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Digging Deeper into Closers: AL Central Bullpen Report

Welcome to the RotoBaller.com Preseason Bullpen Report. This edition features the American League Central. RotoBaller answers your closers questions here, and you can ask us anything else at our Ask Us Anything section of RotoBaller.com.

Addison Reed on June 26, 2012Chicago White Sox

Presumed Closer: Addison Reed

% Chance to start the season as closer: 95%
% Chance to be the closer at All-Star break: 80%

Reed’s first year as the White Sox closer was rockier than expected. He finished the year with 29 saves in 33 chances, but registered a horrid 4.75 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. His second half was particularly bad-- a 5.63 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 5 HR allowed in only 24 IP. Reed was a strikeout pitcher in the minors, averaging more than 11.50 K/9 in all his minor league stops, only to see that ratio drop below 9.0 K/9 once he arrived in the big leagues. With a fastball that averaged 94.5 mph in 2012, he still has a live arm, and with some experience pitching at the highest level, he could conceivable bring that strikeout rate back to its historical level.

Others to know: The White Sox will contend for the AL Central title and Reed will have a shorter leash because of that. Veteran Jesse Crain is lurking in the background if Reed struggles. Crain had a great 2012 season and has terrific strikeout potential. Keep an eye on him in case Reed falters.

Cleveland Indians

Presumed Closer: Chris Perez

% Chance to start the season as closer: 35%
% Chance to be the closer at All-Star break: 30%

On March 1, Chris Perez was diagnosed with a strain in his throwing shoulder, which is never good news. He’s not projected to be ready to go until late March and that could be pushed further if he suffers a setback. Before this news, Perez was a risky pick anyway, so now he's an extraordinarily risky pick. If Perez is unable to go on Opening Day, the Indians have Vinnie Pestano waiting to assume the closer role. If Perez is healthy, look for the Indians to give him every opportunity to close. After all, Perez is set to earn $7.3M in 2013, so the Indians will want to showcase him and probably look to move him before the deadline. If Perez is still hurting, enjoy Pestano who teased us in 2012 with a 9.77 K/9, 2.57 ERA and 1.10 WHIP.

Others to know: Injury and trade rumors abound for Chris Perez. There’s a chance you can get Perez on the cheap if fantasy owners are scared off, or you may want to snag Vinnie Pestano in one of the final rounds of your draft. Either way, there is a good chance that you can get a guy on the cheap here.

Detroit Tigers

Presumed Closer: Bruce Rondon?

% Chance to start the season as closer: 25%
% Chance to be the closer at All-Star break: 25%

Who knows? Bruce Rondon is the latest player trending on Jim Leyland’s Twitter feed. He throws hard and strikes guys out, but he's had control problems throughout his professional career. Don’t spend too much on any Tigers closer, and certainly not on Rondon.

Others to know: Brayan Villarreal, Joaquin Benoit, Al Alburquerque, Phil Coke, Octavio Dotel. The Tigers could also trade for any of the names they've been linked to in the last few weeks, like Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard. In short, there are lots of good options who will compete with Rondon for the job. Benoit is the guy we think will ultimately end up with the job, but keep an eye on the Rotoballer newsfeed for updated information on the Tigers closing situation.

GregHollandKansas City Royals

Presumed Closer: Greg Holland

% Chance to start the season as closer: 100%
% Chance to be the closer at All-Star break: 95%

After finishing the second half with a 2.17 ERA and 13.25 K/9, Greg Holland is looking like a top-10 closer entering 2013. Two consecutive seasons with a low ERA and a K/9 above 11.00 make Holland a solid pick. But be concerned about all the baserunners he allows-- a high walk rate and a .346 BABIP led to a 1.37 WHIP in 2012. The BABIP should decline, but walks could remain a problem. His 91 K last year put him in the upper echelon of all closers, though, and you can consider Holland fairly valued after about the eleventh round or so.

Others to know: Aaron Crow would be the go-to if Holland is injured, but this scenario only comes to pass if Holland really stinks up the joint. Draft Holland with confidence.

Minnesota Twins

Presumed Closer: Glen Perkins

% Chance to start the season as closer: 100%
% Chance to be the closer at All-Star break: 90%

Glen Perkins emerged as the Twins' closer in 2012 with 16 saves, and he should be a safe bet to keep the job going forward in 2013. One notable statistic here is that Perkins's fastball speed has steadily risen over the last three seasons from 92.0 mph all the way up to 95.2 mph in its recent vintage. In the second half of 2012, he was nearly unhittable with a 1.93 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP, which he achieved by halving the walk rate he had established prior to the All-Star break. The Twins won’t win many games, but saves rarely correlate nicely with a teams' win totals. Draft Perkins for his skills, not his supporting cast.

Others to know: Jared Burton or Alex Burnett would be the second choice if Perkins can’t close; right now Perkins is the guy, and he should hold the job barring injury or meltdown.

