It’s been a couple of years since we’ve done an edition of our MLB Draft Review series. When we last left off, RotoRob had started previewing the 2001 draft, the first part of which you can find here. Over the next few parts of this series, I’ll be previewing the rest of this draft through the first round as well as looking at some other notables that came out of that class.

We’ll pick right up where we left off at the sixth pick in the draft.

6. Josh Karp, RHP, Montreal Expos

The Skinny: Karp was a hard-throwing righty who left his mark on the UCLA record book ranking fifth in wins and sixth in strikeouts after three seasons with the Bruins. Sporting a fastball that consistently reached the mid-90s, along with a plus curveball and changeup, Karp looked like a nice pick at six. Unfortunately, his stuff never translated into professional success. His first year of pro ball was solid as he split time between High-A and Double-A and looked to be on the fast track to the Expo rotation. However, Karp never again experienced professional success after that first year. He struggled with his control and never learned to use his three-pitch arsenal to his advantage. By 2006, he was out of baseball because of arm problems.

Strengths: Three plus pitches, including a fastball consistently in the mid-90s.

Weaknesses: Pitch location and selection and over reliance on his change up. Scouts also questioned his mental toughness and makeup.

Final Analysis: Karp’s failure became even more painful after then-General Manager Omar Minaya gutted the Expos system of Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore and Brandon Phillips to obtain Bartolo Colon. The Expos soon became the Nationals and have suffered from bad drafts and poor management to become the Major League’s worst team in 2009.

7. Chris Smith, LHP, Baltimore Orioles

The Skinny: Smith signed with the Orioles almost immediately after they drafted him out of Cumberland University, but he didn’t make his professional debut until several weeks later. In 2006, Smith claimed that an Oriole trainer injured him during a workout, pretty much derailing his career before had a chance to get started. Before the injury, Smith sported a 90 mph fastball. Afterwards, he was wild, walking 21 batters in 11 innings in 2002 before being shut down. Smith missed 2003 and most of 2004 with a shoulder injury. In 2005, he was released by the Os and tried his hand at Independent ball with no success. By 2006, his career was over.

Strengths: Smith was a lefty with a 90 mph fastball, always a coveted commodity.

Weaknesses: Wildness. This may have been a result of his injury, but nevertheless, Smith had trouble finding the plate during his pro career.

Final Analysis: After it became evident that local boys Mark Teixeira and Gavin Floyd wouldn’t be around for the Orioles at number seven, the team more than likely agreed to a pre-draft deal with Smith. It was money they might as well have flushed down the toilet as Smith gave them absolutely no return on their investment. The Smith pick was just another in a long line of first round failures for the Orioles and part of the reason they have failed to keep pace with division rivals, New York, Boston and Tampa, teams that have drafted well. Having said that, the Orioles have shown some improvement in this area in the later part of this decade, so we’ll see how that plays out.

8. John VanBenchoten, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

The Skinny: The Pirates shocked everyone when they selected VanBenchoten as a pitcher out of Kent State. The righty was the Golden Eagles’ closer, but was more highly regarded for hit bat. He led Division I with 31 homers in his junior year and most teams viewed him as a prototypical right fielder. VanBenchoten made the Pirates look good early though as he rose steadily through the minor league system, pitching in the 2003 Futures Game, before making his big league debut in 2004. Unfortunately, his career was derailed in 2005 when he went under the knife to repair torn labrums in both arms and a torn rotator cuff in his left (non-pitching) arm. In limited chances in 2007 and 2008, VanBenchoten couldn’t duplicate his minor league success with the major league club, recording a 9.20 ERA in 26 games, 19 of them starts. He became a free agent after the 2008 season and signed with the Chicago White Sox, for whom he was ineffective in a swingman role for their Triple-A club.

Strengths: A 90 MPH fastball and a plus curve. He also has a change up and slider in his arsenal.

Weaknesses: VanBenchoten mostly pitched as a reliever at Kent State, so stamina was a big deal as the Pirates tried to make him a starter. His delivery had a tendency to be inconsistent.

Final Analysis: VanBenchoten might eventually make it as a long reliever in the majors, but more than likely he’ll just be organizational depth. He follows a long line of Pirate first rounders that haven’t made a big league impact. Pittsburgh hasn’t had a winning season since Barry Bonds left town years ago and the farm system hasn’t produced an impact player since. One might wonder, however, how VanBenchoten’s career might have gone if he had been selected as a position player. Rick Ankiel, anyone?

9. Colt Griffin, RHP, Kansas City Royals

The Skinny: Scouts were mesmerized by Griffin when he became the first high school pitcher to hit 100 mph. Blinded by the velocity, scouts ignored the other factors in Griffin’s game, most notably that he couldn’t pitch worth a lick. It didn’t matter as the Royals grabbed him with the ninth pick hoping they could tame this wild Colt. Despite his blazing fastball and a plus slider, Griffin couldn’t find the strike zone. He led the minors in walks in 2003 while uncorking 23 wild pitches. Coaches worked to tone down his violent delivery and Griffin dialed down his velocity in order to gain more control. He topped out at Double-A in 2005 and underwent major shoulder surgery. Griffin decided to retire rather than try to come back.

Strengths: Duh! A 100 mph fastball. He also had a good slider.

Weaknesses: Control. The kid had none, averaging a shocking 6.9 walks per nine innings in his five seasons in the minors.

Final Analysis: Griffin was the ultimate boom or bust player. Salivating over his heater, teams ignored every other aspect of his game and hoped to catch lightning in a bottle. Griffin’s unwillingness to attempt a comeback from shoulder surgery says much about his desire. He just took his $1.85 million signing bonus and went home. Griffin was the fifth straight pitcher the Royals picked in the first round, none of whom ever fulfilled their promise. Not a single one made it as starters and thus crippled the low-budget Royals’ chance to assemble a talented homegrown rotation. It’s worth noting from a timely perspective, that Baseball America writer Jim Callis, in a recent chat, uttered Griffin’s name when making a comparison of the skill set of current hyped prospect Aroldis Chapman. Just some food for thought for you when considering the Cuban this spring.

10. Chris Burke, ss, Houston Astros

The Skinny: An All-American out of Tennessee, Burke looked like he was going to be a future table setter for a long time for the Astros. In the minors, he showed the ability to get on base and steal one if necessary. Although he started out as a shortstop, Burke lacked the arm to stay there and moved over to second. He made the Astros’ Opening Day roster in 2005, but got demoted after a month. Burke was recalled in June and split time between 2B and the outfield, hitting only .248. The highlight of Burke’s career came in the divisional playoff series against the Atlanta Braves when he hit a series ending home run in the 18th inning to propel the Astros into the next round against the St. Louis Cardinals. Burke received a little more than 300 at bats in each of the next two seasons, but failed to win consistent playing time. He was eventually traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008 in the deal the netted the Astros Jose Valverde. Burke was little more than a utility player with the D-Backs and was non-tendered after the season. He wound up in the Padre system, but was traded to Seattle in Spring Training earlier this year. Less than a month later, San Diego reacquired Burke, but he was completely ineffective in a part-time role and outrighted to Triple-A in June. He refused the assignment and wound up signing a minor league deal with the Braves and spent the rest of 2009 toiling for their Triple-A team, putting up a .285/.351/.401 line in 274 at bats.

Strengths: Burke is a good athlete with speed. He showed a solid bat in the minors, with a career OPS of 786.

Weaknesses: Burke lacked the arm strength to stick at shortstop. He was also unable to adapt to major league pitching, recording a career OPS of 674 in parts of six seasons.

Final Analysis: Now 29, Burke is little more than a backup utility player at this stage in his career. He can play 2B and SS as well as in the outfield if needed. Burke can offer some speed off a Major League bench, but has really done nothing to show he has much value with the bat. His early minor league career suggested he could be a solid MLB lead-off hitter (at Triple-A in 2004, for instance, he had a . 396 OBP with 37 steals), but that never happened. Whether it was a lack of ability or lack of consistent at bats, we’ll probably never know. What we do know is that when Burke has been giving opportunities, he hasn’t taken advantage of them. As the Astros have long drafted near the bottom of the first round, failing with a top 10 pick hurts, especially considering Houston hasn’t drafted well at all. Their lack of minor league talent is evident as the Astros sink into second division status.

Baltimore Orioles

Jim Johnson has now racked up eight saves since taking over as closer from the traded George Sherrill. He did have an ugly outing (think Brad Lidge ugly) on September 2 against the New York Yankees who battered him around for five earned runs. Johnson failed to record an out in that game. He also took a loss on August 27 against Cleveland so he’s not been a shut down guy by any means. The Os will continue to run him out there to see what they have in Johnson, but I’m curious to see what would happen if Danys Baez got a chance — control problems notwithstanding, he’s pitched very well since the end of July. Consider Johnson a low-end Fantasy reliever going into next season with Chris Ray lurking in the shadows. In other words, don’t invest heavily.

Detroit Tigers

After struggling, but finally nailing down a tough save on Friday, Fernando Rodney threw the ball into the press box out of frustration. He was handed a three-game suspension for his actions, but has appealed the decision, so it may get reduced. You would be wise to grab Brandon Lyon if you have the spot in the hopes that he give you a couple of cheap saves. While Rodney has had a fine season, blowing only one save, Lyon got back-to-back saves on the weekend when Rodney needed some rest. With the Tigers leading the American League Central Division, Rodney will be a big part in determining how far the Tigers go. He’s got to keep his cool and keep closing out games.

Kansas City Royals

After a couple of sub par outings at the end of August, Joakim Soria has been back to his usual self and is now closing in on a second straight 25-save season. Unfortunately, he’s just not getting the opportunity to close out games because the Royals suck so bad. While I don’t subscribe to the theory that you have to have a closer on a winning team to rack up lots of saves, at least there is hope at getting a save when your team is winning. No such luck for Soria.

Minnesota Twins

Normally, I don’t have to write much about the Twin pen because Joe Nathan is so dominant, but his outing on Wednesday. Nathan had one of the worst outings of his career when he gave up four earned runs to take the loss against the Chicago White Sox. I’ll probably never get to write something like that again about Nathan so it is worth noting. Yes, is was an ugly performance. No, I wouldn’t worry one bit. In fact, he’s bounced back since then with two flawless saves, giving him 37 in 42 tries.

New York Yankees

While Mariano Rivera was dealing with a sore groin last week (that happens to us old people), Phil Hughes stepped into the closer role and looked fantastic. After lasting a month as a starter this year, Hughes has worked in middle relief and looked pretty damn good, lowering his ERA from 8.49 to the low 3s (although he gave up a key game-tying homer in the eighth Tuesday). Could this be the true calling for young Mr. Hughes? I’m not sure, but if something happened to Rivera the Yanks have to like the Hughes’ option. Keep in mind the Rivera turns 40 later this year. Taking a flyer on Hughes in 2010 would not be such a bad thing. He might turn into the dominant starter that the Yankees always envisioned him being, or he could turn into the next Rivera. Each option is pretty good. Of course I won’t totally throw out the possibility that he washes out completely in either role, but I’m thinking positive today. As for Rivera, he recorded a save and then earned his second win the next night, so he’s obviously just fine, thank you very much.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Ray pen is starting to come apart at the seams. Closer J.P. Howell has blown one save and suffered another loss in September. Since the start of August, he’s scuffled along with a 1-3 record, three blown saves and an ERA north of 7.00. Fortunately for Howell, the rest of the pen hasn’t been any better, illustrated by Sunday’s meltdown — during which five Ray relievers combined to help blow a lead against the Detroit Tigers. Grant Balfour, Howell, Russ Springer and Randy Choate couldn’t shut the door as the Tigers the loaded the bases for Brandon Inge’s grand slam. Howell has pitched over his head this year and may have hit the wall. Dan Wheeler might be worth a look if you’re desperate for saves. Of course, the fact that Wheeler coughed up a game-winning homer to Nick Swisher Tuesday night didn’t exactly earn him points in Joe Maddon’s book.

Toronto Blue Jays

Jason Frasor keeps getting the job done for the hapless Jays. Since taking over for the injured Scott Downs, Frasor has done a fine job in limited opportunities (he’s 7-for-9 in save chances) – so much so he’s kept the job even though Downs is now healthy (and racking up the holds). For those looking to next year, Downs and Frasor are both worth taking a long look at.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On Sunday, closer Chad Qualls went down with a dislocated knee cap (ouch). It’s uncertain if there is any other damage, but Qualls is scheduled for surgery Thursday and will miss the rest of the season. With Jon Rauch traded to the Twins just a couple of days earlier, it remains to be seen just how the D-Back pen shakes down. But out of the blue, Juan Gutierrez, who just moved into a set-up role, has now taken over from Qualls as the closer. He’s been more hittable lately and has an ERA of 4.10, so he may not last long in a pressure role, but as things stand Gutierrez needs to be added in all formats. I’d like to see Arizona give rookie Clay Zavada (someone RotoRob touted back in June) a shot simply because in the one picture I’ve seen of the guy he has this really cool looking Rollie Fingers mustache. Trust in the ’stache! Zavada has done some closing in the minors so it wouldn’t be a completely new role for him, although I’d like to see him improve his control a bit. Also in the closing mix could be right-hander Esmerling Vasquez. A flyball pitcher, Vasquez endured some early season struggles but he’s pitched better since June, lowering his ERA from 6.91 to 3.35.

Atlanta Braves

Rafel Soriano got past his rough spot and a sore shoulder and is back to being a dominant force in the Brave pen again (although he has been scored on in his last two outings). He’s knocked down four saves in his last seven outings and looked good in the two of the last three no-save situations he was brought into with seven strikeouts in three innings of work. Soriano earned his 21st save on Tuesday, but it was not without its drama as he surrendered another homer — something that’s been a bit of a problem for him this season.

