It’s been a while since you’ve heard from us and we apologize for that. For tonight, I’m going to first update you on changes in the grid since the last time we put something out. Then I will close out with an update on tonight’s slate.

Bruce Bochy announced he will remove Santiago Casilla as closer and go with a committee. He then used him with a one-run lead tonight in extra innings and he gave up a game-tying home-run to Jake Lamb. This makes the Giants closer job very volatile and although Will Smith is at the top of the grid, this does not mean he will get first shot at save opportunities. If you’re in a Holds/Save league, go for one of the three Giants on the grid. If it’s just Saves, be cautious when picking up these relievers who have no hold on the job just yet.
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Short and sweet for this four game slate…

Unfortunately for the Atlanta Braves, Arodys Vizcaino is back on the shelf with shoulder inflammation. Fortunately for the Braves and fake baseballers alike, veteran Jim Johnson still has some gas in the tank. August was kind to the 33 year-old right-hander, who picked up saves in 7-of-8 chances with an 18:2 K:BB while allowing just one earned run. And he started off September on the right foot as well. The Braves entered the final frame of tonight’s tilt with the Padres up five runs, but summoned Johnson to the hill to end the Friars’ three-run rally and pick up his 14th save of the season. For a guy that’s green, induces worm burners over 57% of the time and owns a career best 16.4% K-BB%, Jim Johnson should be owned in a few more than 50% of Y! Formats at this point in the season — unless most of those folks at the bottom of the barrell have moved on….
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• It’s always fun when non-blockbuster trades are important for the fantasy landscape. In this case, the Angels ‘de facto’ closer, Fernando Salas, was moved to the Mets this evening. Salas now shifts into a setup role and whatever “SV” value he had vanishes. His 4.47/4.50 ERA/xFIP imply that he won’t be of much use in the ratios department, so feel free to drop him if you were using him to scab saves.

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• Arodys Vizcaino has been sent back to the DL with shoulder inflammation and Shae Simmons has been recalled. Vizcaino was already moving back on the grid due to his performance and now he’s hurt again. Jim Johnson has been terrific of late with a 0.60 ERA since July 26th, throwing 15 innings with a 20/4 strikeout to walk ratio. everyone seemed to expect Vizcaino to reclaim the job, Johnson to start pitching poorly or for Johnson to be traded but that hasn’t happened and this situation is looking pretty green right now.

• The Diamondbacks ninth inning has been a bit of a mess of late but Dan Hudson locked down his second save of the year in spite of allowing an earned run. His ERA stands at a lovely 6.10 right now but he’s currently the closer and should continue to see save opportunities in the desert for now.

• Chasen Shreve recorded his first career save for the Yankees last night in extra innings. Dellin Betances threw two perfect innings but actually “blew” the save after he allowed Tyler Clippard’s inherited runner to score in the eighth.

• Andrew Miller and Cody Allen continue to seesaw with save opportunities with Miller getting his 12th save after getting the last five outs for Cleveland. Cody Allen threw a ton of pitches on Monday so he likely was unavailable and we will keep him as first in line in Cleveland, with recognition that it’s still a committee of two.

• Maybe we were a little quick to claim Edwin Diaz as the next best thing as he blew a save last night and has a 3.95 ERA since the month turned to August. However, in that time he still has 21 strikeouts in 13.2 innings pitched so the elite strikeouts are still there. On the year Diaz is supporting a 2.56/2.27/1.96 ERA/FIP/xFIP even with an inflated .400 BABIP. Plenty of reason to be excited but let’s keep watching in September to see if he’s still deserving of my earlier praise.

• Quick Hits: Another Orioles win and another scoreless frame for Zach Britton, notching his 39th save and lowering his ERA to 0.69. Mark Melancon saved his 37th game lowering his ERA to 1.30 on the season. Also, since 2013 across 274 innings, Melancon has a 1.74 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and a 2.24 FIP. He’s the elite of the non-elite strikeout guys and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Alex Colome (29), Jeurys Familia (43),  Aroldis Chapman (31), Ken Giles (6) and Fernando Salas (6) all got saves as well.

Closer Grid:

[Green light, yellow light, red light: the colors represent the volatility of the bullpen order.]

Although we had a long weekend, there were no major news stories from the bullpen, so we’ll keep this short and sweet. A couple of middle relievers had some role changes and one big name could be coming back soon. Read the rest of this entry »

The Arizona Diamondbacks plan to give both Daniel Hudson and Randall Delgado a chance in late-inning/closing situations. Neither have been great to date — they share an identical 4.20 FIP and just about the same K-BB% (10.7% K-BB% for Hudson, 10% for Delgado) — but Hudson owns the superior ground ball rate at 42.3% and induces more soft contact (23.6% Soft%) than Delgado (17.6% Soft%). And while both of the aforementioned right-handers post better numbers against opposing right-handed hitters, Delgado has been slightly better in terms of FIP (3.10 to Hudson’s 3.79) while Hudson has been better against left-handed hitters (4.70 FIP to Delgado’s 6.03). Situation in Arizona is still red, but if I had to grab one of the duo it would be Hudson. Late note: Arizona has Jake Barrett on the hill in the top of the eighth, down a pair of runs to Atlanta.
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• We have Cody Allen in the first chair on the grid below but Andrew Miller secured the win for the Indians getting his 11th save on the year. Cody Allen was never expected to received every save opportunity so he will remain first but this situation is still red and it likely will stay that way for the rest of the season as a somewhat committee between the two. In more exciting news, Miller struck out the side and now has 93 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched, supporting a 44.5% strikeout rate which is only 0.3% behind league leader and former teammate, Dellin Betances. Miller is the more effective reliever but using him in higher leveraged situations is an effective strategy by the Indians.

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Sorry we missed you most of the weekend, but a lot has happened on the grid so let’s get you updated.

Enrique Burgos had an up and down weekend blowing a save in the 8th inning on Friday, but then earned his first save of the year on Saturday by striking out two and walking one. Jake Barrett and Steve Hathaway loaded the bases for Daniel Hudson in the 8th, who escaped the jam earning the Hold (16). Not a lot of stability in this situation right now, but the grid reflects Burgos as the closer with Hudson next in line for now.
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• Andrew Miller threw two perfect frames Sunday but considering it was the seventh and eighth innings, I’m going to flip him and Cody Allen who saved the game (22) throwing a perfect inning of his own. It goes without say that Andrew Miller is still a must own and will continue to see save opportunities this season but Allen is deserving of the first spot on the grid at this time.

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Friday was busy for relievers as Jim Johnson (10), Dellin Betances (4), Will Harris (12), David Robertson (28), Brandon Maurer (5), Sam Dyson (26), Ryan Madson (25), Tony Watson (5), and Zach Britton (36) all shook hands and earned saves on Friday. Transactions started to build up on Saturday, along with some saves so let’s get to those. Read the rest of this entry »