Boston: Koji Uehara has only made three appearances this spring and there is still no timetable for when he might take the mound after suffering a hamstring injury. The Sox are getting more and more worried that he won’t be ready for Opening Day and could place him on the disabled list to open the season. Uehara will turn 40 years of age just before the season begins and this may not be the last injury he deals with all season. Edward Mujica is the next logical candidate to take over the role should Uehara be unavailable but he’s not the long term answer either. Starting pitching may not be the only thing Boston needs this season.

Detroit: Fantasy owners have been worried about Joe Nathan

You know what I love most about the fact that Opening Day has finally arrived? It means the return of box scores, baby! In fact, as much as I enjoyed seeing baseball games that counted after a somewhat boring spring training, I really enjoyed getting back to my favorite morning ritual today even more. Get up, pour a steaming hot cup of coffee and check out the box scores from the games the day before. Ahhh, that’s more like it now. But I digress. I’m not here to tell you about my quirky morning routines; I’m here to present to you the inaugural 2015 edition of Skill Drills.

Twice a week, Skill Drills will introduce you to the sabermetrics that measure actual player skills, the abilities that make their statistical production possible. For example, when it comes to pitchers, ERA tells you all kinds of things about how many earned runs were allowed while a pitcher is on the mound. However, it is not really a measure of skill because there are just too many other factors involved in run production, including the defense behind the pitcher, the sequence of on field events (hits, walks etc.) and luck, both good and bad. So instead, we’ll deal with FIP, or Fielding Independent Pitching, which removes fielding, sequential events and luck from the equation to measure those things that a pitcher can control – namely, walks, strikeouts, home runs and hit batsmen. Get the idea?

Well this has been a fun week for closers. Three lost their jobs (Steve Cishek, Addison Reed and Neftali Feliz), two returned from the disabled list (Kenley Jansen, Jake McGee) and one is getting closer to a return (Sean Doolittle). There is just never a dull moment when it comes to closers.

I always find it humorous when, in a holds league, a guy I had pegged as my top holds pitcher gets promoted to closer. This sounds great in most leagues when it happens, but in a holds league, if I don’t need the saves it actually hurts me in the short term.  A.J. Ramos comes to mind here. I had him as my only holds pitcher in a league. I don’t need saves in that league. So, now I have four closers. Sounds great, but now I have to make what pretty much amounts to a two for one deal. I need to trade a closer (preferably Ramos to the Cishek owner) and another player to get a better player back.  I need to make it a two for one deal so I can open up a roster spot for another holds guy.  My other option would be to drop a player and claim the top holds pitcher available on the waiver wire. Blah, this is always much funnier when it happens to someone else.

This has been yet another quiet week when it comes to closers. I tend to view this as a good thing for two reasons. First, well, it makes writing this column easier; the less turnover, the less typing I have to do. Finally, most of my Fantasy teams are set at this position so I would rather not see any additional closers come on the market.  If they did, odds are they would help my competition more than they would me. Selfish, I know, but that’s Fantasy Baseball.

Is he just rusty, or is Greg Holland hiding an injury that is causing lower velocity on his pitches? Photo Credit: Keith Allison

As a public service announcement for those who read this column regularly, I will be away on vacation next week but you will still get a Closer Report, it just won’t be me writing it. Now, my family has been planning this vacation for quite a while and anytime we go away, we’re always worried about one thing or another. One of the things that worries me are my Fantasy teams. I have to make sure not only to set my lineups ahead of time, but also find a way to check out the news each day to keep up with any daily moves I might need to make.  Even vacations don’t offer time off for Fantasy players and I certainly won’t be playing the daily game while I’m away.  Sad times.

Jonathan Papelbon could be wearing some new colors by the end of July. Photo Credit: Keith Allison

With word coming out now that the Detroit Tigers may be sellers instead of buyers at the trade deadline (July 31) the market could be flooded with available closers. We already knew that low tier closers like John Axford, Jim Johnson and Tyler Clippard are there for the taking, but also top tier closers like Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel could be available. As a matter of fact, up to one-third of the current closers in MLB could be on the market.  This could lead to quite a few closers that will be on the move, which is both good and bad for Fantasy owners.

