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| Reliever Dan Wheeler deserves a round of applause for his efforts in the Game 2 ALCS win over the Red Sox. The veteran tossed 3.1 scoreless innings. He allowed one hit, walked one, and struck out four. Unfortunately, his wild pitch in the eighth inning allowed the tying run to score, and Wheeler was credited with a blown save. |
Our View: Wheeler has a very good regular season for the Rays, and he continued that work in Game 2. He did a great job of quieting a Boston lineup that seemed destined for double-digit runs.
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| Dan Wheeler picked up just a single out, but the effort games him his 11th save of the season. |
Our View: Troy Percival pitched a poor inning on Wednesday night, and since the team is being careful with him, they chose to bring in Wheeler to stop a furious 9th inning comeback that saw the Yankees score five times in the 7-5 loss.
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| Dan Wheeler picked up the save Monday for the second straight day, working a perfect ninth while striking out one in a 6-4 win over the Angels. |
Our View: It appears that Wheeler is the man for saves while Troy Percival is sidelined.
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| The St. Petersburg Times reports that with Troy Percival on the DL, the Rays will return to a closer-by-committee format, with Dan Wheeler , Trever Miller, Grant Balfour and J.P. Howell all candidates to get the final out. Balfour did so Tuesday, picking up his second save of the season.
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Our View: Wheeler was unavailable on Tuesday after throwing each of the previous three nights. He carries an impressive 1.88 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. Al Reyes could also return from the DL next week. Reyes recorded 26 saves last season for the Rays.
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| According to the Tampa Tribune, the run Dan Wheeler allowed in the eighth inning Sunday after Jack Wilson reached on a bunt single was newsworthy. Wheeler hadn't surrendered a run in his previous nine appearances, and 14 of his last 15 outings had been scoreless. |
Our View: The single by pinch-hitter Ryan Doumit that drove home Wilson was only the second hit Wheeler has surrendered in 20 at-bats with runners in scoring position this year. The Rays bullpen has not only performed above and beyond expectations, they have the arms and the experience to take their performance into September.
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| Dan Wheeler was forced to come in and pick up a save on Wednesday afternoon. Closer Troy Percival suffered a leg injury in the ninth inning, and Wheeler managed the final out. |
Our View: We don't know the extent of Percival's injury right now, but we can tell you that Wheeler would likely get future save chances if Troy misses time.
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| The Rays have signed Dan Wheeler to a new three-year deal on Tuesday worth $10.5 million, according to the AP. Wheeler will earn $2.8 million in 2008, $3.2 million in 2009 and $3.5 million in 2010. The 2011 option is for $4 million with a $1 million buyout.
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| The Rays avoided arbitration with Dan Wheeler by signing the right-hander to a one-year, $2.875 million contract. Wheeler was 0-5 with a 5.76 ERA in 25 games for the Rays after going 1-4 with a 5.07 ERA in 45 games with the Astros. |
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| Dan Wheeler was traded to the Devil Rays Saturday in exchange for Ty Wigginton. Wheeler will probably step in as the main set-up option for Al Reyes, which means he could close if Reyes winds up getting hurt again, or traded. |
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| Dan Wheeler will go back to closing games for Houston while Brad Lidge is on the disabled list, the Astros official site reports. Lidge is expected to be out until at least July with a strained oblique muscle in his left side. |
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| Dan Wheeler gave up three runs in a messy appearance Wednesday, then later shoved teammate Chris Sampson in the dugout, the AP reports. Wheeler, who was recently taken out of the closer role in favor of Brad Lidge, took responsibility for the blowup. "There's nothing going on," Wheeler said. "I love Chris. It was just frustration on my part. I'm a professional, I should be better than that. I take full responsibility." Sampson, incidentally, was merely trying to encourage Wheeler when the veteran reliever snapped at him. "It's not a big deal," Sampson said. "There's no issues there. I think of Dan like a big brother. It was bad timing on my part. I was trying to pat him on the back and tell him, 'We'll get them next time.' He was in the heat of the moment." |
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| Dan Wheeler earned his first save of the year Monday with a perfect inning at Chicago. Phil Garner installed Wheeler as the Astros closer earlier in the day, dropping Brad Lidge into a middle-relief role. |
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| Dan Wheeler is the new closer for the Astros with Brad Lidge being demoted to middle relief, the team's official website reports. Wheeler was moderately effective as a closer last year and is worth a pickup in any format where he's available. |
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| The Astros re-signed Dan Wheeler to a one-year contract on Monday worth $2.1 million, according to SportsTicker. Wheeler, who held a 2.52 ERA in 75 games with Houston last year, could get some more save opportunities in 2007 if Brad Lidge encounters more struggles. |
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| Dan Wheeler pitched a perfect inning Thursday to close out Houston's 6-5 victory. Although Brad Lidge has been endorsed as Houston's closer for 2007, Wheeler looks like the guy Phil Garner will continue to use for the rest of this season. |
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| Dan Wheeler is expected to get the most save opportunities for the Astros now that Brad Lidge has been removed as the closer. "I'm going to lean towards Wheeler," manager Phil Garner told the Houston Chronicle. |
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