FanHouse Peter Moylan

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.

The Atlanta Braves were alive in the wild-card race late in the season due to a powerful pitching rotation that featured six viable starting candidates (at least there were six at the end of the season). The Braves ranked third in the National League in team ERA with a 3.57 mark and had two 15-game winners in Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez. They also ranked fourth in team batting average and sixth in runs scored even without a true cleanup hitter in the lineup.

If you examine their bullpen you'll also find two relievers who were in the top five in strikeouts among relief pitchers -- Mike Gonzalez with 90 and Rafael Soriano with 102. These relievers shared the closing duties for most of the season and each had ERA's below three to finish the year.

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From the Windup is FanHouse's extended look at a particular portion of America's pastime.

Two questions immediately arise from the recent hosing of the Braves at the hands of Rafael Furcal and his agents, Arn Tellem and Paul Kinzer. First, was misleading Atlanta -- a relatively safe assumption according to both accounts of how negotiations went down -- an ethical business practice? And secondly, are John Schuerholz and Frank Wren doing the smart thing by refusing to ever negotiate with Tellem's clients again?

Because that's what they're planning on doing.

"It was disgusting and unprofessional. We're a proud organization, and we won't allow ourselves to be treated that way. I advised Arn Tellem that whatever players he represents, just scratch us off the list. Take the name of the Atlanta Braves off their speed dial. They can deal with the other 29 clubs, and we'll deal with the other hundred agents."

The second question is a fairly easy one to answer. In a word, "No." The Braves are not, by any stretch of the imagination, forwarding their ability to either extract later revenge on the agents, nor are they giving themselves full access to future free agents by striking themselves off of Tellem's list of clients.

When Mike Hampton was the first (in-season anyway) pitcher to get hurt, my immediate thought was "Shock me, shock me, shock me with that deviant behavior". No wait, I don't quote Empire Records. Crap. Anyway, it was hardly surprising that Hampton got hurt. But looking back on things today, is the Atlanta mound, or maybe the Atlanta pitching staff just flat out cursed*?

John Smoltz' shoulder is so bad that he's forcing himself back into the closer role. That closer role is only available because Rafael Soriano and Peter Moylan were both disabled. (And because Mike Gonzalez is stuffed with barbeque. Kidding. He is hurt though.) Moylan is likely out for the season and Soriano returned after several delays.

Tom Glavine hit the disabled list for the first time in his 22 year career. Smoltz is coming back, but the rotation is suffering horribly right now (again) with Jair Jurrjens dealing with blisters and Tim Hudson leaving Sunday's game with a hamstring strain. Joining him on the Sunday injury list was Blaine Boyer, who left 13 pitches later with a knee injury.

And youngster Jorge Campillo is also dealing with blisters. Oh yeah. So is Jo-Jo Reyes. The long and short of it is that the Braves -- who have suffered enough bad luck this year, injuries aside -- are struggling to keep healthy bodies on the mound. So, if they call and ask you to pitch, you should probably say no.

*Curses obviously aren't real.

Amid the good news of an Atlanta 8-0 lead over Florida on SportsSouth, the announcers dropped the unfortunate little bomb that Braves reliever and briefly one time closer Peter Moylan is likely out for the season. They were kind enough, at least for my purposes, to post this quote from Frank Wren:

I think, realistically, we know that it's a long shot that we can get Peter back this season. But we're going to give it two weeks to see what happens.

Apparently a calcium build up of some sort led to a bone spur that has "compromised the ligament in his elbow". Things did not sound anywhere near good if you're a Braves fan, so it seems safe to say that Moylan will miss the rest of the season. That means the Braves pitching staff is even more depleted than before. Rafael Soriano remains on the disabled list, Tom Glavine is banged up, Mike Hampton is Mike Hampton. Don't be surprised to see Wren make a move of some sort -- clearly Atlanta needs some MR help, and it doesn't look like it's coming from inside.

