Comments on: 2009 Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Top 20 Closers

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:48:50 +0000

Hey everybody, if you go to the Yahoo StatTraker, you can see that there’s still a brown furry animal attached to Chad Gaudin’s chin. I called the SPCA about it the last time he pitched, but I guess they haven’t detached it yet.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:05:54 +0000

Why on earth is Jenks being drafted ahead of Broxton? I think Broxton is a borderline 1st tier closer you can get in the 11th i.e. great closer to target.

By: papasmurf

papasmurf — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:48:26 +0000

Well, I just drafted Wilson and Qualls (in the 170′s). Hopefully it will work out. I was tempted to go with Hoffman instead of Qualls since Q might be on a short leash with Rauch and Pena around, but my league counts HLDs so at least I have a fallback.

By: Grey

Grey — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:41:30 +0000

@papasmurf: If he could cut his walks, I'd like him more. On the bright side, his HRs will probably come down a bit this year. He's fine as a late reliever but my projections don't feel off from what I'd expect -- about a 4 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 30 Saves.

By: papasmurf

papasmurf — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:12:03 +0000

Am I the only one who thinks B Wilson is pretty good? His FIP last year was under 4. What seems to have hurt him most was that the out converted percentage on balls in play was only 67.5% despite just an 18.6 LD% (for comparison, Papelbon’s was 19.7%) and a high HR/FB ratio.

By: Fred Barker

Fred Barker — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:56:55 +0000

RE: Fuentes. Thanks for the input. I needed something to get me back to reality. More than enough. Will drop back to SAGNOF.

By: Rudy Gamble

Rudy Gamble — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:34:22 +0000

@Fred Barker: I'm still finalizing my final Point Shares. I think Fuentes will probably come out somewhere in that neighborhood - maybe as high as 8th? Will keep you posted...

By: Grey

Grey — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:43:11 +0000

@Fred Barker: In 2007, K-Rod saved 40 games, the Angels didn't give him 60+ every year. Fuentes's most saves in a season is 31, K-Rod has closed double that. Who knows if Fuentes can hold up his end of the bargain for 35 saves or 45 saves or 50? In 2007, Fuentes lost the Rox closer role to Manny Corpas. Fuentes has a career ERA of 3.41; K-Rod is 2.35. Fuentes should be fine, and I wouldn't hesitate to draft him, but he shouldn't be much higher on the list.

By: Fred Barker

Fred Barker — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 07:02:09 +0000

Grey, see that you have Fuentes #11. Don’t understand why he isn’t at the top. Angels seem to have set a strategy of not fixing it if it isn’t broken. If setup men the same, why won’t Scioscia run Fuentes out there regularly. Understand not to expect record performance of Rodriguez, but, still, why not as good, if not better, than any other reliever? (Rudy, can you weigh in?)

By: TBone

TBone — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 05:40:14 +0000

Wow. We will certainly look into it. She decided to support me one year and try out a fantasy team and never looked back. BTW, cannot praise your site enough, its the equivalent of the Lost City of Atlantis!

By: Grey

Grey — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:34:17 +0000

@TBone: Wow, I think you might be the 1st example of Razzball bringing a husband and wife together, usually it does the opposite. You guys should co-own a Razzball team (http://razzball.com/razzball-commenter-leagues/)

By: TBone

TBone — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:19:08 +0000

New reader. Dig the site. The wife digs it too! I shall return frequently to kill brain cells over the delicacies known as fantasy baseball nerdism (yes, I made up a word, not as good as papelnuts but hey, what is?)

By: big o

big o — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:04:31 +0000

@IowaCubs:

considering how weak the dodgers starting line-up is ,
kuo is a fantastic addition to your bullpen.
vulture wins , saves , and holds (as applicable).

balfour , also , should be considered .

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:14:29 +0000

@Grey: Gentleman. Scholar.

By: Baron Von Vulturewins

Baron Von Vulturewins — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:13:46 +0000

@Grey: I am pre-boycotting this post. Holds are to fantasy baseball as the rouge is to CFL football.

