Marmol and Putz for Hanrahan? WHIR

[jruffus1]

I am in a 12-team H2H non-keeper league and the trading deadline is not too far away. I have both Oswalt and Putz on the bench, and will either have to drop a couple players or downsize by trading in order to activate them. Including Putz, I now own 5 closers - So I am speculating whether to deal two of my most risky closers for a solid one (Marmol and Putz for Hanrahan). Do you think I should offer this?

Here is my roster:

C - V Martinez
1st - Votto
2nd - Pedroia
3rd - Zimmerman
SS - S Castro
OF - Granderson
OF - Bautista
OF - Ellsbury
Util - Morse

Bench: Werth, Alexi Ram

SPs:
Verlander
Kershaw
Liriano
Vogelsong
Hellickson
Cueto
Oswalt (DL)

RPs:
Marmol
Putz
Nathan
Storen
Bailey

[lane_anasazi2]

I like the logic - you have an oversupply of closers, so you trade two risky ones for a proven one - but I'm not sure it'll work out. Relief pitchers are notoriously fluky. Take Hanrahan. You're calling him "solid" based on the 43 innings he's pitched this year.

First of all, what are your roster settings? In a standard Yahoo league, for example, owning 5 closers is great. You've got SP SP RP RP P P P. I've always liked to play 3 RP in the generic P slots. There aren't many days you'll start more than a couple SP, and if you do you can always bench your 5th closer. In a 12 team league, most teams are going to have 2 or 3 closers, and having 5 gives you a BIG advantage. Personally I've always thought the ideal roster for a standard Yahoo league (12 teams) is 5 closers, no bench hitters, and fill your bench with high-upside SP. That size league isn't deep enough where you can't replace an injured hitter with someone reasonable off the WW.

In your case, I'd recommend trading either Starlin Castro or Alexei Rameriz. Both have been good not great, and having both on your team is wasting a roster spot. There's bound to be a team that could use a SS upgrade. Try whoever just lost Stephen Drew.

[baegames]

I would see about trading a closer for an offensive upgrade.

I agree with what the other poster said, and look at this particular deal very interestingly.

If you had asked Opening Day 2011 to rank the 3 closers in this deal, I think EVERYONE would have placed Hanrahan 3rd (ok, maybe some people would be afraid of Putz's injury history, but Hanrahan was still potentially going to fight for the job). And Marmol would have been easily #1.

So the general ranking:

Marmol
Putz
Hanrahan

Today:

Hanrahan
Putz
Marmol

Things can change, and change quickly, with closers. What do you do if the Trade Deadline shakes out and the Pirates acquire Heath Bell?

[theblemishedone]

I am in full support of trading 2 shaky closers for one solid one.

I'm in an ESPN 12-team H2H total weekly points league where points count for, as well as against you.

I owned Hanrahan for 2 weeks early in the year and he did hardly anything for me, so I dropped him. I grabbed Kimbrel off of the FA wire, so now I have Wilson and Kimbrel and a solid, if not spectacular pitching staff. This move will hopefully pay dividends over the long haul.

Point is, the Pirates will probably make a move for more offense. They are also not going to tweak a pitching staff that is a full run better than last year. Their offense is mild, but it can score in bunches when need be. This will almost guarantee a lot of opportunities for Hanrahan and I'd rather have a proven closer than 2 speculative ones. Over the next few weeks, moves like this can make or break you.

I am in a 12-team H2H non-keeper league and the trading deadline is not too far away. I have both Oswalt and Putz on the bench, and will either have to drop a couple players or downsize by trading in order to activate them. Including Putz, I now own 5 closers - So I am speculating whether to deal two of my most risky closers for a solid one (Marmol and Putz for Hanrahan). Do you think I should offer this?