I’ve always liked Wily Peralta. Certainly more than I ever should like someone with a career WHIP of 1.45. The repertoire always included a good mid to high 90’s fastball, a slider, and a nice change up playing well off the slider. For whatever reason hitters all too often seemed to see the fastball all too well. The Milwaukee Brewers former top pitching prospect had rumors swirl about him that he was unteachable, but a demotion to the minors gave birth to a new attitude along with a sparkling 2.92 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in the second half of 2016, giving this writer renewed hope that Wily would finally reach that potential. My shares of the 6’1” right-hander the following year did not yield a good return. 2017 was a disaster.
Peralta didn’t make the Kansas City Royals out of spring training. However, the time at AAA Omaha was well spent. Command has been his biggest stumbling block over the years. This year, the command problems seem to have evaporated. The move to the bullpen has added a couple ticks to the fastball, making the other offerings more effective. Peralta issued 3 walks in his first big league outing this year, skewing his WHIP to a misleading 1.50. Since then, the Royals closer issued only one free pass over the next 4 outings, striking out 4. There is only one fairly obvious problem. The Royals .313 winning percentage is the second worst in baseball. Wins are few and far between, and along with that save opportunities. Kansas City leads are rare enough, and with arguably the worst bullpen in the American League, they’re often rather brief. Saves will be few and far between at Kauffman Stadium. Nevertheless, whatever odds Las Vegas is laying for Peralta to remain the Royals Fireman the remainder of the season, I’m taking them.
Ryan Tepera hit the disabled list yesterday. Tyler Clippard now leads the committee in Tepera’s absence, with 65 Saves over the last 7 years in tow, and two just this past week. Historically in the NFBC, even crappy Saves candidates often cost three digits of your FAAB. Prices seemingly have declined a little this year, but remain volatile and unpredictable. If you’re looking for a bargain in the Blue Jays cluster, Seung Hwan Oh is next in line if Clippard stumbles. Don’t forget that Robert Osuna is due back August 5th and will climb right back in the closer saddle at that time. Whoever emerges in Toronto in July will merely have short term value. Osuna is certainly worth a pickup if you need the Saves.
Greg Holland’s disastrous 7.00 ERA and 2.06 WHIP have kept the market away from the formerly elite closer. So much so that few have noticed that…….Greg Holland is back. The former Royal hit the disabled list back in late May, then worked on some things at AAA Memphis. Many assumed the 9.00 ERA and 2.33 WHIP down there indicated more of the same. People often forget that stats can lie, especially in the Minors when the focus is on mechanics, arm slot, working on the command of a certain pitch, etc. As a result of his work in the Minors, the bite has returned to the slider, and command of the fastball has improved. The fruits? 7 K’s 0, BB’s, 2 Hits, 0 Runs in just 4 and 2/3 IP since returning from the DL. The Cardinals will start to deploy Holland in higher leverage situations and I think is now the handcuff to Bud Norris (not Jordan Hicks). Don’t forget the monster contract that the front office will want to justify, so I don’t think Norris has a lot of slack to work with if he starts to struggle, despite how well he’s performed to this point.
Brad Boxberger has converted the last 3 Save opportunities. Prior to that, the Diamondback closer had struggled blowing 3 Saves and compiling a 9.95 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP over an 8 game stretch. The former Rays closer(still seems wrong not to say ‘Devil Rays’) has earned a long leash. Many have invested in Archie Bradley as the handcuff, they could be right, but I think Yoshihisa Hirano is most likely the next in line should Boxberger’s struggles return, allowing Bradley to be deployed in any high leverage situation in the latter innings, including the ability to go multiple innings. The Japanese import hasn’t yielded a single earned Run since giving up 2 back on May 5th.
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