The formula was simple:
• 1 part "Thunderstruck"
• 1 part "Stand Up and Shout"
• 1 part closer
• 3 part overmatched hitters
• Add heat
When it came to the ninth inning, Ron Gardenhire's Minnesota Twins had it easy from 2002-09. He handed the ball to his closer and 5-10 minutes later handshakes were exchanged.
Minnesota Twins fans must be yearning for the good ol' days when "Everyday" Eddie Guardado and Joe Nathan eased ninth-inning anxiety attacks. In the two seasons prior to Nathan's arrival from San Francisco, Guardado saved 45 games in 2002 and 2003. Nathan followed with six seasons where he averaged 41 saves, a 1.86 earned run average and a 0.93 WHIP.
Tommy John saved four games in his career, but the surgery bearing his name cost Nathan the entire 2010 season. Minnesota relied on Jon Rauch (21 saves) and late-season acquisition Matt Capps (16 saves) to fill the massive late-inning void.
Fast forward to present day, and Minnesota's bullpen is in shambles. So much so, the local newspaper elected to run a special section about the Twins bullpen blues.
With Nathan, who personally removed himself from the closer's role earlier this season, returning to the disabled list, all save situations fall on the shoulders of Capps who has blown five saves (thanks, in part, to a 4.50 ERA) already this season. Nathan blew five games total in 2009.
To call a spade and spade, the Minnesota bullpen stinks and their members are fantasy baseball poison. But I think a canary in the coal mine presented itself last week. Perhaps as a sign of camaraderie, Minnesota's group of relief pitchers recently broke out some sideshows on their way to the outfield. The Twins bobsled team followed that up last Tuesday with an inspired canoe trip down the Progressive Field baseline.
Remember, you can't improve without improv.
Let's talk fantasy baseball (player stats are thru June 7).
The Los Angeles Dodgers Chad Billingsley and New York Mets Jonathan Niese both graduated from Defiance High School in Ohio.
The duo also possess some pretty high K/9 rates in the NL. Billingsley (who is owned in 85.6 percent of FOXSports.com leagues) is fanning 8.3 per nine innings pitched, while Niese punches out 6.9 batters per nine. Niese is only owned in 13.6 percent of FOXSports.com leagues. Over 14 recent days, Niese is 1-0 with 13 Ks and a 1.28 ERA.
While we are on the topic of strikeouts, if you can handle a 3.95 ERA, Houston's Bud Norris is the "one of these things not like the other" when it comes to K/9 rate. Surrounded by names like Cliff Lee, Tim Lincecum and Clayton Kershaw, he's averaging 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings. Norris is owned in 50.1 percent of FOXSports.com fantasy baseball leagues.
Fowl Tips
For the month of May, Nick Swisher hit .200, with two homers, eight runs batted in and 25 strikeouts. He seems to be digging out of that Bronx slump. Over 14 recent days, Swisher is hitting .303 with three dingers, seven ribbies and only five strikeouts. Swisher has at least one hit in nine out of his last 10 games. He's owned in 62.8 percent of FOXSports.com fantasy leagues.
Random Nine
A list of players you probably don't own that put together a solid recent fantasy week.
| Player | R | RBI | HR | SB |
| Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C, Boston | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Michael Morse, 1B/OF, Washington | 4 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Freddy Sanchez, 2B, San Francisco | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Chris Johnson, 3B, Houston | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| J.J. Hardy, SS, Milwaukee | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Brennan Boesch, OF, Detroit | 4 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Michael Brantley, OF, Cleveland | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Carlos Peguero, OF, Seattle | 4 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Player | W | ER | K | QS |
| Rick Porcello, SP, Detroit | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
Fowl Out … of Excuses
Quarterback Terrelle Pryor announced last week that he would not return to Ohio State. It's a sad end to what Buckeye nation hoped would be an illustrious career filled with BCS titles. Instead, the fans are left with tainted Rose and Sugar Bowl wins.
If not for scarlet and grey colored glasses, Pryor's 2008 press conference should have thrown up a red flag about this young man of whom the university spent so much time and money recruiting. Following what I would assume were hundreds of phone calls, emails, campus visits, pieces of mail preaching the perks of THE Ohio State University, this top recruit was happy to take "the University of Ohio State" for a ride.
Turns out that was leased, too.
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