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 Baltimore Orioles have an embarrassment of bullpen riches? David Hernandez notched a save Tuesday, despite walking a batter, while recording a K in a scoreless frame.
  Hernandez continues to impress as a reliever, with seven K's and a 0.92 WHIP in 8 2/3 frames. Alfredo Simon is expected to take the closer role back in the near future, but Hernandez is making noise.
  Split duties? Maybe, and that's enough to make the effective Hernandez an addition for saves-desperate mixed owners, as long as they have a droppable bench player.

• Baltimore's bionic bullpen bazooka?

  Bobby Jenks continued his stellar June yesterday with a scoreless save. The Chicago White Sox closer worked around a two-out single by recording two K's and forcing a grounder.
  For the month: 1.17 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 11 K's and one walk in 7 2/3 frames. His curveball reportedly has its bite back, too. Trade rumors loom, but if you can't move him, that probably isn't a bad thing if you're OK in the category.
• Jose Valverde's opponents have posted a .141 BABIP against him this year, and his ERA stands at 0.64. Fluky? Yes, especially since Detroit Tigers enemies are making more contact against him. For a closer, though, it isn't that shocking, especially since he induces grounders at a 68.2 percent rate.
  Valverde is exclusively a two-pitch pitcher (fastball and split-fingered fastball). He's stable. Don't sell solely on predicting a performance dip; a correction would still leave him as an elite stopper.
• All better? Neftali Feliz recovered from Saturday's gaffe - "one of those days" - with a scoreless Texas Rangers save Tuesday, his 16th closure of the season. He recorded a K.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat: AL | NL

Fantasy baseball closer depth charts: AL | NL