Joel Hanrahan and the Tigers: A Perfect Match??

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Rumors had been swirling around free agent pitcher Joel Hanrahan since winter. Hanrahan is a proven closer who ran into a some issues last season with the Boston Red Sox posting a 9.82 ERA in just 7 1/3 innings. But in early May the reason for his struggles was revealed. The, now 32-year old right-hander, needed Tommy John Surgery which ended his 2013 season.

Hanrahan has a career ERA of 3.85 and a total 100 career saves. Originally a starting pitcher with the Nationals, he became the Pirates closer in 2011. Hanrahan made the All-Star Team both seasons he played in Pittsburgh collecting 40 saves in 2011 and 36 in 2012.

Hanrahan has now signed with the Tigers .... to read my article about how I think it will affect the Tigers bullpen ..... CLICK HERE!

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Who Will Close in Oakland? The A's have Options.

It’s known around the league by now that the Oakland A’s  have removed their new closer from the closer role. The A’s acquired Jim Johnson from the Baltimore Orioles during the off-season in a trade for infielder Jemile Weeks and catcher David Freitas. They also took on Johnson’s contract guaranteeing that they would pay the final year of the right-handers’ contract in which he is making $10 million dollars. What looked like a salary dump by Baltimore, they really didn’t receive much in trade, might have  been a strategic move by general manager Dan Duquette and company.

On the surface and at times Johnson appears to be dominating. You can’t deny he did amass 101 saves in the past two years yet he also blew nine saves in 2013. That is a lot of lost games in any division except maybe if you’re just hoping for a Wild Card spot in the NL West. He has already lost two games (almost three if not for extra innings heroics from catcher Derek Norris) for the A’s, despite getting one save and then four strikeouts Friday night in a non save situation, that’s it. The A’s don’t have the luxury to lose games that should have been easily won, not if they want to win their third consecutive  American League Western Division Title and more. So Johnson is out of a job at least for now and manager Bob Melvin is starting out using the “closer by committee” option but eventually one of the four pitchers I am about to mention will emerge as closer material. Also predicted will be their role if it is not the closer role. They are LHP Sean Doolittle, RHP Ryan Cook, RHP Luke Gregerson and RHP Dan Otero.

To Read my analysis on each pitcher CLICK HERE! Brought to you by Outside Pitch Sports Network LLC

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Kimbrel, Braves Avoid Arbitration with a Four Year Deal

My latest for MLB Nation:

Craig Kimbrel and the Atlanta Braves announced Sunday morning that they have agreed to terms on a four-year contract with an option for 2018. The financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

Kimbrel, 25, is arguably one of Major League Baseball’s best closers and by far the best in the National League. He has led the National League in saves the past three seasons, including recording a MLB leading 50 saves last season. In 2013 Kimbrel posted an ERA of 1.21 and had 98 strikeouts in just 67 innings pitched. The three time All-Star was also Rookie of the Year in the National League in 2011.

With statistics like those it is no wonder the Braves wanted to avoid any arbitration issues with the young closer as well as keep him on their roster as long as they can. As it is Kimbrel will be only 29 when this contract is up. If he stays healthy over the next four years the Braves may have a hard time keeping him. Braves general manager, Frank Wren said of Kimbrel,

“”We are very excited to agree to terms with Craig, who we feel is the best closer in Major League Baseball. He is one of the key pieces of our pitching staff and we are happy to keep him in a Braves uniform for at least four more years.”

The Braves have made it their top priority to lock down all their young stars this off season. They recently signed Freddie Freeman, 24, to an eight-year, $135 million deal. They also made sure to keep outfielder Jason Heyward, also 24, and 21-year old starting pitcher, Julio Teheran, who went 14-8 last season with a 3.20 ERA.

With so many young stars the Braves are not only securing success for 2014 but for the future as well.

For More News From Around the League Check Out MLB Nation!

Is Fernando Rodney the Last Hope for the Orioles, Mets? Who Will Win Out?

**IF YOU ARE READING THIS ON YOUR MOBILE & CANNOT SEE IT - TRY SWITCHING TO "VIEW ON WEB" OR "WEB VIEW" & YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IT!** (Sorry about that)

With pitchers and catchers set to report to Spring Training in just weeks, there are still teams in need of key players and the free agent pool is getting smaller by the day. The Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets have this problem and both need to fill the same key role. They need a late-inning reliever, preferably an experienced closer.

Grant Balfour

The Orioles traded their closer Jim Johnson to Oakland then proceeded to blow off a what seemed like done-deal with former Oakland closer Grant Balfour due to medical concerns about his wrist and knee. The Mets, who have basically ignored their bullpen needs this off-season, seemed to have suddenly remembered that their closer, Bobby Parnell, is coming off of neck surgery and may be a liability in the closer role. With just a group of youngsters to back up Parnell, it seems they need a

Fernando Rodney

plan “B” as well.