Chicago Cubs

We’re two weeks into the Carlos Marmol era and he hasn’t walked himself out of the job yet. The wild child has been all over the place this year as evidenced by his enormous base on balls total (almost one per inning). Still, Sweet Lou Pinella has given him the ball in the ninth inning and told him to do his thing. Marmol now has eight saves on the year, nailing down his latest Wednesday night to finish off a shutout for Chicago. With the Cubs clinging to their playoff lives, Marmol has little room for error. Kevin Gregg (who has looked flawless since losing the job) is still waiting in the wings as are Angel Guzman and John Grabow. Many think Guzman should have been given the closing job instead of Marmol, but there’s also the possibility that Guzman will get a chance to start next year. The lefty Grabow, meanwhile, continues to be lights out since arriving in Chicago, having tossed 16 scoreless outings now. A free agent to be, Grabow’s performance must be giving his agent a serious woody.

Florida Marlins

Leo Nunez has maintained the Marlin closer job despite the return of Matt Lindstrom. Nunez had saves in five of his last six appearances before blowing one Tuesday, and looked solid doing it by limiting baserunners. Meanwhile, Lindstrom has looked good lately, lowering his ERA from over 6.50 to the low 5s. It won’t win him the Cy Young, but it’s progress. If Nunez falters (and he did blow the save Tuesday, although earned the win as the Marlins battled back), the Marlins won’t have any problem letting Lindstrom be the man again. In fact, I’d be watching Nunez’s next outing very closely before deciding who will be the man in Florida this month.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Jonathan Broxton hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 10 appearances, giving up a mere six hits during this run. His toe doesn’t seem to be giving him any trouble as his control has been good and he’s still making batters miss. In fact, he’s reached 30 saves for the first time, and check out his K/9 — 13.5. Now, that’s dominance. I wouldn’t go dumping lefty George Sherrill just yet (at least not in any NL-only leagues), but you Broxton owners can now breathe a little easier.

Milwaukee Brewers

Trevor Hoffman was placed on waivers last week and the Giants claimed him, but don’t worry; he’s not going anywhere. Looks like a simple case of the Brewers seeing if they could slip Hoffman past waivers but it didn’t work. There were no negotiations to speak of so it looks like the Giants were just trying to block any potential trade. The all-time saves leader has had a resurgence this season and is pitching as good as ever. With the waiver nonsense behind him he can go out keep racking up saves.

Philadelphia Phillies

How come it’s news when Brad Lidge actually pitches well? Probably because he’s sucked so bad to this point in the season. In six of his last seven outings Lidge hasn’t allowed an earned run.  That’s progress I guess. But the jury remains out on whether he’s ready to be the man come playoff time. After all, he did have an ugly outing on August 25 when he allowed three earned runs without recording an out to keep his imperfect record at 0-6. Despite two flawless saves since then, his ERA is still over 7.00. Ugly, ugly, ugly.

St. Louis Cardinals

Apparently, the Cards like the job Ryan Franklin has done this year since they just signed him to a two-year extension. It’s money well earned for Franklin, who has had an incredible season. He’s leading the league in saves (37 in 39 chances), has a miniscule ERA and WHIP and has been everything the Cards have needed out of a closer. Franklin has been one of the top closers in the game this year and possibly the best in the National League (although Heath Bell and Broxton might have something to say about that).

Washington Nationals

Out of the ashes, Mike MacDougal has saved the National bullpen and resurrected his career. While he can be a wild and crazy guy at times he kept his walks under control in August and racked up eight saves in the process. His first September outing — albeit, it was in a non-save situation — was ugly, so I wouldn’t say he’s a sure thing for next year. There’s no telling if Jim Riggleman will be back as manager next year so bullpen roles might shift with a new skipper. Still, the Nats have to be thankful that MacDougal fell into their lap this year as he stopped a lousy season from becoming much worse.

Baltimore Orioles

Jim Johnson has done a fine job since inheriting the closer role after George Sherrill got traded. On Sunday, he gave up just his second run as closer, but still managed to hang on for a shaky save. The prevailing wisdom out there is that you have to be a closer on a winner to get lots of saves. That has been proven wrong time and time again, but people still spout it like it’s gospel. Johnson is a fine option in all leagues. Yes he’s going to get less chances than most because the Orioles will win less games than, say the Yankees, but there is no reason he can’t rack up a good number of saves in the meantime as long as he makes the most of his opportunities. And bear in mind that weaker teams tend to be involved in closer games when they do actually win, so virtually every W may result in a save chance.

Boston Red Sox

The on again, off again saga of Billy Wagner to the Sox is back on. Wagner has waived his no trade clause and accepted the deal to Boston, now that the Sox have agreed not to pick up his 2010 option. However, Boston can still offer him arbitration, something that may lessen the demand for Wagner in the offseason, as any team signing him would forfeit a draft pick to the Sox, but if he pitches well in a playoff run some teams might still come calling. There are also reports that Wagner is supposed to pitch only once every three days. I wouldn’t go grabbing Wagner expecting help for this year, but he’s worth a flyer for next year. Jonathan Papelbon wasn’t real keen on bringing in Wagner, but he’s changed his tune since the deal was finalized. It makes me wonder how Papelbon is going to react to a guy with close to 400 career saves around. Is it an ego thing or does Paps think the pen is fine as it is? I believe you can never have too many good arms in the pen, and the BoSox have had one of the best bullpens in the league this year. Hideki Okajima has been great in 8th inning work (and he won’t lose his job to Wagner), while Takashi Saito and Manny Delcarman have done well to bridge the gap between starter and closer (you can toss Daniel Bard and Ramon Ramirez into that mix as well). Where Wagner fits in is anyone’s guess, but Terry Francona has been a master of massaging egos and finding playing time for all his guys. He’ll have his work cut out for him again.

Chicago White Sox

Bobby Jenks seems to have gotten over his kidney stones and is back to racking up saves for the contending Sox. While he has been allowing way too many hits, he’s been turning it on at all the right moments. Jenks might not be good for your blood pressure, but at the end of the day a save is a save. And despite his vulnerability, Jenks is more or less getting the job done.

Cleveland Indians

After some initial American League jitters, Chris Perez has been virtually unhittable since early July. He’s looking like the dude most of us thought he would going into Spring Training. With Kerry Wood around, Perez isn’t going to see any save opportunites (heck Wood hasn’t seen a save opportunity in 20 days), but he’s a good bet for the future.

Detroit Tigers

Fernando Rodney keeps on chugging along. With only one blown save in 29 tries this year, he hasn’t got his due credit. His ERA and WHIP are a little higher than you would like to see, but the man has got the job done when it’s counted. I wouldn’t bank on Rodney long term, but for the rest of this season he looks like he could be money in the bank.

Kansas City Royals

The normally dominant Joakim Soria has looked downright bad lately, giving up eight earned runs in his last seven games. Maybe it’s depression from watching the Royals slosh though another wasted season or maybe there’s something wrong. He did spend some time on the DL earlier this year, so an injury can’t be out of the question. There’s been a lot of shakeup in the Royal pen as Juan Cruz was placed on the DL, Ron Mahay was released and Kyle Farnsworth was activated from the DL. Farnsworth will get the first look if there is something wrong with Soria, although, he too was shellacked in his last outing.

Los Angeles Angels

After struggling at the end of July, Brian Fuentes has righted the ship and is pitching like the dominant closer he needs to be for the contending Angels. He’s got 35 saves, but an ERA and WHIP much higher than normal to go along with that. In reality, that often doesn’t matter in Fantasy baseball as long as he’s racking up the saves.

Minnesota Twins

I never get to write about Joe Nathan because he’s so damn good. So what the heck, I’m going to mention something about him right here. He’s got an ERA well under 2.00, a WHIP under 1.00 – now that’s sweet. If you have him on your team you’re one lucky person. You don’t have to worry about his bad numbers affecting you because there are rarely any bad numbers (although he did actually blow a save last week). Nathan is truly one of the elite closers in the game.

New York Yankees

I just realized the Mariano Rivera is four months younger than I am. He’ll turn 40 in November and he’s been outstanding this year. A sub-2.00 ERA and sub-1.00 WHIP are great from a 30-year-old, but for a guy pushing 40 it’s phenomenal. I guess if I had 15 million reasons to stay in shape I might do better than pushing down brewskis and HoHos like they’re going out of style, but at an age when lots of players start to lose it, Rivera’s accomplishments shouldn’t be overlooked.

Oakland Athletics

Remember way back at the beginning of the season when Joey Devine was thought to have a leg up on the Oakland closer gig only to get hurt and turn things over to the immortal Brad Ziegler? That seems like such a long time ago given that Andrew Bailey has emerged as the go-to guy out of the Oakland pen. Although he’s pitching for a bad A’s team, he’s done his job well with outstanding numbers across the board, putting himself into the AL ROY picture. Bailey could establish himself as one of the top closers next year with a full season under his belt.

Seattle Mariners

The wheels may be coming off for David Aardsma and his wild ride from obscurity. It shouldn’t taint what he’s accomplished this year, but lately Aardsma has been very hittable lately, taking a couple losses and giving up six earned runs in his last six outings. His numbers are still good and he could still right the ship, just tread very carefully here if you’re in contention for your league title and saves are tight.

Tampa Bay Rays

The official unofficial closer of the Tampa Bay Rays, J.P. Howell, blew his sixth save of the year on Saturday. He hasn’t pitched since then so expect him to get some work soon be it in a save situation or otherwise. Howell’s numbers are still good despite being a little more hittable in August than he has been previously. For a closer on a contender, he doesn’t have a ton of saves which should be of some concern. Keep an eye on how the Rays use their bullpen the rest of the year. I wouldn’t expect Howell to be closing again next year despite his fine year.

Texas Rangers

Hey, Frank Francisco made it through an entire two weeks without getting hurt. We should throw a party or something. He did suffer through and ugly outing on August 14 when the Red Sox smacked him around for six earned runs to send his ERA and WHIP in the wrong direction. Francisco also looked pretty shaky Tuesday in nearly coughing up a lead to the Yankees. He’s still a viable option in all leagues as a couple of bad outings does not make a bad season, but just hurts your overall numbers. Still, beware of the injury bug. C.J. Wilson is still worth hanging on to in AL-only leagues. He can go longer than Francisco and has shown he has the stuff to close.

Toronto Blue Jays

Poor Jason Frasor, he gets the opportunity to close and there’s nary a save to be had. On the bright side, Frasor hasn’t given up an earned run since early July. He’s worth using. The saves will come – someday. Note, however, that he’s been complaining of some shoulder tendonitis, so that’s worth monitoring.

Atlanta Braves

Rafael Soriano has looked pretty iffy as of late and word out of the Brave camp is he’s experiencing some shoulder problems. They say it’s nothing that a little rest won’t cure, but with Soriano’s injury history, the news is worrisome. Mike Gonzalez is obviously the next in line. The two split saves earlier this season until Soriano seized the job, but Gonzalez hasn’t pitched poorly. In fact, he’s been quite effective lately, although he’s still far from a sure thing. Soriano, who hasn’t pitched since giving up a game-tying home run on Friday, has earned some leeway with his efforts earlier this season so the job is still his to lose. But with the way he’s been pitching lately that could be sooner rather than later.

Chicago Cubs

The heat on Kevin Gregg got hotter on Monday when he blew a save opportunity by allowing four runs in a Cub loss. Lou Piniella said that he’s going to change the way things are done in the late innings and that means a major shakeup in the Cubbie pen. Carlos Marmol is the new closer in Chicago but he hasn’t pitched that well this season and with the Cubs season slowly slipping away, Sweet Lou is going to be even shorter on patience. If Marmol’s control issues continue to plague him, keep an eye on set-up man John Grabow. He’s only allowed two hits and no earned runs since being traded from the Pirates. He might be the best option in the pen right now. Another arm to look at in the bullpen is Angel Guzman. He’s got nasty stuff and is having a much better season than either Gregg or Marmol. Working against him might be his ability to pitch multiple innings if needed. But if you’re looking for a deep sleeper, Guzman might be your man. The bottom line here is that Pinella has three legitimate options beyond Gregg, who now moves to a set-up role.

Colorado Rockies

Huston Street had been a stud in the Colorado pen until August 10 when he got shelled for four earned runs. He bounced back in his next outing looking like his dominant self, and Tuesday night earned his 30th save, albeit in shaky fashion. Consider the four-run shelling just a minor hiccup in an otherwise outstanding season for Street, who has now reached 30 saves twice in his career. Remember Manny Corpas, the one-time closer who lost the job and pretty much stunk up the joint? Corpas recently had surgery to remove a bone chip from his elbow and he’s hoping to return to contribute in September. If for some reason you have this guy on your team, cut bait now. He’s only had one good season in his life. Bone chips or not, Corpas is a stiff.

Florida Marlins

Matt Lindstorm has really struggled since coming off the disabled list, looking very hittable. He wasn’t that good before hitting the DL so consider him a shaky option at closer at best, as despite Fredi Gonzalez’s insistence that Lindstrom will eventually get the gig back, he just hasn’t looked ready. Meanwhile Leo Nunez has not grabbed hold of the closer role with his latest efforts. He’s allowed earned runs in four of his last six appearances and is making things a little too interesting. Other possibilities here include Dan Meyer and Kiko Calero, but whomever ends up with the job looks to be a low-end closer option.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Looks like Jonathan Broxton’s troublesome toe continues to bother him. He’s given up earned runs in three of his last six appearances and his ERA has climbed to a season-high 3.25 before getting trimmed a bit in his last two outings. Not bad for most closers but more is expected of Broxton, who was moving into elite status, but is now coming under fire. He will be a dominant closer again, but expect some struggles the rest of the year because of the toe. Just in case, keep George Sherrill queued up in the waiver wire if you don’t have him already. Since joining the Dodgers, he’s been flawless in putting out those seventh and eighth inning fires.

