Grilling the Grilli angle

With Huston Street and Manny Corpas on a closer roller coaster this season, the idea of the steady Jason Grilli taking over has surfaced in Denver. No, Grilli isn't really a candidate right now, but fans posed the question to Denver Post writer Troy E. Renck, and he shot the idea down, point-blank.

Fantasy Impact: Grilli's improving ERA is quite impressive. It's down year after year after year, all the way to 1.04 this season. He owns 12 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings. He also owns the Rockies setup role, and it doesn't appear that will be changing anytime soon. His fantasy value is extremely limited unless Street struggles again. If Grilli continues to succeed at that time while Corpas struggles, Grilli would be up against Alan Embree for save chances.

Ankiel meets wall

Cardinals outfielder Rick Ankiel survived a scary moment Monday night after running hard into the wall after a fly ball. He made the catch, but paid for it dearly. Amazingly, the Cardinals say Ankiel is just a little sore, according to Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino.

Victorino, anxious when he came to bat in the ninth, asked catcher Jason LaRue how Ankiel was doing and was assured by what he heard.

"LaRue said (Ankiel) felt fine, that he was a little sore, that it wasn't anything where he wasn't moving or anything like that," Victorino said.

"I'm glad he was able to give a thumbs-up (when Ankiel was carted off the field). I'm sure he's going to be sore, but I hope nothing more comes about tonight.

"... I only wish him the best and that it didn't do too much damage.

"It was a great play. He went a long way to get the ball."

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard said, "When I saw (Ankiel) stumble, I knew he was going face-first into the wall. I was just waiting for some movement. I saw him move his arms and said, 'All right. That's good. He's still got feeling.'"

Fantasy Impact: We'll start Colby Rasmus in place of Ankiel for at least a day or two. Rasmus looks to be on the verge of breaking out in his first full major league season, anyway.

Sherrill sharing closer role

After saying he'd gladly hand he role back to a rehabilitated Chris Ray in the offseason, George Sherrill had his closer role taken away by the Orioles on Monday.

The O's will go with a closer-by-committee setup until someone emerges, but the requisite names of Chris Ray, Dennys Baez and Jim Johnson all got mentioned in articles today. None excites us, although we'd have to believe Ray's experience in the role might eventually make him the fallback option. Baez has pitched best this year, so he'll certainly be the name floated by most fantasy baseball resources. His previous season's ERA of 6.44, however, is not a confidence-builder.

Fantasy Impact: Stash Ray. He lost the role due to injury and will eventually take his turn. Oddly enough, Baez worked two innings in middle relief for a win Monday night while Johnson and Sherrill followed in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively for an 8-4, non-save victory over Tampa. It was like nothing had changed in Baltimore.