Closer Watch Blog Week 13

Sunday, July 2, 2006

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

Worrell has struggled this year with a season 7.52 ERA and was placed on the DL for the second time this year with a neck injury.

Kline is a solid left hand set up man, but has limited closer value as right hand hitters have a .803 opposition OPS against him with a .582 opposition OPS vs. left hand hitters. The 33-year-old veteran has a 1.34 WHIP in 27 IP with 13 K and 9 holds.

Benitez returned from his elbow injury last night with a scoreless 10th inning in a 4-1 game to record his 7th save of the year.

Chicago Cubs
Ryan Dempster still Closer
Bob Howry still 1st in line
Scott Eyre still 2nd in line

Manager Dusty Baker hinted at a closer break for Dempster after he blew a save earlier this week, but gave him the next save chance in which he converted. However, Demspter blew another save yesterday in a 1 run game on a walk off 3 run HR to A.J. Pierzynski. Howry may be close to taking over the closer role here.

Dempster has a 1.40 WHIP and 5.05 ERA in 35+ IP on the season with 5 blown saves. Howry has a 1.22 WHIP in 38+ IP with 36 K and 9 holds.

Friday, June 30, 2006

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

Benitez is to test his sore elbow in another throwing session today and could be back shortly after that with a successful test.

Accardo recorded a save in a 2-1 game yesterday with a hitless 9th; 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K. The 24-year-old now has a 1.16 WHIP in 32 IP with 32 K and 3 saves. Accardo is close to extending this closer audition if Benitez does land on the DL with the elbow injury.

Oakland A's
Huston Street still Closer
Justin Duchscherer still 1st in line
Kiko Calero still 2nd in line

Chad Gaudin recorded a 14th inning save yesterday in a 6-5 game; 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K. The 23-year-old has a 1.62 WHIP in 29+ IP with 19 K, 4 holds and 2 saves.

Street and Calero were both used earlier in the game, however Duchscherer was not and has only appeared in 1 game since coming off the DL with an elbow injury.

Milwaukee Brewers
Derrick Turnbow still Closer
Jose Capellan to 1st in line in place of Matt Wise
Matt Wise to 2nd in line in place of Jose Capellan

Wise allowed 2 runs last night over 2 IP and has been scored upon in 4 of his past 6 outings. The 30-year-old has struggled against right hand hitters this year with a .952 opposition OPS, with a solid .637 opposition OPS vs. left hand hitters.

Future closer candidate, Capellan has a 1.26 WHIP in 41+ IP with 32 K and 8 holds. The 25-year-old has been scored on in just 1 of his past 9 outings.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Arizona Diamondbacks
Jorge Julio still Closer
Brandon Lyon to 1st in line in place of Jose Valverde
Jose Valverde to 2nd in line in place of Brandon Lyon

Valverde allowed 4 more runs last night to get his season numbers up to an ugly 8.22 ERA and 1.79 WHIP. The fallen closer has given up 15 runs over his past 7 outings in 8 IP. It wouldn't surprise me to see an eventual DL trip for Valverde, as it's possible something physical has caused the 26-year-old to struggle so badly.

Julio is 5 for 5 in save chances since taking over for Valverde and has a 1.13 WHIP in 36+ IP with 49 K on the season.

correction from yesterday:
Tim Worrell did not receive a save opportunity on Tuesday as the score was 5-1 to begin the 9th.

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

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

Benitez remains sidelined with an elbow injury, but could return later this week pending a successful throwing session today.

The Giants gave Worrell a save opportunity last night in a 5-2 game, but the veteran was pulled with 2 outs, 2 on and 1 run in. Accardo then came on and allowed 1 inherited runner to score before getting the final out to record his second save of the season.

It's still possible Benitez lands on the DL with this elbow injury opening up a closer audition for the 24-year-old Accardo. Worrell gets veteran closer respect here, as he got the first call last night, but he's just not pitching well enough to settle in to this role; 7.52 ERA in 21 IP.

Chicago Cubs
Ryan Dempster still Closer
Bob Howry still 1st in line
Scott Eyre still 2nd in line

Dempster blew his fourth save of the season last night and after the game manager Dusty Baker suggested a potential closing break for the 29-year-old. Dempster has been scored on in each of his last 3 outings and 5 of his last 7. He has a 1.37 WHIP and 4.54 ERA in 33+ IP with 30 K on the season.

Many felt Howry could emerge as the Cubs' closer over Dempster after he signed this past winter as a free agent. Howry has a 1.16 WHIP in 35+ IP with 31 K and 9 holds on the season. However, he has had a shaky June with a 1.86 WHIP over 9+ IP with 7 runs allowed.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Kansas City Royals
Ambiorix Burgos still Closer
Mike MacDougal to 1st in line in place of Elmer Dessens
Elmer Dessens to 2nd in line in place of Todd Wellemeyer

Jimmy Gobble got the final out of the 8th in a 3-0 game yesterday, then stayed on for the 9th to record his first career save with the lead pushed to six; 1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K. The 24-year-old has a 1.19 WHIP in 40+ IP with 34 K and 3 holds. The left hander is predominantly more effective against left hand hitters, .577 opposition OPS, than right hand hitters, .806 opposition OPS.

Burgos still has ugly numbers on the season, 1.64 WHIP and 6.49 ERA in 34+ IP, but has pitched better of late converting 5 consecutive save chances. However, MacDougal could take his closer job back in early July, as he's currently on a minor league rehab from his shoulder injury.

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

Benitez was unavailable over the weekend with an elbow injury that could land him on the DL.

The next in line closer here is close between Worrell and Accardo. Worrell has the experience, but has terrible numbers on the season; 1.68 WHIP and 7.32 ERA in 19+ IP.

Accardo has future closer value and Manager Felipe Alou did say he would use the 24-year-old to close yesterday.The Giants were down 8 in the ninth Sunday and Alou still used Accardo in the 9th, as he allowed 2 runs in 1 IP. Accardo has been scored on in 4 of his past 7 appearances, but has solid numbers on the season; 1.11 WHIP in 30+ IP with 32 K, 5 holds and 0 home runs allowed.

Closer Watch Blog Archive:
Week 12
Week 11
Week 10
Week 9
Week 8