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Mound meetings
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Sale: starter or RP? |
Mark Melancon was unavailable Tuesday in order to be with his wife for the birth of his child. No word on whether the newborn has arrived yet. The Houston Astros didn't need a stopper in last night's blowout loss. Wilton Lopez or David Carpenter would probably get the call if needed Wednesday; Lopez should be your first choice if you need a save.
- Chris Sale threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings for the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, striking out three and recording his eighth save of the season. Sergio Santos might not pitch again this season but will head into 2012 as the favorite to close, with Sale likely to transition into a starter's role. Stay tuned, though, considering how well Sale has taken to his setup role.
- On point with what has been mentioned in this space of late, Davey Johnson is grooming Henry Rodriguez to be the backup closer to Drew Storen. Even with all the deep-league fantasy intrigue this could bring for Rodriguez, Johnson might not be the Washington Nationals' manager next season, so those plans could change. It still makes H-Rod worthy of monitoring heading into next March.
- Javy Guerra blew the Los Angeles Dodgers' Tuesday save opportunity by giving up a bases-loaded walk and a grand slam (only two of the runs were his). After a fine season, though, he'll be the favorite in this bullpen again. Jonathan Broxton might still be a threat if the Blue keep him around, but that's still iffy, as is Broxton's ability to pitch like a closer again. Kenley Jansen still looms but doesn't have a big case just yet.
About Tim Heaney

Tim's work has been featured by USA Today/Sports Weekly, among numerous publications, and recognized as a finalist in FSWA's awards. The Boston University alum competes in Tout Wars and LABR and has won numerous industry leagues in both baseball and football.
During baseball and football season, he's on The Reality Check with Glenn Clark every Wednesday on 1570 AM WNST in Baltimore. He hits the airwaves every Thursday at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio, where he often crashes other shows, as well.
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