Percival to DL...who is replacement?

[Yanks_Baby]

well i picked up Nelson and Wheeler. if it's Izzy i guess i'm screwed but as a St. Louis native i can tell you Izzy is not the best option.

Because after 6 straight seasons of a sub-3 era with 25+ saves he succumbs to a season slump fueled by injury?

Izzy was one of the best at what he did when he was on, and I'm confident he could do it well again.

[the izzy]

well i picked up Nelson and Wheeler. if it's Izzy i guess i'm screwed but as a St. Louis native i can tell you Izzy is not the best option.

Because after 6 straight seasons of a sub-3 era with 25+ saves he succumbs to a season slump fueled by injury?

Izzy was one of the best at what he did when he was on, and I'm confident he could do it well again.

not to mention that he mentally couldn't handle the job last year, asking the manager to remove him for awhile. I've never head of any other pitcher having a "mental" problem and coming back strong ... oh, except Greinke. Izzy will be fine, and I plan to pick him up as soon as I can make room.

[raysfan4life]

Just to add to the speculation..what if it's Kazmir once he gets off the DL? I know, I know...not gonna happen. But he's got the best stuff of all the guys on the list, and it's not unheard of to take a premier starter who runs into problems and convert them...hmmm

[deerayfan072]

Short Term = Committee

Long Term = Izzy

[metsfan12]

I have alot of available roster space and grabbed Izzy, Wheeler and Balfour. Howell is taken but Nelson is out there. Would you take Nelson over Balfour? I am actually punting saves so I am looking for the guy that will take over for the long haul that I can get a return from via trade.

[RenPastana]

I know who it will be.....I just picked up Wheeler, Izzy and Nelson, so I can 100% guarantee Maddon will announce that it is Balfour................

I'd suggest benching all three of them before your season is over because of an implosion in ERA caused by mediocre relievers...One of them will rise to the top soon...

Wheeler did well in the past filling in as the closer, so I'd think he'll get the first shot at it

[wildbill]

First, holly cow, RenPastana actually posting something useful. Has to be a first! And something I can actually agree with. Definitely a first!

Anyway onto the topic. Here's an article on ESPN that provides some in-depth info on the Tampa relievers and suggests Wheeler is the most likely candidate to get first crack at the job. It also talks about the Kazmir/Price situation. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... y_baseball

Some quotes of interest:
"Wheeler's ERA is an ugly 5.40, but most of the damage was done in a bad mid-April stretch in which he gave up seven earned runs and three of his four home runs allowed in just 2 2/3 innings. He has not surrendered an earned run in 11 of his 12 outings since, recording four holds but also two blown saves."

According yahoo, over the last month Wheeler has a 1.93 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 9 1/3 IP. That's closer like numbers. It also suggest one or both of the blown saves may have involved inherited runners.


Regarding Izzy:
he was referred to as a "Dark Horse"
"He's also pitched 11 innings in the minors, splitting time between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham, with mixed results."

While Izzy could take over, he's had a couple surgeries int he last few years, and he's getting pretty old in baseball terms. How much does he have left in the tank. Does he still have closer stuff? Maybe he'll get a chance, but expecting him to be the old Izzy that saved nearly 300 games is wishful thinking at this stage of the game.

The author of the article doesn't seem to think Balfour or Howell are likely to get the gig, however if Madden plays matchups Howell could get a few saves if the 9th inning has lefties due up in a way sort of like what Bobby Cox has done a few times in Atlanta.

[trev311]

Maddon likes to go with the experienced vets in these situations. Howell is out because of his lack of experience closing and the fact he is too valuable pitching multiple innings earlier in the games. Balfour is probably out because of lack of experience and the fact that he hasn't pitched too well this year. That leaves Nelson, Izzy, and Wheeler. Wheeler will definitely get the first shot as he did last year when Percy got hurt. But if he falters, then it could be Izzy or Nelson, who both have closing experience.

I think Wheeler will falter, he doesn't have the makeup for a closer. I would say the season ends with a closer by committee situation with those three guys getting a majority, and Balfour and Howell getting the rest. No clear cut favorite here at all, so its a gamble with whoever you pick up

[RenPastana]

First, holly cow, RenPastana actually posting something useful. Has to be a first! And something I can actually agree with. Definitely a first!

Anyway onto the topic. Here's an article on ESPN that provides some in-depth info on the Tampa relievers and suggests Wheeler is the most likely candidate to get first crack at the job. It also talks about the Kazmir/Price situation. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... y_baseball

Some quotes of interest:
"Wheeler's ERA is an ugly 5.40, but most of the damage was done in a bad mid-April stretch in which he gave up seven earned runs and three of his four home runs allowed in just 2 2/3 innings. He has not surrendered an earned run in 11 of his 12 outings since, recording four holds but also two blown saves."

According yahoo, over the last month Wheeler has a 1.93 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 9 1/3 IP. That's closer like numbers. It also suggest one or both of the blown saves may have involved inherited runners.


Regarding Izzy:
he was referred to as a "Dark Horse"
"He's also pitched 11 innings in the minors, splitting time between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham, with mixed results."

While Izzy could take over, he's had a couple surgeries int he last few years, and he's getting pretty old in baseball terms. How much does he have left in the tank. Does he still have closer stuff? Maybe he'll get a chance, but expecting him to be the old Izzy that saved nearly 300 games is wishful thinking at this stage of the game.

The author of the article doesn't seem to think Balfour or Howell are likely to get the gig, however if Madden plays matchups Howell could get a few saves if the 9th inning has lefties due up in a way sort of like what Bobby Cox has done a few times in Atlanta.

I just like to give you a hard time Bill.. I read that article yesterday, and I usually completely disregard ESPN as a source of recommendation for fantasy baseball. They're usually way off, but they seem to have hit the nail in the head this one in going with Wheeler...One thing they forgot to mention is that Izzy only needs 7 saves to reach the 300th career saves mark, which could come into play, in fact, Percival "recruited" Izzy into the Rays organization by telling him he wouldn't mind losing a few save opportunities so that Izzy could reach that number...that might be a factor and if Izzy gets the first shot, and nails it, then we could see him in there for a while

[dracovonborax]

Izzy just took the loss on a 7 run inning by the Indians. granted, only 2 runs were his but he couldn't throw a strike to save his skin. loaded the bases and gave up the winning hit to VMart. i saw plenty of that back in St. Lou.