Stock Up/Stock Down: Closers

The season is all of a week old, not even when you consider that today’s games haven’t been played yet, but we’ve already had some movement on the closer front. Let’s take inventory of whose stock is on the rise, and whose is slipping…

Stock Up

Joel Hanrahan | Pirates

Hanrahan or Evan Meek, Meek or Hanrahan. That was the question pretty much all winter, at least until new manager Clint Hurdle and put an end to the ninth inning controversy and declared Hanrahan his closer at the outset of Spring Training. He’s been spectacular in three outings so far, striking out five of the 13 batters he’s faced and saving all three Pirate wins. Meek’s early struggles (seven runs and two outs across his last two appearances) mean Hanrahan’s job is that much more secure.

Craig Kimbrel | Braves

New manager Fredi Gonzalez spoke of a closer platoon with Kimbrel and Jonny Venters, but his usage of the two relievers in the first game of the season said otherwise. Kimbrel has faced six batters this season, striking out five of them and getting one swing-and-miss for every five pitches or so. This is just a continuation of last year, when the 22-year-old struck out 40 of the 88 batters he faced in his Major League debut. It’s only been two outings, but Kimbrel has seemingly grabbed the job by the horns and I’m not sure there’s anything that can be done to stop him right now. Remember what Jonathan Papelbon did in 2006? That’s what Kimbrel is capable of, except with maybe more strikeouts.

Jordan Walden | Angels

The Halos’ opening series in Kansas City can charitably be described as disastrous. They lost three of four games, and their bullpen walked nearly as many batters (13) as they struck out (14) and allowed five homers. Royals’ batters tagged them for a .288/.405/.561 batting line in 79 plate appearances, and incumbent closer Fernando Rodney has put six of the ten men he’s faced on base. He officially lost his job yesterday, and Walden will handle closing duties for the time being. He picked up his first save with a perfect inning against the Rays last night, and he’s struck out half of the dozen batters he faced so far. There’s always a chance he’ll relinquish the job to Scott Downs once the southpaw comes off the disabled list, but Walden has the goods to remain at closer the rest of the season and well into the future.

Stock Down

Jonathan Broxton | Dodgers

Yeah, Broxton has picked up the save all three times he’s been asked to do it in the early going, but it hasn’t always been pretty. He allowed a solo homer in two of those outings, noteworthy only because this is a guy that surrendered four total homers last season and ten total over the last three years. He’s also struck out just one of the 12 men he’s faced. Maybe it’s a fluke, but after Broxton’s awful second half last year, fantasy owners should be slightly concerned.

Brandon Lyon | Astros

Everyone remembers his Opening Day blown save, when Lyon tried to protect a two-run lead using what looked like a variety of upper-80’s slop. His second appearance of the season didn’t come until yesterday, when he managed a perfect inning in a non-save situation with similar stuff. Lyon isn’t necessarily in trouble of losing his job, but his future performance has to be monitored after he sat comfortably in the low-90’s with his four-seamer and cutter last year. Saves are important, but you shouldn’t take a big hit in the other pitching categories just to secure some.

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It’s foolish if not downright dangerous to speculate about a player’s stock after a handful of appearances, but when there are certain positions out there up in the air, every little bit of data counts. We’ve already seem one Opening Day closer lose his job, and he won’t be the last.