Kevin Jepsen (RP, MIN) - Waiver Wire Analysis
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Saves Leagues OWNED IN: 39% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: Jepsen has been getting the save opportunities for the Twins and at only 39% owned in fantasy leagues, is a nice waiver wire option to end the season. While he's not completely lights out, he does average close to a strikeout per inning and hasn't blown... Read More
Yusmeiro Petit (SP/RP, SF) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper
BALLER MOVE: Target in Late Rounds if Given A Rotation Spot ANALYSIS: As a spot starter and long reliever, Yusmeiro Petit logged 117 innings with a 3.69 ERA in 2014, setting an MLB record for consecutive batters retired in the process. As a result, his name has rightly been tossed around in sleeper conversations. Petit's... Read More
Edward Mujica (RP, BOS) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues (if you need saves) ANALYSIS: With the Red Sox out of contention, Koji Uehara was shut down for the remainder of the season. Edward Mujica has stepped into the closer's role, making him the latest edition to our waiver wire sleepers list for saves. Tonight he nailed down his 4th save... Read More
Drew Storen (RP, WAS) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues Owned in 6% of Fleaflicker, 38% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Rafael Soriano has been yanked from the closer's role in Washington, and Drew Storen has been pitching admirably as his replacement. Racking up three saves over the last 7 days, Storen is now making his way onto our waiver wire sleepers list... Read More
Mike Fiers (SP / RP, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues Owned in 71% of Yahoo, 29% of Fleaflicker Leagues ANALYSIS: Not to say that Mike Fiers is really a sleeper anymore, seeing as he is owned in almost three out of every four leagues, but he is still under owned, given how he has pitched since returning to Milwaukee's rotation in early August.... Read More
Eric O'Flaherty (RP, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: With the recent news that stud closer Sean Doolittle hit the DL, Eric O'Flaherty has stepped in as the Oakland closer and has made his way onto our waiver wire sleepers list for saves. Let's be honest here - there is no replacing Doolittle. He has been absolutely filthy this year. But... Read More
Hector Rondon (RP, CHC) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Most Mixed Leagues ANALYSIS: With 16 saves in 20 opportunities, Hector Rondon has emerged as a legitimate major league closer. The 26-year-old righty has a 3.30 ERA over 46.1 innings pitched, striking out 49 in the process. He draws a remarkable 49.6% ground ball percentage and as a result, has only given... Read More
Jake McGee (RP, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Jake McGee is the new Sean Doolittle, and by that I mean he's the new "most dominant closer who also doesn't walk anyone, ever, for real". Don't believe me? Consider this: since taking over the closer role for the Rays on June 27th, McGee has pitched 17 innings, during which... Read More
Jake Petricka (RP, CWS) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: With the recent news that Zach Putnam has been placed on the DL earlier today, some more clarity has has been shed onto the White Sox bullpen situation. Jake Petricka should now have the opportunity to handle the closer duties all to himself, at least in the short term, making him... Read More
Neftali Feliz (RP, TEX) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add Immediately ANALYSIS: The closer carousel continues as Joakim Soria has been shipped to the Tigers to either close or setup for incumbent Joe Nathan, opening a spot at the backend of the Texas Rangers bullpen. Enter Neftali Feliz, who should walk right into that open spot and run with it all the way to the... Read More
Zach Putnam (RP, CHW) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: It's clear the ChiSox have settled on Zach Putnam as their closer after notching back-to-back saves on July 18th and 19th. If you own Petricka, you can safely cut him loose now, because despite Ventura's public statements that the closer role will be shared, it's looking more likely that Putnam... Read More
Joaquin Benoit (RP, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add Immediately ANALYSIS: By now you've surely heard the most recent closer carousel news. Huston Street has been sent 90 minutes north and is closing for the Los Angeles Angels, and Joaquin Benoit has inherited the Padres 9th inning duties. Benoit proved last year he can handle the closing reigns, racking up 24 saves for... Read More
Jake McGee (RP, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Most Leagues ANALYSIS: The Tampa Bay Ray's bullpen has been manned by a number of relievers, but none have been as successful as Jake McGee. McGee seems to have been the closer in waiting for a couple of seasons, and now he's getting more of an opportunity, with 3 saves in... Read More
Brad Boxberger (RP, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Continue Scouting ANALYSIS: Brad Boxberger has been one of the Rays' more dominant relief pitchers in 2014. He's having a breakout season, pitching to a 2.87 ERA with a.93 WHIP and an impressive 48:12 K:BB ratio in just 31.1 IP. His filthy strikeout stuff is well suited to the closer role, but Boxberger, with just... Read More