It’s good because this means teams that will trade away their current closers will now be looking for someone else to close out games. This will give those Fantasy teams that need to climb up in the save category a chance to claim some fresh meat. It’s bad because some of the current bottom-tiered closers will be setup men for their new teams, and thus Fantasy owners could also lose points in the standings.

I’ve been joking for several columns now how Fantasy leagues could be decided by closers being traded from one team to another. Some Fantasy owners will reap the benefit if they are able to swoop in and grab new closers off the waiver wire, while other owners will lose a closer, or worse, the closers they have. I can assure you this has happened to just about everyone. I was getting depressed looking at all of my Fantasy teams today and realizing that I had Joakim Soria, Jim Johnson, and Drew Storen on more teams than I expected. Such is life; we all have to deal with it.

It used to be that if a Major League Baseball team had a closer, they wouldn’t trade for a second one.  Baseball, however, is becoming a copycat league. Teams watched how successful the Royals have been over the last two seasons with an average at best starting rotation backed by a lockdown bullpen, and now everyone wants to try and set their team up the same way. That’s good for major league teams but not so good for Fantasy owners. Now, let’s talk about what has happened in what has been a crazy last 10 days.

Junichi Tazawa was among the Holds leaders in 2014. Photo Credit: Keith Allison

An example would be in a league I played in a couple of years ago. I was in third place in the standings, and the top three teams were separate by just four points. I had three closers but had little need for them. I was in second in saves but unlikely to move up or down in that category. The second place team contacted me about a big trade. He would deal me a top notch starting pitcher, which I needed, and another good player for all three of my closers. At first, this seemed like a no-brainer deal. However, I came to realize that this deal would certainly win the league for him, as he could easily gain 5-6 points in saves, while I would only likely gain a point or two. The risk was just not worth the reward in this case. My position in the standings was unlikely to change, so I passed on the deal. I believe it was the right move, as I ended up finishing in second place, while my possible trade partner ended up in third. Maybe yes, maybe no.

Is this fair? Not really. Why MLB hasn’t changed this rule is beyond me. Pennant races and, in effect, Fantasy leagues can easily be determined now by a player that normally would not get a chance to pitch in a Major League game. Now, I know fans like to see their favorite team’s young players and there is something to be said for rewarding a minor league player for a job well done, but why not expand rosters in April? Wouldn’t this make more sense? It would be a good way to possibly prevent pitching injuries also. You don’t have to push your starters in the early going, as you would have more than enough bullpen arms to carry you until the pitchers start to build up arm strength for the long season ahead. This could also be a way to prevent top pitching prospects from being shut down in September to save their arms. Now you can save them in April by skipping a start or going to a six-man rotation and not have to worry about losing a top notch youngster for the pennant chase. Everyone would seem to win here but of course under the current CBA, arbitration would start earlier so I don’t see this ever happening.

Glen Perkins is feeling better and should be closing again soon. Photo Credit: Keith Allison

Arizona Diamondbacks: Brad Ziegler may not be sexy, but he’s getting the job done. There really isn’t anyone to challenge him for the position. Once the Diamondbacks traded away Addison Russell, Ziegler had the job all to himself.

Atlanta Braves: Vizcaino has only had five save opportunities (blown one) since taking over the role. That blown save came in his second inning of work, otherwise he has been very good. The only question may be whether or not Vizcaino goes into next season as the favorite to remain the closer.

Baltimore Orioles: It’s all about Zach Britton.

Aroldis Chapman could be in a new uniform next season. Photo Credit: Keith Allison

Boston Red Sox: The loss of Koji Uehara (wrist) has left a mish mash at the backend of the bullpen. Jean Machi is the current closer but that may only last as long as his next poor outing.  Junichi Tazawa could still be in play.

Chicago Cubs: Hector Rondon should’ve never lost the closing job in the first place, but since being getting his job back he has done nothing to indicate he’s feeling the pressure of a pennant race. Don’t let the signing of Fernando Rodney fool you, it’s Rondon you want for saves.

Chicago White Sox: David Robertson is the closer now and in the future.

Cincinnati Reds: One has to wonder if the Reds will once again look into trading Aroldis Chapman during the offseason, but he still remains one of the best in the game.

Cleveland Indians: Cody Allen may have some ugly outings, but overall he’s been as solid as they come in the ninth inning.

