KEY

Durability grade: 1 (very injury-prone) to 10 (extremely durable)
Job security grade: 1 (very shaky) to 10 (firm grasp)

Hot Seat: Injury Concerns

Baltimore Orioles

Closer: Jim Johnson
Next in line: Jamie Walker
Other possibilities: Fernando Cabrera
Disabled list: George Sherrill (shoulder), Chris Ray (elbow)

Johnson has pitched effectively since gaining the closer's job, but he has yet to receive a save opportunity. Despite that, Johnson is a worthwhile waiver wire grab in deep mixed fantasy leagues if you're in need of saves.

Ray, meanwhile, made his first appearance for Double-A Bowie Tuesday, Aug. 26, as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery. The former closer may or may not pitch in the majors this season, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him join the big club when rosters expand Sept. 1. Whether he'll get a shot at closing games, though, remains to be seen.

Sherrill's DL stint is apparently due to wear and tear on his shoulder, so the O's do not figure to rush the lefty back, especially with the team well out of playoff contention.

Durability grade: 9
Job security grade: 5

Los Angeles Dodgers

Closer: Jonathan Broxton
Next in line: Chan Ho Park, Hong-Chih Kuo
Other possibilities: Joe Beimel
Disabled list: Takashi Saito (elbow)

Broxton has not made a seamless transition to the closer's job, struggling to a 6.10 ERA through his first 11 appearances in August and blowing a save opportunity Sunday, Aug. 24. While Broxton's job still appears safe, Dodgers manager Joe Torre reiterated last week that he would not hesitate to use Kuo in save situations if circumstances dictated.

Kuo has pitched very well this season, and the lefty figures to get the call in the ninth inning if the opposing team has a series of left-handed hitters coming up.

Saito has been throwing off flat ground every other day and is expected to pitch off a mound for the first time this weekend, but there is still no timetable for the former closer's return. Saito has been on the DL since July 19 with a sprained ligament in his right elbow.

Durability grade: 9
Job security grade: 8 (last week: 9)

Milwaukee Brewers

Closer: Salomon Torres
Next in Line: Eric Gagne
Other Possibilities: Brian Shouse, David Riske

Torres has blown two of his last five save opportunities, but there is no indication that his job is in any jeopardy. In fact, the run he surrendered Sunday, Aug. 24, was the first tally he had given up in eight August appearances. Keep your eye on his performance of course, but for now Torres appears to be in good standing. He had a brief bout with groin tightness early last week, but that problem has not recurred.

Durability grade: 8
Job security grade: 9

New York Mets

Closer: Aaron Heilman, Luis Ayala
Next in line: Scott Schoeneweis, Pedro Feliciano
Other possibilities: Joe Smith
Disabled list: Billy Wagner (forearm)

Heilman looked to be settling in as the Mets closer, so it was surprising to see him yield the ball to Ayala for the ninth inning of the Mets' 3-0 win Friday, Aug. 22. Heilman pitched the eighth inning that night, and manager Jerry Manuel indicated after the game that we "might see more of that as long as we're seeing more of those types of results."

Manuel later expressed more confidence in Ayala, and he gave the veteran a shot to close out their game Tuesday, Aug. 26, against the Phillies. However, Ayala allowed the Phillies to tie the game. Heilman is still in the picture, but he may well lose his claim to the closer's job altogether if Ayala proves effective. Ayala is a decent waiver wire addition if your team is in desperate need of saves in deep leagues.

The news on Wagner is not good as the diminutive lefty continues to deal with pain and swelling in his left elbow, and there is some doubt as to whether he'll be able to return at all this season. Keep tabs on his progress, but he's not likely to be a fantasy factor for at least another two-plus weeks.

Despite blowing the save Tuesday, Aug. 26, Ayala still appears to be atop the closer's ladder at the moment. A few more bad outings could change all that of course, and owners in shallow mixed formats would do well to steer clear of the Mets' bullpen mess altogether.

