Fantasy Baseball Closers

Closers Updated

I've updated the fantasy baseball closers post.  Let me know if you have any input on the depth charts.

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Fantasy Baseball Closers Post Updated

The fantasy baseball closers post is updated once again. The situation in Texas is the latest for saves vultures to monitor.

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Fantasy Baseball Closers Post Updated

Sorry about slacking on this; I want to keep the fantasy baseball closers post constantly updated.  If you ever go to it and it's out of date, feel free to email me.

Anyway, the post is up to date now.

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Keep An Eye On Riske

FOX's Ken Rosenthal has some Opening Day musings in today's column.  He compares the blowups of closers Kerry Wood and Eric Gagne at Wrigley yesterday, noting that it's the Brewers who should be concerned.

I watched the game, and I agree.  Gagne looked very hittable.  His goggles kept fogging up, but I'm not buying that excuse.  He looked pretty lousy - tentative and throwing very straight fastballs.  When was the last time he looked decent?  July of last year?

Given his $10MM salary, Gagne will have a mighty long leash with the Brewers.  But he's also fragile, so they could easily cook up some reason to toss him on the DL if they don't want to embarrass him or themselves.  In that case David Riske would probably become the closer.  Riske makes $4MM this year but has a bunch of incentives for games finished.  He's the logical choice, and if you have bench room and fierce closer competition in your league a pre-emptive pickup might be wise. 

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Fukumori Leading Save Candidate In Texas

It's officially time to bump the Rangers' Kazuo Fukumori up on your cheatsheets.  C.J. Wilson and Joaquin Benoit are both questionable for Opening Day, leaving an opportunity for Fukumori to beat out Eddie Guardado for save chances.  Fukumori has six scoreless innings this spring.  Kind of meaningless, but managers like that.

Granted, I have Fukumori posting a 4.82 ERA and 1.66 WHIP this year.  But how many times have we seen a Japanese reliever blow away his projections?  You can't be too picky with waiver wire closers. 

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Fantasy Baseball Closers

Fantasy baseball closers are ever-changing, and require constant vigilance.  You'll need to be lightning quick to pounce on the latest closers.  Changes can occur due to injury, ineffectiveness, or even salary.  RotoAuthority.com will constantly monitor and update this post so that you always know who has the closing gig for every team.  The first pitcher listed is the current closer; the second/third are the next in line for saves.

If you have closer info or corrections, leave them in the comments with a link and I'll update the post.  Or, email me.

Updated 9-3-08 at 10:30am CST. Most recent changes in red.

American League

Baltimore Orioles - George Sherrill (if healthy), Jim Johnson (if healthy), Alberto Castillo, Jamie Walker.  Sherrill is on the DL with shoulder inflammation, and Johnson is also having shoulder issues.  Tough to find an Orioles reliever who had a decent August, so pursue saves here at your own risk.

Boston Red Sox - Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Justin Masterson.  The Sox weren't able to add a reliever at the deadline.

Chicago White Sox - Bobby Jenks, Octavio Dotel, Matt Thornton, Scott Linebrink (if healthy).   Linebrink is on the shelf with shoulder inflammation.

Cleveland Indians - Jensen Lewis, Rafael Perez, Masa Kobayashi, Ed Mujica, Rafael Betancourt.  Lewis has jumped to the front of the line.

Detroit Tigers - Joel Zumaya (if healthy), Fernando Rodney, Kyle Farnsworth, Todd Jones (if healthy).  Zumaya is injured again and out of the picture, so look to Rodney for saves in Detroit.  Jones may be out for the season.

Kansas City Royals - Joakim Soria, Ron Mahay, Ramon Ramirez, Leo Nunez.  Soria and Mahay have both been elite this year.

Minnesota Twins - Joe Nathan, Eddie Guardado, Jesse Crain, Matt Guerrier.  Pat Neshek is out for the season.  Everyday Eddie is back in the fold, this time as a setup man.

New York Yankees - Mariano Rivera, Damaso Marte, Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras.  New acquisition Marte has struggled.

Los Angeles Angels - Francisco Rodriguez, Scot Shields, Jose Arredondo, Justin Speier.  K-Rod is challenging the saves record.  Shields has regained his eighth inning job.  Speier has had a rough go of it.