Colorado Rockies: John Axford’s numbers are definitely ugly, 4.08 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, but he still remains the closer in Colorado. It’s not that the Rockies haven’t tried to replace him, they have, but no one else has stuck.

Detroit Tigers: Once the Tigers waived the white flag by trading away David Price and Yoenis Cespedes, they did the smart thing by seeing what they have in Bruce Rondon. Now, Rondon is not always pretty, actually his numbers are horrific (6.12 ERA, 1.56 WHIP), but he has only blown one save and may be able to use the remainder of this season as a stepping stone for next year.

Houston Astros: Luke Gregerson always seems to be the kind of closer you expect to lose his job at any minute, but in the end he keeps the job because he knows how to avoid the thin ice. It’s unlikely that Houston would think about making a change now.

Kansas City Royals: Greg Holland has dealt with arm injuries this year, but nothing that will keep him from closing games.

Los Angeles Angels: How does Huston Street continue to get guys out? I don’t know, but he does.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Who is the only consistent member of the Dodgers bullpen? The closer, Kenley Jansen.

Miami Marlins: It’s never a good thing to have your closer implode (Steve Cishek) but it did allow the Marlins to find out exactly what they have in A.J. Ramos. What they have is a very good closer, who should remain so for the rest of this season and for next year.

Milwaukee Brewers: Yeah, the Brewers probably should’ve tried harder to trade Francisco Rodriguez but what does that matter now, he will remain the team’s closer.

Minnesota Twins: Glen Perkins is once again out with a back injury and it’s fair to say that if not for the Twins being in the playoff race, they probably would’ve already shut him down for the season. Kevin Jepsen has been handling the ninth inning duties in his place.

New York Mets: Jeurys Familia may not have started the season as the Mets closer, but he will finish it as one.

New York Yankees: The Yankees back end of the bullpen with Dellin Betances (8^th) and Andrew Miller (9^th) may be the best in the game.

Oakland Athletics: Sean Doolittle may be back as the closer after recording a save Monday. The A’s did announce over the weekend that Doolittle was once again an option to close. The question is, does he have the full time job back or will he split it with Drew Pomeranz?

Philadelphia Phillies: We all suspected that Ken Giles would be a good replacement for Jonathan Papelbon. We were right.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Mark Melancon’s numbers say he has been one of the best closers in the game this season.

San Diego Padres: He may not have had a Craig Kimbrel type season, but there is no one about to replace him.

San Francisco Giants: Santiago Casilla is yet another closer we were waiting to be ineffective and lose his job. It never happened.

Seattle Mariners: The Mariners have had a game of musical chairs at closer this season and right now the music has stopped on Tom Wilhelmsen. Will he keep the job for the remainder of the season? Maybe, probably, who knows? Carson Smith could still see a save or two.

St. Louis Cardinals: Outside of those games versus the Pirates, Rosenthal has been as good as anyone this season.

Tampa Bay Rays: Brad Boxberger was able to keep the job even with the return of Jake McGee earlier this year. With McGee still out with a knee injury, there is little reason to believe that Boxberger won’t continue to rack up saves.

Texas Rangers: Shawn Tolleson has been much better than advertised since taking over the ninth inning job in Texas. Could he keep the role next season?

Toronto Blue Jays: It’s not all that common that you see a rookie close for a contending team but that’s just how good Roberto Osuna has been.

Washington Nationals: While it’s true that Washington didn’t need him, Jonathan Papelbon is not about to be replaced at closer.

As always feel free to follow me on Twitter and ask any questions you like, @georgekurtz

Jason Grilli was throwing his fastball at 94 mph before an Achilles injury ended his 2015 season early. Photo Credit: Twitter

Jason Grilli, Atlanta Braves: Grilli looks like he will be ready for Opening Day, and thus, he should start the season as the closer. How long that will last is anyone’s guess, though. The Braves have a trio of relievers who could potentially close. Arodys Vizcaino has the best stuff and may be the best reliever of the bunch while Jim Johnson has been a closer in the past. The Braves are in a rebuilding mode and they aren’t hiding that fact. They are likely to have Grilli and/or Johnson close games until they are traded for prospects.

