Closers are the most overrated players in fantasy baseball. The good ones deliver strong contributions to one category, but generally pitch less than five innings per week.
During drafts, I usually ignore the position until the late rounds. Despite this strategy, my teams are usually very strong in the saves category. In fact, my teams have finished tied-first, second, first and first in saves over the last four seasons in my 10-team roto keeper league.
How is this possible you ask? It’s simple really. Let me run some numbers by you…
Over the last three years, only five closers have recorded at least 30 saves each season (Jonathan Papelbon, Francisco Cordero, Mariano Rivera, Joakim Soria and Brian Wilson). This fact alone illustrates the high turnover rate at this unstable position.
With nearly half of baseball's 30 teams likely to start 2011 with a new closer, it's important for fantasy managers to brush up on the bullpens in transition.
Every week during the 2011 season, I'll update the Closer's Corner as ninth-inning roles change hands. In the meantime, I'll post updates as free agents continue to sign and spring training battles become more clear...
Knee and elbow surgeries during the off season delayed Brad Lidge’s 2010 debut. After recording his first save of the season on Monday, it appeared as though the Phillies’ closer was finally back.
Following a light game of catch at Coors Field on Tuesday, however, Lidge is heading back to Philadelphia to visit the team doctor.
“It really didn’t go as well as I would have liked” Lidge said, speaking of Tuesday’s throwing session.
Lidge will be unavailable for the next few days as he’s being examined by team doctors in Philly. It’s not yet known if another DL stint is in Lidge’s immediate future...
Game No. 21 on the Fantasy Baseball Insiders Tonight 162-game journey featured a pitcher’s duel between two of the N.L.’s most potent lineups.
Game No. 21 – St. Louis Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Adam Wainwright was his usual dominant self Tuesday night against the Phillies, allowing just one run on four hits and two walks in eight innings. He also struck out six...
Wednesday’s post covered this year’s All-Surprise Team. Today, we’re going to visit the opposite side of the ranks as I present the 2009 All-Bust Team.
While compiling this list, I did my best to exclude players who spent a significant amount of time on the disabled list, as I feel it’s unfair to hang the “bust” label on players due to injury....
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
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