N.L. Closer Report: 5/27

For the purposes of the “Closer Report” (which will be a weekly feature), we’ll place the relief aces in one of three categories: Death Grip (these guys have no chance of relinquishing the closer’s role; think Mo Rivera), In Control (a good chance of continuing to rack up the saves) and Watch Your Back (the set-up man is planning a coup d’etat as we speak).

Death Grip

Jonathan Broxton, Dodgers

Broxton saw game action twice this week, posting a spotless inning against the Mets on the 20th and then chucking 2 perfect innings against the Angels on the 23rd. His fastball, always buzzing, is up to 97.5 MPH from last year’s 96.3 and 2007’s 95.2. In fact, Broxton has increased the velocity on his cheese every year in the majors. Big Jon’s 1.83 WPA ranks 4th among relievers, and his 1.16 FIP ranks first.

Heath Bell, Padres

It finally happened: Heath actually had a runner cross home plate on his watch, as he surrendered 4 hits and a run against the Giants on the 21st. He has since converted two saves, a 0.1 inning gimme against the Cubs on the 22nd and a 1-inning opportunity versus the D-Backs on the 25th. Bell’s 94 MPH heater and hard slider are generating outside swings 31.2% of the time.

Francisco Rodriguez, Mets

K-Rod gave fantasy owners quite the scare this week. He collapsed outside of New York’s clubhouse with severe back pain, and was even placed on a stretcher. Fortunately, Rodriguez was well enough to convert a save op against the Nationals on the 25th, taking him up to 13 for the season. That’s a nice tally and the 0.83 ERA looks sparkling, but his K/BB ratio has declined for the fourth straight season: 3.5 in 2006, 2.65 in 2007, 2.26 in 2008 and 2.1 in 2009.

Chad Qualls, Diamondbacks

Qualls had a squalid week, coughing up 4 runs and 8 hits in five innings. His numbers are still sturdy for the year: a 5.5 K/BB ratio, with a 2.36 FIP. His BABIP is up to .379, one of the highest marks among all relievers. If you can coax a skittish owner to surrender Qualls, go for it.

In Control

Trevor Hoffman, Brewers

Trevor still hasn’t surrendered a run in his new digs, running his scoreless inning tally up to 13. He’s 11-for-11 in save chances, has yet to give up a walk and he has snuck into the top 10 in WPA. Eventually he’s going to serve up some homers (he has yet to do that either), but Hoffman has been outstanding for the Brewers.

Francisco Cordero, Reds

Cincinnati’s stopper saw plenty of action this week, tossing five scoreless innings, whiffing four batters while walking none, and notching 3 saves along the way. Cordero’s 1.71 ERA overstates his case somewhat (he’s managed to avoid a single HR in 21 IP), but he has improved his walk rate from 4.86 in 2008 to 3.0 this season.

Matt Capps, Pirates

Mr. Capps would very much like to turn back the clock to March, and try this whole..2009 thing over again. The 25 year-old began the season by showing uncharacteristically sloppy control while battling an elbow problem. Just when he was getting back in a groove (2 spotless save ops on the 20th and the 24th), Capps’s right elbow was smashed by a Geovany Soto liner on the 25th. He may well be placed on the DL, and John Grabow looks like the man to take over ninth inning duties in such a scenario. Grabow is a Sherrill-esque lefty, who can miss some bats but is also too generous with the free passes.

Brad Lidge, Phillies

Watch out for: Ryan Madson

Not a single thing has gone right for Lidge since he made Eric Hinske jelly-legged on a slider last October. He was due for some regression in the homer department after surrendering just two long bombs in 2008 (3.9 HR/FB%), but this is getting ridiculous: Lidge’s HR/FB percentage sits at 19.4. After leading the majors in WPA in 2008, Lidge ranks second-to-last this season: only Brandon Lyon has been more hazardous to his team’s chances of victory. The Yankees (and A Rod in particular) victimized “Lights Out” for 4 runs in 1.1 innings.

Ryan Franklin, Cardinals

Franklin hasn’t worked since the 21st when he converted a cakewalk 0.1 inning save against the Cubs. His ERA (1.53) is sterling, but his 3.79 FIP and microscopic .187 BABIP suggest that the good times might not continue to roll.

Huston Street, Rockies

Street collected his 100th career save this week with a 2 K, 2 walk inning against the Tigers on 23rd. He tallied another one the next night, and Street’s K/BB ratio is up to 4.20 for the season. His first-pitch strike percentage sits at an impressive 72.4 percent, fifth among all relievers.

Brian Wilson, Giants

Wilson had a rough go of it against the temporarily-surging Padres on the 21st, giving up two runs and two walks while blowing the save op. He had a clean inning for a save against the Braves on the 25th, but Wilson’s WPA sits at a nasty -1.46 for the year. That sandwiches him between Lidge and Brandon Morrow, two other late-inning options having seasons to forget.

LaTroy Hawkins, Astros (Jose Valverde on DL with calf injury)

Hawkins pitched 3 frames this week (none of them save chances), tossing scoreless innings on the 21st (Brewers) and 26th (Reds), but he coughed up a run and two hits against the Rangers on the 22nd. A middle-inning ‘pen arm doing his best to fill in for Valverde, Hawkins has a 4.03 FIP and a negative WPA for the season.

Watch Your Back

Mike Gonzalez, Braves

Watch out for: Rafael Soriano

Gonzalez got himself into a mess on the 23rd against the Blue Jays (1 R and 2 walks), and Soriano bailed him out while earning the save in the process. Frustrating as it may be for fantasy-types, Bobby Cox has used his two best relievers with discretion, instead of following some blanket set of rules so that one guy earns a “SV” next to his name.

Matt Lindstrom, Marlins

Watch out for: Leo Nunez

Lindstrom had a devilish inning against the Rays, getting torched for 4 runs in a third of an inning on the 23rd. The 29 year-old has now issued 15 walks in 19 innings, holds a 5.06 FIP and a -0.18 WPA. Opposing batters are wisely sitting back and taking pitches, having offered at just 40.1% of Lindstrom’s high-90’s heaters and low-80’s sliders (44.6% MLB average, 50.3% career average for Lindstrom).

Julian Tavarez(?)/Kip Wells/Joe Beimel/Joel Hanrahan/Ron Villone(huh?), Nationals

Hanrahan (apparently the guy for now) continued the late-inning hijinks by uncorking a wild pitch and losing the ballgame against the Bucs on the 20th, but he has since worked 3 scoreless innings, with 2 saves and 4 K’s. Fooling hitters has never been a problem for the burly right-hander, but he’ll have to limit the walks to avoid being usurped again. He’s made baby steps on the front: his 3.80 BB/9 mark, while hardly great, is below last year’s 4.48.

Kevin Gregg, Cubs

Watch out for: Carlos Marmol

Gregg got into just one game this week as the Cubs scuffled, with a scoreless frame against San Diego on the 22nd. The former Marlin has had some poor luck on flyballs (16.7 HR/FB%) and his BABIP is .356, but he hasn’t done himself any favors with 10 walks in 18.1 innings.