This article references Brad Ziegler, Danny Farquhar, Fernando Rodney, Jonathan Papelbon, SP, Zach Britton and more!   Don't Pay For These Saves You hear it every year: Don't pay for saves. A simple, effective strategy if you're an active and intelligent owner. Which, if you're reading this, you are. And handsome to boot! Have you lost weight? Sometimes, though, that strategy can be a bit of a boondoggle. I changed closers more frequently than my bed sheets last season, as certain managers seemingly had it out for me and zigged every time I zagged. I'm treating that like the aberration it probably wa[...]Keep on reading: Three Closers (RPs) Who Will Underperform Their 2015 ADP

This article references Adam Ottavino, Brandon Maurer, Craig Kimbrel, Joaquin Benoit, Jonathan Papelbon, Justin Grimm, Kenley Jansen, Kevin Quackenbush, LaTroy Hawkins, Mark Melancon, Neil Ramirez, Pedro Strop, Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo, SP, Tim Lincecum, Tony Watson, Tyson Ross, Yusmeiro Petit and more!   Every year in fantasy baseball leagues about one third of all the opening day closers lose their jobs due to injury or poor performance. It's just the nature of the game. Below are five NL relievers to watch closely in 2015 who could have significant fantasy baseball value if the closer on their team were to go down. In fantasy leagues that count holds, these relief pitchers could hold stand-alone value on draft day as well. So with that being said, let's get to it.   To[...]Keep on reading: Save Prospecting: Top Five Non-Closing NL Relief Pitchers

It's mostly about pitching today, but I'll toss in some updates on a few hitters that are really bringing it this season as well. I'm nothing if not well rounded. Just ask around. Boy is that Adrian Beltre a stable option. He's batting .317 with 29 homers, 90 RBIs and 85 runs scored. He's even [...]

I already miss my beach in Hawaii, but it's time to talk fantasy baseball and put the dreams of my vacation out of my head. Today I'll do what I often do -- randomly hit on a variety of players that struck me as I was reviewing the world of baseball over the last 24 [...]

Sometimes people miss the point. We're all guilty of this (even the great Oracle isn't always understanding of everything that is presented to him). In this piece I thought I would try to explain a few things that might be missed when people look at players and try to discern what is going on with [...]

Each week I'll be answering questions that have been sent to me at the BaseballGuys' Twitter account in my never ending attempt to replace myself by explaining to everyone how I evaluate players thereby making myself obsolete. Should I trade Matt Kemp for CC Sabathia and Aroldis Chapman? -- @cooperkyle22 Do you need offense or [...]

Each week I'll be here answering questions that have been sent to me at the BaseballGuys' Twitter account. My Jason Motte for Bryce Harper. Too much? -- ErikJKatz We're all aware of it by now, but the attrition rate of closers this season is better than 50 percent, and that's just stupefying. What it means [...]

Yesterday in SWIP: 2012 -- Starters, I gave a detailed description of exactly what SWIP is before I took a look at the starting pitcher pool from 2011. In PART II of my SWIP report, I'll take a look at all the hurlers who tossed less than 160 innings including a discussion about the men [...]

As we approach the start of the 2012 MLB season and fantasy baseball drafts are in full swing, watching every team's bullpen becomes imperative. It's easy to say that you're going to target Craig Kimbrel and Jonathan Papelbon in your draft, but things happen, trends change, and before you know it, you just missed a huge closer run in your draft and you start to feel that nervous pit in your stomach that's filled with concern for a lack of saves.  Sometimes, when that happens, you need to take a step back and regroup.  You need to assess where in your draft is the right time to make a move now that all of the top options are off the board.  So today, we're going to look at a few low end options who, according to their most recent ADP rankings, can be had at a bargain price.  You don't want to sleep on... Rafael Betancourt, COL -- Though he's never held down a closer's role, the Rockies felt very comfortable letting Huston Street go and supplanting him with Betancourt. His last two seasons have been phenomenal, posting double digit K/9 marks with very few walks and solid FIP totals.  His Achilles heel seems to still be the long ball which is never good for a fly ball pitcher in Coors Field, but he makes up for it with his high strikeout totals, particularly his 12.8% swinging strike percentage.  If missing bats is a must for a closer, then Betancourt fits the bill.  His most recent ADP numbers have him going around the 198th pick or the middle of the 16th round in standard 12-team mixed leagues. While you're building up the rest of your team with your early picks, you can get find just as much success with your bullpen by drafting Betancourt late. Javy Guerra, LAD -- While everyone just assumes that Kenley Jansen will take over the closer's role for the Dodgers, manager Don Mattingly continues to stand by and give votes of confidence to Guerra. And yet, Jansen...

Or is it Philly adds pap shmear to their J-Roll? What, icky?  Sorry, friend.  The Phils signed Jonathan Papelbon to a silly deal of sillier proportions.  Maybe the Phils should move to the Santa Ynez Valley because their replacement of Madson is a sideways move. <-- movie pun! Well, for whatever reason the Phils don't [...]