Relief Pitcher Updates: The Closer Carousel Continues

As we head into the first week of May in the 2014 baseball season, we are seeing changes happening in the late-inning roles across baseball.  Whether due to injuries or failure, we here at Rotoballer will keep you up to date so that you can plan accordingly and adjust your rosters if need be.   Looking […]

5 Setup Men To Own: Waiver Wire Pickups for Holds Leagues

  Setup Men For Holds Leagues The holds statistic leaves us guessing who will enter the game in the right situation, and these players here include a couple former closers and stellar setup men. All of these players are capable of being reliable setup men for their respective teams and players worth considering adding if […]

5 Setup Men To Own: Waiver Wire Pickups for Holds Leagues

The Hold - Baseball's Unheralded Stat It is very difficult to rely on one pitcher on your roster as the Holds specialist. Unlike the closer there is no such thing as the holder. Specialist relievers that get one batter out or an eighth inning setup man expected to be the final part of the bridge […]

5 Setup Men To Own: Waiver Wire Pickups for Holds Leagues

While the holds statistic is hard to determine who will enter the game in the right situation, the players noticed today feature a couple former closers and stellar setup men. All of these players are capable of being reliable setup men for their respective teams and players worth considering adding if your league counts holds. […]

Fantasy Baseball Closers and Saves: Week 1 Updates

MLB Closers & Saves: Week 1 Updates Before the season gets into full swing on Monday, I’d like to briefly examine the updated closer news or perhaps give you a closer recap around the league.  There has been a decent amount of news, injuries and updates that need to be mentioned before the season gets […]

Shawn Kelley: Holds Sleeper for 2014 Fantasy Baseball

Reliever Poised to Leap Forward: Shawn Kelley With the retirement of Mariano Rivera, and the eighth-inning setup man David Robertson moving into the pressured role as heir to the greatest closer of all-time, someone will need to move into the eighth-inning setup role. While the role could be open to anyone who will step up […]

Breakout Closer and Sleeper: Tommy Hunter

  Closer Poised to Leap Forward: Tommy Hunter Jim Johnson and his 101 saves over two seasons are gone, shipped off to Oakland. Grant Balfour didn’t satisfy the health criteria of the Orioles. Thus, the closer role is up for grabs, and a recently converted starter could be poised to make the big step into […]

Top 40 Closers & Relief Pitchers - Rankings, Tiers and Projections

1. “Elite” Tier, aka the Kate Upton Tier Kate Upton embodies all that is amazing about everything. Like these closers, she is, quite simply, the best, in every way. Craig Kimbrel, Kenley Jansen, Greg Holland, Aroldis Chapman, Joe Nathan In some cases but not all, size does matter and yes when I mean size I mean the large amount […]

Top 10 For Saves: 2014 Fantasy Baseball Predictions

I have a very strong opinion about closers in fantasy baseball, and that is they are the most overrated position in the game. Much like defenses in football, closers are very often drafted many rounds too soon. Relievers contribute little to most pitching stats, and there are often plenty of valuable options lower down the […]

Holds Leagues Sleepers: Luis Avilan & David Carpenter

Luis Avilan & David Carpenter With the best current closer in the game, Craig Kimbrel, manning the back of the Atlanta Braves bullpen, the complementary pieces that bridge the starting pitcher’s win to Kimbrel’s seemingly inevitable save are worth a look. Jonny Venters is returning from injury and he will join a pair of relievers that held the […]

3 Overvalued Relief Pitchers: Rankings Analysis

A relief pitcher is constantly living on the edge of success and failure.  One pitch can mean the difference between a good night sleep and a lot of tossing and turning.  Anyone that thinks that the ninth inning is just like any other is not factoring in the rapid heartbeat, adrenaline rush and tighter grip on […]

Three Undervalued Relief Pitchers: 2014 Fantasy Baseball Rankings

Undervalued Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball Drafts Relief pitchers are the most difficult to get a gauge on when it comes to making predictions.  Most position players are going to produce close to their career numbers by the end of the season, but relievers could skyrocket or go south in a hurry. A lot depends […]

Jim Henderson: 2014 Fantasy Baseball Closer

  Jim Henderson's 2014 Fantasy Baseball Outlook Jim Henderson The Milwaukee Brewers have put together a team that, on paper, has a chance to succeed. The onetime face of the franchise, Ryan Braun, needs to repair his reputation, while veteran starting pitcher Matt Garza joins Kyle Lohse and Yovani Gallardo atop the rotation. They will […]

LA Dodgers Pitching Analysis: 2014 Fantasy Baseball

  2014 Los Angeles Dodgers – Pitching Staff Preview   Clayton Kershaw Position Battle – None Current Average Draft Position (12 team league) – Mid-First Round Other SPs in that Range – No one 2013 Stats – 16-9, 1.83 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 232 K, 236 IP, 52 BB Outlook – 2011 Cy Young, 2012 2nd […]

MLB Closers & Saves: NL West - 2014 Fantasy Baseball

Let's take a look at some NL West closer situations. National League West Bullpens and Closers   Los Angeles Dodgers This bullpen has a blizzard of closer options.  Kenley Jansen sits at the top as an elite closer with ice running through his veins.  Take a look at these numbers, they are nailz:  1.88 ERA, […]

Chris Withrow: Sleeper for Holds in 2014 Fantasy Baseball

  Relief Pitchers Poised to Leap Forward: Chris Withrow While the Los Angeles Dodgers have personalities and brand names like Yasiel Puig and Clayton Kershaw, some players go under the radar. Though Brian Wilson's entrancing beard may help to make him one of the better setup men in the game, Chris Withrow is also a name […]

Top 5 Relief Pitcher (RP) Keepers: 2014 Dynasty Leagues

There's no position in baseball subject to more volatility from year to year than the closer role. It's rare for players not named Mariano Rivera to remain dominant in that position for more than a year or two. In fact, it's not uncommon at all for a top closer to lose his job just a […]

Dispatches from the Cactus League 2/10: Addison Reed vs. J.J.Putz

Dispatches from the Cactus League: Addison Reed vs. J.J. Putz Because of their trip to Australia to play the Dodgers later this month, the Arizona Diamondbacks were the first team to report to Spring Training this year. The team held its annual Fan Fest at Chase Field Saturday where more than 20,000 fans showed up […]