Kuzul

It’s time to continue our journey around the league, looking at each team’s closer situation. The National League West is home to one of, if not the, worst bullpens in the league, but also a few of the elite closers.  Let’s take a look at all the updated situations:

Arizona Diamondbacks
Closer: Juan Gutierrez
Waiting in the Wings: Aaron Heilman
Closer of the Future: ?
This situation has been such a debacle all year, there really aren’t many positive things to say about the bullpen as a whole. While Gutierrez may not currently be the hands down closer, there is just no one option that you can say is a good one.  Gutierrez is sporting a 6.09 ERA.  Heilman, who is the star of the group, has a 3.73 ERA, but six blown saves. Outside of Heilman and D.J. Carrasco (though he spent the majority of his season in Pittsburgh), no Diamondback relief pitcher has an ERA below 4.00.  It’s just ugly and a situation that fantasy owners should try to avoid at all costs.  Is there a long-term solution in the minor leagues?  If there is, he probably isn’t close (or is currently working as a starting pitcher), because with how bad as the current relievers have been he’d be up by now.  Time will tell.

Colorado Rockies
Closer: Huston Street
Waiting in the Wings: Matt Belisle
Closer of the Future: Franklin Morales
Street has battled injuries this year, but don’t let his 4.32 ERA deceive you.  He has a horrifically unlucky strand rate of 59.2%, leading to his inflated ERA.  He also doesn’t have the strikeout numbers we’ve become accustomed to, with a 7.3 K/9 vs. a 9.1 mark for his career. I wouldn’t be concerned about his long-term ability, as he should continue to be one of the better closers in baseball.  Should he struggle in 2011, Morales, who got a brief opportunity to close early in the year, could get the opportunity.  Of course, if he struggles with his control (as he has this season), he won’t be long for the role.  Manny Corpas would’ve been regarded as the closer of the future, but Tommy John surgery will keep him out for most, if not all, of the 2011 season and who knows how long it will take for him to regain his stuff.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Closer: Hong-Chih Kuo
Waiting in the Wings: Jonathan Broxton
Closer of the Future: Jonathan Broxton
For as impressive as Kuo has been this season, does anyone really believe that Broxton is not only the best closer they have on the roster, but the best they’ve got for the foreseeable future?  He’s still striking players out at a tremendous rate (11.3 K/9), and has actually just suffered from some poor luck (.367 BABIP).  He’s not giving up home runs (0.33 HR/9) and has solid control (3.1 BB/9).  In other words, if he had not had the poor luck, he’d still look like an elite closer.  There really is nothing to be concerned about at this point.

San Diego Padres
Closer: Heath Bell
Waiting in the Wings: Luke Gregerson
Closer of the Future: Luke Gregerson
I’m sure the rumors will surface once again this offseason of the Padres shopping Bell.  Given the number of impressive arms they have in their bullpen, there really is no reason for them not to, is there?  He is currently sporting a 1.78 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, with five wins and 37 saves.  There certainly will be someone out there willing to pay a premium in order to acquire him.  There are actually a few options for who could take over, but I’m going with Gregerson for now.  He’s been nearly unhittable, with a 2.55 ERA and 0.75 WHIP, striking out 74 over 63.2 innings.  He’s had great control (1.8 BB/9) and keeps the ball in the ballpark (0.7 HR/9).  In Petco Park, that’s really all you can ask for.  He could be worth stashing if you are looking to stash a closer for 2011.

San Francisco Giants
Closer: Brian Wilson
Waiting in the Wings: Jeremy Affeldt
Closer of the Future: Brian Wilson
Wilson has emerged as one of the best closers in the game and, at 28-years old, is in no danger of losing his job any time soon.  This year he has already saved 37 games, giving him 116 since 2008.  The funny thing is, he’s had poor luck with a .365 BABIP and good luck with an 84.9% strand rate.  Those things cancel each other out, more or less, meaning that there is no reason to think that Wilson is going to slow down any time soon.  With his ability to pile up the strikeouts (on pace to set a career high, currently at 11.7 K/9), he’s not going anywhere.

What are your thoughts on these situations?

Make sure to check out our look at the other divisions in baseball:

• NL East
• AL East
• AL Central
• AL West

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Greetings fantasy baseballers, and welcome to another edition of the Wire.

Hopefully you heeded the past weeks’ advice and picked up Pat Burrell, Mike Minor, Daniel Hudson and others, before it was too late. This week is sort of a special edition with a look at a trio of closers—mostly of the present, and mostly with no future. Regardless, they have one thing in common—they will receive the lion’s share of save opportunities for their respective teams.