Bonus Fantasy Spin: Obviously you can drop Moylan. And it looks more and more like Manny Acosta is going to get the saves for the Braves, making him a nice add in almost any format for as long as Soriano is hurt.

Usually we reserve Always Be Closing for Mondays. But, much like 1995, the Braves and Indians are all the rage right now. Only this time, instead of being World Series opponents, they are the focus of closer issues. Both Peter Moylan and Joe Borowski -- the current shutdown guys -- were placed on the 15 day disabled list, leaving the closing duties open for two pretty cushy save situations.

Atlanta Braves
Bobby Cox never officially named Moylan the closer in the ATL, and maybe it's because he knew he could face "right elbow soreness" a little later down the road. Like, perhaps, today. Moylan had been absolutely dominant last season and equally as tough this year, nailing down his only save situation thus far. This works out "well" in the sense that the Braves need a roster spot for Buddy Carlyle, who was called up to take a rotation slot in the coming week. It works out "not well" in the sense that the previously deep pitching staff is getting thin quickly. Manny Acosta has a 7.20 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP on the season, but he's only pitched five times this year and the one bad outing was that freakish debacle against the Pirates. Add him immediately in all deep and NL-only leagues and think about jumping anywhere else if you need saves.

Cleveland Indians
Borowski has long been the bane of fantasy owners because of his ability to give up four earned runs en route to getting a save. In other words, no one understood why he kept the closer gig in the first place. Well, now he doesn't have it. Or at least he doesn't for the next 15 days as he'll be spending that time on the disabled list. Taking his place will likely be Rafael Betancourt. Betancourt recorded 31 holds last year, the sixth highest totals in the MLB, so it's pretty clear that Eric Wedge trusts him in a late inning role. Add in his 0.76 WHIP and a .184 BAA, and he's a very nice candidate to add in nearly any league. If he pitches well in this gig, there's no guarantee he gives it back.

The nightmare week for the Atlanta Braves continued today with the news that closer Rafael Soriano would be landing on the disable list with elbow tendinitis, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This news comes on the heels of the completely unrelated but no less depressing revelation that Jordan Schafer was using HGH. Of course, the Soriano injury is vastly more detrimental to the team in terms of their need to win right now. It's worth noting too that Bobby Cox held Raffy out for a game Monday because his elbow was sore and also that Soriano missed time in the preseason because of the same injury.

If Soriano's problematic right elbow wasn't barking, they would not have considered the move. He is the only Braves reliever with closer experience, and now he's out until at least April 22. The move was retroactive to Monday.

Soriano pitched in both weekend games against the New York Mets, including Saturday, when he worked the ninth inning with the Braves ahead 11-5.

In four appearances, the right-hander has a 2.25 ERA with two hits, one run, three walks and five strikeouts in four innings. He converted his only save opportunity when he gave up a run in the ninth inning of Sunday's 3-1 win.

The AJC said that Cox named Manny Acosta the closer for tonight's game against the Rockies -- it doesn't appear he'll be needed anyway -- but the FanHouse pick to get the most saves over the next week and a half is Peter Moylan. Moyland was dominant last year, posting a 1.80 ERA in 90 innings, and is sporting a quite tidy 1.93 so far in 2008. Soriano's move was retroactive as well, meaning he will not have to miss a full two weeks.

Bonus Fantasy Spin: Soriano has had lots of arm issues before, so he's a bit of a risk to go after. However, the Braves are paying him to close, so they'd like to see him do it when he's healthy. Plus, he's dominant as long as he's not spending time in the training room, making him a nice buy low, if the price is right. Moylan should be added in almost all leagues (particularly roto or deep H2H), based on his low ratios and high upside for saves.

Sure, Phillies fans are feeling their oats now more than ever during their charge to the top of the N.L. East. But for those of you thinking that this isn't a calculated bunch who just resort to the basic heckles, think again. It takes an educated fan to do their research on a middle reliever such as Peter Moylan of the Braves, and bring up the fact that he used to sell pharmaceuticals ... as these Philly fans did this past Wednesday. That's doing your homework, kids.