Closer Watch Report 05 25 08

Sunday, May 25, 2008

MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Salomon Torres still Closer
Guillermo Mota still 1st in line
Eric Gagne still 2nd in line

Torres pitched a scoreless, 2 strikeout inning for his second save of the season in a 5-2 final yesterday. The 36-year-old veteran could have the chance to emerge as the Brewers' closer this year, with Gagne on the DL.

Torres has a 1.37 WHIP in 30 IP with 24 K on the season. The righthander started out as the Pirates' closer last year and posted 12 saves before losing the job to Matt Capps.

HOUSTON ASTROS
Jose Valverde still Closer
Doug Brocail still 1st in line
Oscar Villarreal still 2nd in line

Brocail recorded his 2nd save of the season yesterday, despite loading the bases in a 4-3 final and getting the final out with a put out at home. Valverde wasn't used after he was hit in the face with a comebacker in a 29 pitch save outing on Friday.

Brocail has a 1.11 WHIP in 28 IP with 24 K. The 41-year-old righthander is 6th in the NL in holds with 10.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Ryan Franklin still Closer
Chris Perez to 1st in line in place of Kyle McClellan
Kyle McClellan to 2nd in line in place of Chris Perez

Perez struck out the side last night while pitching the 9th in a 4-0 win. The top prospect now has 5 scoreless outings since being promoted last week; 0.43 WHIP in 4+ IP with 5 K and 1 hold.

McClellan is having a solid rookie campaign, but doesn't have the future close value Perez has. The 23-year-old righthander has a 1.26 WHIP in 24+ IP with 20 K, and a major league leading 13 holds.

TAMPA BAY RAYS
Troy Percival still Closer
Dan Wheeler still 1st in line
Al Reyes to 2nd in line in place of Gary Glover

Reyes has returned from the DL with 4 scoreless outings and has a 1.18 WHIP in 9+ IP with 7 K and 1 hold on the season.

Glover has a 1.88 WHIP in 14+ IP with 10 K and 2 holds.

Friday, May 23, 2008

CLEVELAND INDIANS
Joe Borowski to Closer in place of Masa Kobayashi
Masa Kobayashi to 1st in line in place of Rafael Betancourt
Rafael Betancourt to 2nd in line in place of Jorge Julio

Borowski is to be activated from the DL today and could move back in to his closers' role immediately. Betancourt failed to step up in the interim and Kobayashi blew his first opportunity after moving up on the depth charts.

Borowski put up ugly numbers in just 4 innings before hitting the DL with the tricep injury; 18.00 ERA and 2.75 WHIP with 2 blown saves in 4 tries.

ATLANTA BRAVES
Manny Acosta still Closer
Blaine Boyer still 1st in line
Jeff Bennett still 2nd in line

Ohman got the final out in a 4-2 final yesterday for his first save of the season. Acosta was pulled from the save opportunity with the left hand hitting Carlos Delgado due up.

Ohman has a 1.32 WHIP in 19+ IP this year with 17 K and 7 holds. The 30-year-old lefthander is tough on lefties with a .604 opposition OPS, but is also effective versus righthanders with a .689 mark.

Acosta has not been used as a true closer since filling in after Rafael Soriano and Peter Moylan went down. Soriano had a successful AA rehab outing Wednesday and could return from the DL after another rehab appearance today.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

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

Gagne appears to be heading to the DL with the shoulder injury. Manager Ned Yost talked Wednesday about Torres being his primary closer in the interim.

"Probably, he (Torres) will get the majority of the closing situations," Yost said. "But if I don't have to, I don't like to paint myself into a corner. If I want to bring in Shouse, I don't [want to] get 90 questions on why Torres didn't pitch."

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Eric Gagne still Closer
Guillermo Mota still 1st in line
Salomon Torres still 2nd in line

Gagne left a shaky outing last night with shoulder stiffness and the righthander will be evaluated today. The 32-year-old veterans' poor pitching couldn't get him removed from the closers' role, perhaps a DL stint can.

Mota pitched a perfect, 2 strikeout 8th inning in front of Gagne last night. The 34-year-old righthander blew a spot save last week when Gagne was rested, and recorded 1 save during Gagne's brief removal from the closers' role. Mota has a 1.47 WHIP on the season in 18+ IP with 23 K and 5 holds on the season.

Torres got the final out in a non save situation last night in a 7-2 game after Gagne had to leave. The 36-year-old veteran was pulled from his one save chance during Gagne's brief demotion. Torres has a 1.41 WHIP on the season in 29 IP with 22 K and 5 holds.

ATLANTA BRAVES
Manny Acosta still Closer
Blaine Boyer still 1st in line
Jeff Bennett still 2nd in line

Acosta got the final 4 outs in a 6-2 final yesterday for his 3rd save of the season. The 27-year-old righthander has a 1.43 WHIP in 23 IP on the season with 13 K and is 3 for 3 in save chances.

Soriano is to begin a minor league rehab today and could return from the DL next week barring a setback with the elbow.

Smoltz on the other hand is not ready for a rehab yet, as he experienced shoulder discomfort this weekend after a bullpen session.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
Brian Wilson still Closer
Tyler Walker still 1st in line
Keiichi Yabu to 2nd in line in place of Merkin Valdez

Wilson recorded his 13th save of the season yesterday, despite allowing a 2 run ninth inning HR to Clint Barmes. The 26-year-old closer has now allowed 6 runs in his last 2 outings to get his ERA up to 5.79 and WHIP to 1.66 in 18+ IP on the season.

Yabu pitched a perfect 1 strikeout 7th inning for his first hold of the season yesterday. The former Japanese Leaguer has a 1.16 WHIP in 27+ IP on the year with 18 K, and has not allowed an earned run over his past 8 appearances.

Valdez was placed on the DL last week with an elbow injury.

Monday, May 19, 2008

CHICAGO WHITE SOX
Bobby Jenks still Closer
Scott Linebrink still 1st in line
Octavio Dotel still 2nd in line

Masset pitched 2 scoreless innings to record his first career save yesterday in a 13-8 final. The 26-year-old righthander pitched out of an 8th inning jam after Dotel loaded the bases, then stayed on for the 9th with no traditional save chance for Jenks.

Masset has a 1.38 WHIP in 21 IP on the season with 21 K and zero holds.

Closer Watch Report Archive:
May 18, 2008
May 11, 2008
May 4, 2008
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
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