2012 CLOSERS THREAD (2nd HALF)

[Havok1517]

Rock Solid
Solid
Safe
Shaky
Volatile
Current Closer
Sleeper
Top Closer Prospect
Destined for Rotation
Trade Candidate
Looking over his shoulder
Injured/Disabled

Note: The purpose of this thread is to denote job security and identify an alternate closer when the regular closer cannot close.

AL EAST
BALTIMORE ORIOLES – J. Johnson RHP , K. Gregg RHP, P. Strop RHP, M. Price RHP
BOSTON RED SOX – A. Bailey RHP , A. Aceves RHP, D. Bard RHP , A. Wilson RHP
NEW YORK YANKEES – R. Soriano RHP , D. Robertson RHP , J. Chamberlain RHP , Ma. Montgomery RHP
TAMPA BAY RAYS – F. Rodney RHP , K. Farnsworth RHP, J. Peralta RHP, J. McGee LHP
TORONTO BLUE JAYS – C. Janssen RHP , J. Frasor RHP, B. Lyon RHP, M. Stroman RHP

AL CENTRAL
CLEVELAND INDIANS – C. Perez RHP , V. Pastano RHP, T. Sipp LHP, A. Adams RHP
CHICAGO WHITE SOX – A. Reed RHP , M. Thornton LHP , B. Myers RHP, J. Petricka RHP
DETROIT TIGERS – J. Valverde RHP , J. Benoit RHP, B. Villarreal RHP, D. Schlereth LHP
KANSAS CITY ROYALS – G. Holland RHP , A. Crow RHP , K. Herrera RHP, Y. Ventura RHP
MINNESOTA TWINS – M. Capps RHP , G. Perkins LHP , J Burton RHP, H. Boyd RHP

AL WEST
LOS ANGELES ANGELS – E. Frieri RHP , S. Downs LHP , J. Walden RHP , D. Tillman RHP
OAKLAND ATHLETICS – R. Cook RHP , G. Balfour RHP, J. Noberto LHP, R, Alcantara RHP
SEATTLE MARINERS – T. Wilhelmsen RHP , C. Furbush LHP , K. Luetge LHP, C. Capps RHP
TEXAS RANGERS – J. Nathan RHP , M. Adams RHP, A. Ogando RHP , T. Sheppers RHP

NL EAST
ATLANTA BRAVES – C. Kimbrel RHP , J. Venters LHP , C. Martinez RHP, J. Graham RHP
FLORIDA MARLINS – S. Cishek RHP, H. Bell RHP, M. Dunn LHP, G. Dayton LHP
NEW YORK METS – F. Francisco RHP , B. Parnell RHP, J. Rauch RHP, M. Koch RHP
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES – J. Papelbon RHP , A. Bastardo RHP, J. Lindblom RHP, J. De Fratus RHP
WASHINGTON NATIONALS – T. Clippard RHP , D. Storen RHP , H. Rodriguez RHP , R. Perry RHP

NL CENTRAL
CHICAGO CUBS – C. Marmol RHP , J. Russell LHP, S. Camp RHP, R. Dolis RHP
CINCINNATI REDS – A. Chapman LHP , J. Broxton RHP, S. Marshall LHP, Kyle Lotzkar RHP
HOUSTON ASTROS – W. Lopez RHP , F. Cordero RHP, F. Rodriguez RHP, J. Abreu RHP
MILWAUKEE BREWERS – J. Axford RHP , J. Henderson RHP, F. Rodriguez RHP , , F. De Los Santos RHP
PITTSBURGH PIRATES – J. Hanrahan RHP , J. Grilli RHP, C. Qualls RHP, B. Morris RHP
SAINT LOUIS CARDINALS – J. Motte RHP , M. Boggs RHP, E. Mujica RHP, E. Sanchez RHP


NL WEST
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS – J. Putz RHP , D. Hernandez RHP, T. Saito RHP , B. Shaw RHP
COLORADO ROCKIES – R. Betancourt RHP , R. Brothers LHP , M. Belisle RHP, E. Butler RHP
LOS ANGELES DODGERS – K. Jansen RHP B. League RHP , J. Guerra RHP, J. Rodriguez RHP
SAN DIEGO PADRES – H. Street RHP , D. Thayer RHP , L. Gregerson LHP, B. Boxberger RHP
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS – J. Affeldt LHP, S. Romo RHP, S. Casilla RHP, H. Hembree RHP

Reportedly Out for the Year
J. Ceda (Mia - RHP)
J. Devine (Oak - RHP)
R. Madson (Cin - RHP)
M. Rivera (NYY - RHP)
S. Santos (Tor - RHP)
J. Soria (KC - RHP)
A. Vizcaino (Atl - RHP)
B. Wilson (SF - RHP)

Unsigned Relievers of Interest
H. Kuo (FA - LHP

Possible Future Foreign Imports
Chiba Lotte Marines - Yasuhiko Yabuta (RHP)
Chunichi Dragons - Hitoki Iwase (LHP), Takuya Asao (RHP)
Fukuoka Softbank Hawks - Takahiro Mahara (RHP)
Hashin Tigers - Kyuji Fujikawa (LHP)
Hiroshima Toyo Carp - Katsuhiro Nagakawa (RHP), Kiyoshi Toyoda (RHP)
Orix Buffaloes - Daisuke Katoh (RHP)
Yakult Swallows - Hirotoshi Ishii (LHP), Chang Yong Lim (RHP)
Yokohama BayStars - Hayato Terahara (RHP)
Yomiuri Giants - Tetsuya Yamaguchi (LHP)

[Havok1517]

Article

[Nerveclinic]

Can you pin this to the top of the leftover forum so people stop posting in the 1st half thread. But also could you leave the old thread open only for the purpose of people who want to piss all over the discussion of whether Frier or Downs or both are closer or what percentage of the saves each will get? Can you leave that crowd over in the 1st half thread and we will quietly sneak over here and hope they don't notice? Just let them stay over there and retch on themselves?

