Potential Closers (1 Viewer)

[Buckfast]

I just finished a draft where my drafting of closers did not go as well as I had hoped. I thought it might be helpful for everyone if we started a thread about setup or other relievers who have the potential to take over at closer at some point during the season.

Any insight into setup guys that you are targeting for their potential as closers would be helpful. Even if the incumbent closer's job is guaranteed barring injury, it would be nice to have a little extra information about some of the other relievers in the bullpen should he get injured.

I'm just looking for other relievers who have the stuff to be closers and who might be in a situation involving an injury-prone closer or a job that might be up for grabs at some point.

I'll start the list with some of the more obvious choices that were drafted in my league.

Joba Chamberlain (NYY)

Jeremy Accardo (Tor)

Carlos Marmol (CHC)

Jonathan Broxton (LAD)

Rafael Betancourt (CLE)

Jon Rauch (WAS)

Tony Pena (ARI)

Pat Neshek (MIN)

Joaquin Benoit (TEX)

Mark Lowe (SEA)

Hideki Okajima (BOS)

As far as I can tell thus far, here are some others that might potentially be worth targeting.

Heath Bell (SD)

Brian Fuentes (COL)

David Riske (MIL)

Eddie Guardado (TEX)

Fernando Rodney (DET)

Bob Howry (CHC)

Al Reyes (TB)

Matt Lindstrom (FLA)

Alan Embree (OAK)

Any information or insight about these guys or any new targets would probably be very helpful to everyone in search of mid-season saves. Thanks!

 

[shadyridr]

honda

 

[Mystery Achiever]

this is a good list to follow.

http://www.theinsidepitch.com/Closer_Watch.html

it is discussed in more detail in a previous thread if you search back a page or so.

 

[Eephus]

honda

Masahiro Honda, formerly of the Nippon Ham Fighters

 

[JohnnyU]

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Merkin Valdez could get a shot at

late-inning relief.

"The way he threw in L.A., the way he threw this spring, he's really

come along," Bochy said. "That's where I see him eventually, possibly

sooner rather than later, the guy helping out in later innings." Expect

the Giants to continue giving their younger guys a more prominent role as

their dismal season crawls along. Source: San Francisco Chronicle Apr.

5 - 10:30 am et

 

[Spartans Rule]

If Heath Bell isn't rostered I'd get him.

With all due respect to the legendary Trevor Hoffman, there's a lot of signs that he just doesn't have it anymore. He really struggled at the end of last year and already had an ugly blown save this year.

Bell's ratios and K rate will help your team quite a bit even as a setup man, and I think he has a pretty good shot to take over at some point.