For your fantasy assistance, Always Be Closing will occasionally stop in and take a look at some relief gigs that are worth monitoring, should the current closer falter. Finding saves is a cheap and dirty business. And there are always a few jobs that are murky, especially early in the season. Thinking ahead never hurt anyone.
Milwaukee Brewers -- Currently, Eric Gagne, he of the longest save streak in MLB history and Mitchell Report implications, is the closer. His name is funny for blown saves because it has so many "choke" implications in it. But it's not funny if you're Ned Yost or a fantasy owner dealing with the ERA inflation. The reality is, Gagne has lost something, whether it's an outside boost or an inside-the-head thing; if you witnessed his meltdown against the Cubs, it's obvious. Derrick Turnbow might not be the answer though, because one would think the Brewers wouldn't pay Gagne if they already had him and felt he could close. David Riske is the guy I'd take a cheap run at -- last season in Kansas City he had nearly a 2:1 K:BB ratio and he very quietly hasn't had an ERA over 4.00 since 2003.
Arizona Diamondbacks -- Underreported (kind of) in the whole Edwin-Encarnacion-makes-Dusty-and-Brantley-eat-it was that Brandon Lyon, the D-backs new closer, coughed up a three run gopher ball to let the Reds win. Lyon, of course, is the guy that got the gig after the awesomely insane Jose Valverde was traded. Lyon has shown flashes to close, starting with his sub 3.00 ERA last year, but if you look at his WHIP (1.24) and then consider he only struck out 40 batters in 74 innings ... well, it seems a little more dangerous to rely on him. If you you're prospecting for saves, look no further than Tony Pena, who has an absolute flamethrower on his right arm. A highly recommended vulture pickup.
Chicago Cubs -- Of equal hilarity with the Gagne meltdown was Kerry Wood's inability to even nudge the door towards a closed position. Wood finished with two hits and three earned runs allowed with a strikeout, a walk and a HBP in just one inning. (Note that only Gagne saved him from being the goat of this game). People are still sold on him closing, but I'm not: he only gets that rep because he throws hard. He's still injury prone and Carlos Marmol has gas too. Please note that Sweet Lou can only be so stubborn with Wood on the DL and grab the "future".
Baltimore Orioles -- This job isn't so much "up for grabs" as it is "unlikely to reap more than 25 saves". But 25 is still more than zero, and George Sherrill seems pretty much penciled in for the closer's spot. There's a pretty good chance he hasn't been snagged in smaller leagues, and with so much turmoil at the closer spot (look around you, man), you'd be wise to bust a move. Or something of that nature.
Seattle Mariners -- Everyone close to the team through Mark Lowe would get the nod with J.J. Putz and his Soul Patch hitting the DL for a few weeks, but there was Miguel Batista last night, picking up the save against Texas. Batista got the nod because Lowe had already pitched the previous two nights; take advantage of the fact that the M's used Batista and try to backdoor Lowe before someone else figures out what's going on.