That translates to the potential to rack up some fantasy points all over the land. And the first contestant is…

Hisanori Takahashi, RP, NYM: Owned in 18 percent of CBS leagues

Mr. Takahashi has been somewhat of an enigma for the Metropolitans this season. He had success as a reliever early on, often times bailing out the starters by providing two or three innings of solid relief. 

In fact, in his first 15 relief appearances for the Mets, he went two-plus innings seven times. Before being moved into the rotation on May 21, Takahashi put up three wins with a 3.12 ERA in 24.2 IP and a 33:14 K:BB ratio—not too shabby. 

At that point, the Mets rotation started to fall apart and he was summoned to the rotation. In 12 starts, he did not fare nearly as well, posting a 4-4 record with a 5.01 ERA while surrendering 73 hits in 64.2 innings. In addition, opposing hitters batted a robust .291 against him in those starts. 

Manuel had seen enough of Takahashi the starter and summoned Takashi the reliever, replacing him with Pat Misch in the rotation. Now, with the Francisco Rodriguez meltdown and subsequent thumb injury, Manuel has named Takahashi his closer. He brings a year of closing experience from his tenure in the Japanese league.

In his sole save opportunity, he closed out the Astros in a hitless inning this week. 

You can ride Takahashi for as long as Manuel keeps him as the closer. Keep in mind that the Mets also have Bobby Parnell, who has pitched well as of late. Manual may throw some save chances his way to see how he performs in a late-inning role. 

Hong-Chih Kuo, RP, LA:Owned in 13 percent of CBS leagues

The main difference between Kuo and Takahashi is that Kuo has been in a late inning relief role for his team, the Dodgers, the entire season. Furthermore, he has posted great stats thus far and has been the bridge that every team searches for to get the ball to the closer.

Unfortunately for Jonathan Broxton, the now-deposed closer, Kuo has pitched so well that he’s replacing Broxton, for the time being at least.  If the Dodgers have any chance of making the playoffs, they cannot afford any more meltdowns by the usually-dominating Broxton. This was the main impetus behind Joe Torre’s decision to switch their roles in the pen. 

Including Kuo’s first two save opportunities, he has put up an ERA of 1.48 on the season, which was inflated by more than half a run after his implosion against Atlanta. Torre summoned Kuo in the eighth inning, much like he used to with Mariano in his Yankee days. Kuo ran into trouble in the ninth and blew the save.  
   
In 42.3 innings pitched this season, Kuo has a tremendous 52:14 K:BB ratio with a minuscule 0.85 WHIP along with three wins and four saves. Kuo has been nothing short of dominant this season and now stands to gain a boat-load of value in fantasy leagues. One would have to believe that as long as he’s successful in the closer’s role, Torre will leave him there.

The Dodgers also have Octavio Dotel to vulture a few saves, but for now Kuo is the closer in LA. He’s a must-add to fantasy rosters as CBS owners have demonstrated, making him the most added player in CBS fantasy leagues. His ownership will jump to 47 percent next week, which is still rather low. Grab him while you can. 

Trevor Hoffman, RP, MIL:Owned in 27 percent of CBS leagues

Mr. Hoffman has had a rocky 2010 thus far. In the first half of the season, he was tagged for four losses and blew five of his 10 save opportunities.

He had an ERA of 8.33 heading into the All-Star break. In 27 innings, he gave up 25 runs on 34 hits along with an unimpressive 17:13 K:BB ratio. These are hardly the numbers expected from Hoffman, or any closer in the league for that matter. 

Since the All-Star break, Hoffman has had a bit of a resurgence. In 12 appearances, his ERA is a more respectable 3.09 along with a 10:4 K:BB ratio. Opposing batters are hitting only .227 against him versus .306 before the break. 

With Milwaukee out of the playoff race and not much else to play for, manager Ken Macha has decided to give Hoffman save opportunities once again. The Brewers would love for Hoffman to reach the 600 save mark and give them something to cheer about in the closing weeks of the season. 

John Axford will presumably continue to get his chances as well, which makes Hoffman far from a sure thing to score significant points for your team. Regardless, Macha will give him every chance to add to his save total.

If you have the stomach for it, pick up Hoffman sooner rather than later and hope for the best, especially if you need to bolster your Save category. 

