Bullpen Report: April 2, 2014
-Reds’ Manager Bryan Price indicated that Jonathan Broxton could be activated from the 15-day disabled list sometime next week, potentially during the St. Louis series. Broxton has been on the disabled list since last August when the veteran needed surgery on his right forearm to repair a torn flexor mass. Broxton, in the second year of a three-year, $21 million contract, could hold down ninth-inning duties until Aroldis Chapman is cleared to return to the bump. The veteran right-hander is the owner of 111 saves in 153 career chances with a 3.16 ERA (2.88 FIP) and a 28.5% K%. Chapman suffered fractures above his eye, nose and sustained a concussion after being struck in the head by a line drive off the bat of Salvador Perez. Initial report suggested that Chapman would be sidelined up to six-to-eight weeks, but reports today suggest he may be able to start throwing next week. In the meantime, those speculating for saves should snag Jonathan Broxton (9% owned in Yahoo!) off the waiver wire until Chapman’s return.
–LaTroy Hawkins secured his first save of the young season in a 6-5 Rockies victory over the Marlins. Hawkins surrendered two hits and a walk, one earned run and struck out one on 36 pitches during the ninth-inning. While the 41-year old is currently tabbed as the Rockies closer, some feel that set-up man Rex Brothers is better suited for the high-leveraged closing situations. And while I am one of those who believe that Brothers will eventually hold down the the closing duties in Colorado, I’ll have to admit he didn’t look sharp this evening. Brothers entered in the eighth and surrendered two free passes, but escaped unharmed after striking out Marcel Ozuna with runners on first and second.
-The Blue Jays had Brett Cecil warming in the bullpen last night while Sergio Santos fought for his first save of the season, just in case the right-hander faltered. The same happened tonight, but in this case, the Jays called on Cecil after Santos issued a walk to Evan Longoria. The left-hander was brought in to face pinch-hitter Matt Joyce and fanned him on four pitches to earn his second career save. Sergio Santos still feels like the closer to own in Toronto with Casey Janssen on the disabled list, but those desperate for saves in deeper leagues should consider Cecil to take advantage of more situational opportunities going forward.
-Quick Hits: Craig Kimbrel retired the Brewers in order in the bottom of the ninth-frame to notch his second save of the twenty-fourteen season. Josh Fields earned his first save of the season for the Astros in a 3-1 victory over the Yankees. Jose Veras and Jonathan Papelbon each blew saves this evening. Because the tear in Bobby Parnell’s MCL “occurred at a thicker part of the ligament” he may not need Tommy John. He’ll rest for two weeks before trying to throw again, and in the meantime, Jose Valverde will hold down the ninth in Flushing.
Closer Grid:
[Green light, yellow light, red light: the colors represent the volatility of the bullpen order.]
In addition to contributing to the RotoGraphs blog, you can find Alan at his own site, TheFantasyFix.com and follow his nonsense on Twitter @TheFantasyFix.
It’s time to move Jim Johnson to the “yellow” category. He can’t get anybody out and, I believe, has *zero* swings and misses vs 10 or so batters.
I’m very very concerned about Jim Johnson. I was at his last appearance in Arizona and although he didn’t give up any runs (walk, walk, hard hit liner to dead center that was caught, sharp GB to 2b for a double play), he was all over the place and looked terrible. He’s looked terrible in both his outings so far. I can’t find any news on an injury, but his leash has to have grown short already.
Doolittle or Gregerson gets first chance with another Johnsonian implosion?
Is Josh Fields the new Astro “closer” with a clean 9th tonight?
too soon to say with certainty, but it is the only theory that is consistent with all the evidence so far from the first two games of bullpen usage.
I think it is clear that Qualls is NOT the closer at this point.
It is either closer by committee or Fields. He has been groomed as their closer for several years now.
I think they don’t announce it to keep the pressure off, but Fields’ usage tonight against a tough lineup screams ‘closer’. Until he blows it, anyway…
I wouldn’t say Fields “has been groomed for several years”, I think he was a Rule 5 draftee last season.
Bo Porter says it’s a committee, but I think I’d have to list Fields first, based on usage so far. In fact, Matt Albers could be ahead of Qualls in the pecking order.
Daniel Webb seems to be 2nd in line in Chicago. Mowed down 3 over 2 and 2/3 after taking over from a completely ineffective nate jones.
Can’t recall a year when this many closers seemed this insecure this quickly.
I came out of the draft with, what I thought at the time, two decent closers and one maybe-closer (Perkins, Jones and Hoover). Less than one week in and it’s a disaster.
Mets beat Adam Rubin followed up that tweet with saying it may take 6 weeks to make determination of TJ surgery for Parnell.
https://twitter.com/AdamRubinESPN/status/451445582855700480
I could see the Mets turning to Familia or Black at some point since Valverde is not the long term answer and it looks like we are in for a long year already. Although, that would make too much sense for the Mets to do.
Is Jordan Walden officially out as 8th inning guy in Atlanta? Two small leads going into the 8th inning so far and 2 David Carpenter appearances.
Yes. That needs to be switched. The 8th inning job hasn’t been Walden’s in a long time.
Every name in the ‘Closer’ column of the grid is italicized except for David Robertson’s. Is there any meaning behind that or was it just by chance?
On the hold front I think there’s a chance that Will Smith leaps ahead of Henderson at some point if Henderson doesn’t get straightened out. Also, although Casilla seems pretty set, I think Jean Machi may be better. Better control. Casilla has done well and outperformed his xfip a few years running but the peripherals favor Machi. And Lopez is really more a loogy, although still ahead of Machi on the holds chart. Just something to watch if Casilla’s strand rate etc start to turn “unlucky”.
On Smith only, he is basically just a LOOGY in production (just can’t get RHH out). He may be a good Holds candidate on late LHH matchups. I like him there. If he is a dedicated setup man facing RHH, I like him less.
Good point I had not thought about. Although, and admittedly small samples, he wasn’t awful against righties last year in 19 IP and about the same as Henderson against lefties in 27 innings.
Smith against righties last year, 20.8% k rate, 6.5% walk rate, .222/.273/.412 slash against, 3.74 xFIP.
Henderson against lefties, 32.8% K rate, 13.1% walk rate, .236/.339/.448 slash against, 3.53 xFIP.
Henderson still Ks the lefties but struggled with control. He may have the better chance of solving opposite handed batters than Smith, but Smith wasn’t awful.
Bryan Price just stated that Broxton will take over closer duties when activated in a week or two.
Tazawa pitched the 8th vs the Os and I think he would be second chair