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Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:10 am EDT

Closing Thoughts: Street of despair

By Andy Behrens

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_fantasy_experts__11/ept_sports_fantasy_experts-123114745-1238684733.jpg?ym9gmCBDd4Oj7F_tThe Denver Post reports that "a source familiar with the team's thinking" has indicated Huston Street will be the Rockies closer to begin the season, and manager Clint Hurdle will officially sign the papers later today.

Then the Post offers a little pro-Street propaganda, dismissing his early spring struggles and praising the fact that he's "surged to the finish line" in the closer battle. Street has allowed just one earned run in his last nine innings, though he only has four Ks this spring.

Meanwhile, Manuel Corpas has been more or less surging since camp began. His spring ERA is 1.00; he's had just two dicey outings, but escaped from jams with little damage. The Post suggests that unnamed scouts believe the velocity on his sinker is down, but you wouldn't know it from the stats.

In a separate piece, the Post's Patrick Saunders writes the following:

(Corpas') sinker has been heavy and his slider has made hitters look silly on more than one occasion.

In nine Cactus League innings, Corpas has allowed one run (1.00 ERA), walked four and struck out five. Based on raw numbers, he has won the job. ... I would open the season with Corpas as my closer. He's the man who has pitched at Coors Field. He's the man who posted a 1.00 ERA this spring. He's the man who helped carry the Rockies to their moment in the sun. He has earned it.

Indeed. Those of us who've spent a total of $26 imaginary dollars on Corpas in two auction leagues agree, fully. My confidence in Street is rather low, so the official blog recommendation is that you hold onto Corpas for now, unless you're in a very small league. 

You'll find an updated closer spreadsheet below. We've made some cosmetic changes, switching the color from McNugget-yellow to a delightful mouthwash-blue. Also, we've added a DL indicator, and we've flagged closers who qualify at SP. Please enjoy...

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_fantasy_experts__11/ept_sports_fantasy_experts-159939545-1238687521.jpg?ymhMnCBDmNDTZASX

It's possible that Scott Downs will see some closing opportunities to begin the season, but Toronto is paying BJ Ryan a million billion dollars over the next two years. He won't be easily demoted. ... Joey Devine will open the season on the disabled list, and he'll be there at least three weeks. Draft Brad Ziegler. ... Brian Wilson's right middle finger is infected, so he's been sidelined for a few days. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that when Bruce Bochy was asked if Wilson might miss the opener, he replied, "Right now, no." ... The Florida Marlins' website suggests "Indications are (Matt) Lindstrom will be ready by Monday's opener."

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Photo via AP Images 

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94 Comments

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  1. Jamie
    1. Posted by Jamie Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:11 pm EDT

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    Do you think Kevin Gregg can hold the closer spot over Carlos Marmol all season just like Wood did last year for the Cubs?
  2. cpmustangs13
    2. Posted by cpmustangs13 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:30 pm EDT

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    So if I have Corpas now, and have the chance to add Leo Nunez, should I go after Nunez or stick it out with Corpas?
  3. Rosario
    3. Posted by Rosario Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 pm EDT

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    bjss going down hill
  4. Lee Majors
    4. Posted by Lee Majors Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:44 pm EDT

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    It would kinda surprise me a little if Gregg held on for a full season, yeah. I think it's in the best interests of the Cubs to keep Marmol in his current role, though. Marmol should have the higher-stress, no-margin-for-error situations.
    I'd think Corpas will finish the year with more saves than Nunez. However, Nunez might finish Week 1 with more saves than Corpas.
    Both Marmol and Corpas seem like decent buy-low candidates for speculators in larger leagues.
  5. Marty B
    5. Posted by Marty B Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:09 pm EDT

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    i've got morrow, hanrahan, and ziegler. worth dropping any of them in favor of street...get a few SV before corpas replaces him perhaps?
  6. Tomkins
    6. Posted by Tomkins Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:09 pm EDT

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    i think gregg will hold onto it all year if he stays healthy. chicago is a pressure-cooker, but gregg has closer experience and piniella loves marmol in the 7th-8th role. i would feel safe drafting gregg in the late rounds.
  7. Marty B
    7. Posted by Marty B Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:09 pm EDT

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    err that was meant to be a questio, not a statement. IS it worth dropping any of those guys to get street? i know corpas may replace him but...
  8. b.p.
    8. Posted by b.p. Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:02 pm EDT

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    Does Ryan Franklin really qualify as an immediate threat to Motte?
  9. samtheboiler
    9. Posted by samtheboiler Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:02 pm EDT

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    Marty, Morrow's SP/RP eligibility is GOLD, so i wouldn't dare drop him at this point. Hanrahan and Ziegler are in line for picking up saves for their respective teams at least for the near future, so i'd hang on to them as well--dropping any of those two in favor of street isn't going to make a huge difference. Advice: I'd try to drop someone else (someone on your bench) for street in order to fully reap the benefits of being able to accrue saves from an SP position.
  10. Bartolo
    10. Posted by Bartolo Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:02 pm EDT

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    I like the blue coloring, much easier on the eyes...
  11. samtheboiler
    11. Posted by samtheboiler Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:02 pm EDT

