NL Closer Report: April 23

Let’s get this party started.

Strong Performers

Jonathan Broxton | Los Angeles Dodgers
The Comments: It seems weird to see Broxton with just one save on the year, but he continues to throw well. The right-hander has yet to allow an earned run this season in 5.2 innings. He’s issued one walk and nine Ks. Now might be a good time to try and get him in a trade since his fantasy value is down through no fault of his own.

Brian Wilson | San Francisco Giants
The Comments: The Giants’ closer is in a similar situation to Broxton’s. Wilson has pitched very well but he has just two saves on the year. He has yet to allow a run in 5.1 innings and he’s given up just one hit with six Ks.

Francisco Rodriguez | New York Mets
The Comments: The single-season saves leader is just not getting the opportunities this season. Rodriguez has one save on the year in two opportunities. He’s still giving fantasy owners some value, though, as his ERA is solid at 1.17 and he has 11 Ks in 7.2 innings of work.

Leo Nunez | Florida Marlins
The Comments: Nunez has been one of the biggest surprises of the young season. The right-hander has yet to allow an earned run while recording three saves in four tries. He’s walked four batters in 7.1 innings, but he’s also recorded 10 Ks. This past week, Nunez recorded strikeouts on five on the six batters he retired. He’s probably not still flying under the radar in your fantasy league but, if he is (83% owned in Yahoo leagues), snatch him up.

Matt Capps | Washington Nationals
The Comments: Capps continues to be proof that spring training is meaningless. The right-hander has recovered from his brutal March to lead the NL in saves with seven (in as many tries). It really can pay off to be a closer on a bad team. Capps has saved all but one of the club’s wins so far this season. Don’t overpay for him in a trade, though. He’s still not the most dominating or proven end-game option. Capps has allowed eight hits and six walks in 8.1 innings this season.

Matt Lindstrom | Houston Astros
The Comments: Lindstrom is one of just a handful of closers in the NL that has yet to blow a save. Interestingly, he also has yet to issue a walk and his lack of control was a problem for him last season in Florida. Lindstrom’s value rose a lot this past week as he recorded four saves in as many appearances (and has saved 80% of the team’s wins). He did allow four hits, though.

Carlos Marmol | Chicago Cubs
The Comments: Carlos Zambrano is in the bullpen for now, but he shouldn’t be a threat to Marmol, who has been pitching well. On the year, the right-hander is showing improved control with just three walks in 7.2 innings and he’s added 14 Ks. Marmol has converted three saves on the season but he went 0-for-1 in save opportunities this past week.

Steady Performers

Francisco Cordero | Cincinnati Reds
The Comments: Cordero is currently second in the NL in saves with six. He’s blown just one save. Cordero has a slightly-elevated ERA at 3.12 and he’s given up eight hits and four walks in 8.2 innings of work on the season. This past week, he was 2-for-3 in saves and one particularly awful appearance (2 ER, 3 BB, 2 H in 0.2 IP) against Pittsburgh, which has skewed his numbers. He’s a borderline Strong Performer.

Heath Bell | San Diego Padres
The Comments: Bell is tied for fourth in the NL with four saves. He continues to be a possible mid-season trade target for playoff-bound teams in need of bullpen help. However, San Diego is currently playing well enough to be considered a possible playoff team (thanks to its position in the NL West). Bell has given up his fair share of base runners with seven hits and three walks allowed in six innings. He was 2-for-3 in save opps this past week and gave up five hits in three innings.

Billy Wagner | Atlanta Braves
The Comments: It cost the Braves organization quite a bit to obtain him in the off-season (a first round pick, and a salary dump of Rafael Soriano) but Wagner has yet to prove his worth. The veteran closer has just one save in two tries. On the plus side, though, he does have 11 Ks in 6.0 innings of work. Fantasy owners were rewarded for their faith in him, despite zero save opps, as he recorded a win this past week.

Ryan Franklin | St. Louis Cardinals
The Comments: Fantasy managers were wary of Franklin during 2010 drafts and his 4.50 ERA might suggest the caution was justified. However, the veteran pitcher has been successful in all five of his save opportunities and he currently sits third in the league in saves. In eight overall innings, he has yet to walk a batter but he’s given up eight hits and has just three Ks. In other words, he might help your save totals, but that’s about all he’s going to (positively) impact. One thing to note, though: Franklin has given up six of his eight hits and all four of his runs in two outs (April 5, 16).

Fallen on Hard Times

Trevor Hoffman | Milwaukee Brewers
The Comments: With save opportunities few and far between recently, Hoffman appeared in just one game this past week and it was during the 20-0 laugher against Pittsburgh. If you own Hoffman, he is probably better off on your bench right now as he currently has a 10.50 ERA with nine hits allowed in 6.0 innings.

Octavio Dotel | Pittsburgh Pirates
The Comments: Dotel currently sports a 7.71 ERA but to be honest, you could do worse. The right-hander has one win and three saves in four opportunities. The aging reliever can still miss bats (9 Ks in 7.0 IP) and he plays for Pittsburgh, so you know there could be a lot of narrow leads to protect.

Chad Qualls | Arizona Diamondbacks
The Comments: The D-Backs’ bullpen has been just brutal this season (leading the Majors with six blown saves) and Qualls deserves a great deal of the blame. He may not be long for the closer role if this keeps up. He currently has a 10.80 ERA and has given up 13 hits in 6.2 innings. Qualls has saved just two games in four opportunities. He gave up four runs in 2.1 innings this past week, including a complete meltdown against St. Louis on April 21. Avoid.

Ryan Madson | Philadelphia Phillies
The Comments: Brad Lidge, currently on the DL, might have a job to come back to after all. Madson has struggled in his current role to some degree, although he has saved three games in four tries. The young closer has given up 10 hits and two walks in 7.0 innings this season. He allowed three runs against Atlanta during his last outing on April 20, and took the blown save.

Franklin Morales | Colorado Rockies
The Comments: Morales has not been the dominating late-game reliever that the Rockies club had been hoping for when it anointed him the closer in the wake of Huston Street’s injury. Morales has blown two saves in five tries and he’s struck out just four batters in 6.2 innings. If he continues to struggle, Manny Corpas or even Matt Daley might get a save opportunity or two.