In this month’s closer look, let’s discuss the value of middle relievers. I’m a big Mr. B. Depending on the team, I have various combinations of MRs. On one team, I have C.J. Wilson still. (Notched a Save and a Win in a doubleheader the other day — natch!) On another team, I’m rocking Dan Meyer. On another, Rafael Soriano. Besides having a guy that could take over the closing duties, middle relievers help lower your starters’ ratios. Mark DiFelice + James Shields = 7-4/3.01/1.15/74 or Jake Peavy, 5-5/3.67/1.13/84. That’s right, the Frankenpitcher of Jark DiShields is beating the pure breed Jake Peavy. So how’s dem apples? Delicious! Now in some cases, you just can’t hold a MR. Whether you’re besieged by injuries, need to handcuff one of your closers or need a bench hitter, sometimes it’s just not feasible. As much as I like MRs, they are invariably the first ones I drop on my teams when I need help somewhere else. Luckily, there’s always one available on waivers. If it’s not Jark DiShields, you can own Kiko Garzero or C.J.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Manny Corpas
In this month’s closer look, let’s discuss some closer trading strategy. As I mentioned the other day, I traded Street and some other closer for Haren. This might’ve put me at a disadvantage for saves. Now you’re probably thinking what the eff? This doode doesn’t even know who he traded or if it put his team at a disadvantage for saves. Well, that’s the whole point. Saves are the easiest commodity to acquire on waivers. Just last month, 10 closers lost their jobs, even if just temporarily. 10 out of 30 closers. So, frankly, I don’t care if I’m trading Qualls, Bell or schmohawk closer behind door number 3. Are some of these guys more reliable than others? Sure, but that doesn’t mean Jenks couldn’t have a meltdown tomorrow. They’re just closers. As for not knowing if I’m at a disadvantage, it’s real early and plenty more saves will come into the league. Not that many more Harens are coming into the league. Anyway, here’s all of the closers for your fantasy baseball team, as of right now:
$12 Salads
You know that restaurant your girlfriend/wife/what-have-you likes to go to that charges, like, $12 for a salad?
Please, blog, may I have some more?In yesterday’s game, Matt Kemp had 2 HRs and 5 RBIs. On the season, he’s batting .383 with 3 HRs, 14 RBIs, 12 Runs and 4 steals. The 7th spot in the order is killing his value like Daniel Craig killed the Bond series. Kemp’s a solid choice for NL MVP and I could see him moving to the 1st round next year for fantasy baseball drafts. He said in the preseason that he wanted to go 40/40. Can he actually do it? Like Chris Young, it’s a tall order. You don’t fall into 40/40 and, in Chavez Ravine, it’s not going to be easy for the 40 homers. But the fact he wants to steal 40 bases is telling. Steals are partially about motivation. Sometimes guys just don’t want to steal (see Krispie Young in ’08). Other times, players pile steals on to show they can (Canseco’s 40/40 year). I doubt Kemp reaches 40 homers, but 30/30 with a .300 average isn’t crackers. We shall call him Sizemoremore. Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Glen Perkins – 8 IP, 1 ER. You’re talking about a pitching who had a 4.41 ERA last year, but a FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) rate of 5.14. That’s pretty bad. Okay, I’m being generous. That’s awful. Yes, he was lucky to only have an ERA of 4.41. His MOLLY (Mitigating Of Lousy Loathsome Yuck) was 7. That means he got pretty lucky. So far this year his MOLLY is 9.9. His BABIP has been insanely lucky so far, his fly balls are all over the place yet falling into fielders’ gloves. He’s due for a regression. If you own him, you’re bound to get Mollywopped.
