Pirates Name Capps Closer

June 1, 2007 @ 16:00:00

By Ryan R. Bonini
Edited by Nicholas Minnix

Dejan Kovacevic, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reports the Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that relief pitcher Matt Capps will take over as the team's closer. Capps replaces relief pitcher Salomon Torres, whom the club has deemed more valuable as a setup man in the seventh and eighth innings. In addition, management believes that Capps has the poise and command to succeed as a closer.

This move comes after Torres blew his fourth save of the season Thursday, May 31. That may not have sat well with the team's management, as it came just a week after he called out the team's veterans to play better to correct their losing ways. Manager Jim Tracy, however, went to lengths to dispel the notion that Torres' performance had anything to do with the change.

For a reliever, Torres had a miserable ERA on the season; it reached 4.88, but Torres did have 12 saves on the year. Overall, in 24 innings pitched, he had 21 strikeouts and a 1.25 WHIP. Capps, in comparison, has pitched 29 1/3 innings with two wins, 24 strikeouts, a 3.07 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He has not recorded a save this season.

For fantasy players, Capps should immediately be picked up in your fantasy league. Whether you own Torres or not, Capps should definitely be looked towards. Amongst leagues polled, he's available in roughly 93 percent of them! If you're looking to improve in the saves category, which is incredibly hard to do off the waiver wire during the season, Capps has immediate value to your fantasy team.

Torres can be sent packing and should be kept an eye on only in the event Capps self-destructs. However, the team will likely ride Capps out for the time being to see how he responds in his new role.

KFFLians are saying....

Comment

 

---

What do you think? We want to hear from you!

Name: E-mail: Please, enter the number that you see

Comment Guidelines

Ryan R. Bonini

Founding KFFL in 1996, Bonini serves as KFFL's General Manager and VP of technology for KFFL's parent company, USA TODAY SPORTS Media Group. Bonini was named the 2009 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year by the FSWA and received honors with the Best Fantasy Football Series in '10, making him the first two-time FSWA football award winner.

His work has been found in USA Today, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, CBS Sports, NFL.com, and many others. He has also been featured on numerous radio programs around the country. Bonini is a member of the PFWA, FSWA and FSTA.

Follow Ryan on Twitter @ryanbonini

Talk Sports 24/7!
KFFL Sports Forums: Over 24,000 strong and growing!

One Day FREE Fantasy Contest - $350 in cash prizes (05/24)
Fantasy Closer Hot Seat: Addison Reed, J.J. Putz, Ernesto Frieri, more (05/24)
Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Brian Roberts seeing the light at the end of the rehab tunnel (05/24)
Fantasy baseball players in the news (05/24)
Fantasy football players in the news (05/24)
Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Dee Gordon's problems at bat (05/23)
Fantasy Baseball Player Prospecting: Will Smith, Yordano Ventura, Wil Myers, more (05/23)
Fantasy Baseball Roundtable: How trade talks develop (05/23)
Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat: Tyler Clippard, J.J. Putz (05/23)
Fantasy Baseball Diamond Market: Mark Teixeira's ill beginnings (05/23)