Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat - NL

May 5, 2010 @ 11:00:00

By Bryce McRae
Edited by Tim Heaney

Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat: AL | NL

Fantasy baseball closer depth charts: AL | NL

In fantasy baseball, the closer position remains volatile. Rarely does every closer hang on to the job for an entire season - injuries, poor performance and managerial decisions can cloud a team's bullpen picture.

Should you be concerned about a struggling stopper? Which relievers are climbing the depth chart? Are any injuries popping up? KFFL.com's Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat keeps you informed when you're looking for saves.

 

Mound meetings

• The Qualls are calming

  The Philadelphia Phillies' Brad Lidge passed another test Tuesday. It wasn't a save situation, but in the ninth, with a runner on second in a tie game, he generated a groundout, strikeout and flyout. Afterward, Charlie Manuel was impressed with the way Lidge handled the situation; Lidge is helping his cause of returning to save chances.
  Jose Contreras proved he'd be able to step in if needed; he struck out two in the 10th before Carlos Ruiz's walkoff gave him the win. Former closer Ryan Madson, destroyer of metal chairs, will be out at least eight weeks with a broken right toe.
• Manuel Corpas and Franklin Morales both gave up runs in the Colorado Rockies' 3-2 loss to the San Diego Padres yesterday. The former was tagged with the blown save in the eighth inning while the latter took the loss with the game tied.
  Bullpen help is progressing: Closer Huston Street (shoulder) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session yesterday. He said his shoulder felt great and will throw in an extended Spring Training game Friday. A rehab assignment could be close if there are no setbacks.
• Only one runner reached on the Arizona Diamondbacks' Chad Qualls yesterday in a ninth-inning save situation. Other than that runner, he struck out two in earning the save.
  Qualls has settled in after a rough start to 2010. He has converted four straight saves with only two hits and one run allowed, along with six K's and just one walk, in his last five appearances (4 1/3 innings).
• Pittsburgh Pirates closer Octavio Dotel returned from his personal leave yesterday. He was on the mound in the ninth locking down the save in his first game since April 28. Dotel made an effort to locate his fastball better since he hasn't had consistent work.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat: AL | NL

Fantasy baseball closer depth charts: AL | NL

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Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

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