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    Marmol won't get more than 15 saves this year---true, his stuff is filthy, but for some reason it's just more effective in the 8th inning. If Gregg avoids any sort of break down, I think he could hold on to the Cubs closer role long enough to net 25+ saves.
  12. Marty B
    12. Posted by Marty B Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:09 pm EDT

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    thanks for your help sam. we have a 9P setup, but are allowed to split any way we like. i've gone 6SP 3CL.
    your advice makes alot of sense. hanrahan and ziegler are probably locked in at CL.each maybe worth 20-30SV...so why drop one of them for another guy who's probably only going to get 20-30 himself...and may get kicked out for corpas anyway!
    my SP rotation is a bit weak (halladay, harden, young, joba, wainwright, kershaw). would you drop one of them for a 4th CL?
  13. Lee Majors
    13. Posted by Lee Majors Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:44 pm EDT

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    I've only listed Franklin there because La Russa won't (or hasn't) officially named a closer, even though only one guy (Motte) has been great. La Russa seems to have a fondness for older pitchers who give up a lot of hard contact.
  14. Wang Chung
    14. Posted by Wang Chung Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:12 pm EDT

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    Marmol is a great pitcher, but I think the Cubs are better with him holding down middle relief. They'll only use Marmol in the closer roll if they absolutely have to. Why waste such a golden arm on saves when you have an established closer already? Gregg's nothing special, but he gives the Cubs a fuller bullpen with Marmol in the middle, IMHO.
  15. samtheboiler
    15. Posted by samtheboiler Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:02 pm EDT

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    Marty, I probably wouldn't look to drop any of those pitchers for a closer who might lose his job a month into the season. Kershaw has too much upside to let go for street, and the rest of your rotation looks pretty solid to me. Unless you can free-up roster space with a 2-for-1 trade or someone goes on the DL, i wouldn't sacrifice any of your pitchers for street. Or if still want street, you could tap into your batters to see if you're over-stocked at any particular position. Hope this helps!
  16. Lee Majors
    16. Posted by Lee Majors Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:44 pm EDT

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    And there it is. Wang Chung wins the honey-baked ham.
    Marmol is going to have the more important real-life role. If you've got runners at the corners and just one out late in a close game, the Cubs should want Marmol on the mound. He's the better pitcher, more likely to get outs on his own, without relying on his defense. Let Gregg have the ninth with nobody on base and a two-run lead. He can give up a walk, a deep fly, a couple of stinging line-drives...and still escape with a save. Because of, um...his poise, his closer's mentality, his experience, and other nonsense.
  17. Hitterish
    17. Posted by Hitterish Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:47 pm EDT

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    RE: 12, hey sammy, i agree with your assessment of Marmol, "Marmol won't get more than 15 saves this year---true, his stuff is filthy, but for some reason it's just more effective in the 8th inning" so please allow me to render my expert medical opinion for his 8th inning success and his 9th inning struggles (I'm not a doctor but i regularly dumpster dive at a Holiday Inn Express)---Marmol, and Piniella knows this, does not have a little Captain in him---no, my friend, he has a little LaTroy Hawkins in him---the medical terminology is "sphincteral clenchigular tightenitis" so that's why it's Gregg's job to "Lou's" (nyuk, nyuk, nyuk).
  18. The Fresh One
    18. Posted by The Fresh One Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:05 pm EDT

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    So here's my question: If we have BJ Ryan on our rosters, do we drop him for Ziegler? Ziegler's got the job, and Ryan seems to be falling...
  19. million_dollar_sleeper
    19. Posted by million_dollar_sleeper Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:20 pm EDT

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    Street won't have the job too long. He leads mlb in blown saves the past few years and the Rockies will remove him from the role faster than other teams would. How did Fuentes lose his job to corpas? That's disgusting.
  20. Pedro C
    20. Posted by Pedro C Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:23 pm EDT

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    glad you keep your entries clean for no mr. majors... no one has claimed first yet... it's truly unbelievable
    how much do you trust hanrahan to stay healthy for the whole year? you think at any moment he's going down? and if so would it be wise to have someone handcuffed? i've got bell, motte, lindstrom and morrow... and we play with k/9 as a cat so closers are a strong commodity but also relievers would work...
    you think saito is a wise investment maybe a-la-marmol?
  21. gilmore719
    21. Posted by gilmore719 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    chances of Dan Wheeler taking over for Percival??
  22. John
    22. Posted by John Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:39 pm EDT

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    Because Corpas was a god during their WS run...Fuentes was hurt.
    Fuentes will not be the closer all year in LA, I don't think either....
  23. gilmore719
    23. Posted by gilmore719 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:09 pm EDT

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    chances of Dan Wheeler taking over for Percival?
  24. B FUK
    24. Posted by B FUK Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:30 pm EDT

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    You Yahoo "experts" were so High on Corpas and so low on Street that you gave managers faulty info and now they are stuck because of it. Maybe you should step back and reexamine your information before jumping on bandwagons (Corpas, Devine, etc.) and making out others as villians (Street,Zeigler, etc.). And if Street does close all year I wont be a bit suprised.
  25. Mr. Indianapolis Colts
    25. Posted by Mr. Indianapolis Colts Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:59 pm EDT

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    If you have BJ Ryan, i'd grab Downs

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