Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat: Infallible Kevin Gregg, Neftali Feliz's turnaround, more

August 31, 2011 @ 10:28:53

By Tim Heaney
Edited by Nicholas Minnix

 

Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat | AL depth charts | NL depth charts

What are the odds that you still own the relief pitchers you rostered in your fantasy baseball draft? KFFL.com's Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat series gives you no-nonsense ratings of performances, injuries and managerial decisions in MLB bullpens. Get your arm loose: Let's find fantasy baseball players in your rotisserie or head-to-head baseball league who'll get saves.

Mound meetings

• A few days ago, Tony La Russa said Jason Motte will be mixed into more St. Louis Cardinals save chances. Fernando Salas chimed in with a closure of his own Tuesday, working around a walk to escape scot-free. Salas remains the No. 1 option for wrap-ups, but Motte has impressed TLR enough to infringe on Salas' territory.

• How Feliz got his groove back

  Another blown save for Kevin Gregg: On Tuesday, the righty allowed a single and a walk on his first five pitches, and those two runners executed a double steal on the next at-bat. A sac fly tied it up before the Baltimore Orioles could wiggle out.
  Bizarre turn of events, but still set up by Gregg's shakiness. Just another reminder that though Buck Showalter has backed Gregg all season, it wouldn't hurt to give Mike Gonzalez a waiver wire whirl if you're trying any potential avenue for saves.
• New York Mets skipper Terry Collins wants stopper-in-training Bobby Parnell to begin an inning whenever possible and avoid coming in during a jam with runners on. Parnell started a frame in both games of their Monday doubleheader, notching the closure in the first contest and wrapping up a four-run victory in the second. He hasn't allowed a run in five of his last six appearances.
• A reportedly uneventful 25-pitch Tuesday bullpen session has Jon Rauch (appendectomy) nearing a return; if he feels fine Wednesday, he'll return Thursday. But his reinstatement might lead him to merely a setup gig. Frank Francisco hasn't yielded a run in his last 13 games, and it wouldn't be surprising if John Farrell kept him in the gig.
• Since his July 10 outing, Sergio Santos has allowed just one run (0.71 ERA in 12 2/3 frames). He pitched the ninth for the Chicago White Sox Tuesday, with a switch-hitter and a lefty stick due up second and third, respectively. He worked around a two-out walk and struck out the side in a scoreless frame to seal a two-run victory.
  Expect Chris Sale still to see save chances when Ozzie Guillen deems it necessary.
• Kyle Farnsworth and Joel Peralta were claimed off revocable waivers but won't be traded, per FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi. It looks like the Tampa Bay Rays have pulled them back already.
• Carlos Marmol has righted the ship in his five outings since his Aug. 16 meltdown, throwing five scoreless, hitless and walkless frames with six K's. His latest was a perfect save Tuesday. Even with his velocity dip, the Chicago Cubs livewire looks secure in his role for now.
• Make it 11 straight shutout appearances for Neftali Feliz following his 26th save of the season Tuesday. Feliz has responded with authority since his apparent revelation in a conversation with former Texas Rangers catcher Bengie Molina; the sophomore has put Mike Adams and Koji Uehara in their places as setup men.

 

Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat | AL depth charts | NL depth charts

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Tim Heaney

Since the Boston University alum joined KFFL in 2006, his work has been featured by USA Today/Sports Weekly and Yahoo! Sports, among numerous publications.

Tim competes in Tout Wars and LABR and appears every Wednesday on 1570 AM WNST in Baltimore, as well as frequently on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio.

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