Please, blog, may I have some more?It’s time to take our beginning of the month look at all the fantasy baseball closers. Here at Razzball we are always evolving like Saaphyri’s alliance on I Love Money 2, so I’ve added pluses and minuses in parenthesis for the movement a closer has had since the last time I went over them. For example, if B.J.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Usually I wait until the 1st of every month to go over who’s closing where and who’s backing them up. You know, the Donkey-Corn/Brain Freeze/$12 Salad post. See, you are familiar with my work. Great, I love how you do whatever you do too. Being in the heart of fantasy baseball draft season, my diploma from The College of Fantasy Baseball at Charleston says I must do some early closer updates for 2009 fantasy baseball. I’m not going to mention guys who are completely safe as of right now. One generalization before I get to these closer schmohawks. You want anyone getting saves. Yes, you do. Trust me. You may think Lindstrom will return in 2 weeks and be fine getting 25 saves this year. You may be right. But if Leo Nunez starts the season as the closer, there’s just as good a chance that he keeps the job all year. Last year, you swore Chad Cordero would get the job back from Rauch and there was no reason to grab Big Jon. You swore Huston Street would take back the job from Ziegler. You also missed out on good closers. Anyway, here’s some closers to watch for 2009 fantasy baseball:
Matt Lindstrom – Strained rotator cuff. I would still put him on my bench because he could bounce right back. Or not…
Leo Nunez – Could easily end up with 35 saves or 5. There’s the fun!
Please, blog, may I have some more?You know what burns me up? Fire? Yes, random italicized voice, but something else too. Three weeks ago, ESPN threw out trash like this, “Hamels could be one of the top-5 starters in most leagues now that questions about his durability and moxie have passed.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Brandon Morrow is out indefinitely due to forearm soreness. Punt! I really liked Morrow going into this season. There’s something to a reliever being converted to a starter in their first year. They just get up for the challenge or something. Whatever the case may be, Brandon doesn’t seem up for the challenge any morrow. You don’t want to deal with this meshugas. If it’s Ervin Santana, then you draft him later and hold out some hope. If it’s a 4th to 5th starter (Morrow), why bother? You wanna give to charity, the March of Dimes could use your help. Or Jerry Lewis. Anyway, here’s some other things I’ve seen so far in spring training regarding fantasy baseball:
Joe Mauer – He’s injured. If I were a spiteful person, I would say it serves you right for drafting Mauer. Not sure why anyone drafts this guy, but he’s struggling with a bulging disk — no, that’s not like when you tried to jam a CD into your radio and one was already there. He’s not going to steal any bases this year, so you’re basically drafting a no-speed Polanco at catcher in the first 8 rounds. Eh, you do what you do. I’m done getting aggravated.
Please, blog, may I have some more?It’s time to take our beginning of the month look at all the major league closers. Before we get to that, I want to clear up a potential misconception. Donkey-corns are not the only closers I’ll draft for my 2009 fantasy team. I’ll more than happily draft closers from the Brain Freeze category. Cause, see, I’m a save vulture. It is what it is. I’ll take saves from anywhere, except probably from the $12 Salad category. I think those guys are great. I just don’t believe in paying for saves. I said “probably” because at the right draft spot, everyone’s worth looking at it. Some of these closing jobs aren’t finalized just yet. That wouldn’t stop me from grabbing both guys if I had room and the price were right. Just because everyone thinks Brandon Lyon should be the closer doesn’t mean Fernando Rodney has no place on a team until Leyland makes a formal announcement. Anyway, here’s all of the closers for your 2009 fantasy baseball draft, as of right now:
$12 Salads
You know that restaurant your girlfriend/wife/what-have-you likes to go to that charges, like, $12 for a salad? Every time you go there, you have a thoroughly solid meal. No complaints, except you just paid $12 for a salad when you could’ve went to McDonald’s and stuffed you and your woman for ten schmools and had $2 in quarters left over to make the hotel bed vibrate. These closers are $12 salads.
Please, blog, may I have some more?Manny Acosta called into Razzball HQ yesterday. Here’s what he had to say, “Upon returnance, John Smoltz can have closer job back. Upon Soriano’s returnance, he can have setup role. Gonzalez wants eighth inning and lefty specialist role? He have it.
Please, blog, may I have some more?