on the season. This is still officially a closer-by-committee situation, but Meadows may be the lead of that group right now.

McClung received future closer value yesterday when he was sent to the minors for a switch to the bullpen after failing as a starting pitcher. It's difficult to get too excited about the 25-year-old McClung as he posted a 1.80 WHIP, 6.81 ERA and .863 opposition OPS in 15 starts this year. But, if McClung has success in the new role in the minors his closer value begins to rise in this wide open bullpen.

The time table on Walkers' return from an elbow injury is still to be determined.

Seattle Mariners
J.J. Putz still Closer
Eddie Guardado still 1st in line
Rafael Soriano still 2nd in line

Soriano pitched a scoreless 8th last night with a 3 run lead then stayed on for the 9th with the lead pushed to 5 to record his 2nd save of the season; 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K.

The 26-year-old Soriano still has high future closer value with a 1.10 WHIP in 37+ IP with 42 K, but for now Putz is the clear closer here. Putz is now 9 for 9 in save chances since Guardado's demotion and has an impressive 0.82 WHIP in 34 season IP with 46 K.

Washington Nationals
Chad Cordero still Closer
Gary Majewski still 1st in line
Jon Rauch to 2nd in line in place of Bill Bray

Bray has struggled of late after impressing in his initial outings and now has a 1.75 WHIP and 6.00 ERA in 12 IP. Rauch continues to have a solid season with a 1.21 WHIP in 43+ IP with 40 K and 6 holds.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Boston Red Sox
Jonathan Papelbon still Closer
Mike Timlin still 1st in line
Craig Hansen still 2nd in line

Papelbon was rested yesterday after picking up saves on 3 consecutive days. Timlin converted a saved in his place last night with a scoreless 9th in a 3 run game; 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K. The 40-year-old veteran has a 1.26 WHIP in 23 IP with 13 K and 12 holds on the season.

Closer Watch Blog Archive:
Week 11
Week 10
Week 9
Week 8