Ken Giles, Houston Astros: Now, it’s smart not to put too much emphasis on Spring Training statistics, but Giles has been getting whacked so far in March, with an ERA of 7.56. Should we be worried? Well yes, but after the king’s ransom Houston paid to acquire him, it’s hard to believe that Giles won’t at least start the season as their closer. It’s not like Luke Gregerson is the next Rich Gossage.
For more relief pitcher suggestions, check out this video:

A.J. Ramos, Miami Marlins: With Carter Capps down for the season with an elbow injury (he needs Tommy John surgery), Ramos will take over as the closer. He may not have the most secure job in the world, but there isn’t anyone immediately pushing him either.

Arodys Vizcaino is the closer of the future but he could be closing sooner than we thought. Photo Credit: Keith Allison

If you own Giles or Storen, should you release them? This really depends on several factors. First, how deep is the league you’re in? Are there closers readily available on your waiver wire? How many closers do you already own? You don’t necessarily have to release these players just because they aren’t closing. You can certainly win a league with setup men who protect your ratios (WHIP/ERA), and it may give you peace of mind to know that you are protected if Roberto Osuna or Luke Gregerson ever loses the job.

Then the season starts, and for many Fantasy players, Fantasy Baseball strategy ends. Sure, they keep their lineups up-to-date and might bench a pitcher here and there. They might even comb through the waiver wire religiously on a weekly basis… But game strategy was left behind in the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues until next spring when we go through the same process.

It doesn’t have to be that way. There’s more that we can do during the season when it comes to Fantasy Baseball strategy. In particular, there are strategies we can use to exploit 5 X 5 rotisserie formats, Fantasy Baseball’s most popular scoring system.

How We Value Players

It’s pretty much a fact that once the stats are on paper we can give each player an accurate value, but that’s in a macro setting. Those values are based on comparisons of all players in the given pool. Is that value set in stone, though? Can we change a player’s value within the context of your team?

Obviously, I believe we can or you wouldn’t be reading this article.

It’s pretty hard to game the counting categories. You have to draft players that will get the playing time to accumulate those stats. Whether it’s home runs, RBIs, or strikeouts, you can’t really sneak up on people in those categories.

The rate stats are different, though. What if I told you that you could get elite stats in two categories?.. And these players would actually increase the value of your best Players?.. And the players who give you these stats are widely available on your league’s waiver wire; they’re virtually free!

Too good to be true you say? This will leave you disappointed just like when you ordered the Chillow Pillow you say? Read on to see how you too can enjoy the benefits of this revolutionary new idea… Ok, it’s not new or revolutionary, but it is not used nearly enough.

Fantasy Baseball Strategy to Amaze Your Friends

This little bit of game play is built on the subtle ways that pitching categories differ from hitting categories.

First of all, there is only one rate stat for hitters in the basic 5 X 5 scoring format, but there are two for pitchers.

Second, it’s entirely possible for a hitter to contribute in all five hitting categories, but it is impossible for a pitcher to help you in more than four.

These differences will let us game things on the pitching side of things. Specifically, I want to use the ERA and WHIP categories.

If you haven’t guessed yet, my top secret strategy involves the use of Fantasy Baseball’s forgotten men, the middle relievers and setup men.

Now, this strategy may not be for everyone. If you drafted six or seven solid starting pitchers, these middle relievers won’t have much value to you. You’ve already got pitchers who are going to excel in WHIP and ERA, and they’ll have you near the top of the standings in Wins and strikeouts as well. Then it just becomes a question of whether or not you drafted an offense that can do enough to put your team over the top. If you dedicated a lot of your resources to pitching, that may be a tall order.

More than likely, though, your teams are probably similar to many I drafted. In all my leagues I drafted two or three solid starters, but then I focused on building my offense and tried to grab some value pitchers late. It’s a strategy I’ve used for a long time, but there are undoubtedly risks in waiting that long to fill out your starting pitchers. I play in 10 leagues and I’m heavily invested in sleeper type pitchers. I am a believer in Juan Nicasio, but he could admittedly turn into a pumpkin at any moment. I’ve rostered Clay Buchholz in quite a few leagues as well. He always teases us, but he’s far from a sure thing. Patrick Corbin, Luis Severino, Drew Pomeranz and Andrew Cashner; there’s a long list of pitchers that could turn either way.

Rather than just throw these guys out there and see what happens, I’m choosing my spots and using solid middle relievers whenever the matchups don’t look friendly.

