Closer... Closer...
A Number of AL Relievers are Almost Ready...
With a recuperating Joel Zumaya back and throwing triple digits again, how long will veteran Todd Jones remain the closer in Detroit?
As the season hits its midpoint, the ever-volatile closer situation is showing no signs of settling down. Here's a quick look at a number of future AL closers who appear to be on the cusp of getting their shot. For more, bookmark our Closer Watch page for daily updates.
It's a tough business, and one that can wear out even the toughest arm and most durable ego. Closers have higher job turnover than any other baseball position, and for good reason: the pressure is unrelenting. If you're a fantasy player scouring for second-half surprises, here are some situations that you will really want to watch closely.
In Detroit, 100mph flamethrower Joel Zumaya appears to be well-healed from his shoulder operation of last year. Zumaya, whose injury wasn't baseball related, managed to come all the way back quickly, and he's already throwing with the same velocity he showed two years ago. Though Zumaya's still rediscovering the feel of the job, there's little reason to think that veteran Todd Jones will be around much longer. If they fall from contention, look for the Tigers to make a move to Zumaya before the year is over, so that he's already settled in come 2009.
While the Tigers have an obvious successor ready to take over, things aren't so rosy in Cleveland, where veteran Joe Borowski has seen his ERA creep over 7.00 at midseason. Unfortunately, the Indians don't have an ideal replacement in-house, as setup artist Rafael Betencourt has repeatedly struggled when handed ninth-inning pressure. Lefty Rafael Perez, once considered a closer of tomorrow, has also been very hittable, giving up runs in more than half of his appearances. Import Masa Kobayashi is probably the best bet to step up, but the latest buzz from Cleveland says that he could be destined for the minors, as coaches try to figure out how to teach him enough about American hitters to be effective at the higher level. Unless the Indians write off the season and decide to start grooming Edward Mujica or a converted Adam Miller for 2009, this ugly situation isn't likely to get better soon. [Update 7/4: As expected, Borowski has been removed from the closer role today, and in fact has been designated for assignment].
The surprising young Oakland Athletics are competing the way they always do, with pitching, pitching and more pitching. Closer Huston Street is about to get very expensive very soon, which means the always cost-conscious A's will entertain offers. If Street leaves the team, the smart money right now is on resurgent Santiago Casilla, rather than the mercurial Joey Devine, to take over as the team's closer for the rest of 2008. The 2009 spring competition could also be wide open.
In Baltimore, meanwhile, first year closer George Sherrill has been everything the Orioles ever needed, as he's been among the league leaders in saves ever since Opening Day. Actually, he's much more than the basement-dwelling Orioles need, which is why now that he's an established and valuable closer (and a left-handed one, at that) he could attract some tantalizingly good offers at the deadline, and the Orioles may be in a pretty position to accept. The O's could land two or three very solid prospects for Sherrill, and if they do, they'll probably choose to stumble through the rest of the year with a committee while they wait for Chris Ray and/or James Hoey to recover from their surgeries for 2009.
In Seattle, JJ Putz is still recovering from a hyper-extended (but apparently undamaged) right elbow, and dart-thrower Brandon Morrow has been competent in covering for him. Morrow could be a viable long-term answer, in theory, though there's no way Seattle will pay Putz his millions to pitch in a lesser role. Unless Seattle's new management decides to become a radical rebuilder at the trading deadline, expect Putz to go back to ninth-inning work shortly after the All Star break, with Morrow's value plummeting as he's returned to the usual Seattle jerk-around.
That's it for our AL report. For the latest on the closer situation in baseball, don't forget to visit our Closer Watch page, updated daily.
Stay tuned for the second half of this feature, as we look at the most interesting NL closing situations.
