Bullpen Report, Week 4 – SouthSide Sawx

When looking at the standings, it is usually a great indicator of how well a team is doing by looking at the Hold leaders.  It doesn’t tell you all or is the end all be all of indicators, but when you have three guys in the top-4, it speaks volumes.  It shows the team is ahead, but not by so much that they are blowing people out, have a great set of flow through the bullpen with set jobs, and they are successfully in-sync.  Not that “in-sync”, but yeah, sorta because something that included J.T. can’t really be all that bad.  So what is making the Chicago White Sox so good at what they are doing right now?  First, it starts from the last inning back.  David Robertson has the goods of what you want from a closer, he has the K-rate and decent control to limit base runners.  What I am noticing is he is keeping the ball away from the upper part of the zone, which was his buga-boo from the past; that he gives up too many homers.  In front of him, he has a trio of relievers with different mindsets.  Nate Jones is basically a closer in front of the real closer, but with a better approach of pitching to contract then K’ing everyone.  Zach Duke is by far the sexiest LOOGY in the business right now and Matt Albers is an all effort pitcher with tons of movement on his pitches.  Add in the fact that they have Putnam and Petricka as sub pieces that can fit into anyone’s role, and they have what looks like in the early stages of the season the best bullpen in baseball. That is not to say that it will last but the investment level from a fantasy level, especially from a holds league, but it is very stout.  So check out the other tidbits and bits tids that I have for you after the bump.  (Plus a chart that monitors usage and runs given up by relievers that usually lead to them losing or gaining spots in the pen.)

• The clock has to be ticking on the Trevor May closer watch.  Regardless of what Perkins does, it is clear that youth needs to be served, but with a K-rate over 14 attached with a walk rate over five is probably a bad sign and may be holding him back.
• Koji gonna do what Koji do.  It will be interesting once Carson comes back how many 7-8th inning appearances he gets.  I am betting he gets knocked down a peg, but not completely.
• For those of you rostering the Braves save combo of Grilli and Arodys, take a look at why it is a bad idea to why rostering Grilli.  His walk rate is 9 and he has more walks than K’s on the year.  That is not a good use of a roster spot. Viz is no better with a walk rate over six.
• Strangest line from a reliever I have seen so far is from Liam Hendriks. 24 hits in 11 innings, 14 K’s and zero walks…
• More messed up reliever by not being a closer: Drew Storen or Ken Giles?  Some guys like the spotlight.
• Love that the Angels are starting to trust Greg Mahle in high leverage spots.  He has responded with three Holds in his last eight appearances.  Keep an eye on teammate Mike Morin as well who matched it with his own three in his last seven appearances.  I am waiting for something more concrete on usage with Salas and Alvarez getting early love and still in the mix.
• Joel Peralta has taken over the 8th inning job and seems to be rebounding from two lost seasons.
• I think I would own Hudson and Chafin before I would wanna roster Clippard in the desert.
• The Giants have infused some of their youth into the pen with the addition of Derek Law to corps.  The guy I am more interested in is Josh Osich.  10 inherited runners, zero runs allowed.  Caveat is he likes to give up potatoes, but with Strickland lumbering in the weeds and Romo, meh, he could carve out a nice vulture save here and there based on match-up.