Closers

Roto-Wan

Bullpen Report: Squeeze Your Long Man With A Hurting Hand

September 19, 2019 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Closers | 5 Comments

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The end of the 2019 fantasy baseball will be no easier than the rest of it. Pitching is imploding all around us. Do what you can to stem the tide of disaster and consider an effective middle reliever over a volatile starter.

  • The Brad Hand saga continues. More positivity from the team (shocker!) as they say Hand “looked like himself” in a bullpen session. I guess that’s better than looking like Willie McGee? We’re still locked in the downward spiral of news, shaky outing, rest, repeat. The bullpen usage in Cleveland hasn’t sent any clear message about saves in Hand’s stead. Oliver Perez earned a save of the one out variety while Nick Wittgren is getting used in leverage spots but not getting the final out. Call ups James Karinchak and James Hoyt are also in the mix with Nick Goody and Adam Cimber as other possibilities. Fun times.
  • Turns out Felipe Vasquez is an asshole and a pedophile. Can’t say it was nice knowing you. Enjoy federal pound me in the ass prison. As for the shipwreck that is the Pirates Keona Kela is the lead candidate to close given his stuff and closing experience. Richard Rodriguez could see the ninth if Kela is shaky or gets hurt, as he tends to do.
  • Kenley Jansen blew his eighth save, just after a stretch of solid outings. The Dodgers seem to be committed to him as their closer and want him to get right for the postseason. When you thrive with only an elite cutter the end comes fast when the pitch loses some bite. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jansen retire this offseason when you consider his 2018 heart issue.
  • Matt McGill returned to the head of the closer committee in Seattle notching his fifth save Wednesday. He’s the favorite to finish as their primary closer if he remains healthy.
  • We all roasted the Brewers for acquiring Drew Pomeranz. Who’s laughing now? He’s been an excellent reliever and just picked up his second save. Only having to face batters once clearly suits him with 36 Ks in 21.1 IP.
  • Hunter Harvey is being shut down for the rest of the season with bicep soreness. File his name away as a late dart in the 2020 saves chase.
    • Please, blog, may I have some more?

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Roto-Wan

Closer Report: Jairo Whiskey

September 12, 2019 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Closers | 13 Comments

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Roto-Wan’s wild summer continued last week when his appendix decides to swell and cause the weirdest pain I’ve ever felt. It only took until 5AM to get a cat scan and determine an appendectomy was necessary. The American medical system is a well-oiled machine! More of a Pat Burrell machine, but potato/patato. In honor of my impromptu vacation tier’s are summer vacay ranks.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Roto-Wan

Closer Report: Van Down By The River

August 29, 2019 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Closers | 8 Comments

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Yours truly caved in and purchased a minivan last week with the arrival of child number two. If you decline to take any further of my baseball advice I will understand. Let me tell you something, though. I love it. It’s roomy. There’s a TV in it. The sound of rain on the giant flat roof is hypnotically melodic. Just like a fantasy season, life goes in stages. Don’t get stuck holding on to something from yesterday that will ruin your tomorrow. You could end up like Matt Foley, thrice divorced, eating a steady diet of government cheese, and living in a van, down by the river. Tiers are of course van themed.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Roto-Wan

Bullpen Report: Hand Stuff

August 22, 2019 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Closers | 8 Comments

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What a disaster major league pitching has been this year. With the juiced ball on top of mounting injuries, we’re all plugging holes faster than Captain Ahab. If you’re in good shape in your pitching categories I recommend a conservative approach using a stopgap reliever until you can sort out something more permanent. Protect those ratios, maybe grab a few strikeouts, and figure out your fringe solution on your bench.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
Roto-Wan

Closer Rankings, Week 18: New Additions To Families

August 1, 2019 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Closers, Middle Relievers | 21 Comments

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Roto-Wan is back monkey chuckers, and on less sleep than ever! I actually threw up last night out of sheer exhaustion after feeding the little-wan. I did not know that was possible. Thank to B_Don for being an adequate at best fill in for me. Yesterday was the trade deadline and bullpens were heavily reworked for many contenders. Tiers are of course baby themed. Time for some notes!

Please, blog, may I have some more?
B_Don

Closer Rankings: In a Galaxy Far, Far Away… A Child Is Born

July 26, 2019 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Closers | 11 Comments

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Greg Holland was pulled after walking two guys in a row on Wednesday night. Every pitch was a ball, but he got one foul ball to make it nine pitches. Yoan Lopez came in to clean it up. The DBacks have said there’s not an injury, but it’s worth monitoring either way. Here are some other notes from this week…

  • Blake Parker DFA’d.
  • The Cardinals bullpen has been nasty. Any number of people could grab that job if something were to happen.
  • Somehow Roenis Elias keeps getting saves. I’ve moved him back to the lead, but don’t feel great about it.
  • Freddy Peralta could fix the hole in the Brewers pen.
  • Jose Leclerc, Keone Kela, Shane Greene, Roenis Elias, and Jake Diekman are some of the names that are being rumored to be on the move.
  • I’m not saying the Padres should trade Kirby Yates, but Andres Munoz is filthy…
    • Please, blog, may I have some more?
B_Don

Closer Report: We’re Not Going Full Football Yet

July 18, 2019 | 2019 Fantasy Baseball, Closers | 15 Comments

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Filling in for Roto-Wan and as Vicky Valencourt said…

  • Reminder that there is only 1 trade deadline this year. No waiver trades this season, so, teams will have to make that decision to buy or sell sooner rather than later.
  • The Giants are considering whether to be….buyers? What? Yeah, we both read that right. Well, for now, their bullpen is confusing AF anyway, so, take your closer in waiting opportunities somewhere else. I will say that Melancon is back and has been getting late game opps recently potentially for a showcase as they’d probably like to move that $14 million contract for next year.
  • Stroman and Giles have been linked to a number of teams.
  • Mychal Givens has been looked at for a move to Mee-lee-wah-kay

  • Ok, the Brewers are basically linked to every reliever, and starter, available.
  • If you’re looking around for some steals, Mallex Smith, Victor Robles, Byron Buxton (coming back from IL), Ramon Laureano, and Oscar Mercado are all getting the job done. Maybe one or more got dropped due to recent struggles for basically all of them.
  • Hard to predict when catchers will start, but some easy targets to look at for streaming stolen bases this weekend would be against Tyler Flowers, Stephen Vogt, Austin Barnes, and Brian McCann.
    • Please, blog, may I have some more?