New York Mets

Billy Wagner is close to coming back from Tommy John surgery and might be activated this week. While he won’t be closing anything with Francisco Rodriguez around, he could get a look from some contenders looking for relief help down the stretch. Control is usually the last thing a pitcher finds coming back from this kind of surgery, so don’t go picking Wagner up expecting him to give you great numbers. He’s an interesting pitcher to take a flyer on next year.

Philadelphia Phillies

Brad Lidge kept his not-so-perfect record intact on Saturday by suffering his fifth loss against no victories. It’s been that kind of season for Lidge. I’d say he’s been awful but that would be considered a compliment. Lidge has been worse than that and could end up costing the Phillies in the playoffs when you can’t afford to give away games. Last year, he was a perfect 41-for-41 in save chances and this season, he’s blown eight of 31 while compiling a butt-ugly 7.21 ERA — which is the worst mark among qualifying relievers. Ryan Madson has been excellent as an eighth inning set-up man, but was pretty shaky when Lidge was on the DL earlier this season, underscoring the lack of a true alternative to Lidge. Charlie Manuel might be leary of putting ninth inning pressure on Madson, but then again he might not have any other option.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Matt Capps. The good news is, he’s already matched his save total from last season (21). The bad news is his ERA is more than twice as high as last year. Ugh! If you’re a glutton for punishment, continue to trot Capps out there every week. He’ll grab the odd save with the Pirates and look bad doing it. He’s been hittable and laughable as a closer. Thankfully the season will end soon and you can wash the stench that Capps has left on your team out the door.

San Diego Padres

Heath Bell took a beating on Sunday, giving up three runs and taking the loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Even the best of closers have a bad day and Bell has been one of the best closers in the league this season. Don’t worry, he’s bounced back since then with his fifth win followed by his 30th save. Set-up man Edward Mujica felt the power of Albert Pujols the hard way as Pujols smacked a bases loaded line drive off the back of his knee on Sunday. Mujica came back to pitch the next night so it looks like he’s okay. He’s been a nice surprise in the Padre pen this season, emerging as a workhorse, but he’s no threat to Bell.

Baltimore Orioles

Well the George Sherrill era finally ended in Baltimore when he was dealt to the Dodgers and the time of Jim Johnson is upon us. Johnson is a 26-year-old righty in his second full season with the Os. He doesn’t have dominant stuff, but relies on good command. Johnson, who earned his fourth save Tuesday, has at least three pitches that he can throw with consistency and his challengers to the closing crown are somewhat lacking so he should be good for this year unless he cracks under the pressure. Danys Baez had one opportunity to save a game and blew it in a big way. He’s probably not your best bet this year, but he has seemed to take over Johnson’s role, so expect more holds. Chris Ray is still trying to find his game after Tommy John surgery. His overall numbers are terrible, but since they Orioles aren’t going anywhere they can afford to let him work out his problems with the big league club to see what they’ve got and what to expect for next year. On the plus side, perhaps Ray is finally getting his act together; seven straight shutout appearances have seen him trim over three runs from his ERA. I’d keep a closer eye on him over the final few weeks to see if he can’t earn a more responsible role in the Oriole bullpen.

Chicago White Sox

Bobby Jenks has been battling kidney stones recently and hadn’t had a save in three weeks because of the injury, lack of opportunity, oh, and a couple of blown saves in there. He did nail down his 23rd save in 27 tries Tuesday, however. While Jenks was out there weren’t a lot of save opportunities to be had (Matt Thornton picked up the only one), so it’s not obvious who Ozzie Guillen favours in the saves pecking order if Jenks is unavailable. Guillen’s pretty adamant that Jenks is his man through thick and thin. With a deep bullpen of Scott Linebrink, Thornton, Tony Pena and Octavio Dotel, Guillen has plenty of options should Jenks be out for any extended period of time. More than likely, the back-up plan is the dreaded committee.

Cleveland Indians

I’ve decided to stop the Kerry Wood death watch. The trade deadline came and went without him and his contract (which the Indians must regret giving him) getting dealt. Wood hasn’t been a top tier option this year, but he has the job for now and the foreseeable future and that’s half the battle. If you’re looking to next year it might be time to try to buy low on Wood. Meanwhile, after a rocky start as an Indian, Chris Perez has settled into a nice groove and is starting to look like the guy I bragged on in Spring Training. If you want to look way long term, like 2011, Perez is your guy. 

Detroit Tigers

August has started out a little rough for Fernando Rodney. In three of his last five appearances he’s allowed at least one earned run and teams are getting hits off him. Hell, he even blew his first save of the year. Could the wheels be coming off? Is overuse a factor (Rodney is headed for a career high in appearances)? I’m not sure, but with the Tigers in the thick of things, don’t put it past Jim Leyland to make a quick switch if Rodney starts blowing games. Brandon Lyon should be next in line for saves. After a rough start to the season, Lyon has been excellent for the past few months, just in time for a kick at the free agency can after the season. Although his walk rate is up this year, it’s not bad enough so that he’s going to hurt himself. Rookie Ryan Perry probably won’t get any save opportunities as he works to establish himself, but is someone you might want to look at long term. He’s got a great arm, but has a tendency to be a little wild. If he can harness his control he might just be a player next season.

Kansas City Royals

Joakim Soria got smacked around on Saturday to the tune of four hits and three earned runs while pitching in a non-save situation. Up until that point, he had been lights out for the Royals. Unfortunately for Soria owners, you have to have some wins to get some saves, and wins have been few and far between for the hapless Royals this year. I wouldn’t worry about Soria’s bad outing. Closers tend to look like batting practice pitchers when they’re not in a save situation. Soria’s one of the top closers in the game, but he just happens to play on the worst teams in the AL.

Los Angeles Angels

Brian Fuentes had three straight bad outings recently giving up a total of seven earned runs and, in two cases, not even recording an out. Although he’s bounced back with a couple of scoreless outings, I’d be a little worried if I were a Fuentes’ owner. This workhorse has pitched himself out of a job before with Colorado so it’s not out of the question that he could pitch so poorly that he would lose his job. The trouble is, there aren’t a lot of great options to go to in the Angels pen. Darren Oliver is having a decent season, but come on, this is Darren Oliver we’re talking about. He can’t be an option – can he? At this point, he’s a veteran who’s main task is to get out lefties. Jason Bulger has been extremely hard to hit, so he’s established himself as a possible option. He even racked up a save at the end of July. Jose Arredondo has finally worked his way back from being banished to the minors, however he looks like anything but the pitcher that dazzled us last year. He’s not really an option right now for the contending Angels.

Texas Rangers

He’s back. Frank Francisco has made a triumphant return to the closer role. Again. For the third time. As I’ve said before, don’t be banking on Franky the rest of the way. Sometimes it’s just not your season. And the way things have being going for Francisco this year, I’m guessing it’s not his season. Yes, he’s been brilliant when healthy, but stretches of health seem to be few and far between this year. C.J. Wilson has slipped a bit recently — taking a serious beating in Oakland just over a week ago– but don’t make the mistake of writing him off yet. He’s been a consistent force in the pen this year and could will get some saves when Francisco re-injures himself. You know it’s going to happen.

Toronto Blue Jays

Don’t look now, but Downs is down again. Scott Downs, that is. Downs, you may remember, took over closing duties from the ineffective and since released B.J. Ryan. He was pretty much lights out until a toe injury landed him on the DL for three weeks. Following his return he clearly wasn’t the same pitcher. Now that same toe has him back on the DL. Jason Frasor will take over closing duties in the meantime. Frasor, who nailed down his fifth save on Monday, has put together a career season. He’s had only one bad outing this year and that was way back in May. Frasor needs to be picked up immediately as he could possibly be the man for the rest of the season. Downs is under contract for 2010, so the Jays are likely to give him every chance to close next season. But with Toronto going nowhere this year, there’s no need to rush Downs (considered week-to-week) back.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Chad Qualls just finished up a very good July in which he allowed only two earned runs and racked up six saves to solidify himself as the team’s closer. Monday night, he worked a perfect ninth to reach the 20-save mark for the first time. Jon Rauch turned in a fine July, also allowing only two earned runs in 11 appearances. The back end of the Arizona bullpen is looking mighty fine at this time.

Atlanta Braves

Rafael Soriano wasn’t as automatic in July as he has been for most of the season (although he looked strong last week with a pair of saves). He gave up as many earned runs in July (five) as he had in the first three months of the season combined. Still, Soriano racked up 10 saves last month and his ERA is still a sparkling 1.84. Not too shabby considering his “off” month. Mike Gonzalez , formerly one of the NL’s top closers, has settled into a set-up role as the season has progressed. He’s number two in line and is worth a roster spot if you have one given Soriano’s injury history.

Chicago Cubs

Don’t look now but Kevin Gregg has blown his last two save opportunities and is now dealing with a “tired arm” that will cause the team to rest him Tuesday. This comes on the heels of the Cubs bolstering their bullpen by acquiring John Grabow from the Pirates in a five-player deal at the deadline. I wouldn’t worry too much about Gregg’s recent struggles since (a) Lou Pinella is fiercely loyal, especially to his veterans; and (b) Pinella hates to be questioned and will be willing to keep a struggling veteran in a role he can no longer handle just to show the fans and the media that he can do whatever the hell he wants to do. So there. Meanwhile, Carlos Marmol continues to have a pretty ho hum season as he struggles with his control. While Gregg was licking his wounds from two straight beatings, Marmol got a save on Monday, but only after allowing two hits an and earned run. With Gregg and Marmol looking very unimpressive, Grabow may be a factor in the bullpen equation as the season progresses.

Cincinnati Reds

It’s too bad that Francisco Cordero’s great season is wasted on the lousy Reds. He has put up quality numbers all season long. It’s hard to believe that three years ago his career was at a crossroads with Texas where he pitched his way out of the closer’s job. This is now ancient history as he’s been excellent since then.

Florida Marlins

Matt Lindstrom is back, baby! Okay, so that didn’t require an exclamation point like it was the second coming of Dennis Eckersley or anything, but this could have great Fantasy repercussions. All indications are that Lindstrom will be eased back into the closer role as soon as he proves himself ready and he looked strong in his first outing, even if his fastball wasn’t as crisp as normal. Before his stint on the DL, Lindstrom wasn’t what you’d call a shutdown closer as his ERA was over six and a half and WHIP was over 1.8. Still, he had 14 saves. Leo Nunez took care of the bulk of the closer work while Lindstrom was out, and he’ll likely — along with Dan Meyer — continue to get some save chance while we wait for Lindstrom to reassert himself.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers strengthened their bullpen and got some insurance against Jonathan Broxton’s toe injury when they made a deadline deal for the Orioles’ George Sherrill. Sherrill was having a fine season before getting traded, recording 20 saves with the Os. His value takes a huge hit moving to a set-up role but he could still be useful depending on how Broxton’s toe holds up. I would keep a close eye on Sherrill and stash him if you can.

Philadelphia Phillies

While the big news last week focused on the Phillies’ pursuit of Roy Halladay and their landing of Cliff Lee, they failed to address their biggest need – closer. Brad Lidge’s nightmare of a season continues. Yes, he has 20 saves, but the reality of the situation is Lidge sucks this year. His ERA and WHIP numbers are embarrassing and you have to wonder how much longer the Phillies can continue to trot him out there and expect to repeat. Brett Myers (hip surgery) is on the comeback trail and could prove a threat to Lidge’s job if he’s sharp.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Speaking of nightmare seasons, Matt Capps certainly qualifies as he continues to scuffle. The only saving grace for his owners is that his competition for the job, Grabow, was traded to the Cubs. The lack of talent in Pittsburgh pretty much ensures that Capps will finish the season as closer, deserving or not. 

San Diego Padres

Surprisingly, Heath Bell’s name came up in rumours as the trade deadline approached. It seems the cost cutting Padres are afraid of the kind of salary Bell could make in arbitration this offseason. Thankfully, he didn’t get dealt and should continue to be a shut-down closer. His salary, as it stands now, makes it highly unlikely that he would pass through waivers. I would be concerned about his status during the offseason, though. If you’re going for it this year, Bell’s a good one to have. If you’re looking to next, buyer beware.

St. Louis Cardinals

Ryan Franklin proved to be mortal after all. After a spectacular first three months, Franklin’s ERA has crept above 1.00 as he took his first loss of the season on July 22. He’s come back with two saves since then. July was “rough” on Franklin as he has doubled his earned runs allowed from three to six (oh the horrors). Don’t panic, He’s been one of the best closers this year. His track record doesn’t show him to be this type of pitcher, but that’s why they call them career years. Enjoy the ride.

Washington Nationals

It looks like Jim Riggleman is going to go with Mike MacDougal as his closer. It’s not like he has really wonderful options, anyways. MacDougal has stabilized the National bullpen and given the team a somewhat reliable guy at the back end. Keep in mind that MacDougal is wild, gives up too many hits and has been known to totally implode. He’s probably one of the worst closer options out there, but pitching as few innings as he does he’s shouldn’t kill your ERA and WHIP too much, so go ahead at least add him in NL-only leagues.

It’s a volatile time in the closing world. The trade deadline is just days away and names are flying around like sparrows. Some closers that were safe just a couple of weeks ago have suddenly hit hard times and, despite proclamations to the contrary, sometimes a manager has to make a change no matter how stubborn he is (are you listening, Ozzie Guillen?). So let’s take a quick look what’s going down.