By: Grey

Grey — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:06:04 +0000

@Steve: Cool, I'll do a top 20 MR post.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:03:57 +0000

@Grey: I'm with Iowa. I'm prolly going to play in my old H2H league as well as an RCL this year and that counts holds. You'll recall my (ahem) fondness for the middle reliever, Grey? The video works fine for me, BTW.

By: Grey

Grey — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:42:22 +0000

@IowaCubs: Ooh… I like that idea. BTW, could you see if the video here works (http://razzball.com/edinsonedisonjulio-reyesvolquez-will-cap-you/)

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:40:04 +0000

@Grey: We Razzballers expect a post on the top 20 setup men. You have to admit that the Mr. B in you wants to do it bad. For years, I've tried to find one of you 'perts to project holds.

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:36:55 +0000

@peter: You, sir, have a special spot in the MR. B afterlife.

By: peter

peter — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:12:23 +0000

@IowaCubs: I like it - taking a flier on Kuo at the end of a draft isn't a bad move even if he's *not* getting save opps (which I don't think he is).

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:39:27 +0000

@Grey: YES, nice….

and speaking bobble heads i lived near Pittsburgh and went to a few Pirates games (only because i love baseball and they were the closest) and they gave out Ronny Paulino Bobbleheads! Ronny didn’t even start that night I think Doumit did and when we left the stadium there was like 14 bobbleheads in their boxes piled on every trashcan…. LOL seriously how bad is your team when you have Ronny Paulino Bobblehead night!? And then everyone pitches it in the trash!

By: Grey

Grey — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:24:35 +0000

@Tony: ...Girl's faces.

By: Baron Von Vulturewins

Baron Von Vulturewins — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:24:19 +0000

@sean: I feel that is a good tip. I usually stay away from Texas closers (and Texas pitchers) but Frank "Frankie" Francisco is hard to resist. Didn't CJ Wilson blow a save last year on his own bobblehead night? I hope when they make Francisco the closer, his in-from-the-bullpen song is the jingle from Rice-A-Roni.

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:22:46 +0000

@Grey: I like adding nuts to about anything, my icecream, salads, you know and peoples names. Add nuts to the end of a name and it just makes it better. Paplenuts has a great ring to it tho. You're freaking Paplenuts!

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:12:23 +0000

@Grey: So you're saying there's a CHANCE? I'm totally drafting Kuo.

By: Grey

Grey — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:08:47 +0000

@IowaCubs: Not without an injury to Broxton.

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:05:49 +0000

Hong-Chi Kuo could battle for saves in L.A., no? The MR.B in me wants to believe.

By: Josh

Josh — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:46:13 +0000

@sean: take 2 closers, both pitch 65 innings, one with a 4.20 era (call him hanhrahan), the other with a 2.20 era (call him nathan). suppose your team has a 3.70 era with the Nathan. if you had the Hahnrahan, you'd have a 3.80 ERA in a 1250ip max league, or 3.79 in a 1500ip max league. in a H2H i'd imagine it's worse because there's a greater chance Hanhrahan implodes and ruins your week. but you prob had to take nathan in the 6th or 7th, and you could've taken a guy like Chad, Shields, Oswalt, or Erv that would replace your worst SP, and potentially lead to better ratios when coupled with Hanhrahan

By: Grey

Grey — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:27:16 +0000

@Steve: Tough skin, they* call it. *No idea who they are. @BSA: That's actually a fair point. If you know you can't compete for closers, throw in the towel in February and draft Papelbon. @Rob: Yeah, you have some sleepless nights because of 4 ER outings in a 1/3 of an inning, but if one of your closers goes down, don't you scramble to pick up his replacement? Usually the replacements are just as harrowing. @Tony: Papelnuts... I kinda like that. Someone who drafts closers early. "Jimmy just skipped Matt Kemp for a closer?! He's Papelnuts!" @Baron Von Vulturewins: Thinking the Dutchman might want to consider Capps. @sean: It's not a very hard thing to figure out. Rudy already did (http://razzball.com/groaning-at-bad-punditry-%e2%80%93-when-to-draft-closers/) He actually likes to draft a top closer. This is one of the few points we disagree on.