Closer Watch Report 07 06 08

Sunday, July 6, 2008

TAMPA BAY RAYS
Grant Balfour to Closer in place of Dan Wheeler
Dan Wheeler to 1st in line in place of Grant Balfour
J.P. Howell still 2nd in line

Balfour pitched a perfect, 2 strike out inning in a 3-0 final yesterday for his 3rd save of the season. Wheeler was passed over for the save opportunity despite pitching only once in the previous 4 days.

Balfour has saves in each of his past 2 outings and could at least have a co-closer situation with a chance to emerge as the primary closer while Troy Percival is out. The 30-year-old Balfour continues to add to his dominant season numbers; 0.74 WHIP in 17+ IP with 27 K.

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

Veras pitched a perfect, 2 strikeout 7th inning yesterday for his 5th hold of the season. The 27-year-old right hander has a 1.16 WHIP on the season in 28+ IP with 26 K.

Chamberlain is having a successful transition to the starting rotation and most likely will not return to the bullpen this year.

FLORIDA MARLINS
Kevin Gregg still Closer
Renyel Pinto to 1st in line in place of Justin Miller
Doug Waechter to 2nd in line in place of Renyel Pinto

Miller was placed on the DL yesterday with an elbow injury.

Pinto has a 1.40 WHIP in 48 IP with 43 K and 13 holds on the season. The 25-year-old left hander is surprisingly tougher on right hand hitters .571 opposition OPS, than left hand hitters .769 mark.

Waechter has a 1.10 WHIP in 47+ IP with 38 K and 8 holds on the season.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

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

The Indians designated Borowski for assignment yesterday. The veteran closer blew his 4th save of the season in 10 chances earlier in the week and has poor season numbers; 1.92 WHIP and 7.56 ERA in 16+ IP.

Manager Eric Wedge indicated Kobayashi would now be the teams' primary closer. The 34-year-old right hander has a 1.22 WHIP in 41 IP with 26 K, 2 holds and 4 saves on the season.

OAKLAND A'S
Huston Street still Closer
Alan Embree to 1st in line in place of Keith Foulke
Santiago Casilla to 2nd in line in place of Alan Embree

Foulke was placed on the DL yesterday with a shoulder injury.

Embree has a 1.34 WHIP on the season in 33+ IP with 34 K and 15 holds.

Casilla has a 1.03 WHIP on the season in 23+ IP with 24 K and 7 holds.

Friday, July 4, 2008

DETROIT TIGERS
Todd Jones still Closer
Joel Zumaya still 1st in line
Fernando Rodney to 2nd in line in place of Freddy Dolsi

Rodney got the final out for this 1st save of the season in an 8-4 final yesterday, after Jones created the save opportunity allowing 2 runs.

Rodney now has 5 scoreless outings since allowing 5 runs in his initial 2 outings off the DL. The 31-year-old right hander has a 1.50 WHIP in 5+ IP with 3 K and 1 hold.

Jones continues to put up unimpressive numbers for the Tigers with a 1.59 WHIP in 32+ IP with more walks 13 than K's 12. However, the 40-year-old veteran has just 1 blown save in 16 opportunities this year.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Brad Lidge still Closer
Tom Gordon still 1st in line
Ryan Madson still 2nd in line

Gordon got the final out in a 4-1 final yesterday to record his 2nd save of the season. Lidge was rested after throwing 45 pitchers over the previous 2 days.

Gordon has a 1.59 WHIP in 29 IP on the season with 26 K and 14 holds.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Damaso Marte to Closer in place of Matt Capps
Tyler Yates to 1st in line in place of Damaso Marte
Romulo Sanchez to 2nd in line in place of Tyler Yates

Capps was placed on the DL yesterday with a shoulder injury that could keep him out for the remainder of the season.

Marte is having a solid season with a 1.13 WHIP in 40+ IP with 44 K and 15 holds. The veteran left hander has just 1 save in his 3 years in Pittsburgh, but did have 31 saves in his 4 seasons with the White Sox.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

TAMPA BAY RAYS
Dan Wheeler to Closer in place of Troy Percival
Grant Balfour to 1st in line in place of Dan Wheeler
J.P. Howell to 2nd in line in place of Grant Balfour

Percival was placed back on the DL yesterday with his hamstring injury.

Balfour got the final 4 outs, 3 via strikeout, to record his 2nd save of the year yesterday in a 3-1 final. Wheeler was rested after pitching on 3 consecutive days.

Balfour is putting up impressive numbers this year with a 0.78 WHIP in 16+ IP with 25 K and 1 hold. The hard throwing righthander has a current 8 game scoreless appearance streak.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Matt Capps still Closer
Damaso Marte still 1st in line
Tyler Yates still 2nd in line

Romulo Sanchez allowed 1 eleventh inning run while recording his first career save in a 6-5 final yesterday. Capps blew a 1 run lead the inning before.

Sanchez had a 1.32 WHIP in 41 AAA innings this year with 24 K and 4 saves before making his 2008 major league debut last night.

Capps has blown saves each of the past 2 days and 5 since June 10. The 24-year-old righthander still has solid season numbers despite struggling to convert saves of late; 1.07 WHIP in 40+ IP with 29 K.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

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

Gagne was activated fromt the DL yesterday, however Torres will remain the Brewers' closer after converting 12 of 12 save chances filling in.

Gagne needs to prove he can be effective and healthy before challenging Torres for his old job. Gagne put up horrible numbers before going on the DL earlier in the season; 6.98 ERA and 2.02 WHIP in 19+ IP with 5 blown saves in 10 opportunities.

Torres has a 1.28 WHIP on the season in 44+ IP with 30 K.

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

Mahay pitched 2 scoreless innings yesterday to record his 4th win of the season. The 37-year-old lefthander has a 1.28 WHIP on the season in 42+ IP with 29 K and 12 holds.

Nunez remains on the DL with a strained lat muscle, but could return before the all-star break.

TAMPA BAY RAYS
Troy Percival still Closer
Dan Wheeler still 1st in line
Grant Balfour still 2nd in line

Percival had to leave a save outing last night after aggravating his hamstring injury. J.P. Howell came on to record the final out for his 2nd save of the season in a 5-4 final.

Wheeler could once again fill in as the Rays' closer if Percival has to return to the DL with the hamstring injury. The 30-year-old Wheeler has a 0.91 WHIP on the season in 38+ IP with 25 K, 20 holds and 2 saves.

Howell has a 1.14 WHIP in 51 IP with 45 K and 5 holds.

DETROIT TIGERS
Todd Jones still Closer
Joel Zumaya still 1st in line
Freddy Dolsi still 2nd in line

Zumaya got the final 5 outs while allowing 3 hits to record his 1st save of the season yesterday in a 5-4 final. Jones was rested after pitching on 3 of the previous 4 days.

Zumaya has been inconsistent in a small sample since returning from shoulder surgery; 2.44 WHIP in 5+ IP with 3 K and 1 hold.

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

Matt Thornton got the final out in a 9-7 final yesterday for his 1st save of the season. Jenks wasn't used for the save opportunity that was created by Nick Masset allowing 3 ninth inning runs.

Thornton has been very good this year with a 0.82 WHIP in 31+ IP with 40 K and 8 holds.

Closer Watch Report Archive:
June 29, 2008
June 22, 2008
June 15, 2008
June 8, 2008
Jun 1, 2008
May 25, 2008
May 18, 2008
May 11, 2008
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Apr 06, 2008
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