For more and to find out how Fernando Rodney fits in this situation go to Sports Unbiased! - Your Site for all Sports, News, Polls and Predictions!

Balfour to Sign with Tampa Bay Rays

Is the " Grant Balfour Saga" Finally Over? Can the All-Star closer RAGE again? 

Fortunately for the former Oakland Athletic it appears the answer is yes! After first being rejected by the Orioles for medical reasons and just last week being in talks the Washington Nationals to possibly become their eighth-inning set up man, it was announced today that the Tampa Bay Rays are most likely the team that Balfour will end up with and he will not have to take a set up role. He will be able to pitch the inning he loves. Balfour is a closer through and through and he loves to RAGE in the ninth! According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal the contract with the Rays is for two years and $12 million, only $3 million less than his potential contract was going to be with the Baltimore Orioles.

Read more at Sports Unbiased - your site for all Sports News, Polls and Predictions

Nats Interested in Balfour; Overbay inks Minor League Deal with Brewers

Nationals Interested in Balfour

Free agent closer Grant Balfour may have finally found a home with the Washington Nationals — or at least they have expressed their interest, according to a source at  MLB.com. Balfour was an All-Star closer for the Oakland Athletics last season. Unfortunately for Balfour, the Nationals have had their closer,Rafael Soriano, signed to a two-year, $28-million contract since January 2013. If Balfour ultimately makes a deal with Washington, he would have to pitch in the set-up role. 

After leaving the A’s via free-agency this off-season, both Balfour and the Baltimore Orioles expected him to be their new closer. But after a physical on Balfour, the Orioles rescinded their offer of $15 million for two years because of issues with his wrist and knees, though it was first reported that it may have been his throwing shoulder. Balfour was unhappy about this and voiced his opinion to the media. He made a statement to The San Francisco Chronicles’ Susan Slusser who tweeted,

Balfour told me he told (Orioles’ executive vice president Dan) Duquette that he deserves to be treated w/ respect and he was not & #Orioles just lost their best chance at winning.

He is also quoted by Slusser as saying,

I am 100 percent fine. I am the All-Star pitcher I was last season. My shoulder is fine. Everything’s fine. I’m ready to come out there in the ninth inning, do what I do.

Last season with the Athletics, Balfour, 36, acquired 38 saves in 65 games and posted a 2.59 ERA. He also beat Oakland’s record, previously held by Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley, for consecutive saves.

As of today, the Nationals’ roster is at the 40-man limit, so if they were to sign Balfour, someone would have to be traded or designated for assignment. According to a baseball source that could be reliever,Drew Storen. Storen struggled towards the end of the 2012 season for Washington and in the National League Division Series that year. He lost his job as closer in 2013 when Soriano was signed. During the 2013 season, his struggles continued to mount and he was eventually sent back to Triple-A Syracuse but did finish the season with the Nationals.

As the Nationals are in the process of fine tuning their roster before Spring Training and Grant Balfour is still available and looking for a place to play in 2014, this might just be the right match.

Read more on MLB Nation - delivering the latest news, insights, and analysis from around the league.

Overbay Inks Minor League Deal with Brewers

Even quite a few other options available to play first base in 2014, the Milwaukee Brewers signed Lyle Overbay to a minor-league deal with an invitation to Major League Spring Training. The signing was announced on Twitter earlier today by the team’s official account.

This comes as a bit of a shock as just last week they also signed Mark Reynolds to a minor league contract complete with an invite. Not to mention the fact that there will be three other players, Juan Francisco, Sean Halton and Hunter Morris, also competing for a spot at the big league level.

Overbay, 36, has played with a number of teams in his career including the Brewers. In his two seasons with Milwaukee, Overbay hit.289 with 35 homers and 87 doubles, setting a club record in his first year with 53 doubles.  He spent last season with the New York Yankees appearing in 142 games and hitting .240 with 14 home runs and 59 RBI.

After first breaking into the majors with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Overbay was traded to the Brewers in 2003 and became their starting first baseman in 2004 and 2005. He was then traded to the Toronto Blue Jays where he spent five seasons after which he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a free agent in 2010. Since then he has played with the Pirates, Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox and the Yankees and has been released three times.

OverBay, who turns 37 this week, has played in 1,446 games over his thirteen-year career hitting .267 with 342 doubles, 147 home runs and 640 RBI.

Read More on MLB Nation - delivering the latest news, insights, and analysis from around the league.

Bye, Bye Balfour Rage ....

