With the the top 20 closers for 2009 fantasy baseball, we’ve finished our recap of the 2009 fantasy baseball rankings. This is our final look back. This is still a look back. It is not how I’d rank them for 2010 aka next year. As with the other rankings, the final rankings come from ESPN’s Player Rater. I did this so I could objectively critique MY preseason rankings to THEIR end season ones. Their rankings for closers weigh wins and Ks very heavily, but whatevs. At least it’s unbiased. There’s a theme in the top 20 closers for 2009 fantasy baseball we need to address. There’s more unranked players in this post than any of the previous ones. With 8 of 20 closers being unranked. This is why you never pay for closers. They’re unpredictable. The ones that you think will do good disappoint (K-Rod) or flat-out suck (Lidge). Then there’s the ones that just come out of nowhere. It all comes back to SAGNOF! Anyway, here’s the top 20 closers for 2009 fantasy baseball and how they compare to where I originally ranked them:
1. Joe Nathan – Has an unprecedented streak of 24 consecutive months being a $12 salad. As soon as he gives me his address, I’ll send him the green, leafy ribbon. Preseason Rank #2, 2009 Projections: 2-3/1.90/1.00/75, 42 saves, Final Numbers: 2-2/2.10/.93/89, 47 saves
2. Jonathan Broxton – Didn’t lead the league in saves, wasn’t that dominant with ERA, but 114 Ks for a reliever will get them ranked pretty high. Throw in 7 vulture wins and you have the number two ranked closer. Preseason Rank #7, 2009 Projections: 3-3/3.00/1.15/80, 35 saves, Final Numbers: 7-2/2.61/.96/114, 36 saves
3. Mariano Rivera – Some year he will not live up to his standard. When that year will be is anyone’s guess. Preseason Rank #4, 2009 Projections: 4-3/2.75/1.00/60, 40 saves, Final Numbers: 3-3/1.76/.90/72, 44 saves
4. Andrew Bailey – If you take the best middle reliever year and throw in 26 saves, you have Bailey. Definitely one of those guys that you were probably waiting for the bottom to fall out at any moment and it never happened. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: 6-3/1.84/.88/91, 26 saves
5. Heath Bell – I owned Bell in quite a few leagues since people seem to shun guys who had never closed before even though pitchers have shown over and over again closer experience usually means little. Had his best save and worst ERA month in September with 9 saves and a 5.14 ERA. Preseason Rank #16 2009 Projections: 4-1/3.75/1.20/65, 30 saves, Final Numbers: 6-4/2.71/1.12/79, 42 saves
6. Brian Wilson – Because I’m on the West Coast, I always find myself watching the tail end of Giants games. What I (think) I notice is Wilson is rarely a guy that seems like a sure thing. I say (think) because it might just be the games I watch. So this sent me looking at all of the games he closed in 2009. What I found is my (thought) was correct. He only recorded 11 three up, three down saves out of 38. To give you some perspective, Franklin had 14. Though Wilson was flat-out dominate in the 2nd half (1.64 ERA). Preseason Rank #18, 2009 Projections: 3-4/4.00/1.32/65, 32 saves, Final Numbers: 5-6/2.74/1.20/83, 38 saves
7. Trevor Hoffman – Old is as old continues to do. Next year, he’ll be entering to the Hells Belles Comedy Cabaret album. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: 2-2/2.10/.93/89, 47 saves
8. David Aardsma – Bailey’s probably the epitome of SAGNOF, so what’s right under epitome? Example of? Embodiment? “Eh, same thing?” That was Aardsma. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: 3-6/2.52/1.16/80, 38 saves
9. Huston Street – In the preseason, I said, “Yes, he’s injury prone. Yes, he lost the A’s closer job last year. If he’s the Rox closer, none of that should matter to you. As I’ve repeatedly repeated… If someone’s getting saves, you should be drafting him.” Yup. Preseason Rank #21, 2009 Projections: 1-4/3.75/1.10/17 saves, Final Numbers: 4-1/3.06/.91/70, 35 saves
10. Jonathan Papelbon – Here’s a place their Player Rater fails big time. Papelbon is this low because he recorded only one vulture win. It’s nice, but you can’t really rely on closers to get vulture wins. The rest of his numbers are fine for a closer. Preseason Rank #1, 2009 Projections: 6-2/1.75/.95/80, 45 saves, Final Numbers: 1-1/1.85/1.15/76, 38 saves
11. Ryan Franklin – I’m pretty sure La Russa and Duncan could make Brendan Ryan a serviceable closer. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: 4-3/1.92/1.20/44, 38 saves
12. Francisco Cordero – By taking the last letters of his first name and the first letters of his last name, he has one of my favorite nicknames, CoCo. Who’s some other players this would work with? Ben Zobrist with EnZo… Zobrist sounds Jewish and he gets an Italian nickname? What’s he, a pizza bagel? Doesn’t work. How about Ryan Howard? AnHo? Eh.. Wait, I got one! Miguel Montero. Now we just need Daron Sutton to say something like, “The Count’s in Elmo’s favor…” Preseason Rank #8, 2009 Projections: 6-4/3.75/1.32/75, 35 saves, Final Numbers: 2-6/2.16/1.32/58, 39 saves
13. Rafael Soriano – See what I said regarding Bailey. Go ahead, scan your eyes up a little. There ya go! Soriano did basically the same thing. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: 1-6/2.97/1.06/102, 27 saves
14. Joakim Soria – Soria dealt with some injury issues this year and still put together a good season. Soria blamed the WBC; I blamed Selig. Preseason Rank #6, 2009 Projections: 3-4/2.00/.95/60, 35 saves, Final Numbers: 3-2/2.21/1.13/69, 30 saves
15. Brian Fuentes – Knock on the door. *opening door* A red flag stands there. What’s up, red flag? Fuentes had more saves than Ks. Red Flag out. Preseason Rank #11, 2009 Projections: 3-1/3.75/1.14/70, 40 saves, Final Numbers: 1-5/3.93/1.40/46, 48 saves
16. Francisco Rodriguez – Wasn’t a great season, but you were foolish if you thought he was going to save another 62 games. Actually, wasn’t as bad when you consider he gave up 5 runs in his next to last appearance. Right before that, he had a 3.09 ERA. Preseason Rank #5, 2009 Projections: 3-2/2.85/1.30/80, 42 saves, Final Numbers: 3-6/3.71/1.31/73, 35 saves
17. Jose Valverde – Hopefully you were able to grab LaTroy Hawkins when he filled in for Valverde, so your JoTroy Valkins got you 36 saves. Preseason Rank #13, 2009 Projections: 3-5/3.75/1.20/80, 40 saves, Final Numbers: 4-2/2.33/1.13/56, 25 saves
18. George Sherrill – From Donkeycorn to a middle man but still retained his value, especially for MR. B’s, as Sherrill only gave up 2 earned runs in 27 2/3 innings in LaLa Land. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: 1-1/1.70/1.12/61, 21 saves
19. Michael Wuertz – Wuertz comes in as our first and last true middle reliever to make the top 20 closer list. If you owned, say, James Shields (11-12/4.14/1.32/167) and Wuertz the entire season, your combined numbers would’ve been 17-13/3.74/1.23/269; that looks like vintage Nolan Ryan. In other words, you could’ve done *pinkie to mouth* Wuertz. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: 6-1/2.63/.95/102, 4 saves
20. J.P. Howell – Whatever Beane is feeding his bullpen up in Oakland, Tampa could use some of it as Howell was a whole lot better before he started closing. Thurston and Lovey expected more. Preseason Unranked, Final Numbers: 7-5/2.84/1.20/79, 17 saves