Baltimore Orioles

George Sherrill has been far more hittable in July and has seen his name mentioned regularly in the rumour mill (to Philly, for instance). A Sherrill trade would send his value spiraling since it’s unlikely he’d land any place he could close. Looking at the Oriole pen, you can see there’s not a clear successor. Chris Ray is on the DL and has been ineffective this season coming back from Tommy John surgery. While his velocity is back he’s not been consistent in hitting his spots. I wouldn’t view him as an option to close this year, but he might be worth a flyer for next.

Jim Johnson has decent numbers, but he too has been very hittable as of late and is suddenly surrendering too many long balls. Danys Baez might also be another candidate to closer given his history in the role. The trouble is, he’s still nowhere near the pitcher he was back in his Ray days, and he suffered another loss Monday night. Working in his favour is he’s cut his walks this season, but that doesn’t help him if Baez can’t get an out (opponents batting over .290 against him this month).

Boston Red Sox

Jonathan Papelbon is one of the top closers in that game, but it’s hard to get saves if your team isn’t winning games. The Red Sox’s recent troubles have hindered Papelbon’s value lately, but obviously that’s not to say you should go and drop him – I’m just saying. While I don’t talk about Paps much in this column since he’s as safe as they come, he has been allowing a few too many baserunners this season and he got rocked in blowing a save Monday night. While he has a sparkling ERA his WHIP is a little higher than you would like to see — especially from a pitcher who had the lowest WHIP through 200 career innings of anyone in MLB history.

Chicago White Sox

Guillen says he’s going Tammy Wynette on all your asses and he will “Stand by Your (His) Man,” Bobby Jenks. Of course, Ozzie’s been known to flap his jaws just to make sure they still work. The point is, there may come a time when Jenks leaves him no choice but to make a switch. In seven July outings, Jenks has given up runs five times. Sure he’s nailed down four saves, but they sure haven’t been pretty and he can’t expect to keep his job with such crappy performances.

Octavio Dotel would seem to be next in line for saves, but after his brilliant April and May, Dotel was very hittable and saw his ERA climb in June. This month, despite control problems, he’s settled down. The Sox bullpen is fairly deep with Matt Thornton (currently away from team with wife giving birth), Tony Pena (recently acquired from Arizona, but getting smoked in Chi-town) and Scott Linebrink.

After Dotel, I would think Linebrink would get the next crack at the job since Pena hasn’t set the world on fire since his trade from Arizona and Thornton fills the situational lefty role just fine.

Detroit Tigers

For those of you holding out hope that someday Joel Zumaya will be the next monster closer – just forget it. The guy has never stayed healthy and from the looks of it, never will. Some injury is always popping up to derail his once-promising career, and this latest one could possibly keep him out the rest of the season. Zumaya is what he is — a tantalizing talent that will only tease. In the meantime, Fernando Rodney keeps plugging along. He’s not a top of the line closer by any means and if you’re looking at options beyond this year, I wouldn’t invest heavily in Rodney. But he’s solid enough right now (pitching particularly well lately after a shaky June) and will help you this year.

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners are in sell mode and that could mean some changes in the Seattle pen. While I don’t expect David Aardsma to go anywhere, guys like Mark Lowe and Sean White (Minnesota is interested him) might get dealt to some bullpen-needy teams. While on the surface that doesn’t seem to amount to a hill of beans in Fantasy terms, the fact is, that if bridge between the starters and Aardsma gets weaker, there could be a lot fewer save opportunities in Seattle because of lack of quality guys in the middle. Just keep that in mind.

Tampa Bay Rays

J.P. Howell continues to build on his breakout season. Only twice all year has he given up more than one earned run in a game and he’s now over double digits in saves after posting just three in his career prior to this season. It’s safe to assume that he’s the man in Tampa. Like I mentioned with Rodney in Detroit, don’t go out and get Howell and expect him to be the closer for the next five to 10 years. Hell, I wouldn’t expect him to make it to next season as the closer, but for now enjoy the ride – it won’t last. Meanwhile, Randy Choate, who has four saves, has hit a rough patch lately. Often called on to get one out, Choate has failed to do just that on six occasions in July. While he hasn’t taken a loss or anything, his ERA has climbed steadily and he’s clearly failing to get the job done.

Texas Rangers

The frustrating Frank Francisco saga continues and he hit the DL for the third time this season. If I were in charge of things in Texas, I would quit jerking C.J. Wilson around and just name him closer for the rest of the season. Francisco’s injuries are taking their toll. In his last go around, he wasn’t the dominant pitcher who started the season. And now, down with pneumonia, it may take a while for Francisco to build his strength back to where it needs to be.

Wilson just continues to plug away. He’s done nothing to lose the closer job this year, it’s just been a case of Francisco being a better pitcher. I think those days are gone for the rest of the season. If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on Wilson. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. There won’t be a third time, Frank.

Toronto Blue Jays

Scott Downs hasn’t looked like the same pitcher since he was activated from the DL. He’s been smacked around in four of his last five appearances, taking two losses and suffering a pair of blown saves. Maybe he just needs to get his groove back or maybe he’s still not right. Manager Cito Gaston has said he’s sticking with Downs. The only place you should stick Downs is on your bench and back him up with either Jason Frasor or Jeremy Accardo if he’s still out there in your league. Accardo wasn’t brilliant when he took over for Downs earlier this year, but as long as he’s not worse than what Downs is now, he’ll get a look.

The closer job share in Atlanta is over with Rafael Soriano’s brilliant pitching of late.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Chad Qualls job became much safer with the trade of Tony Pena to the White Sox as there is one less arm to look out for. Keep in mind, however, that other teams are sniffing around about Qualls, but the Snakes are unlikely to deal him unless they get an offer they can’t refuse. On the field, Qualls had a shaky save his last time out, but has pitched extremely well this month. His control, in particular, has been very impressive this season.

Jon Rauch has progressively gotten better as the season has gone along and could become an option should Qualls falter. He’s the clear No. 2 man in the D-Back pen, and should ‘Zona deal away Qualls, Rauch has to be first in line for saves. As things currently stand, however, Rauch only has value in extremely deep NL-only leagues.

Atlanta Braves

Rafael Soriano has emerged as the go-to guy in the Atlanta pen, earning saves in seven straight appearances until Sunday. His ERA hasn’t been above 1.64 all season long, and right now, he’s pitching as well as any closer in the game. Meanwhile, although he’s been slightly easier to hit than last season, Mike Gonzalez hasn’t been a slouch at all this year. July, however, has been a rough month for him. He not only lost his closer gig to a streaking Soriano, but he’s been getting hit hard and missed a week and a half recently because of elbow issues. He’s still worth owning in most leagues because of the volatility of closers, but Gonzalez has been winding up on a few wires.

I’d keep an eye on Boone Logan. The way he’s pitched recently, it wouldn’t shock me to see him usurp Gonzalez as the top lefty in the Brave pen. Logan, who came to the Braves from the White Sox in the Javier Vazquez deal, is not currently an option, except in very deep NL-only leagues, but he bears watching.

Florida Marlins

With Matt Lindstrom on the DL with an elbow injury, the Marlins having been using Leo Nunez and Dan Meyer to close out games. Nunez has been prone to the long ball, but has had a pretty decent season and seems to be the favourite for saves, as the team is mostly going situational, leaving the righty Nunez as the main man with five saves so far. Stranger yet, Nunez is available in almost all leagues still. However, Meyer has incredible numbers this season, and could grab his share of saves.

Note that Lindstrom had a bullpen session Sunday, and will toss a simulated game Wednesday. If everything is groovy after this, he’ll head out on a rehab assignment and could be back early next month.

The Marlins recently acquired Luis Ayala from the Minnesota Twins (who had DFAed him even though he wasn’t that bad) to bolster their bullpen. Manager Freddi Gonzalez has indicated that he might consider using Ayala to close games in the second half of the season, but that strikes us as a serious longshot considering the numbers of Nunez and Meyers and the fact that Lindstrom could be back within a couple of weeks. But I suppose it’s something worth keeping an eye on. If you’re a gambler, you should consider taking a flyer on Ayala in deeper NL-only leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Jonathan Broxton has been dealing with a toe injury that is expected to nag him the rest of the season. It’s time to somewhat lower your expectations of Broxton since there will be times he’s unavailable and the toe is sure to affect him. He’s had a rough July, but has looked a bit sharper lately, and he’s still saved 23 of 25 this year. Not too shabby.

However, Joe Torre named Guillermo Mota as his closer the weekend before the All-Star break when Broxton couldn’t go, but it was Ramon Troncoso who got the save right before the break. Troncoso has great numbers and hasn’t given up an earned run in over a month. He’s got five saves on the year compared to Mota’s none which should tell you something. Consider Troncoso a decent pickup in NL-only leagues.

Do note, however, that Mota has been blazing, and also hasn’t given up a run in over a month (although he’s struggled with allowing inherited runners to score). He’s worth considering in a deep NL-only league.

New York Mets

Billy Wagner is scheduled to return some time in the second half, but he’s stated that he doubts he’ll be used much — and probably not in a set-up role. If you’re looking to next year, Wagner might be a decent gamble if you have space. He was a top closer before he got hurt and could be again although at his age (37), you have to start to wonder. He’ll be a free agent at the end of the year and some team will probably take a look at him (the Nats could sure use the help, for instance). If he performs well in his comeback and you’re in a keeper league, snatch him up.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Matt Capps had a horrific outing on July 11 when he turned a non-save situation into a loss. His ERA is currently a career-worst 5.81 and his WHIP is equally unappealing. The Pirates recently traded for former Washington closer Joel Hanrahan. Fortunately for Capps owners, Hanrahan was pretty horrific this year as closer so it’s doubtful that he’ll get a look. Lefty John Grabow has had a decent season, pitching especially well lately, and might get a look if Capps can’t start closing games efficiently. It’s been over a month since Grabow allowed an earned run, and he’s starting to garner interest as a trade target for some teams with the deadline approaching.

Washington Nationals

Mike MacDougal is the best option the Nationals have in the bullpen right now, but he’s shaky at best (how about one K vs. eight walks this month?). MacDougal tends to make every outing an adventure only to pull it out of the fire. That can give managers fits, and new National field boss Jim Riggleman may not have the heart to stand MacDougal’s wild ride. Joe Beimel could factor in here (although he could be dealt) and Sean Burnett has been impressive since coming over from the Pirates. He’s got a wide array of pitches that he uses well and he might force himself into the closer picture before the year is out.

It’s the All-Star Break, and we’re back with another AL version of Saving Grace, to help you get your bullpen ready for the second half.

Chicago White Sox

Bobby Jenks has given up earned runs in his last two outings and got the save in one of them. He’s definitely be shaky in July and hasn’t looked as sharp since a great start to the year as home runs have been an issue. Tony Pena has joined the White Sox bullpen, and while he isn’t likely to threaten Jenks’ job in the Windy City, his presence may mean the Sox are going to shop Jenks and his big salary. If that happens, Pena or Octavio Dotel would likely take over as the closer. Pena got through his first appearance in Pale Hose without too much drama, but he got burned bad in his second outing. Don’t rush out to pick him up in an AL-only league, but do pay attention to this situation.

Cleveland Indians

In his last opportunity, Kerry Wood gave up a two-run homer, but still notched the save. His ERA is in the low 5s and there are rumours flying that the Indians would love to move him. That said, Wood’s salary is probably a little more than most teams are willing to take on at this point. As a whole, the Indian bullpen has been a disaster zone this year, as control problems have led this outfit to the worst ERA in the AL. Because of the unreliable set-up options, Wood isn’t getting enough save chances, and in some shallower leagues, he’s been getting kicked to the corner. On the plus side, his relatively low workload should ensure that Wood remains healthy in the second half, despite his gruesome injury history.

It’s worth noting that Rafael Betancourt was activated from the DL last week and has pitched a pair of shutout innings since then, earning one hold in the process. Betancourt had an ugly start to his 2009, but was coming around before he got hurt. All things considered, Betancourt is probably the Tribe’s most effective reliever, so he stands to gain the most should Wood get dispatched. Go ahead and add Betancourt in an AL-only league — especially those that count holds.

Detroit Tigers

Since the last time we checked in on the AL, Fernando Rodney has had some mixed results, giving up three earned runs and taking a loss, but also notching two saves. His ERA is hovering just below 4.00 — almost a full run below last season. Rodney’s done nothing too bad to lose his job (hell, he still hasn’t even blown a save), but Brandon Lyon has come on strong lately and might be an option if Rodney totally implodes. The fact is, however, the Rodney has finally overcome his health woes of recent seasons, and he’s getting the job done as Tiger closer. I expect him to keep the gig for the rest of the season if he’s healthy. One thing I really like about Lyon, however: this righty has dominated left-handed hitters to the tune of a .220 BAA. He’s never been harder to hit in his career.

Still with the Tiger pen, has anyone noticed that situational lefty Bobby Seay has hurled 20 straight scoreless outings? Just saying…

Los Angeles Angels

It’s been a tale of two seasons for Brian Fuentes. After a horrible first two months of the season, he has been money since May, failing to yield a single run since then. Consider Fuentes as safe as they come right now, and his recent work has earned him a selection by manager Joe Maddon as a reserve to the AL All-Star team. Fuentes, who will be 34 next month, has seen his workload decreased from recent seasons, and right now, that’s working well for him. Justin Speier, meanwhile, got ripped in his last outing, and is seriously struggling in July after such a fine June. There’s no reason to own him now, unless you’re in one of those ridiculously deep AL-only leagues.