Honorable Mention

Omar Infante, 2B, ATL: Owned in 34 percent of CBS leagues

Filled in admirably for Martin Prado at 2B and will get regular AB’s with Chipper out for the season.  Hits righties and lefties well. Batting .361 since the break with a .862 OPS and has hit over .300 every month except for one this season.

Jose Guillen, OF, SF: Owned in 45 percent of CBS leagues

Guillen will get a decent amount of AB’s in SF. While he won’t hit for average, he surely has some pop left in his bat. Hitting .375 for the Giants since the trade and has 17 HRs on the season. 

Chris Denorfia, CF, SD: Owned in four percent of CBS leagues

Denorfia is batting .321 since the break with a 1.039 OPS.  He has six homers and 16 RBI plus four SBs in the second half. Solid pick up for deeper leagues. 

Written by Rosti Satanovsky exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com .  You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter @TheSportsFariah

Follow us on Twitter for more updates @TheFantasyFix.

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Here are some more articles that will smack some sense into you…

Fantasy Baseball

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Nervous about the trade deadline in your fantasy baseball league? Don’t be. The Chinstrap Ninjas have you covered.

Be sure to start by checking out my 10 tips to pull off the perfect fantasy baseball trade deadline deal.

Then, check out the following players you should be targeting as you begin last-minute negotiations with an eye to your fantasy playoffs/championship…

First, let me be frank and point out that making deals at this point in the season can be hard. Players that have struggled throughout this much of the year aren’t as likely to magically turn it around for the final month-plus of regular season action.

For example, Matt Kemp was a first-to second-round fantasy outfielder heading into this season, but can’t get it together. He’s been in and out of the lineup working on his swing, his confidence, and his plate discipline. Sure, at this point you’ll get him cheaper than ever, but what are the odds he’ll turn it around for the stretch run?

If you can get him cheap enough, than go ahead and hope for the best. Just don’t give up too much in the process.

One category of players that offer some decent value with a chance to bring you immediate dividends are those that are coming off the DL or soon to come off the DL.

Those who took previous Chinstrap Ninjas advice and snagged Brian Roberts before he came off the DL are currently reaping the benefits. Some players who could follow suit include:

Dustin Pedroia, who is being fast-tracked back to the majors as early as this coming Tuesday, is a player I avoided in preseason drafts because I wasn’t thrilled about his ADP. However, as a player who missed a ton of time this season with a broken foot, there is little doubt that Pedroia could offer some nice value in middle-infield slots, especially in batting average.

He should produce well enough in other categories to be a worthwhile add if you can get him for the right price.

Chase Utley, just a day ago, was targeting a September return. Now, suddenly, he is in a minor league rehab stint with an outside chance at returning next week or the week after.

Of course, any time a team rushes a player back from injury, there is reason to be concerned about additional struggles or injuries. Be sure to remind your leaguemates of that as you target him cheaply in trades hoping/banking on his talent outweighing his physical woes as the Phillies battle down the stretch for the NL-East pennant.

Andrew Bailey may not see a return to the majors as quickly as Pedroia or Utley, but within the next two weeks, he could be back closing games with the Athletics. Again, you don’t want to sell the farm for him, but you should be able to snag him at a discount price.

Kyle Lohse hasn’t pitched in the bigs since May 22, but is due back to the majors this weekend after a dominating performance in the minors. He may not be a stud pitcher, but as a back-end starter, he could give you a nice boost in wins, ERA, and a few strikeouts to boot.

Other players I’m personally targeting before the fantasy trade deadline:

Jonathan Broxton lost his job as closer, temporarily, after struggles over the past month. There is little doubt that he has more than enough ability to regain the dominance he showed earlier in the season, and I’m banking that his short break from closing duties will be enough of a spark to get him there.

Strike now in a deal as owners worry about his sudden demotion.

Mark Buerhle is the fantasy baseball version of Rodney Dangerfield… he doesn’t get any respect. Sure, Buerhle isn’t going to strike out tons of batters, but he is going to help your team ERA, WHIP, and wins without giving you too many ulcers in the process.

Fantasy owners seem drawn to the flash of other pitchers and are quick to devalue Buerhle’s quiet consistency. Don’t be one of those people.

Fantasy owners rejoiced when Josh Beckett returned from the DL not too long ago. However, struggles on the mound have quieted those cheers. So much so, in some leagues, where you can get Beckett on the cheap.

Pitchers more than any other position depend on getting into a groove and riding there as long as possible. It was hard for Beckett to find that groove so far this season due to injuries and inconsistency around him. I personally think he’ll buckle down and produce some nice numbers down the stretch.

