Closer Watch Report 05 04 08

Sunday, May 4, 2008

TEXAS RANGERS
C.J. Wilson still Closer
Joaquin Benoit still 1st in line
Jamey Wright still 2nd in line

Benoit pitched a perfect, 1 strikeout inning for his 1st save of the season yesterday in a 6-3 final. Wilson was rested after pitching on 3 straight days.

Benoit has been inconsistent this year with a 1.95 WHIP in 12+ IP with 14 K and 3 holds.

Wright pitched a scoreless 8th inning to set Benoit on Saturday and has a 1.42 WHIP in 17+ IP with 12 K and 6 holds on the season.

Guardado is back from his DL stint (shoulder), but will remain an injury risk until recording some quality innings.

DETROIT TIGERS
Todd Jones still Closer
Francisco Cruceta to 1st in line in place of Denny Bautista
Aquilino Lopez still 2nd in line

Bautista was placed on the DL this weekend with a shoulder injury, which may have contributed to him being scored on in each of his past 3 outings.

Cruceta has returned from the restricted list with 2 scoreless outings. The 26-year-old righthander remains a decent relief prospect despite a performance enhancing drug suspension last year in the minors. The hard throwing Dominican had dominant numbers in 3 AAA outings this year; 0.71 WHIP in 7 IP with 15 K.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Joakim Soria still Closer
Ramon Ramirez to 1st in line in place of Leo Nunez
Leo Nunez to 2nd in line in place of Ramon Ramirez

Ramirez pitched a scoreless 8th yesterday for his 6th hold while setting up Soria. The 26-year-old righthander is putting up impressive numbers this year with a 1.02 WHIP in 13+ IP with 15 K.

Nunez is also pitching well with a 1.06 WHIP in 11+ IP with 10 K and 4 holds.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
B.J. Ryan still Closer
Jeremy Accardo still 1st in line
Jason Frasor still 2nd in line

Scott Downs recorded the final 2 outs in a 2-0 final yesterday for his 2nd save of the season. Ryan was rested after a 27 pitch save effort on Thursday.

Downs has a 1.78 WHIP on the season in 12+ IP with 13 K and 2 holds. The 32-year-old lefthander is more effective against lefthand hitters .769 opposition OPS, than righthand hitters .924 OPS.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Eric Gagne still Closer
Guillermo Mota to 1st in line in place of Derrick Turnbow
Salomon Torres to 2nd in line in place of Guillermo Mota

The Brewers designated Turnbow for assignment yesterday after a 6 run outing earlier this week got his ERA up to 15.63 and WHIP to 3.95.

Mota has been inconsistent this year, but is being used as the Brewers' primary setup man. The 34-year-old righthander has a 1.69 WHIP in 13 IP with 16 K and 4 holds on the season.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Jason Isringhausen still Closer
Ryan Franklin still 1st in line
Kyle McClellan to 2nd in line in place of Anthony Reyes

Isringhausen blew his 3rd save of the season last night and has ugly numbers on the season; 7.11 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 12+ IP.

Franklin set Isringhausen up yesterday with a scoreless 8th inning and has a 1.20 WHIP in 15 IP with 6 K and 9 holds on the season.

McClellan has been an impressive rookie reliever this year with a 0.94 WHIP in 16 IP with 14 K and 8 holds.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
George Sherrill still Closer
Jamie Walker to 1st in line in place of Greg Aquino
Dennis Sarfate still 2nd in line

Aquino was designated for assignment yesterday after posting terrible numbers this year; 14.21 ERA and 2.84 WHIP in 6+ IP.

Walker has a 1.27 WHIP in 8+ IP with 5 K and 3 holds on the season.

Sherrill has settled in to the O's closer role this year after coming over from Seattle in the off season. The 31-year-old lefthander has a 1.20 WHIP in 11+ IP with 10 K and is 10 for 11 in save chances.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Jon Rauch still Closer
Luis Ayala to 1st in line in place of Chad Cordero
Saul Rivera still 2nd in line

Cordero had to leave his outing last night with a strained muscle in the back of the shoulder and could be placed on the DL today. This injury is separate from the initial shoulder injury that has sapped his velocity. Cordero will remain an injury risk for the remainder of the season.

Ayala has a 1.47 WHIP in 14+ IP with 7 K and 7 holds on the season.

NEW YORK METS
Billy Wagner still Closer
Aaron Heilman still 1st in line
Duaner Sanchez to 2nd in line in place of Joe Smith

Sanchez has pitched well since starting the season late while coming back from shoulder surgery. The 28-year-old righthander has a 1.04 WHIP in 7+ IP with 5 K and 4 holds.

Heilman has struggled this year 1.81 WHIP & 6.28 ERA in 14+ IP with 16 K and 4 holds.

Smith still is a promising young reliever. The 24-year-old righthander has a 1.03 WHIP in 11+ IP with 8 K and 5 holds on the season.

Monday, April 28, 2008

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
B.J. Ryan still Closer
Jeremy Accardo still 1st in line
Jason Frasor still 2nd in line

Carlson surprisingly was called on to pitch a scoreless 9th to record his first career save in a 5-2 final yesterday. Ryan pitched a perfect, 1 strikeout 8th inning in a 1 run game at the time. (Perhaps Ryan was going to go 2 innings to break the Blue Jays 6 game losing streak, but the plan changed with the lead pushed to 3).

Carlson has impressive rookie numbers so far this year with a 0.79 WHIP in 12+ IP with 15 K and 1 hold. The 27-year-old lefthander is very tough on lefthand hitters with a .409 opposition OPS, with a not as dominant .723 mark vs. righthanders.

Ryan has pitched well after starting the season late coming back from Tommy John surgery. The veteran closer has 1.20 WHIP in 5 IP with zero runs allowed, 6 K and is 2 for 2 in save chances.

OAKLAND A'S
Huston Street still Closer
Keith Foulke DL still 1st in line
Alan Embree still 2nd in line

Santiago Casilla continued his early season dominance yesterday pitching a scorless, 2 strikeout 8th inning to record his 6th hold of the season. The 27-year-old righthander has a 0.83 WHIP in 13+ IP with 18 K as he builds his future closer value.

Foulke could return this week from a neck injury.

NEW YORK YANKEES
Mariano Rivera still Closer
Joba Chamberlain still 1st in line
Kyle Farnsworth to 2nd in line in place of Brian Bruney

Bruney was placed on the DL last week and is out indefinitely with a foot injury.

Farnsworth continues to be an inconsistent reliever for the Yankees. The 32-year-old righthander has a 1.59 WHIP in 11+ IP with 11 K and just 1 hold on the season.

Closer Watch Report Archive:
Apr 27, 2008
Apr 20, 2008
Apr 13, 2008
Apr 06, 2008
Mar 30, 2008
Mar 21, 2008
Mar 11, 2008
Feb 25, 2008
Feb 11, 2008
Jan 28, 2008
Jan 14, 2008
Dec 17, 2007
Dec 10, 2007
Dec 3, 2007
Nov 26, 2007
Nov 12, 2007
2007
2006