h2h Corner ~ The Cardinals Closer Carousel

The Cardinals closer situation is akin to the dreaded committee approach that Theo thought was such a good idea back in 2004.

While committees make real good sense in real baseball, they drive fantasy players crazy. I’m here to help.

I think newly recalled Chris Perez will probably end up with the most saves. He pitched two good innings, not allowing a run or a hit, while striking two, in his only minor league appearance. He also pitched two scoreless innings while fanning two batters in the major leagues today. Last year, in 41.2 innings, Perez struck out 42 and walked 22 while posting a 3.46 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. He also recorded 7 saves.

However, for your short-term play, you want to grab Ryan Franklin. The reason Chris Perez and Jason Motte pitched today is that La Russa was saving Franklin for what seemed like a close game. In fact, Franklin has only pitched twice in the last two weeks, one (the most recent) was a save opportunity and the previous was a hold – both high leverage relief appearances. Franklin should be good for at least 5-10 saves before Perez takes over.