I remember when Strat added the closer rating. When I look back at my home league team’s statistics prior to the closer rating, I see that I had a different closer every year. Basically, whoever had the best reliever card on the team became the closer. I remember not being happy when they instituted the rating. What happened after the rating is that I kept the same closer around.
In my opinion, it is a shame to waste an early draft pick on a reliever unless you need that reliever to carry you to the promise land or if you are sure they will be the closer for a long period of time. A better option is to draft starters or relievers that fall into the role of closer. That is not easy to do, unless you are choosing your later round picks around the premise that a player may become a closer.
Closers Now
Joakim Soria
Throws: Right
2007 Role: Closer
2008 Role: Closer
Career: Closer
Classification: Blue-Chip Prospect
Here he is the one and only closer in the draft. Joakim Soria was a Rule 5 pick who ended up closer for the Royals when Octavio Dotel was hurt. He did well enough that the Royals were comfortable trading Dotel at the deadline. Soria was particularly tough on left-handers. He’ll have only one or two hits on that side of the card. I don’t think he will do as well as he did last year, but I think he will be good for a while. As he’s the closer at 23, he may end up your closer for years to come. That is why he’s a blue-chip Strat-O-Matic prospect.
Closer for This Year
Hideki Okajima
Throws: Left
2007 Role: Closer / Setup
2008 Role: Setup
Career: Setup
Classification: Veteran
With five saves, Hideki Okajima should be rated a closer-2 and possibly a closer-3. A closer-3 is more than good enough to close the ninth inning. From a Strat prospective, he has two things against him. First, he is left-handed and we all know the left-handed disadvantage. The other disadvantage is his age. In a keeper league, you’d prefer using your draft picks on younger players. As a reverse lefty, Okajima should be solid. He did give up four of his six homeruns to right-handers, so a homerun may be the only hits on his card.
Closers for the Future
Joba Chamberlain
Throws: Right
2007 Role: Setup
2008 Role: Starter
Career: Starter / Possible Closer
Classification: Prospect
It is reaching. The Yankees signed Mariano Rivera to a three-year deal. The Yankees have said that they would like Chamberlain in the rotation. Hear me out. They talked about Chamberlain as a potential replacement for Rivera. Rivera is 37. If he goes down, where will the Yankees go? Of all the reliever cards, Chamberlain has to be one of the highest valued despite only 24 innings.
Other Options
Al Reyes
Throws: Right
2007 Role: Closer
2008 Role: Setup
Career: Mostly Finished
Classification: Veteran
Looking at my home league’s free agents, I see that Al Reyes is there. I had Al Reyes on my team back in 1999. As he didn’t pitch in the Major Leagues in 2006 and the fact that he is 37 might mean that he is available. He’s going to give up the home run, but if you are in a pitcher’s park, that might be okay for you as the rest of the card will be good.
Troy Percival
Throws: Right
2007 Role: Setup
2008 Role: Closer
Career: A Couple of Years Left in Him
Classification: Veteran
Well, if I’m going to list Reyes, I should at least list Percival. He can’t close for you now, but he’s been named the closer of the Devil Rays. Manager Joe Maddon was the bench coach for the Angels when Percival was closer, so it is a done deal. As Percival retired two years ago, I’m sure he’s in the free agent pool.
Closer Analysis
If you haven’t gotten the hint by now, if you are looking for a closer, you should consider trading for one instead of looking for one in the draft. If you are a B.J. Ryan owner, then an Al Reyes might be a good one-year stop gap for you.
Should you use your first round pick on Joakim Soria? If he wasn’t a closer, then the answer is no, but as he is the only new card closer who has a job, if you need one, he is a good long-term choice. There is too much talent that will help you more that I’d hate you to waste an early pick on him, but it is your decision.
With so few players, I’m not going to formally rank them. Soria is graded an A as a closer. Everyone else is graded a C as a closer. They may be ranked something else as just relievers or starters.
Next week I’ll look at right-handed relievers.
JP Kastner is the winner of the 2007 Strat-O-Matic Baseball Online Expert League World Series. In five seasons of SOMBOE, JP Kastner has five winning seasons, four playoff appearances, three World Series appearances and now one World Championship. He is in his second season in the Tout Wars mixed league.