Kuzul

Shortly after creating MLBDepthCharts.com, I quickly realized just how important it was for fantasy baseball players to find the guy who was “next in line” for saves. Even if it’s just to give the regular closer a break after a few consecutive days of work, saves are valuable for fantasy geeks. 

A closer’s job is rarely on solid ground from one game to the next. Despite what else happens throughout the game, a blown save is not something that’s taken lightly in the media or by fans because it’s almost always directly correlated with the final result of the game. 

Even the best closers in the game will be scrutinized if they blow three or four saves in a month. If you’re not the best closer in the game and you blow a save or two over the span of a few games, the pressure builds as the next unsuccessful opportunity could be the last. 

Take a look at the Washington Nationals’ 2012 season. Brad Lidge and Henry Rodriguez shared the closer’s gig to the start the season with Drew Storen on the disabled list. The hard-throwing Rodriguez took over the job on his own after Lidge landed on the disabled list in late April. 

Less than a month later, Rodriguez was removed from the role after a string of shaky outings and manager Davey Johnson said he would go with a closer-by-committee, which never happened. Tyler Clippard got the first shot and then didn’t relinquish the role until Drew Storen returned from the disabled list and shared saves with him the rest of the way. 

Injuries and ineffectiveness will occur, as I’ve shown with one extreme example from 2012. So it’s important to have the right guy on your team at the right time. Here are several relievers not projected to close that could either “vulture” some saves throughout the year or eventually take over the closer’s role if the opportunity presented itself … 

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Chicago White Sox GM Kenny Williams is in dire need of a dictionary this Christmas.

It seems as if Williams needs to learn the meaning of the word “rebuilding”.

When it comes to that word, you’re either rebuilding or you’re not. Trying to go halfway doesn’t cut it. So why is Williams insisting on going off half-cocked on the White Sox this winter?

Earlier this week, Williams announced that the rebuilding had begun, moving Sergio Santos to Toronto for pitching prospect Nestor Molina. Okay, now where are the follow-up rebuilding moves?

You know, the trades involving contracts that pare down a bloated payroll and replace expensive players with younger more reasonably-priced talent? Because that’s what rebuilding is, Kenny.

Just days after his rebuilding pronouncement, Williams had this to say to Scott Merkin of MLB.com.

You know, if we have some guys have some bounce-back years and go back to their career norms, yeah,” said Williams of his team’s chances to contend with Detroit in the American League Central as presently constructed. “Mostly, if a number of things happen offensively, continued growth at third base and second, [Alejandro] De Aza continues to play the way he ended the year, and along with the obvious bigger names.

Wait a minute. What happened to the start of rebuilding? When are those big expiring contracts like Carlos Quentin, Gavin Floyd and John Danks going to be converted to talent for the future?

Williams said the following.

We will all have answers to that in the upcoming weeks and months. It’s still a work in progress, but I wouldn’t anticipate anything major unless the opportunity presents itself to add impact, young 0-3 [year]-type players. But if that doesn’t manifest itself, this just isn’t the time to make wholesale changes.

Now I’m really confused. We’re rebuilding, but we don’t want to make wholesale changes.

That’s akin to rebelling while not trying to make any waves.

Is Williams arrogant enough to think he can make questionable moves one day under the guise of rebuilding and not make obvious moves in the name of remaining a contender?

I only buy the Santos trade if it is the tip of a rebuilding iceberg. If that’s the rebuild, then it makes even less sense than when it went down Monday. The White Sox were looking to get younger and cut payroll. To do this, they traded their 28-year-old closer—who was set to make a million dollars in 2012—after resigning a 33-year-old set-up guy to a 2012 salary of $3.75 million.

Congratulations, Kenny. You got five years older in the pen and spent $2.75 million more to do it. I’m wrapping your dictionary as we speak.

Maybe Williams isn’t in an ego-driven mission to have his cake and eat it too. I have to believe that some of the trade candidates are moved before opening day this coming spring. Williams is just trying to maximize the value he gets for what he is putting on the trading block.

It had better be the case, because what Williams has accomplished right now is not rebuilding.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The loss of the White Sox Legend Bobby Jenks probably hurt millions of White Sox fans around the nation.  Seeing the stout, bearded man who constantly had to wipe the sweat off his face was a marquee since the White Sox hoisted the World Series trophy in 2005. 

Fortunately, a couple other young guns finally have the opportunity to take over Jenks’ role and prove that they can bring the South Siders back to the top of the AL Central. 

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Wind the clocks back five years

 The White Sox team that went coast-to-coast in first place were truly a complete team that had it all. In June of that season Bobby Jenks stepped up to become the man that Ozzie Guillen went to in the 9th after injuries hampered Dustin Hermanson. Ozzie did have some other options at the time with Cliff Politte and Damaso Marte as options.

However, Jenks with his 98 MPH fastball proved that he had what it took to get the done. Five months after becoming the closer for the Sox, Jenks was the man on the mound when the White Sox captured the World Championship in Houston.

Now in 2010 the White Sox are trying to simply win their division, and overcome the ever-present Minnesota Twins. For most of the season the team’s strength was a bullpen that any manager would feel confident turning to in the latter innings. But, as of late the team has run into issue in this department, as the most glaring concern is the closer role.

Looking at the team’s poised to make the postseason it becomes apparent that closer is a linking commonality that these teams share.

New York Yankees- Mariano Rivera

Tampa Bay Rays- Rafael Soriano

Minnesota Twins- Matt Capps

Texas Rangers- Neftali Perez

Atlanta Braves- Billy Wagner

Philadelphia Phillies- Brad Lidge

Cincinnati Reds- Francisco Cordero

St. Louis Cardinals- Ryan Franklin

San Diego Padres- Heath Bell

 Chicago White Sox-  ?

By no means does is closer situation the only area that holds the White Sox season in the balance, but it defintely is one of the more important ones as we approach September.

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