Seattle Mariners

David Aardsma had a major hiccup on July 8 as he allowed five runs (three earned) without recording an out to take the loss against Baltimore. But he came back to record two saves without incident so chalk it up to just a minor setback. Besides, Aaardsma was flawless in June, so he’s earned himself some slack. Pick him up in mixed leagues where he’s still available — he’s been one of the most pleasant surprises in the game this season.

Former struggling closer turned started Brandon Morrow got sent down to the minors. It will be interesting to see whether Morrow’s future lies in the rotation or in the pen. Either way, what he really needs to do is improve his control and develop his offspeed stuff.

Mark Lowe hit a bit of snag earlier this month, but he’s been good enough in a set-up role to earn consideration in larger AL-only leagues. He’s seeing plenty of work this year, and has made very nice improvements in this, his second full season of health in the bigs.

Tampa Bay Rays

Dan Wheeler picked up his first save of the season last week, but don’t read too much into that, especially since he’s been scored on in his last outings, suffering a loss and blown save since. J.P. Howell had pitched 2 2/3 innings of that over the previous two days and wasn’t available. Even though he got hammered in his last outing, Howell still looks like the best bet in Tampa Bay pen barring a trade.

Texas

Frank Francisco has reclaimed the closer position from C.J. Wilson, but he’s had mixed results in recording three saves in July, having also surrendered four earned runs in six innings. For the most part, his control is vastly improved this season, but three walks in six innings this month is cause for concern. Wilson had a disastrous outing on July 9 giving up three earned runs to take the loss, but beyond that, he’s been steady. This situation is far from over as the Rangers have two guys that have proven they can do the job. Don’t give up on Wilson just yet.

Down on the farm, keep an eye out for Neftali Feliz. The Rangers may promote this uber prospect and use him as a righty power set-up man in the second half.

Toronto Blue Jays

How quickly things change. Scott Downs was activated from the disabled list and former closer B.J. Ryan was sent packing. Downs, who has the second best K/BB ratio in baseball, jumps right back into the closer role, kept warm by Jason Frasor. Downs was solid before hitting the DL and as long as he’s healthy there’s no reason to think he can’t continue to get the job done.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Tony Pena did not have a good June and saw his ERA jump from 1.78 to 4.36. He’s since whittled it down a bit and continues to get holds, but Chad Qualls remains the closer despite his inconsistency. Since our last NL column, Qualls suffered a loss and blew a save, but he’s come back with back-to-back saves, giving him 15 in 19 tries for the season. Pena has done nothing to entice the D-Backs to make a change and is barely worth owning in NL-only leagues now. If anything, Pena could lose his spot in the pecking order to Jon Rauch, who’s gotten better and better after a simply ugly April. Holding leads has been a problem in Arizona, and it’s important to note that Qualls is being shopped around (to the Yanks?), so if he’s dealt, look for Rauch or Pena to take over by acclimation. At this point, my money’s on Rauch.

Atlanta Braves

Since our last NL column, Mike Gonzalez has given up six earned runs in six games, winning one, saving another, taking a loss in his most recent outing and earning a pair of holds. Rafael Soriano has racked up a couple saves since then, though on Friday he made things interesting, giving up two earned runs but still getting the save. Gonzalez is losing Fantasy traction, but both are still worth owning since they each continue to have excellent numbers, but note that since the beginning of June, Soriano has four saves to Gonzalez’s two. If you have to choose one at this point, take Soriano.

Florida Marlins

As Matt Lindstrom hit the DL, Leo Nunez and Dan Meyer have each recorded two saves during that time. While some sites have speculated that Nunez is the closer I don’t buy that just yet. Meyer has the better numbers (take a look; I dare you), but that’s not to say Nunez hasn’t been good; in fact, he’s been very sharp since recovering from that ankle woe. Both are solid pick ups now have been better than Lindstrom all season. Given the confidence that Freddi Gonzalez is showing in these two, Lindstrom (who is about two weeks ahead of schedule in returning from his elbow problem) may never get his old job back.

Houston Astros

Jose Valverde has recorded five saves while blowing two others since coming off the DL after two months. He hasn’t exactly been very good this season, blowing four saves in 11 tries. Still with 40+ games in each of the past two seasons, Valverde has earned some leeway. The fact thathe looked extremely sharp Monday, striking out the side for the save, tells us that we needn’t worry at this point. LaTroy Hawkins may still get an occasional save when Valverde is unavailable, and thanks to his holds and superb numbers, even acting as Valverde’s set-up man, Hawkins is worth owning in NL-only leagues.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Jonathan Broxton’s outing on Sunday was a disaster as he failed to hold a 6-2 lead — entering in the ninth in a dreaded non-save situation. It’s only one bad outing though, as Broxton still has outstanding numbers across the board, including 20 saves — good for fourth in the NL. Don’t let one bad outing influence you — Broxton is headed to the All-Star Game for a reason. In other Dodger bullpen news, Guillermo Mota has a run of seven straight scoreless outings comprising eight innings of work. With just one earned run allowed in his last 22 innings, Mota has worked his ERA down to 3.89.

Milwaukee Brewers

Trevor Hoffman has allowed earned runs in three of his last six games, twice giving up multiple runs. Given his age (41), that’s something to be concerned about. Hoffman has been outstanding all season long so he’s earned a long leash. Still, monitor him closely. Carlos Villanueva, meanwhile, got hammered just over a week ago, but has come back and pitched well since. He might be worth another look if he starts heating up.

Philadelphia Phillies

In four appearances since coming of the DL, Brad Lidge has nailed down three saves, finally looking like the man who was arguably the most important Phillie last season. Since Ryan Madson failed to impress during Lidge’s time on the DL, consider Lidge pretty safe right now. Though Lidge’s overall numbers are still pretty sad, it’s looking likely that the injury that was affecting his play, and now that he’s healthy, Madson can be cut from most leagues.

San Francisco Giants

After going a month without allowing an earned run, Brian Wilson got smacked around on June 27 to the tune of three earned runs to take the loss against Milwaukee. He’s been solid all year and mostly looked very sharp in June, so he should be safe, but the fact that he was burned for three hits, a walk and another two runs in a shaky save Monday against the Fish is worrisome. Righty set-up man Bobby Howry didn’t exactly look sharp in June, but LHP Jeremy Affeldt has been money, hurling 21 straight scoreless outings to emerge as one of the top set-up options in the NL.

St. Louis Cardinals

So much for my prediction that Chris Perez was the closer of the future in St. Louis. The future was traded to Cleveland to torment Kerry Wood owners. Meanwhile Ryan Franklin is doing his best 1990 Dennis Eckersley impression (trust me, it was good). He’s among the best closers in the game right now; not bad for a dude who wasn’t even expected to keep the job all season.

Washington Nationals

Mike MacDougal has come in and stabilized the Nats’ bullpen situation (how sad is that?). Mad Mac will be an adventure each time out and usually doesn’t do himself any favours, but right now he’s pitching well and has firmly entrenched himself at the closer. He’s come a long way from the pitcher who worked his way out of the White Sox plans with his wildness. Pick him up in NL-only leagues, and consider him as a mixed league option.

Two weeks ago I listed every American League closer along with some middle men I felt you should keep your eye on. From here on out, I’m going to highlight the situations of just certain teams I feel bear closer inspection. While the focus is obviously closers, I’ll continue to monitor the dynamics of each bullpen, including middle men.
 
Baltimore Orioles

Chris Ray returned to the O’s after spending nearly a month in the minors to get some regular work and hopefully find his groove. Unfortunately, he was hit hard in his second outing. George Sherrill is very safe, especially considering he’s on a very nice roll right now.

Cleveland Indians

Kerry Wood continues to be shaky in the closer role for the Tribe. In five appearance since the last time I wrote, Wood has given up four earned runs, blown two saves and taken a loss. His ERA was above 5.50 until his last outing, and he has an unsightly WHIP of over 1.50. The Indians just acquired Chris Perez from the Cardinals, so Wood better start looking over his shoulder. The long leash just got a little shorter. Fortunately for Wood owners, Perez was smacked around like a step child in his Cleveland debut, but there’s no doubt he’ll be groomed to be the closer of the future.

Detroit Tigers

Ater a butt-ugly May, Brandon Lyon has steadily lowered his ERA to 3.89 thanks to a brilliant June in which he surrendered just one earned run in 16 IP of work. While Fernando Rodney is firmly entrenched as the Tigers closer, Lyon has made a case for himself with his recent efforts. So if Rodney’s regular “interesting” saves start getting a bit more tense, owners should be aware that the Tigers have options.

Kansas City Royals

With the Royals struggling in June, Joakim Soria has had inconsistent save opportunities. He’s got two saves and two blown saves, but really hasn’t pitched poorly at all. Meanwhile, his main competition for saves, Juan Cruz, has completely imploded, turning into a batting practice pitcher – or so it seems. He’s allowed earned runs in six of his last nine appearances and has seen his ERA jump from 3.00 in late May to well over 5.00 now. Cruz needn’t worry about his pecking order in the Royal pen, however; the entire relief corps (outside of Soria) has been pathetic in recent weeks. It’s the same story in KC: the team is struggling to find a bridge from the starters to Soria. If you’re seeking a dark horse or a depth pick in a deep AL-only league, keep your eye on veteran Roman Colon. He was brilliant at Triple-A Omaha, earning a promotion last month for his first taste of the bigs since 2006, and so far, he’s been very tough to hit. This one-time “can’t miss” prospect could easily work his way into a set-up role soon.

New York Yankees

While not Fantasy relevant, it’s worth noting that on Sunday, Mariano Rivera became the second reliever in big league history to reach 500 career saves. Mo trails only Trevor Hoffman on the all-time list and the milestone save pads his Hall of Fame resume even more. Meanwhile, Brian Bruney’s old nemesis — control issues — cropped up again Monday, and if this continues, Phil Hughes, who has pitched very well lately, could have a chance to become the top righty set-up man.

Oakland A’s

Michael Wuertz hit a rough patch a couple of weeks ago, but seemed to have figured things out in his last five appearances. His overall numbers, helped along by some solid control, are still pretty sweet. Andrew Bailey continues to excel in the closer role, leaving Wuertz to set the table. It’s worth noting that Brad Ziegler has improved his hit rates and turned in some much better results lately, so don’t forget about him.

Tampa Bay Rays

Since the last time I wrote about the AL teams, J.P. Howell has recorded two wins and two saves and seems to be emerging as the go-to guy in the pen. While Joe Maddon hasn’t come out and said the Howell is the closer, it seems that Howell has his manager’s trust in tough situations more than the other Tampa relievers. Besides, there’s still no guarantee that Troy Percival will ever see the light of day again. Further cementing Howell’s status is the fact that this week Jason Isringhausen underwent Tommy John surgery, a procedure which puts the remainder of his career in jeopardy as well.

Texas Rangers

Frank Francisco came off the disabled list and promptly got bumped down the Texas reliever food chain. It looks like the plan is to ease Francisco into the closer role, but that may be tough as C.J. Wilson continues to excel, allowing only two earned runs in the past two months. If Wilson continues to pitch well, Francisco may just stay where he’s at – in middle relief. Francisco got lit up and blew a save chance in his last outing, providing further insurance for Wilson, who’s job may be safe until at least the All-Star game at this point. 

Toronto Blue Jays

Scott Downs hit the disabled list shortly after my last column and Jason Frasor took over as the Jays closer. Frasor has been fabulous all year but only has two saves on the year and Toronto — back to its losing ways — has struggled to give him opportunities. Downs is eligible to come of the DL on July 1, but it’s doubtful he’ll be ready until at least next week. Downs was dominant as the Jay closer before he was hurt, but Frasor has pitched nearly as well. Both pitchers are worth owning, and Frasor should remain an AL-only asset after Downs returns.

Happy weekend, everybody! We’ve got more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit for you today with yet another team preview (we’re now exactly halfway through these puppies). We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While you ponder how busy Roger Goodell is monitoring his players these days — now he’s putting Plaxico Burress under the microscope — you can find out about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ chances of winning back-to-back Super Bowls.

What Went Right

Oh, just a little thing called the Super Bowl. The Steelers reigned supreme again, topping the Cardinals in one of the most thrilling Super Bowls ever. Ben Roethlisberger willed the Steelers to some early wins playing on guts alone while he was hurt. The 2008 Steelers had a little bit of Steel Curtain in them as they led the league in total defense. 

What Went Wrong

This team took a pounding last year with Roethlisberger hurting early and Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall each missing time. Roethlisberger in particular was roughed up by 46 sacks as a porous offensive line couldn’t’ keep defenses off his back. The offense was middling, ranking near in the bottom half of the league in most categories. 

Off-season Outlook

The Steelers spent their offseason taking care of some of their own, signing NFL Defensive Player of the Years James Harrison and team leader Hines Ward to long-term extensions and re-signed valuable back-up quarterback Charlie Batch, who was an unrestricted free agent, but is in danger of slipping on the depth chart this season. The Steelers typically don’t make a big splash in the free agent market, preferring to build from within and this offseason followed that trend. 

Draft Outlook

The Steelers used their first two picks on both sides of the line, taking DT Evander Hood (expected to man the No. 3 defensive end slot) in the first round and OT Kraig Urbik (considered someone who could surprise) in the third, with a pick they got from the Broncos. Unfortunately, neither of them have signed as of yet. WR Mike Wallace, the second of three third-round picks Pittsburgh had, is a speed demon who could see some time in three- and four-receiver sets to stretch the field, especially if Limas Sweed continues to struggle.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Roethlisberger performed like a warrior last year, playing hurt and willing the team to victory on a few occasions. While he’s a proven winner in the NFL, his Fantasy stats leave a lot to be desired as he could only muster 17 TDs after tossing for nearly twice that number in 2007. Batch, who the team obviously thinks a lot of considering he’s been their back-up QB since 2002, returns to once again play understudy to Roethlisberger. However, not only is Batch coming off a broken collarbone which cost him the entire 2008 season, but he’s facing stiff competition from youngster Dennis Dixon, who has been impressive enough in off-season camps that he could steal the back-up job.

