Fernando Rodney

Four games into the Angels' season, there is a clamoring among fans for Fernando Rodney to be taken out of the closer role. Rodney struggled to record the save during Thursday's opener after allowing one hit, one walk and two strikeouts on 26 pitches in the ninth inning.

Los Angeles Angels (2010 record: 80-82)

The Angels had a rough offseason. It pales in comparison to the one suffered by the NY Mets (the Madoff effects, a lawsuit, a loan from MLB, cleaning house in the front office, etc.), but it was bad nonetheless.

There was a serious fantasy fallout with Brian Fuentes being traded to the Minnesota Twins on Friday. One player’s stock soared for the final month of the season and one player’s stock went down.

Let’s take a look at the Fuentes trade from a fantasy perspective.

Admit it Angels fans. You've been spoiled.

Since Bryan Harvey took over the role in 1989, the Angels have been blessed with a shut-down closer every year until now.

Harvey, Troy Percival, Francisco Rodriguez and yes, Brian Fuentes, have provided an unbroken, 20-year chain of confidence for Halo managers to go to the pen in the ninth.

That amazing streak of good fortune seems likely to be ending this year.

In just 11 appearances this season, Fuentes has already allowed four homers, blown two saves, and lost a game.

Game No. 17 of 162 in Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ summer-long journey featured a revived Jose Reyes and an impressive pitching performance from this week’s hottest pickup: Mike Pelfrey .

Game No. 17 – Chicago Cubs vs. New York Mets

The Detroit Tigers are far from a perfect team.

Despite holding a division lead since May 10, the Tigers have failed to pull away from the mediocre pack.

The Tigers took a seven game division lead and Tigers fans started doing the math to determine what kind of a ridiculous streak the Twins would have to get on if the Tigers just managed to play .500 ball.

Unfortunately, Detroit went 8-11 between the sweep of the Rays and the beginning of this last home stand. The Twins went 13-6, even in the midst of losing perennial MVP candidate Justin Morneau for the season.

FoxSports.com’s Dayn Perry thinks the Tigers should make a trade with the Rockies for Huston Street, who recorded a couple of stress-free saves for Colorado against Detroit over the weekend. Why? He has no faith in Fernando Rodney. (FoxSports.com).

Quoting Perry:

Last year, the Tigers coined the slogan "Who’s Your Tiger?"

For most people, it was a simple question, and their answers came quickly: Cabrera, Inge, Zumaya, and Verlander. Nobody was mentioning Fernando Rodney, for he wasn't anyone's favorite. The guy made just 13 saves and compiled an 0-6 record in 48 appearances in '08.

For the past two years, the anxiety over the position of closing pitcher for the Detroit Tigers has been enormous.  A big reason for that is Fernando Rodney, who has been with the team since his rookie year in 2002. He has been noted for his remarkable inconsistency ever since helping the team to a World Series appearance in 2006.