Durability grade: 8
Job security grade: 5

Pittsburgh Pirates

Closer: Matt Capps (shoulder)
Next in line: Tyler Yates, John Grabow
Other possibilities: Denny Bautista

Capps returned from the disabled list and tossed a perfect ninth inning Sunday, Aug. 24, marking his first major league appearance since July 1. The 24-year-old will be used in the closer's role going forward according to manager John Russell, though the Pirates may not use him in back-to-back games right away. If Capps was dropped in your league, check to see if he's still available, as he's a solid No. 2 fantasy closer when healthy.

Yates, Grabow and reliever Craig Hansen all saw save opportunities in Capps' absence, with Grabow being the most effective in the role. If Capps needs a break, Grabow figures to be the first to step in, but he's probably not worth owning in most fantasy formats so long as Capps is healthy.

Monitor Capps' progress over the next few games, but it appears safe to get him back into your fantasy lineup.

Durability grade: 7
Job security grade: 9

Tampa Bay Rays

Closer: Dan Wheeler
Next in line: Grant Balfour
Other possibilities: Trever Miller, J.P. Howell
Disabled list: Troy Percival (knee)

Wheeler blew a save Sunday, Aug. 24, but in fairness a dropped throw at home plate allowed the tying run to score. Other than that misstep, Wheeler has been outstanding in the ninth inning lately, so much so that he has become the head of the Rays' closer committee. While we've learned to expect the unexpected from Rays manager Joe Maddon, the skipper appears to be comfortable with Wheeler, and the veteran should get most of the save opportunities for at least the near future.

Balfour has been a bit more hittable recently, but the fireballing Aussie has managed to work his way out of most of his trouble. He'll almost certainly be the Rays' next option if Wheeler falters.

Percival played catch Monday, Aug. 25, and tossed a 20-pitch bullpen session the following day. He hopes to return Saturday, Aug. 30. It's unknown whether he'll step right back into the closer's role upon returning, but it's no secret that Maddon favors Percival as his ninth-inning man when he's healthy.

Durability grade: 9
Job security grade: 6

Texas Rangers

Closer: Frank Francisco
Next in line: Jamey Wright
Other possibilities: Joaquin Benoit, Warner Madrigal
Disabled list: C.J. Wilson (elbow)

With the trade of former closer Eddie Guardado (Minnesota Twins), Francisco ascends to the closer's chair in Texas. The 28-year-old has yet to record a save in his big league career, and he has been saddled with six blown saves this season, though none of them have come in the ninth inning. Nonetheless, Francisco looks to be the Rangers' man for the duration, and he's worth a waiver wire grab in all leagues for owners desperate to pick up some saves. Guardado, meanwhile, can be dropped in all mixed formats.

Wright and Benoit are basically nothing more than setup men, while the 24-year-old Madrigal has just 24 1/3 innings of big league experience. None of these three are especially great options to close games, meaning Francisco should probably have a fairly large margin for error as he adjusts to his new role. Madrigal is intriguing merely because he has 38 minor league saves in 96 outings and, per reports, some fairly nasty stuff. Ignore him, though.

Durability grade: 9
Job security grade: 7

Hot Seat: Lackluster Performance

Arizona Diamondbacks

Closer: Brandon Lyon
Next in line: Jon Rauch
Other possibilities: Tony Pena, Chad Qualls

Lyon was shelled again in a non-save situation Sunday, Aug. 24, marking the fourth time in his last six appearances that the Arizona closer has given up at least two earned runs. Though he hasn't blown a save since July 20, Lyon's recent ineffectiveness has raised concerns that his job might be in jeopardy.

Rauch figures to be next in line to close, but the towering setup man has also been struggling, yielding earned runs in six of his last seven outings, including five straight. He picked up a save Wednesday, Aug. 20, but that was because Lyon was given a break after getting knocked around the day before. Rauch has shown he can close games, and he may get a chance to do just that if Lyon can't right his ship, but Rauch hasn't been very good lately, either.

Lyon is still the D-backs closer, but his more poor performances could loosen his grip on the job.

