In a full-on Willy Loman-type starring role, Andrew Miller now takes over the most responsible role in the Tribe’s bullpen. I beg to differ that he is taking over the most important role, and can argue that he has seen more high-leverage situations and save situations than his sort of disposed closer, Cody Allen… The only thing leading him to not be the most important factor in that pen was the stat of the save. Listen, Tito beats to the sound of his own drum and Arnold, nor Willis are going to tell him how to handle his bullpen. It is a luxury to have two top-10 overall relievers at his disposal and to use them how he sees fit. Miller, is by definition, the closer to save his arm for the future. But what we don’t realize is that if a save happens sooner than the 9th inning, Miller is going to be called on just like his original role. Confused? Yeah, it is kinda like saying: “Go look for the save in the corner of a circular room.” For ownership, this changes zero. Miller is and was owned as he should be in every league imaginable. Cody Allen is also owned and shouldn’t be dropped as he becomes the closer cuff in waiting, and is far superior to any RP on the waiver wire. So hold on tight! A month from now, when Miller has 5 saves and Allen has 3, not much stat wise will be lost, but by the end of the year when Allen has 32 and Miller 12, that is when we can look back on this and laugh and say “I shaved my eyebrows for this?” Stay tuned kids, more closer and bullpen-y type goodness are on the way…
- Another week, another Nats closer change. It’s like an octogenarian’s pill box-type scheduling. Remember to take the blue one’s with milk. Enny is the ownable guy, but Albers has pictures of Dusty looking very cleanly.
- Phil Maton is in his Fathers eyes as the guy for definitely later, but possibly now. I preached his exploits two years ago when he had a K-rate over 17 in the minors.
- If you own Justin Wilson… sorry. Shane Greene to me looks like the next guy that I would wanna add.
- The detour around the Angels closer sitch is still muddled by Bud hitting the DL. Street and Cam are both back, and seeing who can get re-injured first. Street then Cam. But I wouldn’t trust Street for anything but building his trade value and getting out of dodge.
- Nando Rodney led the week with 5 saves and K-rate over 16. EVERYBODY PANIC!
- Still loving Sean Doolittle long term in Oakland over anyone else listed.
$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.
1. Kenley Jansen – (Pedro Baez, Sergio Romo)
2. Craig Kimbrel – (Matt Barnes, Joe Kelly)
3. Aroldis Chapman– (Dellin Betances, Tyler Clippard)
4. Wade Davis – (Koji Uehara, Carl Edwards Jr.)
5. Greg Holland – (Jake McGee, Mike Dunn, Chris Rusin)
6. Andrew Miller – (Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw)
7. Roberto Osuna – (Joe Smith, Ryan Tepera)
Donkeycorns
Imagine you’re following a donkey, who’s wearing a wool cap, through a desert for 1700 miles. Why are you following a donkey? Because he promises you something wonderful and you just need to trust him. Does the donkey talk? Yes. Yes, he does talk. So when you and the donkey in the wool cap arrive at his destination, he removes the wool cap to reveal a horn. The donkey is a unicorn and his gift to you for your trust is saves. These closers are Donkeycorns.
8. Ken Giles – (Will Harris, Chris Devenski)
9. Alex Colome – (Danny Farquhar, Jumbo Diaz)
10. Mark Melancon – (Hunter Strickland, George Kontos)
11. David Robertson – (Tommy Kahnle, Anthony Swarzak)
12. Kelvin Herrera – (Joakim Soria, Mike Minor)
13. Seung-Hwan Oh – (Trevor Rosenthal, Kevin Siegrist)
14. Raisel Iglesias – (Drew Storen, Michael Lorenzen)
15. A.J. Ramos– (David Phelps, Kyle Barraclough)
16. Corey Knebel – (Jacob Barnes, Neftali Feliz)
17. Brandon Kintzler – (Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey)
Employed
These guys are the men that make the save market go round. They punch in, punch out. Have the job, no real threat to speak of, and are basically just there to collect great benny’s so they can take care of their crippled brother. Who is only really crippled because he is scared of the sun.
18. Jim Johnson – (Arodys Vizcaino, Jose Ramirez)
19. Addison Reed – (Jerry Blevins, Fernando salas)
20. Felipe Rivero – (Juan Nicasio, Tony Watson)
21. Edwin Diaz – (Nick Vincent, James Pazos)
22. Brad Brach – (Mychal Givens, Miguel Castro)
23. Matt Bush – (Keone Kela, Jose LeClerc)
Brain Freezes
I’m going on a picnic and I’m bringing apples, bananas and Carlos Marmol– Wait, he just gave up 12 earned runs and hit Castro in the head with a pick-off throw. Brain freeze! Make it stop! Use the following closers at your own risk.
24. Matt Albers – (Enny Romero, Jacob Turner)
25. Huston Street – (Cam Bedrosian, Blake Parker)
26. Justin Wilson – (Shane Greene, Alex Wilson)
27. Fernando Rodney – (J.J. Hoover, Archie Bradley)
28. Santiago Casilla – (Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson)
29. Brandon Maurer – (Phil Maton, Brad Hand, Ryan Buchter)
30. Hector Neris / Pat Neshek / Joaquin Benoit