We all knew it was coming. We all dreaded the thought but today it became official. Former Oakland Athletics' closer Grant Balfour is now a Baltimore Oriole. We took their closer, Jim Johnson, for infielder Jemile Weeks (yeah, big loss there ... *hopefully obvious sarcasm*) and catcher David Frietas. That's a pretty good deal in my opinion! Just a quick switcharoo!

But the question begs, why Johnson and not Balfour?

Johnson is set to make $11 million in 2014. Balfour signed with the Orioles for 2 years and $15 million. The A's could have afforded to keep Balfour. Rumor has it though the All-Star closer wanted a three year deal when in talks with Oakland. Being that Balfour is 35, that is a large contract to ask for and it's not likely that the A's were offering any more than a year. Even after coming off a career and All Star caliber year in which he surpassed Hall of Famer, Dennis Eckersley to become Oakland's consecutive save leader with 44 straight, it's not the Athletics' usual method of operation to offer guarentees. That is why they lost out to the San Francisco Giants in their attempt to acquire starting pitcher, Tim Hudson, they offered two years and $23 million just like the Giants but the Athletics' organization likes options and refused to grant Hudson the no trade clause that he wanted.

Johnson on the other hand is 30, coming off back to back 50 save seasons and is going to be a free agent in 2015. This gives the Athletics youth and flexibility. It's certainly no secret that the Athletics are all about flexibility. Just look at the bench and bullpen depth and Manager Bob Melvin's style of changing things up. It appears to be a good fit and the right choice for Oakland,

However the fan's adoration of Balfour could have been a reason to keep him. Absolutely a fan favorite Balfour inspired, fan Will MacNeil, of the infamous Oakland Right Field Bleacher Crew to create the "Balfour Rage". 

The Rage truly took on a life of it's own when Balfour entered the game. It began in the bleachers and became contagious to the crowd. Fans began to follow MacNeil's lead, wearing gigantic "Hulk Fists" and thrashing and swinging their arms in the air! The bleachers alone turned into a mosh pit. 

The stadium would go dark the music would start, a video of Balfour, who was recently named "The Biggest Potty Mouth" in baseball by ESPN because of his crazy swearing fits on the mound, played on the screen. San Francisco Chronicle's beat writer and President of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BWAA), Susan Slusser, tweeted Balfour's response:

@SusanSlusser on Twitter : I asked Grant Balfour how he feels about being named "The Biggest Potty Mouth" in baseball and he said, "I don't give a (bleep)." #Athletics

 Everyone was metal for that moment where he confidently strolled to the mound with Metallica's "One" blasting across the O.Co Coliseum. All the fans raising and pumping their "Hulk Fists" like crazy kids at a rock concert, truly was a virtual mosh pit! I personally got to participate in the front row of the right field bleachers courtesy of Mr. MacNeil! It was exhilarating to say the least. To be honest it was pretty A-mAzing!! Wow! 

We also got our head banging on for set up man Sean Doolittle who's walk up song, "For whom the Bell Tolls," is also by Metallica. So I think that the fans need to take solace that while Blevins and Balfour are gone we can still rock our heads around for Doolittle. Known as "Doo" to most fans, he also inspired the phenomenon of "Doolittling" (see the pic below). 

"Doolitting" in my condo watching the ALDS!

So to all the A's fans out there ... well we are gonna have to figure out what to do with the Foo Fighter's "The Pretender" and welcome Johnson with open arms. There is always something special about a closer to find be it their potty mouth or walk up song, it's always something special. 

"The Sandman," icon Mariano Rivera will always be thought of when Metallica's "Enter Sandman" is played (even on his final day to play baseball the trending Twitter hashtag was #ExitSandman). 

Balfour and his Aussie Swear Jar should be a big hit in Baltimore. I hope Johnson has the personality to be an Oakland Athletic. As fans we look for that and embrace it. Until we get to know Johnson's personality, I am hoping that Doolitting and head banging as usual to Metallica will hold us over. But you never know.

Jim Johnson might just be able to capture our hearts they way guys like The Eck (Dennis Eckersley), Izzy (Jason Isringhausen), Grant Balfour and other closers of the past have.

Welcome to the "Pit" as our favorite baseball commissioner, Bud Selig called it or as fans like to think of it sometimes as the "Mosh Pit" .... Jim Johnson. Welcome to Oaktown. Now about getting a Metallica song for you ..... all good things happen in time and there are approximately 56 days until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training ... you'll learn in time Jim and as of now we welcome you and say "Bye Bye Balfour Rage"! (very sadly apparently, as the lamentation continues on Twitter and Facebook) 

As A's fans are used to change, we and as much as I will miss Mr. Balfour, our Awesome Aussie, I'm keeping my head up that 2014 will be our year! Let's Go Oakland!!