As we open the baseball year, we donat know who will close in Detroit. The Tigers were not comfortable giving the closer position to fireballing rookie Bruce Rondon after having a shaky spring. It had been his work to get rid of, and he did just that. He released eight walks in just over 12 innings, earning a solution to Triple-A Toledo. He should really be back with the big club at some point, but first heall need to discover the strike zone, and the Tigers could be best served by giving him a startup position at first. He is a non-factor in Fantasy now, and until he is called the teamas deeper at some point, that wonat change. John Leyland has decided to open the season with our friend, the acloser by committeea (a detailed relative of the aplayer to be called later.a). Some combination of Phil Coke, Joaquin Benoit, Octavio Dotel and Al Alburquerque will be contacted in the ninth inning of Tigers games. The acommitteea should come right down to the better performer between Alburquerque and Benoit, I believe, with younger Alburquerque ultimately emerging. Coke is both too powerful against lefties and too dreadful against righties to become a closer; heall settle in to a left-handed specialist function. Dotel is just not efficient enough to counter the talents of the other bullpen hands. In his reunite from shoulder surgery last year, the 27-year-old Alburquerque (in just eight games) exhibited a large surface ball habit (63 percent to 26 percent FB percent), a little 0.68 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Benoit, in 73 games last year, had a ERA and 1.14 WHIP. Heas a good get a handle on pitcher, but with a 44 percent FB percent in 2012 a' combined with Alburquerqueas ground basketball expertise a' makes him a great set-up solution for the team. Benoit and Alburquerque should both be owned in most Fantasy formats, both for speculative saves and supporting research (ERA, WHIP and E totals). Also of note in major league bullpens: * Casey Janssen is anticipated to prepare yourself and at full-strength to close activities for the Toronto Blue Jays. Director John Gibbons expressed confidence that Janssen a returning from off-season neck surgery a' is likely to be ready for Opening Day. His bets have been hedged by janssen, saying his comeback is steady. Although you can assume Santos to make an occasional save your self should Janssen be used frequently in early stages, but following a powerful closing week in spring training, coupled with a Sergio Santos, Janssen should be all set. * Carlos Marmol did not close the doorway for the Cubs on Opening Day. He quit a run and entered with a 3-0 lead and was pulled when the potential winning run came to the plate. He was an average of wild in his one-third of an inning. Setup man Kyuji Fujikawa acquired a one-out save in the 3-1 Cubs make an impression on the Pirates. If Fujikawa will come in your group, snatch him up today. He could be the teamas closer by the end of the week. * John Axford blew the save your self for the Brewers on Opening Day. He was mostly sharp, striking out the medial side, but surrendered a solo home run to Dexter Fowler. Axford had a year in 2012, mostly because of misfortune, but broken saves are the easiest way to create supporters and managers alike uncomfortable. Axford is solidly the teamas sooner, but heas worth watching carefully in early going. Image via CNN
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