Oakland Athletics - Brad Ziegler, Joey Devine, Huston Street.  Ziegler has been incredible, and has supplanted Street in the short term.  Devine is also in the mix.

Seattle Mariners - J.J. Putz, Roy Corcoran, Sean Green, Mark Lowe.  Morrow has returned to Triple A to work his way back as a starter.  Putz has his job back, but he's being babied for the season's final month.

Tampa Bay Rays - Troy Percival, Dan Wheeler, Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell, Chad Bradford.  Percival is off the DL and presumably back in the closer role.

Texas Rangers - C.J. Wilson (if healthy), Frank Francisco, Jamey Wright, Joaquin Benoit.  Wilson is out for the season with elbow surgery, and Guardado was traded.  Francisco has a huge strikeout rate and gets first crack.

Toronto Blue Jays - B.J. Ryan, Scott Downs (if healthy), Jeremy Accardo (if healthy), Jesse Carlson.  Downs is clearly second in line, though he is playing through a twisted ankle.

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks - Brandon Lyon, Jon Rauch, Tony Pena, Chad Qualls, Juan Cruz.  Rauch could step if Lyon continues to struggle.  Pena could be next if both fail.

Atlanta Braves - Mike Gonzalez, Rafael Soriano (if healthy), Blaine Boyer, Manny Acosta, Will Ohman.  John Smoltz is out for the season.  Gonzalez is the one to own, with Soriano's elbow acting up once again.

Chicago Cubs - Kerry Wood, Carlos Marmol, Jeff Samardzija.  Wood is back from his blister problem, and has the ninth inning back.  Marmol has been looking good since the break, while rookie Samardzija has entered the mix with a mid-90s heater. 

Cincinnati Reds - Francisco Cordero, Jared Burton, David Weathers.  Burton deserves first crack if Cordero goes down; he was just activated from the DL.

Colorado Rockies - Brian Fuentes, Manny Corpas, Taylor Buchholz, Matt Herges.  Corpas lost his job to Fuentes due to a terrible April.  Corpas has been better lately, but Fuentes will keep the job until season's end.

Florida Marlins - Kevin Gregg (if healthy),  Matt Lindstrom, Joe Nelson,  Arthur Rhodes, Doug Waechter, Renyel Pinto.  Gregg has a knee injury, so Lindstrom and Nelson will handle closing duties.

Houston Astros - Jose Valverde, Doug Brocail, Chris Sampson, LaTroy Hawkins.  Valverde has struggled, but he'll keep his job.

Los Angeles Dodgers - Takashi Saito (if healthy), Jonathan Broxton, Chan Ho Park, Hong-Chih Kuo, Joe Beimel.  Broxton will take closing duties with Saito out for most of the remaining season.  Kuo has been lights out and makes a great source of Ks.

Milwaukee Brewers - Salomon Torres, Eric Gagne, David Riske.  Torres has a hold on the ninth inning.  Who would've thought all three of these guys would be healthy and he'd be closing?

New York Mets - Billy Wagner (if healthy), Luis Ayala, Al Reyes, Scott Schoeneweis, Aaron Heilman.  Ugly situation, but new guys Ayala and Reyes should get a shot.

Philadelphia Phillies - Brad Lidge, Chad Durbin, Tom Gordon (if healthy), Rudy Seanez, J.C. Romero.  Gordon may be out for the season.  Lidge is back after a minor injury.

Pittsburgh Pirates - Matt Capps, John Grabow, Tyler Yates, Craig Hansen.  Capps is off the DL, and should get his job back shortly.

San Diego Padres - Trevor Hoffman, Heath Bell.  Definitely an erratic '07 for Hoffman, but he seems safe for now.

San Francisco Giants - Brian Wilson, Keiichi Yabu, Tyler Walker, Merkin Valdez (if healthy). Wilson's job is safe, though control has been an issue.

St. Louis Cardinals - Chris Perez, Kyle McClellan, Jason Isringhausen (if healthy), Ryan Franklin.  Perez seems to have a lock on the job, after Izzy and Franklin failed.

Washington Nationals - Joel Hanrahan, Saul Rivera.  Rauch was traded and Chad Cordero is out for the season, so Hanrahan gets a look.  He's got a strong K rate but questionable control.

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