Be sure to check out the other players I’m targeting right now as fantasy leagues reach their trade deadline.

Tempted to jump ship? We have all you need to prepare for a successful fantasy football season.

For all your hard-hitting fantasy baseball and fantasy football advice, go to www.chinstrapninjas.com

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Let’s take a look at some of the biggest stories from yesterday’s games:

American League:

• Michael Brantley  – Cleveland Indians – He went 1-4 with one run, but the bigger thing to note was his stolen base, his second straight game with a steal. He’s taken over the leadoff duties and is playing virtually everyday, certainly making him worth stashing in five-outfielder formats. While he hasn’t shown off the speed much this season, he is just a year removed from a 50 SB campaign between Triple-A and the Majors.
• Josh Bell – Baltimore Orioles – He has struggled since assuming regular third base duties, but he may be finally coming around. He went 1-3 with one RBI yesterday, giving him a modest three-game hitting streak. Still, it’s the strikeouts that are holding him back, currently with a strikeout rate of 37.9 percent (as well as a fly ball rate of just 16.7 percent). He’s better than this. These last few games could be the sign that he’s started adjusting to the Major Leagues. Just keep him stashed away for now.
• Jacoby Ellsbury – Boston Red Sox – The ball was flying all over the field in Texas, with nine home runs being hit (including a pair for J.D. Drew), but the biggest story was Ellsbury being forced out early. He apparently was “re-injured in the first inning when he hit a slow grounder up the first-base line and collided with Texas starter Tommy Hunter, who raced to the bag to make the play. Ellsbury tumbled over Hunter,” according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe (click here for the post). He will have an MRI, but there appears to be concern that he aggravated the injury that kept him out earlier this season. At this point, all you can do is cross your fingers and hope for the best.
• Ryan Raburn – Detroit Tigers – He went 3-4 with one HR, his second straight game with a HR and his fourth multi-hit game in his last five. He’s getting regular playing time now and is finally starting to look like the player who hit 16 HR in 261 AB a year ago. He’s a low-end option, but if you are in a daily league and need a short-term fix, you can plug him in there for a couple of days while he’s hot. There is a chance this hot streak extends, so everyone should monitor him for now.
• Gregor Blanco – Kansas City Royals – He’s taken over the leadoff spot since being acquired from the Braves and showed why yesterday, stealing three bases while going 2-4. He has never proven to be able to hit for a good average, so consider him a low-end option, at best, unless he proves capable. If he can’t get on, the speed won’t matter.
• Marc Rzepczynski – Toronto Blue Jays – Those who followed Rotoprofessor preseason know that I was high on him, but injuries and inability pulled the plug on that early on. Performances like this certainly put him back on the map. He showed an ability for strikeouts (six Ks in 7.0 innings). He didn’t walk a batter. Of his 21 outs, 12 were via groundball (and only three in the air). He allowed just two hits and should have earned himself another start. He has the potential to be a solid option in all formats, as the Blue Jays have become notorious for developing young pitchers of late.

National League:

• Jay Bruce – Cincinnati Reds – He was overshadowed by Mike Stanton (3-4, two HR), the beating Josh Johnson (3.2 IP, six ER, 10 H, two BB, zero K) and the strong start from Edison Volquez (6.0 IP, one ER, eight hits, two BB, six K). Don’t ignore Bruce’s performance, as he went 2-4 with one HR, three RBI and one run himself. He has not lived up to preseason expectations at this point, but make no mistake, he has the potential and could produce big numbers over the final few weeks of the season. It was his first home run since June 30 and hopefully is just the start. While he’s not going to reach the preseason projections, he still should be a usable option down the stretch.
• R.A. Dickey – New York Mets – The knuckleballer allowed just one-hit in a complete game shutout, and that came courtesy of Cole Hamels. That’s right, the pitcher had the only hit. Does anyone else believe in the curse of Nolan Ryan yet? The Mets may never get a no-hitter, but no one is complaining about Dickey’s performance. He proved here that you shouldn’t be concerned if he hits a bump in the road (he struggled in his previous start), he’s worth using in all formats. Yes, the Phillies did go without Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, but there are rumblings that both could be back as soon as next week.
• Tim Hudson – Atlanta Braves – He was fantastic yet again, tossing 8.0 shutout innings, allowing three hits and one BB while striking out six. It’s hard to be worried about the results (2.13 ERA and 1.07 WHIP), but we’ve seen from guys like Josh Johnson and Ubaldo Jimenez that rough spots happen. Hudson has benefited from a .231 BABIP and 84.6 percent strand rate, so a turn in fortunes is certainly possible. I’m not suggesting not using him, but if your trade deadline hasn’t passed yet, selling high on him is worth exploring.
• Jonathan Broxton – Los Angeles Dodgers – He found his name in the news, coming in to pitch the eighth inning last night. After a disastrous outing, he has “temporarily” been removed as the Dodgers closer, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times (click here for the article).  Hong-Chih Kuo will assume closing duties for the time being… really? Seems odd, considering the acquisition of Octavio Dotel and the presence of George Sherrill, but if you are desperate for saves grabbing Kuo will be worth it.
• Jake Westbrook – St. Louis Cardinals – He picked up his first win for the Cardinals, allowing two ER on six hits and one walk, striking out three, over six innings. In three starts since the trade, he’s allowed seven ER on 16 hits and two walks, striking out 19, over 19 innings. Maybe the move to the NL will significantly help, but I would still consider him a low-end option and play matchups with him for now.
• Evan Meek – Pittsburgh Pirates – Just when it looked like he could move into the closer’s role with a strong outing, Meek got bombed for four ER on five hits an one BB in just 0.1 innings. Not that the Pirates have been giving many save opportunities of late, but it looks like Joel Hanrahan should remain in the closer’s role for now.
• Jorge De La Rosa – Colorado Rockies – We have to love the strikeout potential, but he’s a killer on the WHIP right now. Yesterday he went 5.2 innings allowing three ER on six hits and three BB, striking out five. He is sporting a 1.48 WHIP on the season. He does have a .317 BABIP and 65.3 percent strand rate, so there is some upside there.  If he can ever reduce his current 4.8 BB/9, he’ll really be something. He got hot down the stretch last season and remember, he is still recently off the DL. Keep him stashed for now, but I’d expect him to develop into a must use option before the year is out.

What are your thoughts from yesterday’s games?

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Coming into a MLB game in the ninth inning, listening to your favorite rock or rap song surely will get you a bit nervous/pumped up/downright scared.

In my case, that song happens to be “Wonderwall” by Oasis. Yes, it may seem like a sissy song to walk out to, but read the lyrics , especially the refrain, and you will understand.

For MLB closers like Heath Bell, the nervousness/adrenaline/fear are what he thrives on. The pressure is what makes him good. At 6’3″ and a husky 250 pounds, Bell looks like the butcher at your local deli who didn’t give enough meat to his dog. He is a fun guy, and regularly uses his Wii Fit board to stay in shape. Off a baseball field, Bell doesn’t seem like an imposing man.

But once he steps onto the mound at Petco Park in the ninth inning to the tune of “Blow Me Away” by Breaking Benjamin, he is quite imposing.

Bell’s high-90s fastball sure helps.

Heat is a common denominator with closers. All closers throw upwards of 90 mph, and most throw over 95. But the gift all closers have is pure stuff.

Mariano Rivera might not throw 95 mph anymore, but his cutter is downright filthy, and even though he throws it nearly every pitch, it still is nasty enough to break hitters’ bats and paint corners.

Chad Qualls, the former closer for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and now a late-inning relief pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, throws a heavy sinker at 92 mph. The vertical break on his sinker is nasty, and not many sinkerballers can throw that hard. His slider is also hard, coming in at 86 mph and breaking heavily away from right-handed hitters.

But this year, Qualls hasn’t kept the ball down, leading to his sinkers sinking to mid-thigh height and becoming easily hittable, hence Qualls’s 8.01 ERA this season.

Jonathan Broxton, the closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is a freak. With an intimidating frame of 6’4″ and 295 pounds, Broxton brings it into triple digits regularly. His sinker is like Qualls’s, only Broxton’s is around five mph faster. He isn’t afraid of any hitter, and that may be his greatest asset.

Well, I wouldn’t be afraid of anybody if I was 6’4″, 295, would you?

Francisco Rodriguez, “K-Rod,” the closer for the New York Mets, is another in the long list of closers who have dominating stuff. K-Rod regularly cranks his fastball into the upper 90s, with corner-to-corner tailing movement on his heater. His curveball nearly hits 80 mph and is a devastating strikeout pitch. His emotions sometimes get the best of him, but K-Rod is fun to watch.

Ah, my favorite closer, Brian Wilson. Wilson, even though he isn’t as physically imposing as Broxton or Bell, is one of the best in the business. Wilson throws 99 mph regularly, and the scary part is that he paints corners with his heater. His cutter hovers around 90 mph, which makes my Pirates look that much worse, because almost all of their starting rotation’s fastballs are slower than Wilson’s cutter.

So closers all pretty much have one thing in common: A special gift. That gift may be great velocity, great movement, great control, or great craftiness, but all closers have a special gift.

(They all pretty much have a good fist pump too!)

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Philadelphia Phillies rookie Pat Burrell strode to the plate on June 20, 2000, to lead off the top of the ninth inning at Shea Stadium.

Hard-throwing closer Armando Benitez was on the mound for New York’s most beloved team, the Mets, who were leading the hapless Phillies, 2-1.

Burrell hit a home run off Benitez to tie the game that the Phillies would win, 3-2, in 10 innings.

The next night, the teams were tied, 5-5 in the top of the ninth inning.

The Phillies loaded the bases against John Franco. The tie was broken when the usually reliable Franco walked Ricky Jordan to force home future New York Times baseball writer, Doug Glanville.

Mets manager Bobby Valentine yanked left-hander Franco in favor of right-hander Benitez. Burrell was next to hit.

Burrell promptly hit a grand slam against Benitez to put the game out of reach.

Yesterday, July 31, 2010, Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Joe Torre, who sometimes mistakes closer Jonathan Broxton for Mariano Rivera, brought in Broxton with two outs in the eighth inning for a potential four-out save against the San Francisco Giants.

The inning started out innocently enough.

With the Dodgers leading, 2-1, left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo, who had retired the Giants in order in the seventh inning, got Freddy Sanchez out on a harmless fly ball to right fielder Garrett Anderson on one pitch.

The dangerous Aubrey Huff, one of the great acquisitions of the season, took Kuo’s first pitch for a called strike, and then grounded out harmlessly to first baseman James Loney for the second out.

Buster Posey was the next batter.

According to Torre, the Dodgers didn’t want to give Posey a chance to extend his arms and hit a long ball that might tie the game, so Kuo worked him inside.

The Dodgers’ problem was that Kuo worked him too much inside. His first delivery hit Buster on the upper left arm, putting the potential tying run on first.

Torre, who has admitted that he sometimes overworks his most effective relievers, as Scott Proctor knows, brought in Broxton to face Burrell.

Broxton is 6’4″ and weighs 295 pounds. He throws close to 100 mph.

Benitez is 6’4″ and weighed 260 pounds. He threw close to 100 mph.

Burrell stepped into the batters box. Benitez—sorry, Broxton, fell behind, three balls and no strikes. Burrell took the next delivery for a called strike.

Posey took his lead off first base, Broxton went to the stretch, checked Posey at first, and delivered. Burrell fouled it off.

With the count full, Posey would be off with the next pitch.

Broxton peered in to get the signal from Russell Martin, nodded in assent, checked Posey at first, and delivered.

Burrell blasted the 3-2 pitch on a line drive into the left field seats. The crowd went wild.

Guillermo Mota did what Broxton could not.

The former Dodger, who entered the game in the top of the eighth inning with one out and struck out Rafael Furcal and Matt Kemp, retired the Dodgers in order in the ninth inning to get the win.

After the game, Burrell, whose game-winning home run was his first since June 29, and who had hit home runs to put the Giants ahead two other times this season, spoke with reporters.

“We’re in a real good situation. You have to be fortunate to be in position to make the playoffs. We’ve got to approach every game as if it is crunch time, because in reality it is.”

Manager Bruce Bochy said it best, “It’s hard to get a bigger hit than that.”

Tonight, the Giants and Dodgers meet again. Don’t be surprised if Torre brings in Broxton again. It’s only August.

Reference:

Retrosheet

CBS Sportsline

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Now, before anyone jumps to conclusions about the picture that opens the slideshow, you can relax, because Mariano Rivera isn’t going anywhere.

However, there have been plenty of rumors that have centered around relievers, most of which any team would love to have in their own bullpen for the stretch run.

There are some better than others, some that will cost more in return, and even more that can be had for not much at all.

However, whether they cost major league talent, top prospects, or your run of the mill “player to be named later,” we’ll see plenty of relievers moved at the deadline make a huge impact on their new teams as they make a run to the division titles and into the playoffs.

The following list is the 10 relievers who would make the biggest impact to any team that wants to make it deep into the playoffs.

Begin Slideshow

After nearly wasting Jeff Suppan’s first effective outing of the year, the St. Louis Cardinals needed a late rally and an admirable performance from rookie Allen Craig on his 26th birthday to move back into first place in the National League’s Central division.

After leaving seven men on through the first seven frames and trailing by four, the Cardinals finally struck in the eighth, when Craig, who was filling in for star first baseman Albert Pujols, doubled home both Brendan Ryan and Jon Jay. Two batters later, Randy Winn’s two-out single brought home Craig to make the score 4-3.

With two out and one on in the ninth, Albert Pujols stepped up as a pinch-hitter. After running the count full, Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton got the three-time MVP to ground out to short.

After Cardinals’ fireman Ryan Franklin locked down Los Angeles in the top of the ninth, the Cardinals rallied for the win in the bottom of the inning.

It started with Yadier Molina’s pinch-hit single, which came on a sixth-pitch slider out of the zone from Broxton. Then shortstop Brendan Ryan, not known for his offense, sacrificed Molina over to second. Felipe Lopez, who got the start at third base, flew out to right, bringing the Cardinals down to their final out.

Jon Jay, who has impressed St. Louis with his hitting abilities, showed good plate discipline by running the count full and then coaxing out a free pass.

Allen Craig then singled to center, tying the game at 4-4 and bringing sweet swinging left fielder Matt Holliday to the plate. At this point, Holliday had left four men on base. It was his single to deep right that scored Molina from second and won the game for the Cardinals, giving them their first four-game sweep of Los Angeles since taking consecutive doubleheaders July 7-8, 1987.

Ryan Franklin received the win, and combined with Cincinnati’s loss at the hands of Colorado, the Cardinals moved back into the top spot in the NL Central standings. Broxton threw 44 pitches in his first loss of the season.

Suppan pitches six innings of one-run ball, allowing five hits and walking one to receive his first quality start of the year, but not did not factor in the decision.

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Well replacement might be a tough word, because no one is going to ever replace the supreme production supplied by Mariano Rivera.

Replacing someone was as great as Rivera in their own line of work is the ultimate no-win situation. It rarely works out the same way, and no one usually remembers the replacements.

Quick: Who replaced Lou Gehrig at first base? Who replaced John Wooden at UCLA?

Mariano is the greatest closer of all time. Not the greatest relief pitcher (that would be Rollie Fingers because of his multiple inning durability), but Mo is the one pitcher you want on the mound for three ninth inning outs holding a one run lead.

Finding a new closer is going to be a difficult challenge as no one knows how long Rivera will continue to want to pitch.

At age 40, Rivera has shown no signs of vulnerability. He still sports one of the best closer ERAs with 1.05 and 20 saves, and a WHIP of 0.641. He also retired an incredible 24 straight batters in the month of June.

Still highly effective, how long will Rivera want to pitch? Similar to Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte, the Yankees will allow Rivera to make up his own mind when he wants to leave the game.

Rivera has mentioned that signing a series of one-year deals (similar to what Pettitte has done) would be acceptable to him.

I believe Rivera will pitch at least two more seasons after 2010. The “Core Four” will begin to gradually leave the team after this season (Pettitte retiring) and after 2011 (Jorge Posada not being re-signed).

If I were Mo, I would not want to retire the same season as another long time Yankee does.

I believe Rivera will then leave after the 2012 season, which makes getting my preferred replacement very difficult, as that guy is available sooner than the 2013 season.

Here are the five top candidates for the eventual new Yankees closer spot, and Joba Chamberlain is NOT on the list.

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Whether it was Rafael Furcal’s sizzling bat, Jonathon Broxton’s overpowering pitching, or Andre Ethier’s clutch hitting, the boys in blue performed exceptionally throughout the first half of their season.

However, numerous injuries and continual struggles within the pitching staff have obstructed their consistency.

It’s difficult to determine whether the buzz generated about their chances to contend in the NL are too hasty or totally warranted.

A multitude of factors will contribute to the Dodgers’ goals ultimately coming to fruition.

Rafael Furcal

Batting .333 with six home runs and 35 RBI, Rafael Furcal is the ideal lead-off man, captain of the infield, and intimidating presence for the Dodgers.

If Rafael Furcal can maintain his health, the Dodgers will have a powerful advantage.

It’s not his agility, his speed, his range, his bat, or his field vision that distinguishes him from his peers, but instead the fusion of all of his talents that makes him such a threat.