Will this hurt me in Wins and Strikeouts? Sure, but probably not as much as you think. The starting pitchers we’re talking about aren’t exactly battling for the Cy Young Award. They’re pitchers we like for a variety of reasons, but  18-win, 200-K pitchers don’t just appear out of thin air. The middle relievers I’ll share with you in a bit, all excel in ERA and WHIP, and they’ll get their fair share of strikeouts. And early in the season when starting pitchers tend to leave games earlier, middle relievers pick up plenty of wins. Think I’m kidding? Check out the box scores at the end of any day, and you’ll likely see 10 or more decisions handed out to non-starters. For example, let’s look at last night’s box scores. I count 15 of a possible 28 wins or losses that went to someone other than the team’s starting pitcher.

3 Reasons To Use Middle Relievers, Even In Mixed Leagues

1. They have elite numbers in ERA and WHIP – I just did a sort of the ERA and WHIP of pitchers with 50 or more innings pitched in 2015. Right in the middle of the big names like Clayton Kershaw and Jake Arrieta were middle relievers like Dellin Betances, Hunter Strickland, Darren O’Day, Will Harris, and other names the average baseball fan may not recognize. No, these guys won’t contribute the innings of your top starters, but their numbers still count. They don’t carry the risk of our questionable starters, and many of them can be had for free.
2. They maximize the value of your top starters – Wouldn’t it be nice if the WHIP and ERA categories were predominantly based on your top two or three starting pitchers? Well, the reduced innings a middle reliever throws when compared to a starter, means that the innings your top starters throw will be weighted much more heavily. Not only do these middle relievers have elite numbers in limited innings, but they also let your best pitchers carry more of the weight.
3.  You just might luck into a closer – It happens all the time in keeper leagues, but even in redraft leagues, a smart selection of middle relievers can reward you with a closer just a month or two down the road. A look at last year’s saves leaders is filled with pitchers who were middle relievers in the recent past. Not a lot of people were jumping up and down about A.J. Ramos and Shawn Tolleson a year ago, but now their numbers look pretty comfortable in the middle tier of closers. Many people have Wade Davis rated as the top closer right now and he was a set-up guy until late last year.

Middle Relievers Who Can Help Your Team

A key to the bullpen, hard-throwing Nate Jones already has experienced highs and lows for unbeaten #WhiteSox. Column https://t.co/2bnjuzHiVc

— David Haugh (@DavidHaugh) April 6, 2016

Some of the top middle relief/setup men are probably taken in your mixed leagues, so I’ll divide these pitchers into two groups. The first group are the most well-known pitchers that might not be available in mixed leagues of 12 teams or more. The second group is made up of pitchers that I seriously doubt are on any mixed league rosters and maybe not even AL/NL-only teams.

The “Big Name” Middle Relievers – Dellin Betances, Joaquin Benoit, Darren O’Day, Koji Uehara, Joakim Soria, Ryan Madson, Kevin Jepsen, Drew Storen, Alex Colome, Tyler Clippard, Sergio Romo,

The “Forgotten” Middle Relievers – Nate Jones, Carson Smith, Junichi Tazawa, Pat Neshek, Kelvin Herrera, Trevor May, Tony Zych, Keone Kela, Brett Cecil, Daniel Hudson, Andrew Chafin, Justin Grimm, Neil Ramirez, Travis Wood, Yimi Garcia, Corey Knebel, Kevin Quackenbush, Brandon Maurer

There are more out there. These are just my favorites. I especially like Nate Jones in Chicago and Brandon Maurer in San Diego. Jones has nasty stuff and if he’s healthy, he could approach 100 striekouts. If David Robertson should go down, Jones would be the guy. In San Diego it’s not a question of if Fernando Rodney fails, but when. Maurer wants to be a starter, but his career splits make it pretty clear that his home should be in the bullpen. He doesn’t have a great strikeout rate, but I think he will get the call to close when Rodney implodes.

As I’ve said this strategy isn’t for everyone. Using these middle relievers does take a toll in other categories, but it can be a useful tool at different points in the season. I like to use it early in the season while my sleeper pitchers are proving themselves (or un-proving). It can also help out later in the season if you’re well behind in the Wins and Strikeouts categories. You can make up some ground in ERAS and WHIP and trade your mid-level starters for upgrades on offense.