Zach Putnam (RP, CWS) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues (that value saves) ANALYSIS: With the news that Ronald Belisario was officially removed from the closer's role, Zach Putnam becomes the most recent addition to our list of saves sleepers to target off the waiver wire. While it hasn't been officially stated that Putnam is the new team closer, he looks like the favorite and is... Read More
Santiago Casilla (RP, SF) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: With the recent news that the struggling Sergio Romo has been removed from the closer's role, Santiago Casilla becomes an immediate addition to our waiver wire sleepers list for saves. Bruce Bochy stated that Casilla and Jeremy Affeldt would form a committee, but we prefer Casilla is the better option... Read More
Joe Smith (RP, LAA) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Since he came up in 2007, Smith has been a very reliable middle relief option for every team he has played on. In each of his final three seasons in Cleveland before signing with the Angels in 2014, he had a sub-3.00 ERA with 60+ IP. This year, he... Read More
Mark Melancon (RP, PIT) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add Immediately ANALYSIS: Racking up saves is 50% opportunity and 50% talent. Mark Melancon has always had the talent, and he's about to get his 2nd 2014 opportunity. After racking up 10 saves while Grilli landed on the DL, Melancon had been relegated to setup duties. All he did over his last 10 outings was throw 9.1... Read More
Jake McGee (RP, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Jake McGee is the de facto closer for the Rays. He was favored to get the gig after Balfour's demotion, and while some may have forgotten because it took a week for the Rays to offer McGee a save opportunity, he is now a waiver wire option that should be added immediately. He has... Read More
Neil Ramirez (RP, CHC) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues (that value saves) ANALYSIS: Neil Ramirez is the latest Cubs reliever to rack up some saves, immediately making him a viable waiver wire pickup and another in the list of saves sleepers for fantasy baseball. This afternoon Ramirez nailed down the save for the Cubs, his second in 3 days as... Read More
Hector Rondon (RP, CHI) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 10+ Team Mixed Leagues, Must Own in NL-Only Leagues ANALYSIS: What's with the lack of fantasy baseball love for Hector Rondon? You would think that the assigned closer for the Chicago Cubs, with very good pitching ratios thus far in 2014, should be more than 47% owned in Yahoo leagues right?... Read More
Jake McGee / Juan Carlos Oviedo (RP, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Leagues ANALYSIS: Grant Balfour is out as the closer in TB, for now. He says his fastball has been improving, and if that's the case we will not be surprised to see Balfour reclaim the closer gig in a matter of weeks. Joe Maddon is intensely loyal to his players - could... Read More
Ronald Belisario (RP, CWS) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues (that value saves) ANALYSIS: After picking up the save last night, the White Sox officially announced today that Ronald Belisario will act as their closer and should be grabbed off the waiver wire for all leagues that value saves. He becomes yet another one in the recent string of saves sleepers... Read More
Sean Doolittle (RP, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Jim Johnson has lost his closers job in Oakland, maybe even permanently, and Sean Doolittle looks like the waiver wire pickup. Currently only owned in 31% of Yahoo leagues, he can be considered another one in the list of recent sleepers for leagues that count saves. Even though he's a lefty,... Read More
Jenrry Mejia (RP, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues ANALYSIS: Jenrry Mejia picked up his first career save today, and should be added off the waiver wire in most leagues that count saves, becoming yet another in the recent list of saves sleepers for fantasy baseball. When Kyle Farnsworth was recently removed from the role and released, there was speculation... Read More
Bryan Shaw (RP, CLE) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues (that value saves) ANALYSIS: Bryan Shaw, and not Cody Allen, may just be the new closer for the Indians, making him a waiver wire pickup to consider for leagues that value saves, and adding him to the list of recent saves sleepers. John Axford was removed from the role last week after struggling... Read More
Zach Britton (RP, BAL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Zach Britton looks to be the new closer for the Orioles, making him an immediate waiver wire pickup and adding to the list of sleepers for leagues that value saves. He picked up Baltimore's most recent save on Thursday evening with a scoreless inning, and has been filthy all season... Read More
Aaron Loup (RP, TOR) - Waiver Wire Analysis
Update (5/3 - after today's game): Loup came in the 7th inning of today's game, and had a disastrous outing giving up 3 ER. Certainly a different tune than what the Blue Jays had said coming into today. The bullpen situation is ugly here, most likely yielding towards a committee going forward until Janssen is back,... Read More
Mark Melancon (RP, PIT) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues ANALYSIS: Jason Grilli has be struggling this year, and hit the DL today after blowing a couple of saves. If you're looking for closers off the waiver wire, Mark Melancon may still be available in your league as he will be filling in as the Pirates closer and can be added... Read More