Just today, Furcal was chosen to replace the Mets’ shortstop, Jose Reyes, for the All-Star game; a recognition he undoubtedly earned, but must live up to in the second half of the season.

All-Stars need to continue to perform at the highest level

Outfielder Andre Ethier and pitcher Jonathon Broxton have been on a tear in the 2010 season and deservedly will play in the All-Star game Tuesday, July 13, 2010, in Anaheim, CA.

Ethier was at or near the top of the NL leader lists for all three Triple Crown categories—batting average, home runs, and RBI—for the first six weeks of the season. However, an accident in batting practice landed him on the 15-day disabled list. 

But Ethier has gradually returned, recovered, and been revitalized, batting .324 with 14 home runs, and 54 RBI.

In Jonathon Broxton’s 38 innings pitched, he has struck out 55 batters, recorded 19 saves, and has a 2.11 ERA.

Though he started slowly this season—carding just one save in the Dodgers’ first 28 games—Broxton has revealed his overpowering speed, control, and stamina as the Dodgers go-to closer.

It is absolutely essential that both Ethier and Broxton sustain their stellar play and act as leaders for the rest of the team.

Matt Kemp, James Loney, and Russell Martin need to step it up

Loney: Sure, when you think about first baseman, it’s nearly impossible not to think Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, and Joey Votto.

But James Loney has the potential to become one of the elite first basemen in professional baseball.

His .305 BA and five home runs are decent, but his 59 RBI illuminate Loney’s capacity to swing the bat with force and at the right time. Loney’s consistency is crucial to the Dodgers success.

Kemp: Though Matt Kemp has 16 home-runs and 50 RBI, he has struck out 97 times so far this season. Kemp is obviously aggressive at the plate, but if he can train his eye to select the right pitches to be aggressive with, he will become a threat each time he steps up to the plate.

Martin: Russell Martin is another example of a Dodger who has struggled over the course of this season due to injuries and, consequently, inconsistency.

Though Martin has brute force at the plate, he has only produced five home runs and 22 RBI, which is mediocre for a player of his capacity. Defensively, Martin has the potential to be one of the best catchers in the league, but his injuries have made him appear “sluggish,” as manager Joe Torre recently commented.

Hopefully the All-Star break will benefit his recovery and he will return in the second half as one of the Dodgers offensive and defensive leaders.

Manny Ramirez needs to find his swing

Does anyone else cringe when the ball is hit to Manny in right field?

Defensively, he’s not much of a star or model for emulation.

But, there’s no doubting that his swing is unrivaled in power and precision. Ramirez has unbelievably quick hands, incredible pitch recognition, and when he fully turns his lower-half into the ball, he strikes it with an almost violent force.

However, Dodger fans have suffered unceasing frustration as Ramirez has been struck by injury (allowing him to play only 59 games thus season) and only hit eight home runs, with 39 RBI this season.

There used to be a palpable, roaring presence that permeated the stadium when Manny approached the plate. The pitcher would tense up, outfielders would take steps back toward the warning track, and young kids in the bleachers would slide their gloves on in anticipation of a bomb.

Ramirez needs to be smart about getting healthy and gradually return to his old self because he is far too talented to not shine among the league’s best.

Pitching: The Dodgers Achilles Heel that must subside

It’s as simple as this: Either the Dodgers organization needs to lure in new, effective pitchers, or the current pitching staff needs to come through.

The Dodgers pitching has been wrought with inconsistency and critics have been quick to blame their inadequacy for the Dodgers No.3 ranking in the NL West; one game behind the Colorado Rockies and two games behind the San Diego Padres.

While some pitchers have been plagued by health issues, like Chad Billingsley (7-4), and others by lack of experience, like John Ely (4-7), the pitching staff has been neither effective nor reliable this season.

But this is not just about starters.

Only Hong-Chih Kuo has pitched well this season (recently chosen to replace Jason Heyward of the Atlanta Braves in the All-Star game), while relievers like Carlos Monasterios, George Sherill, and Jeff Weaver have underachieved and ruined far too many possible Dodger victories.

Whether it’s an attitude adjustment or mechanics reconstruction, the pitchers of the Los Angeles Dodgers have the capacity to make or break the second half of their team’s season.

It’s about winning series and gaining momentum

The Dodgers will lose games—that’s an undeniable part of the sport.

But, if the Dodgers can learn to cultivate their strengths and use the momentum of winning series to their advantage, there will an overall surge in the team’s attitude and presence among the league.

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