If nothing else I’ve hopefully at least got you thinking about in-season Fantasy Baseball strategy. Draft Day is very important, but there are other ways you can game the system and make your Fantasy Baseball teams better than they really are.

You can find even more middle relief information and advice at the following links:

Breaking Down the Closer and Middle Relief Ranking Tiers

Mining Strong Bullpens for Fantasy Success

Relievers to Target

The Fantasy Sports Network (FNTSY) is now available on AppleTV! You can also watch FNTSY on Xbox One, Xbox 360, Roku and Amazon Fire TV.

Kevin Jepsen saved 10 games last season as the Twins tried to clinch a Wild Card playoff slot. Photo Credit: Twitter

Remember, back during the draft, we didn’t know who the closers would be for Toronto or Houston. Well, in a league that rewards holds, you could feel extremely comfortable drafting Storen and/or Gregerson as more than just a handcuff because even if they don’t accumulate saves, they will at least add holds. They instantly became much more valuable. The same goes for Miller; he goes back to being a setup man once Aroldis Chapman returns from his suspension on May 9.

Speaking of the setup reliever, the “hold” category always brings up plenty of discussion in Fantasy circles. Some owners like it, some not so much. I don’t mind it. I like anything that brings in a new group of players. While I usually prefer “holds” to be in a category all by itself, in leagues with more than 12 teams I actually prefer holds and saves to be one category. The reason for this is simple. There are only 30 Major League Baseball teams and therefore at most, 30 closers, half of which will lose their job by the All-Star break. Adding setup men who can accumulate holds in this category evens out the playing field a little bit. Now you don’t have to worry about selecting a closer earlier than you would want to, or paying more than your budget will allow just to compete in this category. There are always plenty of good setup men in the game. This also should pretty much eliminate punting this category for the same reason.

Ryan Madson has out-pitched Sean Doolittle and taken over as the A’s closer. Photo Credit: Twitter

Tony Cingrani’s command and control have not been good so far this season. Photo Credit: Derek Smith

Atlanta Braves: Save opportunities are few and far between for a team that would be lucky to win 70 games this season, but it would be nice for Fantasy owners if Arodys Vizcaino were to get every chance the club did have to save a game. Jason Grilli has stolen a shot here and there and I can’t say I’m surprised by this. It’s still my belief that Atlanta knows they are rebuilding AND that Vizcaino is their closer of the future, so they want to showcase Grilli for a trade later on this summer.

Chicago Cubs: Hector Rondon is pitching well but I still wonder if the Cubs will look to pick up an elite closer later on this season. They know they are a serious contender to win the World Series and may look to upgrade anywhere and everywhere.

Cincinnati Reds: Unless you’re in a long-term keeper or Dynasty league the Cincinnati closer situation is one you really want to stay away from for several reasons. First, we really don’t know who the closer is right now. It seems even the Reds are waiting for one of several relievers to break out and seize the job. Second, like the Braves, they are unlikely to win more than 70 games, and like the Braves, that might be a positive estimate. Third, does it matter who emerges? No one currently on the Major League roster is a can’t- miss prospect. Tony Cingrani is the most interesting player, however, and if I was in one of those long- term keeper or Dynasty leagues, he is the one I’d have the most interest in. I’ll pass in re-draft leagues, though.

Detroit Tigers: Francisco Rodriguez was placed on the Family Medical Emergency Leave List over the weekend. At this point in time we don’t know who would close out a game for Detroit if the need arose, nor do we know when K-Rod might return. As for who would handle the ninth inning role if a save situation came up, it would most likely come down to whether the team wanted a lefty (Justin Wilson) or a righty (Alex Wilson/Mark Lowe). Until we find out more information about when K-Rod will return to Detroit, I would hold off on claiming anyone in this trio.

You’re an outsider hiding your pain by wishing sadistic thoughts to the teams that are closer-comfy, spewing your best venom in the direction of the “clown” who has excess saves yet won’t respond to your offers. As waiver wire day approaches, you and your ilk root passionately for blown saves in hopes of beating everyone to the punch to the “closer in waiting” (like many of you did a few weeks ago when you caught the Caleb Cotham vapors).

The first month of the season has concluded, and while the waiver wires aren’t screaming with potential 25-30 saves, I do come along with tidings and hope. If you read along, there are some arms sitting out there who are one painful pitch away or a stretch of Ken Giles-like outings that could turn a middle reliever from homely wallflower into the kind of ninth inning bull of the woods that has all the girls swiping your Tinder profile makes your email smell rosy with offers.