Durability grade: 9
Job security grade: 7

Cleveland Indians

Closer: Jensen Lewis
Next in line: Rafael Perez
Other possibilities: Rafael Betancourt, Masahide Kobayashi

Lewis has settled right into the closer's job in Cleveland, and the hard-throwing righty looks very comfortable in the role. Lewis racked up an impressive six saves between Aug. 12 and Aug. 25, while allowing only one run and four hits during that stretch. Lewis has firmly cemented his place at the back of the Tribe's bullpen, and he should be owned in all fantasy leagues at this point.

Perez still has value in leagues that reward holds, but he and his other bullpen mates can safely be dropped in most other fantasy formats. None figure to be a factor the rest of the way unless Lewis hits an extended stretch of ineffectiveness.

Durability grade: 8
Job security grade: 8 (last week: 7)

Detroit Tigers

Closer: Fernando Rodney
Next in line: Kyle Farnsworth
Other possibilities: Bobby Seay, Ryan Perry
Disabled list: Todd Jones (shoulder), Joel Zumaya (arm)

Rodney's initial struggles as Detroit's closer are fast becoming a distant memory with the 31-year-old holding the opponent scoreless in seven of his last eight outings while picking up five saves during that stretch. He appears to be entrenched as the Tigers' ninth-inning man, and that may well continue for the remainder of the season. If your team needs saves, scour your league waiver wire and grab Rodney if he's available.

Durability grade: 7
Job security grade: 7

Oakland A's

Closer: Brad Ziegler
Next in line: Joey Devine, Huston Street
Other possibilities: Santiago Casilla, Jerry Blevins

Ziegler has converted five straight save opportunities, and he has allowed just two earned runs in 45 innings of work this season. The submariner has nailed down the closer's job for at least the near future.

Right now Ziegler is going about as well as any relief pitcher can be. While the A's don't figure to generate too many save opportunities, Ziegler is a worthy addition to any fantasy roster.

Durability grade: 9
Job security grade: 7 (last week: 5)

St. Louis Cardinals

Closer: Chris Perez
Next in line: Ryan Franklin
Other possibilities: Kyle McClellan, Russ Springer
Disabled list: Jason Isringhausen (elbow)

Perez has allowed no runs and just two hits in 8 1/3 innings since being recalled from Triple-A Memphis earlier this month. It goes without saying that such dominance endears you to a manager's heart, and that appears to be the case with Perez. The rookie looks to be firmly ensconced as the Cardinals' closer, and he just might remain in the role for years to come. For the short term, Perez is clearly the top option for saves in St. Louis.

Franklin had a decent run as the Cards' closer earlier this season, but he doesn't figure to get another shot in the ninth inning so long as Perez is healthy and reasonably effective.

The Cards discussed giving pitcher Adam Wainwright a shot at closing games, but the 27-year-old looked sharp in a starting role Friday, Aug. 22. With starter Chris Carpenter (shoulder) still rehabbing, any thoughts of moving Wainwright to the bullpen have probably been moved to the back burner, if not off the stove entirely.

Durability grade: 9
Job security grade: 7 (last week: 6)

Washington Nationals

Closer: Joel Hanrahan
Next in line: Saul Rivera
Other possibilities: Jesus Colome

Hanrahan has pitched fairly well as Washington's closer, but his save opportunities have been few and far between. Since saving both ends of a doubleheader Aug. 7, Hanrahan has had just three save opportunities - two of which he converted. His job appears safe, but Hanrahan's lack of save opportunities makes him a shaky mixed league option.

Durability grade: 8
Job security grade: 8

Hot Seat: Other

Colorado Rockies

Closer: Manny Corpas
Next in Line: Taylor Buchholz
Other Possibilities: Casey Weathers
Bereavement list: Brian Fuentes

Fuentes has been very effective recently, but he'll be away on bereavement leave until at least Friday, Aug. 29, and possibly longer. We'd expect Fuentes to be back with the team no later than Sept. 2, but this situation bears watching of course.

Corpas is expected to get the Rockies' save opportunities while Fuentes is away, and he makes a decent - though short-term - add in NL-only and deep mixed leagues for those scrounging for saves. If Fuentes misses extended time (which seems unlikely), Corpas would become a must-add in all formats.

Durability grade: 8
Job security grade: 7