Cheers

[bigh0rt]

I PMd ayebatter, asking him to do it at his earliest convenience. I do agree, though, I think it's time we just stop talking about the Frieri and Downs situation on both sides. You can only go no where in a conversation for so long before everybody's just repeating themselves and it's annoying to the general public.

[SpecialFNK]

what's the difference between solid and rock solid?
here lists Kenely Jansen as solid. but wouldn't he be rock solid?
not that it matters. but I would consider Jansen one of the top closers in baseball.

Matt Capps could be traded.
the Angels ( ) are interested. (along with Francisco Liriano).

Looking to bolster their pitching staff for the stretch drive, the Angels have interest in both Matt Capps and Francisco Liriano according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The Twins have made both players available, though Morosi says there is an outside chance a deal for either happens.

The Halos have continued to look for bullpen help even after acquiring Ernesto Frieri from the Padres, and their rotation took a hit when Dan Haren was placed on the DL with a back issue. The trio of Ervin Santana (5.75 ERA), Jerome Williams (4.67 ERA), and Garrett Richards (4.21 ERA) has been shaky behind Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson. Los Angeles is also said to have interest in Zack Greinke.

Capps, 28, has pitched to a 3.42 ERA with 14 saves while battling shoulder inflammation this season. He is owed approximately $2.3MM for the rest of the year and has a $6MM club option ($250K buyout) in his contract. The 28-year-old Liriano owns a 4.93 ERA in 15 starts and five relief appearances. He struck out 15 last night and has pitched to a 2.83 ERA in nine starts since returning to the rotation. Liriano will become a free agent after the season and is owed roughly $2.75MM the rest of the way.

I would assume it's just a matter of when Capps is traded and not if.

[snash]

Can I suggest retitling this thread to "2012 CLOSERS THREAD (2nd HALF) - NO FRIERI/DOWN TALK!"? Just a thought...

[k.k.]

Has anyone seen any updated info on the Jay's Santos? Seems eerily quiet on his injury rehab front. I read a poster comment about him a while ago suggesting that even when/if he comes back they won't take the closers job away from Janssen. I haven't managed to find anything to back that up.

[surferguy]

Has anyone seen any updated info on the Jay's Santos? Seems eerily quiet on his injury rehab front. I read a poster comment about him a while ago suggesting that even when/if he comes back they won't take the closers job away from Janssen. I haven't managed to find anything to back that up.

Here is a link:
http://blogs.thescore.com/djf/2012/07/0 ... d-stroman/

and the important part:

“Currently that’s how I look at it,” Farrell added, when asked if, regardless of where Sergio Santos is at, the club has to look at Janssen as their closer for the rest of the year. “Until Sergio goes out on a rehab assignment and actually is getting in games, I think then you can begin to look at the calendar and project, ‘when does he come back?’ But with the amount of time missed and the way Casey’s established himself, we would love to have a healthy Sergio back in our bullpen. But where he would settle in initially, um… hopefully we do get him back, and he comes back to us, as a guy who’s capable of striking a guy out– but I think Casey has certainly solidified the closers role for the time being and as we go through the remainder of this year.”

[SpecialFNK]

Cishek with the save.

Steve Cishek recorded his second save of the season on Saturday, getting the final five outs in a victory over the Nationals.
Cishek was called upon with one out in the eighth inning, and retired Ryan Zimmerman and Mike Morse on 12 pitches. He remained in the game for the ninth, allowing a two-out single to Roger Bernadina but nothing more. Cishek might just be Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen's preferred option for saves at the moment, and should be owned in all fantasy formats.

Heath Bell's other future competition left his game with an injury.

Juan Carlos Oviedo left Saturday's rehab game for Triple-A New Orleans with an undisclosed injury.
No word yet on the type or severity of the injury, but it's likely to push Oviedo's return back until the beginning of August. Steve Cishek recorded a five-out save on Saturday and will continue to get looks in the meantime.

Casilla just blew the save for the Giants. not watching but boxscore says he had the 3rd out on a strike out, but Chris Snyder reached on a wild pitch, and the tieing runner on base scored because of an error throw.
it's funny to see Giants fans on twitter get so worked up over Casilla. you would think they guy sucked or something.

[SpecialFNK]

rotoworld write up on Casilla's blown save. bold their opinion.

Santiago Casilla blew Tim Lincecum's much-deserved win on Saturday, giving up two runs -- one earned -- in the ninth against the Astros.
The tying run scored on a strikeout/wild pitch, with Hector Sanchez getting charged with an error that allowed Jason Maxwell to score from second. Casilla may not have been entirely to blame here, but after a 20-for-21 start, he's blown four of his last six save chances. The Giants should strongly consider going to a closer-by-committee, with Jeremy Affeldt and Sergio Romo joining the mix, until Casilla starts pitching better.

Casilla would have had the save if it wasn't for the error. he's had enough success that he should have a longer leash than what rotoworld suggests.
I wish one could leave comments on rotoworld for their opinion, to reply to their horseshit comments.