Addison Reed is striking out 11.25 batters per 9 innings so far this season. Photo Credit: Twitter

Perhaps you won’t feel like a scraggly urchin from a Dickens novel by the end of this.

Felipe Rivero, Nationals: On the surface, Jonathan Papelbon looks solid, as he has seven saves to his credit. Look closely, however, and you’ll agree now is the time to stash off Rivero because I think he’s going to get a chance to shut it down at some point this season. Papelbon’s 6.48 K/9 is the continuation of a freefall that has been in play since 2012, the last time had a K/9 number over 8.43.

Pappy’s line drive and fly ball percentages are also taking a steady climb in the wrong direction, which lends belief that his fading velocity is going to betray him. Rivero, on the other hand, offers the one thing you want in a closer: the ability to whiff hitters in droves. The big lefty has fanned 28.6 percent of the hitters he’s faced (compared to Papelbon’s 18.1 percent) and has a 1.54 ERA and 0.60 WHIP entering Thursday’s play.

A converted starter, Rivero is owned in just three percent of polled leagues, which means he’s flying well under the radar of most of your fellow owners. The one-time Rays farmhand has increased his K/9 after a sluggish 6.75 number last season in Triple-A, boosting it to 8.01 in 49 appearances with the Nats in 2015 before climbing up to the current 9.26 K/9 he now possesses. I’d keep him on the watch list, but if you can find room to stash him away, I’d advise you do. He’s going to be a Fantasy factor as the Nationals will continue to push Rivero into more high-pressure situations.

Addison Reed, Mets: As closers go, Jeurys Familia has been nearly lights out as thus far, but Reed is one of those relievers you blasted beggars should have on your mooching list for potential gold. Reed grabbed a save versus the Reds on Wednesday, as the former D’Backs stopper gave Familia (who had pitched three straight days) a much-needed night off.

Reed, owned in five percent of polled leagues, has a better K/9 average than Familia (11.25 K/9 vs. Familia’s 7.45 K/9) and would see his value rocket rapidly if Familia is out for an extended period (I see you working, you ghoulish heathens). If Reed is sitting on the trash heap in a deeper league, I say pick him, give him a nice, shiny look and bide your time in the event he gets an injury-induced promotion to work the ninth.

Kevin Siegrist, Cardinals: A bad case of the Mondays is why Siegrist entered Thursday with a 3.52 ERA. He failed to retire a batter at Arizona on Monday night, allowing a hit and a walk before Jean Segura planted one of his offerings into the seats. Prior to that, Siegrist had not allowed a run while fanning more than a batter per inning.

Owned in 19 percent of polled leagues, Siegrist is a proven commodity, having vultured seven wins along with recording six saves in 81 appearances last season. He’s already nabbed three wins thus far while delivering an impressive 14.09 K/9 rate. The velocity on his heater has fallen off a bit (92.7 mph this season compared to 94 mph last year), but Siegrist has used his changeup more frequently, as it’s become a solid compliment to his fastball.

Siegrist offers strikeouts and considering how reliant the Cards have become on him, picking him up constitutes a shrewd move in deeper leagues. I don’t think Trevor Rosenthal will get hit with an injury, yet in the event some save-less wonder’s dark dreams becomes reality, my advice would be to grab Siegrist, who — like Reed — would become a solid second-tier closer.

Hector Neris, Phillies: It’s Jenmar Gomez’s closer’s world right now, but the third world government-like instability in the Phils’ bullpen could make Neris next man up.

Neris has been one of the better middle relievers in the game thus far, especially if your league has holds as a category. Neris had allowed just one run in his first 12 innings (0.69 ERA) while fanning a stellar 13.85 batters per nine.

Neris has had some experience as a closer in the minors, recording eight saves in 46 appearances in Double-A in 2013, so if/when he gets the nod to bring the pain in the ninth, the chance to do so won’t be a shock. Owned in seven percent of polled leagues, the righty has allowed a .136 batting average while he also has a K-BB percentage of 32.7, which shows his control issues are limited. He’s on pace for about 75-78 appearances this season, and if Neris continues to blow away hitters with his split-fingered fastball, owners can justify scooping him up.