Running Backs

Parker missed five games last season and could only manage 791 yards as he battled knee injuries. With a broken leg ending his 2007 early, one has to wonder about his ability to hold up under the pounding of the NFL. Mendenhall should be in line for a bigger part of the offense this year. His rookie season was interrupted by a vicious Ray Lewis hit. Still, when he was healthy, Mendenhall didn’t exactly set the world on fire. The return to health of these front two should provide a major boost to a Pittsburgh running game that was near the bottom of the league. Mewelde Moore did an admirable job filling in for Parker, but he’s merely a backup and should only be looked at in the deepest of leagues.

Receivers

Ward continues to be one of the best receivers in the game, showing no signs of slowing down despite his advancing age. His 81 catchers for 1,043 yards and seven TDs ranked him among the top of all receivers. He’s also an asset in the running game as one of the best blocking receivers in the game. Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes proved to be a fine second option with a career-high 55 catches for 821 yards and five TDs. Don’t be shocked if by season’s end he is the team’s primary target. Rookie Wallace should see some time in three-receiver sets, but won’t make much of an impact Fantasy-wise.

Tight Ends

Heath Miller doesn’t put up the spectacular numbers, but he’s solid as far as tight ends go. He’s a good blocker, so he’ll see plenty of time on the field and catch the occasional ball. If nothing else, you have to expect Miller to be motivated, entering the final season of his contract.

Defense/Special Teams

They don’t call it the Steel Curtain for nothing. Okay, so these aren’t the same guys that dominated the ’70s, but I’m sure that group wouldn’t mind giving a little rub to last year’s group. All the 2008 Steelers did was lead the league in total defense. Led by OLB Harrison and ball-hawking safety Troy Polamalu, the Steelers gave up only 13.9 points per game — almost a point and a half lower than any other NFL team. They ranked first against the pass and second against the rush – not too shabby. The Steelers were also stingy on punt and kickoff returns, ranking in the top five in yards allowed, so they didn’t beat themselves on too many occasions.

This week, Todd checks in on the bullpen situations in the National League.
 
Arizona Diamondbacks

The Man: Chad Qualls. Qualls went though a rough couple of weeks at the end of May and beginning of June and appeared to be on shaky ground. Thanks to that rough patch, his numbers are not sparkling, with an ERA of 4.39. Qualls would probably be on a shorter leash if someone in particular were chasing him.

Keep an eye on: Tony Pena. Pena’s got a live, good control and is one of the best set-up men in the majors today. If Qualls falters, Pena is next in line, but neither man has been exactly sharp lately.

Atlanta Braves

The Man: Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano. Bobby Cox has decided to go with a two-headed monster at closer. So far it’s worked well for Atlanta, but is sure to drive Fantasy owners nuts. Both Gonzalez and Soriano have power arms and both are prone to injury. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that one falls out of Cox’s favour, but as long as the two closer strategy is working, he’s going to stick with it.

Keep an eye on: The other guy. While Soriano has the better numbers, Gonzalez has been no slouch. No telling if one guy will start to emerge over the other. Both players should be owned in all leagues.

Chicago Cubs

The Man: Kevin Gregg. It was a huge upset when Lou Piniella named Gregg as the Cub closer this year. Gregg has rewarded Piniella with a solid campaign thus far. While his numbers aren’t superhuman (did you check out his latest outing?), he does have 11 saves and his main competition hasn’t exactly torn it up.

Keep an eye on: Carlos Marmol. Marmol pissed off a lot of Fantasy owners when he lost the closer job in Spring Training and has battled control problems all year. Thanks to all those walks, his WHIP stands at an unsightly 1.49. Marmol is worth keeping an eye on because of his outstanding potential, but unless he regains his 2008 form he’ll be stuck in setup.

Cincinnati Reds

The Man: Francisco Cordero. Cordero has been money all season for the medirocre Reds. With an ERA hovering around 2.00 and only one blown save, you couldn’t ask much more from your closer.

Keep an eye on: David Weathers. The 16-year veteran continues to be a reliable arm out of the pen. He’s not outstanding at anything and doesn’t blow batters away, but Weathers knows how to pitch and pitch well. If anything happens to Cordero, Weathers is next in line.

Colorado Rockies

The Man: Huston Street. First is was Street, then it wasn’t, then it was again. In his second go around as the closer, Street has taken hold of the job and it looks like he doesn’t plan on relinquishing anytime soon. As the Rockies have gotten hot, Street has gotten more opportunities and capitalized on them. He’s safe – for now — and even the trade talks surrounding him have diminished as the Rox have worked their way back into the race.

Keep an eye on: Manny Corpas. I feel a little foolish advising you to keep an eye on Corpas. He was awesome in 2007 and looked like a keeper, but really hasn’t shown much since then, and is currently on the DL. Corpas was a hot commodity coming into the season but has done nothing to back it up. Still, if Street falters or gets injured, Corpas will most likely get the call. While Corpas is hurt, I’d be watching Joel Peralta — he’s looks incredibly sharp since getting promoted last month.

Florida Marlins

The Man: Matt Lindstrom. Lindstrom is like the armpit of closers. His numbers really stink, but he still has the job – as shaky as it is. If the Marlins could make a move, they probably would, but right now Lindstrom’s main competitors are hurting, so he won’t have to use those naked pictures of manager Fredi Gonzalez as leverage just now.

Keep an eye on: Leo Nunez is the heir apparent to the closer role should Lindstrom tank and he’s been a key part of the bullpen, but is currently hurting. He’s reached double digits in holds this season and is among the league leaders in that category. Dan Meyer could worm his way into this situation very easily.

Houston Astros

The Man: Jose Valverde. If you invested heavily in Valverde this season you have to be cursing your luck. But after nearly two months on the DL, he is finally back closing games. He’s been one of the best in the league the past two years, with 40+ saves in each season, so to lose him for that long really smarts.

Keep an eye on: LaTroy Hawkins. Odds are you were pretty desperate if you went out and grabbed Hawkins when Valverde went down. Face it, that guy has had some brutal years. But you were rewarded for your gamble as he punched out nine saves for the sad sack Astros. 

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Man: Jonathan Broxton. Though he’s had a rough couple of outings lately (and a toe woe may be the culprit here), Broxton is one of the elite closers in the game. With his excellent stuff and pinpoint control, there’s nothing short of an injury that’s keeping him from closing in LaLa Land.

Keep an eye on: Ramon Troncoso. The Dominican has been money this season, picking up the occasional save when Broxton hasn’t been available. If you’re a Broxton owner and have the roster spot, Troncosco is worth adding.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Man: Trevor Hoffman. The all-time leader in saves has turned out to be a great signing for the Brew Crew. Despite starting the season on the DL, Hoffman has made up for lost time with 16 saves. He’s looked like the dominant Hoffman of old with an ERA well under 1.50 and a microscopic WHIP. The brats are obviously agreeing with Hoffman, who apparently has found the Fountain of Youth in Milwaukee.

Keep an eye on: Todd Coffey. The one-time Reds closer flamed out in that role pretty quickly. He’s earned a second chance in Milwaukee and made the most of it, ranking among the league leaders in holds and grabbing one save. Note that Coffey has been touched up a bit lately, so a deeper sleeper worth tracking in the Brewer pen is Mitch Stetter.

New York Mets

The Man: Francisco Rodriguez. New York knew what it was getting when they signed K-Rod to a big money contract this offseason – and he’s delivered. Sitting at the top of the league in saves with an ERA and WHIP just touching 1.00, Rodriguez has shown he’s worth the money.

Keep an eye on: Pedro Feliciano. Feliciano has had to assume a bigger role in the Mets bullpen with the injury to J.J. Putz. He’s been particularly tough against lefties, holding them to hit a measly .155. Bear in mind, however, that the Mets have had to rely on Feliciano a bit too much lately, so there’s a concern how long his arm will hold up.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Man: Brad Lidge. Lidge is expected to be activated from the DL some time this week (perhaps Wednesday) and will probably reclaim his closer job. The Phillies obviously appreciate the job Lidge did last year when he was a dominant closer because loyalty is the only way to explain how he has kept his job this season. He’s been brutal this year with an ERA well over 7.00. Maybe it was his bad leg and he’ll come back and be lights out. Or maybe not. Watch this one closely.

Keep an eye on: Ryan Madson. Madson did his best Lidge imitation while the real deal was on the DL – and pitched like crap. He blew a couple of saves, took a couple of losses and made everyone forget just how bad Lidge was before he went on the DL. But, Madson is still the No. 2 guy in the pen. If Lidge can’t get the job done or isn’t healthy, Madson will get another chance, but probably be put on a short leash. If you’re looking for deeper options, J.C. Romero was activated from the DL a couple of weeks ago, and has always been nasty on lefties. This year, in limited action, he’s been pretty darned tough on righties too.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Man: Matt Capps. Capps hasn’t exactly lit the closing world on fire despite racking up 16 saves. A rough patch at the beginning of May has his numbers looking pretty sad, but he’s been pretty good since then.

Keep an eye on: Sean Burnett. The one-time promising starter has emerged as a steady presence in the Pirates bullpen. While he’s not a great strikeout pitcher, Burnett relies on control to get him through innings, unfortunately, he doesn’t have much. Command has been an issue for Burnett since he reached the majors. Still, opponents are batting barely over .200 against him in June, so obviously he’s doing something right.

San Diego Padres

The Man: Heath Bell. It’s not easy to follow in the footsteps of a legend and future Hall of Famer, but Bell has done just fine, thank you. He leads the league is saves and has a sparkling ERA and WHIP. 

Keep an eye on: Edward Mujica. Mujica wasn’t exactly well thought of even in middle relief terms coming into the season, but he’s working on an excellent year in setup, looking especially untouchable in May. He looks to be next in line should Bell get hurt.

San Francisco Giants

The Man: Brian Wilson. Wilson hasn’t allowed an earned run in over a month. His numbers now are the best of his career and he’s looking like one of the top closers in the game, earning himself a long leash with the Giants.

Keep and eye on: Jeremy Affeldt. The one-time Royal closer has had an excellent season by the Bay. He’s among the league leader in holds and has an ERA of 1.65 and a decent WHIP. 

St. Louis Cardinals

The Man: Ryan Franklin. When Jason Motte imploded to begin the year, the veteran Franklin came to the Cards’ rescue and has pitched like he never wants to relinquish the role. With 17 saves and ridiculously low ERA and WHIP numbers, Franklin has been one of the best bargains in Fantasy baseball this year.

Keep an eye on: Chris Perez. While Motte won the job out of Spring Training, it’s Perez who should be looked at as the closer of the future. After starting the year in the minors, Perez has come back and clearly out-pitched Motte, although he’s been shakier lately. Perez should be next in line.

Washington Nationals

The Man: Mike MacDougal, Yeah, this is the guy that got cut by the White Sox a couple of months ago. That kind of tells you how bad things have been for the Nationals and their beleaguered pen. Joel Hanrahan was terrible in the role and the rest of the Nat bullpen seemed to follow his lead and were equally terrible. So, for now, MacDougal’s the man – until he isn’t.

Keep an eye on: Nobody. Save yourself the pain. Don’t try to figure out the Nationals pen. It will just cause you undue stress. But if I have to watch someone, Joe Beimel has looked very sharp lately after he got pounded like a prison bitch last month.

We’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit for you today with yet another team preview. We’re going to try to shoot out all these team previews and then start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While you watch six-time Pro Bowler La’Roi Glover ride off into the sunset, you can read about how the Browns are looking to rebound from a forgettable 2008 season.

What Went Right

When you go 4-12, obviously not much went your way. I guess saying Brady Quinn finally saw the field could be considered something positive – except that he promptly got hurt, which throws it into the what when wrong category. Jamal Lewis rushed for 1,000 yards – though it was a weak 1,000 yards. Uh, nobody died of a staph infection. That’s always good.

What Went Wrong

The expectations were high for the Browns going into 2008. They were coming off a highly successful season which they went 10-6 and barely missed the playoffs. Derek Anderson, who looked so good in 2007, looked so bad in 2008. As mentioned, Quinn took over at quarterback and then got hurt. Braylon Edwards regressed and looked nothing like the stud of 2007. Lewis couldn’t come close to duplicating his 2007 comeback, and with a 3.6 yard average rush, was a disappointment. The Browns brought in Shaun Rogers to bolster the defense, yet the unit again ranked near the bottom of the league. Kellen Winslow, Jr. contracted a staph infection and missed several games, and then was dealt this offseason.

Off-season Outlook

Last season’s dismal showing cost head coach Romeo Crennel his job. Former Jet head coach Eric Mangini takes over the long-suffering franchise. Winslow was traded to Tampa Bay for draft choices, and wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth was recently suspended indefinitely by the NFL after he pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter charges.

Draft Outlook

The Browns traded down in the draft several times before finally landing C Alex Mack out of California to help solidify the middle of the line. In the second round, the Browns grabbed a pair of wide receivers in Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi. Robiskie, the son of Atlanta WR coach Terry Robiskie, has got excellent hands and is a great route runner. Some scouts don’t see any upside to Robiskie, feeling he can be a valuable No. 2 receiver, but won’t mature into a star. Massaquoi is a big receiver who is prone to dropping easy passes.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Mangini has declared quarterback an open competition and may the best man win. Anderson was terrific in 2007, but had total collapse last season and gave way to Quinn, who showed some promise in limited action but with such a small sample it’s hard to judge whether he’s the answer. Regardless of who emerges as the winner here, if you’re banking on a Brown QB to get you through the season, make sure you handcuff the backup.

