I'm not sure you wanted to target a Pittsburgh or Houston closer heading into this season anyway, but things got particularly confusing after yesterday's events. Figuring it wasn't even worth the risk that he might win his arbitration case, Pittsburgh non-tendered Matt Capps. The Pittsburgh-Post Gazette today speculated that they might still try to sign him, but that seems unlikely now that a shitload of other teams are interested in a guy who posted a 5.80 ERA, a 1.66 WHIP, and let batters smack him around to the tune of .324 last year. Wherever he goes, Capps will not be the closer. In Pittsburgh, that almost certainly makes Joel Hanrahan the new closer. Despite blowing save after save early last season in Washington, he endeared himself to Pirates coaches by pitching pretty effectively (1.72 ERA, .204 BAA in 31.1 innings) after the Nats shipped him over in that Lastings Milledge trade.

Elsewhere in the NL Central, the Astros signed Brandon Lyon to a pricey, three-year deal that has many thinking he'll now be the closer there, not Matt Lindstrom, who they traded for last week. I'm not so sure. Lyon has posted two strong seasons out of the last three, but the one year he struggled was the one Arizona named him their closer. So he carries that "better suited as a setup guy" tag that managers seem to pay too much attention to. Lindstrom's peripherals were pretty terrible last year, but, ultimately, he only blew two saves in 17 chances. I figure new 'Stros manager Brad Mills will hold an open competition for the job between the two in spring training. (Always tough on fantasy managers with a draft coming up. Remember last year's Kevin Gregg/Carlos Marmol debacle?) Right now, my money's on Lindstrom being awarded the gig to start the season. Even if I'm right, however, the better fantasy move might be to pass on Lindstrom, draft Lyon late and see how April unfolds.

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