If your closers are at ease, yet need a solid pickup off the waiver wire, take a gander at the following:

Derek Dietrich, UT, Marlins: The news of All-Star 2B Dee Gordon’s 80-game suspension early Friday morning opens the door for yet another opportunity for Dietrich to prove he can handle an everyday role. He has made a niche for himself as the team’s utility man, having played first, second and third base thus far while also having outfield eligibility. Dietrich is hitting .321/.406/.607 in just 28 at-bats to go along with a 1.013 OPS entering Friday’s play.

Owned in just one percent of polled leagues, Dietrich’s totals should get a rise over the next few days, as he does offer power potential (25 homers in 638 career at-bats). The problem facing Dietrich is that he has yet to show lasting ability when asked to play daily, plus the Marlins could give light-hitting Miguel Rojas an opportunity. Another scenario could see Martin Prado (also available in close to 90 percent in polled mixed leagues) move the second, while Dietrich could share third base duties with Chris Johnson. Either way, I’d lay back in deeper leagues, but Dietrich’s value will rise in NL-only formats.

Jed Lowrie, 2B/3B/SS, A’s: His power has yet to arrive (zero homers in 80 at-bats entering Thursday), yet Lowrie is hitting .325 with 12 RBIs. He might be a better option than Dietrich for owners in panic mode from Gordon’s suspension. History strongly suggests Lowrie, owned in 11 percent of polled leagues, will find his power stroke while increasing his current .039 isolated power total.

Much of his power outage stems from the fact he’s hit more than half (50.7 percent) of his pitches into grounders, far exceeding his career 32.5 percent rate. I don’t see Lowrie threatening to win a batting title, so while the batting average goes down, expect the pop to climb up. There’s still a 10-12 home run season left in Lowrie’s bat.

Cameron Rupp, C, Phillies: If you’re a frequent reader, you should know Rupp is one of this column’s favorite waiver wire regulars. The big man has pop, yet is sharing the plate with Carlos Ruiz, which is stunting Rupp’s growth potential. He showed his skills in Thursday’s win over the Nationals, delivering a two-run double in the ninth that broke the game open.

Rupp is owned in just four percent of polled leagues, but he’s a good option to stream with. His .280-1-4 line doesn’t look impressive at first, but Rupp has a respectable .480 slugging percentage and has the makings of a 15-20 homer performer if given the at-bats. You can do much worse than Rupp at catcher, so he’d be a reasonable performer with enough upside to stay intrigued.

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There have been times, however, that for whatever reason I’m in the bottom of my league when it comes to saves. Maybe my closers were hurt. Maybe they were ineffective and replaced. Maybe they just weren’t getting enough opportunities for me to compete in the category. It’s at this point, if I’m in last place or close to last and double-digits behind the team in front of me that I may think about moving on. In a 12-team league, if I’m in one of the last three spots I may look to see how far I can realistically go. If I can only gain a point or two, then it may be worth it to trade my closers, lose a point or two in saves, to gain multiple points in other categories.

Trevor May has been the Twins best option out of the bullpen recently. Photo Credit: @trevormay65

Aroldis Chapman should still get 30-35 saves despite missing 30 games. Photo Credit: TJ Perreira

What you should do really comes down to several factors, the first being the depth of your league. If you’re in a 10-team league, then you probably should just pick up a starter. Generally, in a shallow league, you will be able to find a starter that is more valuable than a setup reliever. In deeper leagues, I’d prefer the Betances or Millers of the world since I can trust what I’m going to get from them. The second factor to consider is where you stand in the counting categories. How good is your starting pitching? If you have a great staff, then you can afford to start a “protection” reliever. However, if your starting staff is weak, then you probably need the strikeouts and wins, so your decision is made for you.

We get that last question quite often and it’s impossible to answer without knowing the intricacies of your league. How competitive is it? Do the owners pay attention? Is there aggressive bidding? Who else needs closers? How much FAAB do they have left? These are among several other questions that need to be answered before submitting a bid. So it’s funny how we don’t want you to pay for a closer at the draft but it’s anything goes when one becomes available during the season. Survival of the fittest or the quickest; whatever works. Let’s see who might be available this week.

Sergio Romo comes off the DL soon and could replace a struggling Santiago Casilla. Photo Credit: John Hefti /Icon Software