Don't sleep on saves in Seattle
With the news coming down Thursday that Seattle Mariners closer David Aardsma needs surgery to fix a torn labrum in his left hip, it's time to start speculating for saves in Seattle.
Aardsma and his doctors are saying that he should be ready for Opening Day, but don't believe them just yet.
When it comes to injuries to pitchers - and a hip operation is not exactly a minor procedure - it's best to speculate on the long end of the expected recovery time. It's also safe to say that a hip injury of this nature will affect a power pitcher like Aardsma significantly more.
Bottom line: Don't sleep on Brandon League when you're snatching up saves come draft day.
Aardsma is expected to resume throwing four weeks after his surgery, which is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 3, however, if he encounters any kind of setback during his throwing program or during Spring Training, you can forget about being ready by the season opener. Enter Brandon League.
The M's have already tipped their hand a bit; they have been dangling Aardsma on the trade market in hopes of saving money for the '11 campaign. This is a positive indication that they would be comfortable with handing the closing duties to League next season.
Don't count on Aardsma to be ready
If Aardsma rounds out your fantasy bullpen next year, make sure you can handcuff League to him, if at all possible. There are still a few free agents capable of closing left on the market (Rafael Soriano, Brian Fuentes, Kevin Gregg), but the Mariners are strapped for cash and are highly unlikely to go that route.
The other late-inning relievers in the Seattle pen, Daniel Cortes and Josh Lueke, are raw and aren't ready to be counted on to hold down the ninth-inning job. Both have the potential to be future closers, but League would get first crack.
