The N.L. Closer Report: 6/17

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 continued to bellow fire and destroy hitters city by city, picking up two saves against the Rangers on the 13th and 14th and then working a scoreless inning in a non-save chance vs. the A’s last night. Big Jon now has a mind-boggling 53 K’s in 33 innings, with a 0.97 FIP. To put that strikeout figure in perspective, Broxton has more K’s than starters Kyle Davies, Jarrod Washburn, Jeremy Guthrie and Andy Pettitte, despite working 40+ fewer frames. I know it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison (K rates are higher for relievers), but that’s still insane.

Heath Bell, Padres

Bell made just one trip to the mound this week, tossing a scoreless inning against the Angels on the 14th (a non-save situation). Heath’s K rate is up nearly two and a half per nine innings from last year (10.54 K/9 in ’09, 8.19 in ’08) and he has still yet to serve up a homer.

Francisco Rodriguez, Mets

In addition to participating in a bullpen brouhaha with Brian Bruney, K-Rod turned in a rough week at the office. Rodriguez blew a save against the Bombers on the 12th, then walked two while collecting a save against the O’s last night. He’s still nasty, but K-Rod’s contact rate has increased three years in a row (from 66 to 70 percent), while his first-pitch strike% has dipped from 57.2% in 2007 to 52.3% in 2009.

Trevor Hoffman, Brewers

Hell’s Bells surrendered his first run of the season, taking a loss against the White Sox on June 14th. Hoffman then recovered to collect his 16th save of the year against the Indians the next night. Trevor’s 1.44 WPA ranks in the top 15 among relievers, and he holds a 17/2 K/BB in 20 innings pitched.

Chad Qualls, Diamondbacks

Qualls hasn’t been himself as of late, coughing up 4 runs in his last 3.2 innings while trying to pitch through a forearm strain. He normally pounds the strike zone (53.4% zone percentage this year), but that figure has actually been brought down by a 45.6% showing in June. With the D-Backs buried in the standings, perhaps Qualls would be best served by taking a week or two off.

In Control

Ryan Madson, Phillies (Brad Lidge on the DL with a knee injury)

Lidge threw a pain-free bullpen session on Tuesday, and will likely begin a rehab assignment this weekend. In the meantime, Madson chucked 4 innings this week. He picked up a save against the Mets on the 11th, whiffed three Red Sox hitters the next night and pitched another scoreless frame versus the Sox on the 14th. He did, however, blow a save against the Jays last night, walking two in the process. Madson still has a 1.24 WPA and a 3.36 K/BB ratio for the year.

Francisco Cordero, Reds

Cordero only tossed one inning this week, with a scoreless appearance against the Braves last night (no save, though). He has hasn’t yielded a home run in 28 innings. Cordero’s K rate is down for the third straight year (from 12.22 K/9 in ’07 to 8.36 this year), and his contact rate has risen from 64.5% in 2007 to 76.8% in 2009.

Matt Capps, Pirates

Capps collected two saves this week, subduing the Braves on the 11th and the Tigers on the 14th. After an early-season bout of wildness, Capps has issued just one walk in six innings this month. His WPA still sits at -0.58 for the year, though.

Huston Street, Rockies

The Rockies have been on a tear, taking 11 straight ballgames before last night’s loss to the Rays. Street snagged two saves this past week, and his K/BB now sits at an impressive 32/8 in 27 innings. Huston has tossed a first-pitch strike 65.8 percent of the time (57.9% MLB average).

Jose Valverde, Astros

Valverde is back in action after a lengthy DL stint for a calf injury. Papa Grande got back into the swing of things with two non-save appearances against the venom less D-Backs on the 13th and 14th. He punched out 3 batters in the latter inning, and his fastball averaged 95 MPH over the two appearances.

Ryan Franklin, Cardinals

Franklin picked up 2 saves this week (on the 11th vs. the Marlins and the 13th vs. Cleveland), but he did surrender 5 hits in the process. Franklin has displayed sharp control (1.82 BB/9), but a few more base hits will likely fall in from here on out (his BABIP still sits at just .225, with an absurd 99% strand rate).

Brian Wilson, Giants

Wilson got the save against Oakland on June 13th, but hasn’t worked since. The Giants stopper possesses a 96 MPH fastball which has been worth +1.36 runs per 100 pitches. His slider (-0.68)/cutter (-0.94) hasn’t been as dynamic, however.

Watch Your Back

Mike Gonzalez/Rafael Soriano, Braves

Gonzo got beat up last evening, surrendering four runs in a rain-soaked affair with the Reds. Soriano also had has issues the past week, giving up 2 runs and taking a loss vs. the Pirates on the 11th. Here’s how the co-closers match up in a few important categories:

FIP: 3.29 Gonzo, 2.24 Soriano

WPA: 0.95 Gonzo, 1.78 Soriano

K/BB: 2.64 Gonzo, 3.36 Soriano

While Soriano has been better, Gonzalez has appeared in more crucial situations (2.00 Leverage Index for Gonzo, 1.74 for Soriano).

Matt Lindstrom, Marlins

Watch out for: Leo Nunez

Lindstrom tossed just one inning this week, picking up a save vs. Toronto on June 13th. With 19 walks in 25.1 frames, the former Mets prospect has seen his FIP inflate from 3.27 in 2008 to 4.51 in 2009.

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

Not to be rude, but does it even matter who the closer is for the Nats? Washington has dropped 4 games in a row, sits thirty games under .500 for the year and has a -85 run differential that’s 14 runs worse than San Diego.

MacDougal holds the mostly ceremonial title of Washington’s closer, but he has walked 11 batters in 11.1 innings, with a 4.68 FIP. You’d have to be pretty desperate to venture here.

Kevin Gregg, Cubs

Watch out for: Carlos Marmol/Angel Guzman

Gregg chucked two scoreless innings in a non-save situation against Houston on the 12th, then threw another clean frame against the Twins the following night (non-save). It was a much-needed, quiet week from an off-season pickup who has often given Sweet Lou heartburn (4.75 FIP, with 44.5% of his pitches crossing the dish; the MLB average is 49).