Shopping on Saves is generally the mode for many players who didn’t want to overpay for Saves at the draft. But if you go that route you must be very aggressive in your continuing pursuit of adding closers.

Whether they in fact can hold the job is the secondary consideration – adding some amount of immediate saves is often more important.

Let’s look at a few situations that have emerged. I suspect that many of you rostered Alfredo Aceves especially in early drafts where we hoped he might get a spot in the Red Sox rotation. (And PS Bobby V he should have – try making the decisions on who pitches better not who makes more money or has more seniority….you could easily DL the higher paid guy to try and get him right BEFORE you run him out there and not miss out on good pitching from the better skills NOW).  However if you weren’t in a huff, your potential starter turned into some save opportunities.

I don’t think that is Aceves best usage – he should be in the rotation. How much better would things look if the Red Sox had started with Aceves in the rotation and moved Daniel Bard to closer when Bailey went down.  (And PSS didn’t everyone think it was a question of when not if?)

Drew Storen landing on the DL wasn’t anywhere near as predictable. Who knew he had chips in his elbow? But an immediate add of Brad Lidge or Henry Rodriguez paid dividends. BTW there is a corollary to the strategy not to overpay for closers and that should give you SP with better ratios so that you can buffer Lidge’s efforts while you collect his saves.

And now we have another opportunity with the (again not so unexpected) news that Giant’s closer Brian Wilson will have to go under the knife. Fear the Beard no more. Instead RUN don’t walk to get a San Francisco reliever who will get some saves.

Personally I think Sergio Romo will get the first shot but even Giant’s manager Bruce Bochy has said he will use both Romo and Santiago Casilla (and PPS there may be situational opportunities for Javier Lopez or Jeremy Affeldt as the committee goes forward).

I think the “shark play” assuming you have the roster spots and necessary dollars is to get BOTH Romo and Casilla and if Romo does indeed get a couple of early saves this coming week, immediately deal him off to upgrade another position and keep Casilla who I think will have more saves over the rest of the season.{jcomments on}