The Merry-Go-Round of Closers

[ReincarnatedIntoCansecoBiceps]

There seems to be a lot of uncertainty of closers this year. This concerns me considering pappelbon and wheeler are the only relief pitchers I have on my team. So I ask you fantasy gurus, whose most likely to take the closer role who isnt closing now later this year, and just as importantly, by when? Here's my list of possible future closers for 09:

Carlos Villeneuva getting usurped by Trevor Hoffman
George Sherill getting usurped by Chris Ray
Troy Percival getting usurped by Dan Wheeler
Matt Lindstorm getting usurped by Leo Nunez
Brandon Morrow moving to starting rotation, Matt Diaz taking over?

So who do you think is the safest bet to take the closer role and the soonest. All these guys are on my waiver wire. As I said, I only have one closer in Pappelbon in my roster.

[AllDay]

I thought Morrow's move to the pen was permanent. Sounds like it is his job to lose.

I would think same goes for Percival. Wheeler isn't real intriguing to me. With Balfour and Izzy there anything beyond Percival is a gamble. If Izzy can pitch half way decent it sounds like they will try to get him the 7 saves needed to get him to 300. Unless you count holds I'd cut him.

It's hard to predict exactly who is going to lose their job next. It's more important to be ready to pounce when it does happen.

I'm sitting on Ray in one league - but in that case I expect him to be closer soon. Stashing Chris Perez for a few weeks might be a good idea. If you have an open DL spot Zumaya is a risk/reward RP option you can stash.

Even if you are looking to dump a player I'd suggest picking up a guy like Bonifacio, Schafer, Fowles, Rasmus, J Zimmerman, J MacDonald, etc for now rather than making a speculative saves play. Somebody like that goes on a tear maybe you can trade him for a closer. These types of players are too valuable to pass over if they start to perform at a high level.

Saves are cheap and appear throughout the year. You will usually be wrong in a speculative saves play - and you might miss out on a breakout/career year from another player because you were waiting on a marginal MR you had a feeling about being a closer.

When a new closer is named or on the verge of being named closer that's when you add a guy for saves. Even later in the season when there are fewer 'mini-breakouts' happening you can maybe stash a guy for a couple weeks waiting for saves. I wouldn't do it now unless the wire is picked bare.

[COOPERSTOWN]

Great post. I would also target perez - Huge long term potential there!

Cordero in seattle may be a mid season aquisition as he is 27 years old this year and hopefully healthy now!

I believe Morrow will be moved to starting rotation by all star break and Cordero will be good for 15+ saves in the second half.

Regardless get fowler and zimmerman, and trade for a matt capps or lidstrom type 2 for 1. or keep both, punt saves and win your league on wins instead of saves!

[Tigers2006]

There's also 120 pages in Baseball Leftovers about Closers, so ... just an FYI!