Following Brad Lidge's first blown save, the new poll asks which closer will lose his job first. The candidates are Brad Lidge, Jorge Julio, Joe Borowski and Whoever Gets The First Save in Tampa Bay.
Speaking of the Florida closer, I am going over the available relievers in my NL-only draft being held this Thursday and realized how little value the previous closing candidates seem to have. Kevin Gregg? Henry Owens? Matt Linstrom? I can see at least one of those candidates going undrafted in an NL-only. Mixed leagues? Out of the question!
As for the back-ups in Houston and Cleveland, Dan Wheeler is the clear-cut favorite for the Astros. The Indians are a little harder to figure. Most of the Roto-commentariat says it is Rafeal Betancourt.
I tend to disagree. Betancourt was part of the bullpen implosion last August following the Wickman trade. (ed: What's the Roto-commentariat's track record on Bob Wickman?) The Indians went out and signed veteran bullpen arms, and previously-successful closers, Joe Borowski, Keith Foulke and Roberto Hernandez. Given Foulke has retired and Borowski has the job now, I am going to offer the contrarian opinion that Hernandez gets the job if Borowski fails. He did pitch the 8th yesterday after Betancourt pitched the 7th.
Tampa Bay? Ugh.