Running Backs

Lewis will start for the Browns but he’s not been an elite back for some time. Though he started all 16 games for the Browns, he didn’t record a single 100-yard game and barely mustered a 1,000 yard season. Breathing down Lewis’ neck is second-year man Jerome Harrison who had a nifty 7.2 yards per carry average on just 34 carries last year. Harrison is someone you should keep your eye on as he will spell Lewis at times this year to keep the old guy fresh. He could even slip into the job if Lewis can’t be an effective back anymore or can’t stay healthy. However, most believe that Harrison isn’t suited to be an every-down back, so sixth rounder James Davis out of Clemson could be a darkhorse in this competition.

Receivers

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Blankety Blank, of the Cleveland Browns really regressed last season. In this case, we’re talking about Edwards. While he has enormous potential and game breaking ability, Edwards looked nothing like the wide receiver who racked up 80 catches for 1,289 yards and 16 TDs in 2007. Chalk some of it up to lousy QB play, but Edwards deserves his share of the blame as he led the league in dropped passes. He’s also been the subject of plenty of trade rumours in recent months. With the suspension of Stallworth, the number two receiver job with the Browns is up for grabs. Apparently, return specialist Josh Cribbs is working exclusively as a WR during the various summer camps, and some believe he has a chance to line up opposite Edwards on Opening Day. Cleveland signed free agents Mike Furrey and David Patten for some veteran presence in the WR corps, though rookies Robiskie (considered among the most NFL-ready receivers in draft) or Massaquoi, who has impressed Mangini, might be better options. Remember, though, that Furrey is just two years removed from that huge 98-catch season

Tight Ends

With Winslow traded to the Bucs, and the knee injury to nine-year veteran Steve Heiden, TE is a position that’s very much up in the air in Cleveland. Former Bill Robert Royal is in the mix, but long term, the job likely belongs to former Missouri star Martin Rucker. Rucker had a rough rookie year, logging time in only five games and catching only two passes. Still the young man has talent and should improve with experience, so consider him a sleeper heading into 2009.

Defense/Special Teams

Former Pro Bowl return man Cribbs — all together now — regressed in 2008. He lost more than five yards off his kick and punt return average, though he still managed to take a kickoff back for a score last season. As discussed above, Cribbs is now in the mix for a WR job. The defense was a disappointment as they ranked near the bottom of the league in yards per game. Phil Dawson is a solid kicker, but his value is tied to how well the Browns can get into position to score. Unfortunately, Dawson missed mini camp, as he’s reportedly holding out for a new deal.

The 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit rages on, with another team preview from Todd. Once we wrap up these team previews, we’re going to start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). While we mull the difference in treatment that a rich dude like Donte’ Stallworth receives compared to the sentence you or I would have gotten if we had gotten shit-faced and killed someone, let’s check in on the free-falling Bengals.

What Went Right

Well, they beat the Cowboys in Week Five. Other than that the season pretty much sucked for the Bengals. T.J. Houshmandzadeh caught 92 balls for 904 yards and four TDs. Um, Cedric Benson found someone to take a chance on him. Uh, okay, I’m really struggling here to find positives. Honestly, there were no positives for the Bungles. I think I’ll have more success finding stuff to write about in the next section.

What Went Wrong

You might want to go get a drink, maybe a bag of chips – this could take a while. For those of you in a hurry, the Reader’s Digest condensed version is: everything went wrong. In a little more detail, we’ll start with Carson Palmer getting hurt and playing only four games. Ryan Fitzpatrick stepped in and showed why he carries a clipboard for a living. The WR formerly know as Chad Johnson was a distraction and dogged his way to 53 catches. Why the Bengals didn’t trade him while he had some value is beyond me. Now he’s worthless. The ground game never got on track. Rudi Johnson got cut and Chris Perry flopped so bad that the team got desperate and signed Benson. Nothing like having two first round RB flops on a team. The offense ranked dead last in the league.

Off-season Outlook

Houshmandzadeh signed a big money deal to catch balls in Seattle while Chad Ochocinco had to stay and honour his contract — both minuses for the Bengals. Laveranues Coles was signed to take the place of the Houshmandzadeh. Tank Johnson and safety Roy Williams were signed to help out the defense.

Draft Outlook

Hey, here’s a place the Bengals didn’t screw up too much – at least on paper. Andre Smith was taken with the sixth pick of the first round, but lousy workouts and a questionable attitude had him drop from potential first overall pick into Cincy’s lap (so actually this could be a typical Bengal move if he flops – only time will tell.) Linebacker Rey Maualuga fell out of the first round and found the giddy Bengals waiting for him in the second. TE Chase Coffman could be a real steal in the third round. He’s a great pass catcher who could really help Palmer out.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

The fate of this team rides on the arm of Palmer. Palmer was injured and ineffective last year and the team’s fortunes went downhill with him. A healthy Palmer can carry this team – but health has to be a big concern. J.T. O’Sullivan was signed in the offseason as Palmer insurance. But as O’Sullivan showed last year in San Francisco, he isn’t a starter. 

Running Backs

The ground game is relying on the ever-underachieving Benson. That alone shows you how dismal this unit is. The Bengals traded for Brian Leonard. The former Rutgers star is a cross between a running back and full back. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Leonard wrestle the RB job away from Benson. Leonard is the ultimate unselfish team player and a hard worker – the polar opposite of Benson. 

Receivers

The flamboyant Chad Ochocinco (okay, I’ve written Ochocinco several times and feel like a fool each time – what an idiot) returns for another year of drama for the Bengals. He admitted that he dogged it last year – yeah, we could tell. Coles was signed in the offseason and will probably emerge as the team’s top wideout. Human drop machine Chris Henry and Antonio Chatman should see the field for the Bengals, but you shouldn’t go anywhere near them for your Fantasy team.

Tight Ends

Do yourself a favour and pick up Coffman in keeper leagues. The kid is the ultimate receiving tight end and someone I believe could become the next great receiver at this position. He’s not much of a blocker, but who cares — you didn’t read this far to figure out who’s going to be blocking on the end. In leagues where you must have a TE, grab Coffman in later rounds.

Defense/Special Teams

The ‘Gals didn’t stink it up on defense the way their offense did, but they weren’t a dominant defense either. They did get to the QB 51 times last year, but that could be a product of being on the field after another three and out by the offense. Shayne Graham is one of the better kickers in the league, but the Bengals impotent offense limited his chances.

Welcome to the debut of Saving Grace, RotoRob.com’s newest Fantasy baseball column. In this column, Todd will keep you up to speed on the state of bullpens around the majors — who’s closing, who’s hurting and who’s closing in on closing. Each week, he will alternate between the American and National Leagues, this week kicking things off with a look around the pens in the Junior Circuit.

Baltimore Orioles

The Man: George Sherrill. Sherrill had a rough start to the season and looked to be on shaky ground with former closer Chris Ray coming back from Tommy John Surgery. Since the end of April, Sherrill has been lights out, giving up only two earned runs. Meanwhile, Ray has struggled and has been demoted to the minors.

Keep an eye on: Chris Ray. Ray was sent down to get some regular work in the hopes he regains he pre-surgery form. The O’s would like to return him to the closer role, but he’ll have to earn it. In the meantime, if Sherrill struggles, Danys Baez has closing experience, and looks to have gotten his career back on track this season.

Boston Red Sox

The Man: Jonathan Papelbon.  Papelbon is one of the top closers in the game today and leads arguably the best bullpen in the league. Barring injury or implosion, Paps has nothing to worry about. 

Keep an eye on: Takashi Saito. Saito hasn’t given up an earned run in a month and he has closing experience. Hideki Okajima and Manny Delcarmen have each had excellent seasons although Delcarman has had a rough go lately. Each are valuable components to Boston’s success and have value in leagues that use middle relievers.

Chicago White Sox

The Man: Bobby Jenks. Talk going into this season was about Jenks’ declining strikeout rate giving many in the Fantasy world cause for concern. Talk about much ado about nothing. Jenks has been dominant and is firmly entrenched as closer.

Keep an eye on: Octavio Dotel. Dotel has had a great year and would probably get the first look should Jenks go down. His strikeout rate has been good this season and he has closing experience. Matt Thorton has held opponents to a batting average under .200 and his been very effective in his role as a left-handed set-up man.

Cleveland Indians

The Man: Kerry Wood. Wood has had some truly dreadful moments this season for the woeful Tribe and his numbers show it. As of late he’s looked better and lowered his ERA into the 5.00 range. The problem for Wood is going to be opportunity as it looks like wins in Cleveland are going to be few and far between.

Keep an eye on: Jensen Lewis. While it’s not been a banner season for Lewis, he’s still someone you need to know. He’s had two excellent seasons before this one so the talent is there; he just needs to figure things out. Matt Herges has been a pleasant surprise in the Tribe’s pen. In the 13 games he’s appeared in, he’s put up excellent numbers.

Detroit Tigers

The Man: Fernando Rodney. Conventional wisdom had Brandon Lyon taking over as the closer in Detroit this season. But Rodney, not Lyon, won the job out of Spring Training and has done nothing to lead Detroit to think it made a mistake. Rodney doesn’t have dominant stuff, but he’s pitched in the closer role on and off for a few years. I wouldn’t consider him a sure thing, but wouldn’t be surprised either to see him keep the job all year.

Keep an eye on: Brandon Lyon, Joel Zumaya and Ryan Perry. While Lyon has the experience, Zumaya and Perry have the live arms. Lyon will probably get first crack at the job should Rodney falter, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Zumaya or Perry get a sniff of the job.

Kansas City Royals

The Man: Joakim Soria. Soria has been one of the best closers in the game for a couple of years now. Health has been his big concern this year as he’s had two stints on the DL. While he has excellent numbers there has to be legitimate concern about his health. Still, Soria will have a long leash and won’t be removed from the closer role unless he physically can’t get the job done. How many opportunities the Royals give him remains to be seen.

Keep an eye on: Juan Cruz and Kyle Farnsworth. Cruz got the call when Soria was on the DL earlier and did an acceptable job. He’ll probably get the call if Soria goes down again. Farnsworth had a rough start to the year, but recently went for over a month without allowing an earned run.

Los Angeles Angels

The Man: Brian Fuentes. While he hasn’t exactly made anybody forget about Francisco Rodriguez, Fuentes has racked up a large number of saves for the contending Angles. His ERA and WHIP are a little higher than you would like to see on a closer, but there’s really no danger that he’ll be removed from the closer role.

Keep an eye on: Kelvim Escobar. The Angel bullpen has been atrocious this year, ranking dead last in the AL in ERA (over a run worse than any other team, shockingly). Escobar has been sent to the pen as his surgically repaired shoulder has been causing him discomfort. There’s a lot of risk here but the Halos don’t have any real good options right now.

Minnesota Twins

The Man: Joe Nathan. If you own Nathan, just sit back, relax and enjoy the security that one of the top closers in the games can give you. Nothing short of an act of God will endanger his job.

Keep and eye on: Matt Guerrier. Guerrier has put together a fine season, racking up a lot of innings to go with a sparkling ERA and WHIP. Aside from Nathan he’s been the most consistent reliever in the Twin pen, turning in only one bad outing.

New York Yankees

The Man: Mariano Rivera. Like Nathan, Rivera isn’t going anywhere. While he does show some signs of age, this is still the Superman of closers we’re talking about. He’s got the job for life.

Keep an eye on: Phil Coke and Alfredo Aceves. The two are stabilizing forces in the bullpen, racking up lots of innings as they keep the Yankees in the game. They’re probably destined to keep their current roles even in the event that Rivera goes down for any length of time as they’re simply too valuable in bridging the gap between starter and closer. Should Mo get hurt, I’d expect Brian Bruney to get a chance for saves.

Oakland A’s

The Man: Andrew Bailey. Well, the Brad Ziegler era was fun while it lasted. Long live Andrew Bailey. There’s no telling how long the Bailey bandwagon will ride so jump on, but don’t be afraid to jump off if the going gets tough. Bailey’s been effective in the closer role, but he’s just a rookie. No telling how he’ll react when times get rough.

Keep an eye on:  Michael Wuertz. Wuertz has been consistent out of a pen that hasn’t looked good thus far. He’s probably the next best option.

Seattle Mariners

The Man: David Aardsma. When Brandon Morrow proved totally ineffective, Aardsma stepped in and solidified the postion. Aardsma has looked like the closer San Francisco thought it was getting when it drafted him out of Rice oh so many years ago. It’s taken awhile, but Aardsma has looked like the real deal. There’s always reason for concern when an unproven commodity steps in as a closer, but pitchers with a lesser pedigree have been very effective in the job.

Keep an eye on: Sean White. White has been excellent out of the M’s bullpen, but he’s about the only one who can say that. Miguel Batista has decent numbers, but he’s been entirely too hittable this year.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Man: Lord Only Knows. Hey, need an odd save every now and then? Grab someone from the Rays pen of J.P. Howell, Dan Wheeler, Grant Balfour, Joe Nelson, Randy Choate and Lance Comier and pray to the higher power of your choice. They’ve all got a legitimate shot at getting a save on any given night. This Fantasy mess was created when closer Troy Percival went down with a potential career-threatening injury. Manager Joe Maddon said he was going to play the match ups and he’s been true to his word. I’d expect this to continue for the rest of the season as Maddon is not above trying different things.

Keep an eye on: J.P. Howell. Howell has got the last few saves, but I wouldn’t expect that to keep up. Maddon will go with who’s hot. Howell may be hot now but he’s bound to cool off. All of the above mentioned guys could get a call to close games.

