A constant storyline in fantasy, closers must be monitored as such to determine who’s on the verge of save opportunities and who’s losing the grip on their jobs. The season is just a week old, enough data still exists to make educated guesses at who will pleasantly surprise and who will disappoint.

Of course, there have been numerous surprises and disappointments, but we’ll set our sights on just three of each for now. As the season wears on, there will be plenty of future articles on who’s winning and losing jobs. The direct purpose of this story isn’t on long-term prospects as much as it is establishing a baseline expectation and saying who’s exceeded it or fallen short. Read more »

St. Louis Cardinals closer Jason Motte isn’t doing anything to clear up his team’s bullpen situation. He entered the Cards’ 5-3 win over the Houston Astros Friday night, got one out, allowed two singles, and was lifted in favor of Kyle McClellan. While Motte didn’t blow a save, he did manage to blow another opportunity to take control of the closer job.

After the game, in typical Tony LaRussa fashion, mixed signals were sent to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about both McClellan and Motte. Read more »

St. Louis Cardinals rookie closer Jason Motte got touched up for four runs and a blown save in a 6-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday. An auspicious start for a closer with shaky job security as it was, which begs the question today, just how safe is Motte in his new role?

It’s impossible to interpret quotes from manager Tony LaRussa anyway, but he wasn’t quoted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch specifically on the matter. But, what LaRussa did do was show Motte some support by not warming up any other relievers until Jack Wilson hit a go-ahead three-run double, the Post-Dispatch reported. That’s a good indication that Motte has some leash left. Read more »

Little has changed among the elite closers in the game, but injuries have thrown us for a loop when it comes to situations in Atlanta, St. Louis, Seattle and Milwaukee. Closers and fill-ins are in jeopardy of losing their jobs soon, which creates both problems and opportunities for fantasy owners.

Mike Gonzalez is the unofficial closer in Atlanta, but we’ve gotten mixed reviews in his two outings off the disabled list. He got a surprise save in his first appearance, then got touched up in a non-save situation in his second. Until we see what he can do when given consistent opportunities, he will hold down our No. 30 ranking. Read more »

The closer position is a tricky one in fantasy because of such drastic change that occurs during the course of a season. A closer today may crumble tomorrow. An injury to one of your star closers creates value for a middle reliever that is by no means guaranteed to land on your roster.

Reliability is the name of the game and where our focus lies this week. While George Sherrill and Kerry Wood have posted upper-tier type numbers, they still fall behind some of the game’s best, most experienced stoppers. Francisco Rodriguez, though in the middle of his least dominant season, tops the list with a whopping 27 saves. Read more »

Closer candidates Rafael Soriano and John Smoltz are both working through rehab assignments in efforts to return to the Atlanta Braves bullpen. Smoltz (shoulder) and Soriano (elbow) are neck and neck in the race to come back, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that both will have tests to pass on Tuesday before doing so.

Smoltz will make another rehab appearance for Class-A Rome, according to the AJC, and Soriano will throw a bullpen session. If both are setback-free, they could join the Braves in Milwaukee, where they kick off a seven-game road trip on Tuesday. Read more »

I can’t think of a time when closer situations have been uglier, but I’m sure that they have been. Two contenders - the Cardinals and Brewers - are working through some bullpen woes in their pursuit of a National League Central crown. Two other contenders await - the Braves and Indians - await the return of their full-time closers from the disabled list.

There will be more upheaval as the season wears on, but here’s a closer look at five turbulent bullpen situations and what we think will unfold in the coming weeks. Read more »

Now is a tricky time of year in fantasy baseball. We, as owners, are tormented by hot and cold players alike, and we struggle to keep our eyes on the big picture. Sleepers and bust predictions are taking shape, but be sure and keep things in proper perspective. Let us help you with our list of surprises and disappointments. And for good measure, we’ll give you some bullpen notes to ponder.

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