Hello, friends.
With the All-Star break in the rearview mirror, the trade deadline on July 31 looms large. Players will be moved, but until we know where to, it can be hard to judge how much their value will change, given the importance of their new surrounding casts and/or home ballpark to that increased/decreased value. However, while we don't know where everyone will be going, we have a much better idea of who will be going.
If you know where the holes are going to be, you can at least make some reasonable guesses on who will likely fill them, whether it's a bench hitter moving into a more full-time role, or a top prospect being summoned to take a newly opened spot in the rotation. Or, in today's case, we can look at which bullpens are about to be carved up to be divided among the contenders, and which former setup men are about to get their shot at closing glory.
We'll look next week at potential holes in rotations and lineups, but let's start in the bullpen, as old relievers getting new roles can quickly swing the Saves landscape in your league. Are you still in the mix for a league title but have a Saves category mired in mediocrity? Now's your time to shine.
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50 years from now Bednar will still be on the Pirates with their .425 win percentage and still won’t be on the move.
Varland would be an interesting closer, because while he’s finding success, his K/9 has dropped as the season has worn on. Over the last 30 days it’s just 5.11. That must rank among the lowest of would-be closers.