Texas Rangers

The Man: C.J. Wilson. When Frank Francisco hit the DL for the second time, Wilson retook the gig. Wilson was the Texas closer before losing the job. He’s looked very good this year and is a good option to finish games for the Rangers.

Keep an eye on: Frank Francisco. When he’s been healthy, Francisco has been dominant. The thing is, he hasn’t exactly been healthy this year, already enduring two stints on the DL (including a current one). He’s a good guy to wait on as his numbers have been absolutely awesome, but he needs to be 100 per cent to be effective.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Man: Scott Downs, After B.J. Ryan imploded, Downs stepped in and has looked downright unstoppable. The Jays have struggled as of late to give Downs games to close out, but it’s his job to lose.

Keep an eye on: Jason Frasor. Frasor has closed before so he knows what it takes. He’s also got incredible numbers to back it up. He’s had only one bad outing this year in which he gave up four earned runs. The fact that he’s only given up five on the year should tell you how good he’s been.

It’s Monday, and what better a way is there to kick off the working week than with more of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit? Today, Todd checks in with his first football article for the site. Once we wrap up these team previews (this is the fifth already), we’re going to start releasing the kit’s other goodies (cheat sheets, sleepers/busts lists, etc.). Are you transfixed with excitement yet?

What Went Right

Going into last season, no one was sure what to expect from the Ravens. Little known John Harbaugh was hired as head coach and handed the reigns of the offense to rookie QB Joe Flacco. Together they made beautiful music together to the tune of an 11-5 record, a Wild Card berth and an appearance in the AFC championship game. The rushing game was strong with Willis McGahee and La’Ron McClain leading the way to the tune of 148.5 yards per game, good for fourth best in the league.

What Went Wrong

There was the little problem of not being able to beat the Steelers. Three times the Ravens lost to Pittsburgh and that cost them the division and a trip to the Super Bowl. While Flacco guided an efficient offense, from a Fantasy perspective it wasn’t one that put up numbers to get excited about.

Off-season Outlook

Defensive coordinator Rex Ryan left to become the head coach of the New York Jets. He was soon followed by LB Bart Scott who chose to leave Ray Lewis’ shadow and lead a defense he could call his own. After a flirtation with free agency, Lewis re-signed with the team.

Draft Outlook

The Ravens took advantage of a tackle-heavy draft and had Mississippi’s Michael Oher fall into their laps at 23. While he may not start right away, Oher’s a great talent who should protect Flacco for years to come. Third round pick CB Lardarius Webb is said to be dynamic in the return game and a real ball hawk on on defense.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Give credit to Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron for putting Flacco in a situation where he could succeed. Flacco ran an efficient, but not a very dynamic offense. We’ll find out this year if Harbaugh is a play it safe kind of guy or someone willing to take some risks with his QB. We do know that Cameron had some pretty sweet offenses in his Charger days and he helped Phillip Rivers develop. Expect Flacco to take a small leap forward this year. His weapons aren’t that spectacular, but the kid has the skills.

Running Backs

While McClain led the team in rushing and TDs last season, The Baltimore Sun reported that he showed up to training camp about 20 pounds overweight and has been relegated to fullback. McGahee is the most talented back on the roster, but injuries and attitude have held him back. It’s been reported that 2008 second round pick Ray Rice, not McGahee, has been working with the first team. This situation is worth keeping an eye on as Cameron knows how to get his RBs into the endzone.

Wide Receivers

The conservative nature of the Baltimore attack last year limited the effectiveness of its wide receivers. Still, Derrick Mason had a fine season with 80 receptions for over 1,000 yards and five TDs. You can expect those numbers to improve as Flacco grows into the QB position this year. Mark Clayton was an effective second target with 41 receptions and three TDs. Still, you don’t want to have anything to do with him Fantasy-wise.

Tight Ends

Todd Heap has never lived up to his potential as a former first round pick. It’s possible that much of that lies in the crappy QB play he’s had to endure since he turned pro. You would think that a rookie QB would find a security blanket in a good TE, but Flacco and Heap only hooked up 35 times. That may say as much about Heap’s ability as it does Flacco’s.

Defense/Special Teams

When you think of great defenses the Ravens undoubtedly come to mind. B-More’s D gave up only 261.1 yards per game last year, second to only the Steelers, including 81.4 on the ground, again second only to the Steelers. They also gave up an average of 15.3 points per game, good for third best in the NFL. Those numbers will keep any team in a game. Kicker Matt Stover is pretty much money from inside 40 yards. A more effective offense should give him more scoring opportunities. The Ravens scored six defensive TDs last year, but didn’t muster any in the return game.

The 2009 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit rages on ceaselessly, with yet another of the Top 10 Lists Fantasy Owners Always Wanted But Were Afraid to Ask For.

Fantasy baseball is all about projections. Almost every fantasy baseball web has a projection page and every year some stat nerd develops a new formula for player projections that make Einstein’s calculations on energy look like kindergarten mathematics. What they can’t predict, however, is injuries. You never know who is going to go down for an extended period of time, but you better have a list of guys who have the potential to break out if they get a chance. Here are some of mine.

1. Clay Buchholz, SP, Boston Red Sox: What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time, Buchholz was being hailed as the next great Sox pitcher. This season, thanks to a couple of signings, he’s not guaranteed a spot in the rotation. Buchholz has dominant stuff, but seemed to cave under the pressure last year. This offseason, the Red Sox went out and signed Brad Penny and John Smoltz to bolster their rotation. Therefore, Buchholz will probably only get a shot if several pitchers go down – which, if you think about it, is a strong possibility. Don’t be afraid to grab this guy and tuck him away for safe keeping.

2. Marlon Byrd, OF, Texas Rangers: Was David Murphy the real deal? Is Nelson Cruz, after his strong showing down the stretch, the man to finally get starter at bats? Throw in Josh Hamilton – never the picture of stability even though he’s become a star – and Hank Blalock, who pretty well has his own barstool at the DL, and you’ve got to figure Byrd has a chance to get starter-type at bats.

3. Brandon Wood, 3B/SS, Los Angeles Angels: Wood didn’t exactly make the most of his injury opportunity last year. If he does get another chance, he can ill afford a slow start because the Angels won’t have the luxury of being patient with him as they’re expected to be in the thick of the AL West race all year. Wood needs at bats at the major league level to see if he can hack it. He’s blocked at third base by Chone Figgins, who is the spark plug at the top of the lineup, and either Erick Aybar or Maicer Izturis (probably Aybar) at shortstop, both of whom are better fielders.

4. Jeff Clement, C, Seattle Mariners: Clement is blocked at catcher by Kenji Johjima’s contract (thank you, Bill Bavasi, ya hack) and Ken Griffey, Jr.’s aging body at DH. Clement has nothing left to prove in Triple-A, tearing up that level last year before getting called up to the big league club (as much as the Mariners are big league, I guess). Now he simply needs to get a shot to play everyday.

5. Jonny Gomes, OF, Cincinnati Reds: Gomes has big time power, he’s just never had a chance to prove what he could do as an everyday player. He’s been impressive this spring, but just making the club may not guarantee him tons of at bats. An injury in the outfield could clear the way for Gomes to get consistent playing time. If so, it’s sink or swim – show he can be a solid everyday player or fax that resume to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks.

6. Homer Bailey, SP, Cincinnati Reds: This former can’t miss prospect has missed big time so far. Now nobody asked me (come on Walt, return my calls), but I don’t think the Reds have too much to lose by letting Bailey chuck it every fifth day. As it is, he looks to be the sixth man in a five-man rotation. Cincy needs to find out what it has in Bailey, and it’s not going to do that by sending him to Triple-A or pitching him out of the pen.

7. Juan Pierre, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers: When Manny Ramirez finally signed with the Dodgers, Pierre went to the bench and took all his steals with him. You can’t steal second from the bench. He has limited appeal anyway due to his lack of being able to do anything but steal bases, so having him on the bench makes him little but a cheap source of steals – unless, of course, an injury opens up PT.

8. Ian Stewart, 3B, Colorado Rockies: Stewart has long been one of the top prospects in the Colorado system, but his development has been slower than expected. He officially arrived last year, putting up nice numbers in limited at bats. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a place for Stewart to play regularly. Probably any infield injury would get him into the lineup.

9. Jordan Schafer, OF, Atlanta Braves: Conventional wisdom has Schafer starting this season in the minors, but the kid has been tearing it up in Spring Training, leaving some to wonder if the future is now. Schafer is probably best known for his 50-game suspension for HGH last year which somewhat dimmed his status as a prospect. Don’t let that cloud your judgment. The guy did his time and came backing hitting. Schafer is a legitimate star prospect that can help your team if he gets a chance in Atlanta.

10. Josh Willingham, OF, Washington Nationals: Willingham isn’t flashy and he doesn’t put up eye-catching numbers. He just goes out there and puts up solid stats. Unfortunately, the off-season trade from the Marlins to the outfield heavy Nats killed his value. The only way this guy is going to see the field is if someone goes down and that’s a shame because he’s probably the most consistent outfielder on the team. The again, with Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes among those blocking Willingham, how long do you think it will be until some kind of legal issue takes one of those dudes out of the lineup and opens up PT?

We’re back with more of the 2009 RotoRob MLB Draft Kit, today shifting gears back to the Top 10 Lists Fantasy Owners Always Wanted But Were Afraid to Ask For.

There’s not a more volatile position in fantasy baseball than closer. Once you get past the Joe Nathans and Mariano Riveras of the world, the turnover rate is extraordinary. Closer is the land where mediocre players can become shutdown closers if even for a short while. Because of the high turnover rate of closers, the position bears extra attention. Here are a few guys that may get a chance to save games if circumstances fall the right way.

1. Chris Ray, Baltimore Orioles: Conventional wisdom says George Sherrill is only keeping the closer spot warm until the O’s think Ray is recovered enough from Tommy John surgery to handle ninth inning work on a regular basis. The O’s have already said that Sherrill won’t get every save opportunity which bodes well for Ray probably hitting double digit saves even if he never fully gets his old job back this year.

2. Dan Wheeler, Tampa Bay Rays: The Ray bullpen is a mess from a fantasy perspective. Troy Percival can’t be counted on to stay healthy, Grant Balfour had great numbers last year, but it’s unclear if he can be counted on to close, and then there is the Jason Isringhausen factor. All of which leads us to Wheeler. He’s been solid for most of his career and will probably get the first shot if (when) Percy goes down. He’s another guy that should luck into double digit saves.

3. Jensen Lewis, Cleveland Indians: Raise your hand if you think Kerry Wood avoids the DL all year. All of you with your hands up please smack yourself really hard upside the head for me. Wood had a fine year in his first season as a closer, but you know he’s going to spend some time on the DL. Enter Lewis, who was 13-for-13 in save opportunities in the second half of 2008. If you’re looking for someone to fill out your RP slot, Lewis is a good bet to get a handful of saves.

4. Fernando Rodney, Detroit Tigers: Rodney is in a fight with Brandon Lyon for the closer job in Detroit. Jim Leyland seems to like mediocre arms as his closer which means Lyon should get the gig. If he does, snatch up Rodney and hold on to him until Lyon implodes. While Rodney will never be a shutdown closer, he can get the job done. I’m betting he ends the year as the Tiger closer.

5. Octavio Dotel, Chicago White Sox: This one is only a hunch, but Bobby Jenks’s declining strikeout rate has me worried. I would not be surprised at all to see the wheels fall off, forcing Ozzie Guillen to resort to plan B, which would be Dotel. Now, Dotel has never been that effective of a closer despite putting up some pretty good save numbers over the years, but he may have the best arm in the Chicago pen. He’s definitely worth a shot in the dark.

6. Jose Arredondo, Los Angeles Angels: I know the Angels went out and spent money on Brian Fuentes after losing K-Rod to the Mets. I actually think the Halos would have been better off letting Arrendondo shoulder the closing load, but Tony Reagins never called to get my opinion (Tony, e-mail me at: Todd@RotoRob.com, I’ve got lots of great ideas; let’s do lunch). Anyway, let’s remember that Fuentes is just a season removed from losing his closer job in Colorado, while Arrendondo was fantastic last year. If Fuentes can’t handle the pressure, the Angels won’t hesitate to go to Arrendondo.

7. Brad Ziegler, Oakland A’s: While the entire western world is ready to anoint Joey Devine as the A’s closer of the present and future, let’s remember that it was Ziegler that ended the year as their closer. In a comparison of arms, Devine is the Dodge Viper to Ziegler’s Ford Pinto. Ziegler gets by with deception while Devine gets by with pure power. Devine has never closed games in the majors while Ziegler has had success in that role.

8. Ryan Franklin, St. Louis Cardinals: In my Top 10 Rookies column, I pretty much said I expect that Chris Perez will take over the closer role and hold on to it for the next decade. Well this here is called covering my ass. Whereas Perez is the hot shot rookie, Franklin is the crafty veteran, and we all know Tony LaRussa loves his vets. If LaRussa does go with a true bullpen by committee, Franklin will get his share of saves.

9. Kevin Gregg, Chicago Cubs: We all know that Lou Pinella is such a patient man so he’ll probably stick with Carlos Marmol through thick and thin even if he struggles. But if Sweet Lou somehow becomes this impatient bastard of a manager and Marmol struggles, why don’t you take a chance on Gregg? He saved 29 games last year and had solid numbers across the board.

10. Jon Rauch, Arizona Diamondbacks: This list was made for Rauch. He’s the guy that seems destined for middle relief, but always seems to sneak in double digit saves due to luck and injury. I know he was absolutely horrible after his trade to Arizona last year, but for God’s sake, Chad Qualls is the closer here. Do you feel good about having Qualls as your closer? I didn’t think so. Go grab Rauch.