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

A.J. Brown

Says He'll Be Active For Season Opener
Luis Garcia

to Make Season Debut on Monday
Max Scherzer

Exits Due to Back Tightness
Taylor Ward

Exits Early After Collison
Braelon Allen

Says He Has a Lot Left to Prove
Sal Stewart

Reds Promoting Sal Stewart to Majors
Daniel Suarez

is A DFS Risk for Darlington Lineups?
Randy Rodríguez

Randy Rodriguez to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Noah Gragson

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Noah Gragson for Darlington?
Ty Dillon

is an Excellent Punt Option for Darlington DFS Lineups
Bogdan Bogdanović

Bogdan Bogdanovic to Miss the Rest of EuroBasket
Denny Hamlin

Picking Up Where He Left Off At Darlington
Kyle Larson

The Sky Is The Limit for Kyle Larson at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

a Strong DFS Play at Darlington This Weekend
Tyler Reddick

Shouldn't Be Overlooked at Darlington This Weekend
Alex Bowman

An Easy Place-Differential Play in DFS This Weekend
Ty Gibbs

Could Be Strong at Darlington This Weekend
Erik Jones

Has Best Darlington Qualifying Effort Since Last Win
Zane Smith

Hopeful For Another Solid Run At Darlington
AJ Allmendinger

Still Seeking First Top-10 Finish at Darlington
Chase Elliott

Likely Won't Factor for the Win at Darlington
Joey Logano

Might Focus More on Playoff Races
Chris Buescher

Missing Playoffs Allows Chris Buescher to Potentially Go All Out at Darlington
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Qualifies Too Well for DFS Consideration
Austin Dillon

Earns Best Qualifying Result at Darlington
Kyle Busch

Downturn in Speed This Year Makes Him a Worse DFS Option
Carson Hocevar

Should Run Better at Darlington Than the Numbers Predict
Ryan Preece

a Low-key Strong DFS Option at Darlington After His Speed in the Spring
Michael McDowell

Don't Expect Much From Michael McDowell
Aroldis Chapman

Agrees to Contract Extension
Juan Soto

Homers Twice in Loss
Nick Kurtz

Avoids Serious Injury
MacKenzie Gore

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Reaches 25-Homer, 25-Steal Milestone
Chris Sale

Activated on Saturday
Dansby Swanson

Homers Twice, Drives in Six in Win
Nick Kurtz

Leaves Game With Oblique Soreness
Joe Burrow

Bengals Feel Joe Burrow Just had "the Best Training Camp of his Career"
Randy Rodríguez

Tommy John Surgery Recommended for Randy Rodriguez
Corey Seager

Placed on Injured List
Jackson Chourio

to Return From Injured List on Saturday
Jordan Lawlar

Diamondbacks Set to Promote Jordan Lawlar
Dallas Mavericks

Olivier-Maxence Prosper Waived by the Mavs
Lauri Markkanen

Dominant in Win Over Great Britain
Xander Bogaerts

Suffers Foot Fracture, Set to Hit Injured List
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Leads Serbia to a Win
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Shines Versus Portugal
De'Von Achane

Should be Ready for Week 1
Jose Alvarado

"Good" After Recent Fall
Alec Burleson

Lands on Injured List With Wrist Inflammation
Emmanuel Clase

Luis L. Ortiz to Remain On Leave for Rest of Season
Kyle Schwarber

has Historic Performance in Rout of Braves
Green Bay Packers

Packers Acquire Micah Parsons, Sign him to Four-Year Extension
Jauan Jennings

Remains Sidelined at Practice
Chris Godwin

to Miss First Month of Season, Possibly More
Quinshon Judkins

Not Considering Return to College
A.J. Brown

Returns to Practice, Expected to Play in Week 1
Jaylen Wright

Undergoes Surgery, Could be Back "Septemberish"
Tyreek Hill

on Track to Play in Week 1
Kyren Williams

to See Reduced Workload?
Jayden Reed

Dealing with Jones Fracture in Left Foot
Lauri Markkanen

Torches Sweden
Neemias Queta

Dominates in EuroBasket Opener
Kawhi Leonard

Clippers Not Allowing Kawhi Leonard to Play Back-to-Backs
Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks Looking to Trade Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Tyrese Haliburton

Expects to Return in 15 Months
Malik Nabers

Expected to be Full-Go for Week 1
Travis Hunter

Back at Practice, Will be Ready for Week 1
De'Von Achane

Not Practicing on Wednesday
Rashee Rice

Accepting Six-Game Suspension to Begin the Year
Kyle Hamilton

Ravens, Kyle Hamilton Finalizing Four-Year Extension
Rashee Rice

NFL Aiming to Place Six-Game Suspension on Rashee Rice
De'Von Achane

Dolphins GM Says De'Von Achane Will be Ready for Week 1
Joe Mixon

Texans GM: "We'll See" if Joe Mixon Plays in 2025
Terance Mann

Confident About Having a Big Year in Brooklyn
Zaccharie Risacher

Aims to Improve Ball-Handling Skills
NBA

Pistons And Timberwolves Join Race for Malik Beasley
John Tonje

Signs Two-Way Deal With Jazz
Max Strus

to Miss 3-4 Months After Surgery
Nikola Jović

Heat Have High Hopes for Nikola Jovic
Golden State Warriors

Cody Martin Drawing Interest From Warriors
Minnesota Timberwolves

Timberwolves Interested in Reunion With Bones Hyland
Kylor Kelley

Joins Lakers
Colin Castleton

Links Up With Magic

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP