MLB Closer Watch 2010
Baseball closer is not a position with much job security. We update our Closer Watch grid daily in-season (and pretty often off-season) so you know who's in line for saves with each MLB club.
Update: NYY -- 2/4/2010
It looks like the Yankees might be more interested in winning than experimenting after all. According to the NY Post, the team has decided to deposit a grumbling Joba Chamberlain (who's always been best as a reliever) back into the bullpen while moving Phil Hughes (who was pretty effective in the 8th inning himself) back into the rotation. Again.
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Updated 2/9/2010
| Closer | Leaning In | Notes | |
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BAL MGonzalez |
Johnson Meredith Mickolio Hoey |
The surprise signing of expensive ex-Brave Mike Gonzalez solidified a confused Baltimore bullpen for 2010. Behind him will be some capable arms: Jim Johnson held down the job adequately after the trade of George Sherrill in late 2009, but didn't exactly blow anyone away. Rookie Kam Mickolio has an outside shot at taking over sometime, but probably not until 2011. |
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BOS Papelbon |
Okajima Bard R Ramirez Delcarmen |
Papelbon continues season-to-season in Boston, but expect to hear fans clamoring for the fashionable Dan Bard early and often, especially if Papelbon's two seasons of fading effectiveness become a real trend. A dropping strikeout rate and a rising price tag is not a good mix for a developing arm. Other than Bard, the relievers in waiting are a solid bunch of young veterans who won't break radar guns, but they can get the job done. |
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NYY Rivera |
Chamberlain Hughes Melencon Robertson Cox |
In the least-exciting closer 'battle' in baseball, future Hall of Famer Rivera will be holding the league in check once again. Phil Hughes blossomed as an eighth-inning type in 2009, but many mumble that he doesn't have the confidence or guile to work as an everyday closer. He could be moved back to starting action at any time, while Joba Chamberlain might be back in the bullpen once again. |
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TOR Frasor |
Downs Gregg Accardo Morrow Reinecke |
Frasor and Downs swapped places a few times in 2009 as injuries and ineffectiveness seemed contagious in the Toronto bullpen. The less-expensive Frasor looks like a slightly better bet entering 2010, the odds are good that Toronto will use both pitchers in save situations before the All Star Break. Deeper down, Toronto is stacked in hot young pitching, so this job will not be very stable long-term, either. |
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TB Soriano |
Wheeler Balfour Howell Davis |
The surprise availability of Rafael Soriano threw a sharp curve into Tampa's options for 2010, and the team responded swiftly, sending baby closer prospect Jesse Chavez to the Braves at the first opening. Until Soriano's arrival, this was probably Wheeler's job to start 2010, and he remains the obvious fallback. The rumored conversion of Wade Davis to bullpen work also looks like a nice sleeper option. |
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OAK Bailey |
Ziegler Devine Wuertz Casilla |
Rookie breakout artist Andrew Bailey, a great success after being converted from starting duties, is the favorite to hold down the ninth inning in 2010, too. But the A's are nothing if not resourceful, and the arms behind him are all capable of taking over at any time. Oakland's closer situation has to be considered one of the least stable in baseball, no matter how good the incumbent performs: Bailey's unlikely to be the only A notching saves in 2010. |
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LAA Fuentes |
Rodney Jepsen R Rodriguez F Rodriguez |
Proving that it's the team that makes a closer, newcomer Brian Fuentes led all of baseball in saves in 2010 despite some pretty average ancillary numbers. The arms behind him were better, and youngster Kevin Jepsen in particular took a step forward. Keep an eye on young Rafael Rodriguez and 'the other' Francisco Rodriguez, too. They both have the stuff and ego to succeed in pressure situations. |
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SEA Aardsma |
Kelley Lowe Fields Cordero |
New GM Jack Zduriencik didn't wait long to shake things up in Seattle, sending ace closer JJ Putz and reliever Sean Green to the Mets in exchange for six young players. After bouncing between half a dozen options in spring and experimenting with Brandon Morrow as their closer, the team settled on young journeyman David Aardsma, a fine fastballer. Aardsma proved that any cool head can hold down closing duties by being one of the AL's best in 2009. He's a lock to get the job again in 2010. |
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TEX Francisco |
Feliz Wilson Ray O'Day Fukumori |
Franky Two-Times ended the 2009 season as the best bet in Texas, but the 102mph explosions coming from rookie Neftali Feliz can't be doing much for his confidence. If Texas leaves Feliz in the bullpen, rather than attempting to stretch him out and return him to starting duties, he's going to be hard to keep in the eighth inning for long. Lefty CJ Wilson remains a solid but undominant backup choice, too. |
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CHW Jenks |
Putz Thornton Pena |
The always-shaky but usually-successful Jenks will probably return to closing duties in 2010, with new acquisition JJ Putz and the always-capable Matt Thornton there to back him up if he stumbles again. |
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CLE Wood |
C Perez R Perez Lewis |
The always-exciting Kerry Wood will remain to save what few victories the Tribe can scrape out in 2010. On the horizon, ex-future-Dodger closer Jon Meloan and onetime Cardinal closer-of-the-future Chris Perez are both getting close to taking their shot. If Wood stumbles, this could be a bloodbath. |
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DET Valverde |
Zumaya Perry Fien Schlereth |
It looked like the Tigers might finally give fragile but fiery Joel Zumaya a chance to close in 2010, at least until they signed Jose Valverde to be a safer saver. Longer term, youngsters Ryan Perry and Casey Fien are decent gambles for the future, and newcomer Daniel Schlereth is nothing to sneeze at, either. |
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KC Soria |
Farnsworth Cruz Yabuta |
Probably the best closer everyone forgets about, Joakim Soria has a lock on the job once again for 2010, and he's bound to deliver another Mariano-Lite season. Right now, Professor Farnsworth looks like the backup plan, but (good news, everyone!) KC will also try to add some more reliable arms behind him during the winter. |
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MIN Nathan |
Rauch Neshek Mijares Guerrier |
Nathan will be back again in 2010, and should be ready enough to pitch in April, but how well his aging and now surgically-scraped elbow will hold up is an open question: he looked awfully hittable at the end of 2009 and into the playoffs. The usual selection of hot but delicate arms will back him up, including the now-seasoned lefty Mijares and the finally-back Pat Neshek. |
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ARZ Qualls |
Schoeneweis Gutierrez Zavada |
Qualls is the technical closer here, but Arizona's hedging their bets heavily: a churning flow of bullpen candidates means the team will keep the pressure on all year. It seems likely that Arizona will keep tinkering, as the team always seems to have a surplus of adequate arms, but no standout performers. |
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COL Street |
Betancourt Morales Corpas Buchholz (DL) Weathers |
Huston Street will be expensive in arbitration, but the Rockies don't have anyone else who's really ready yet. Franklin Morales had moments of greatness in spot duty but didn't show the poise or polish needed for a regular job. Manny Corpas and Taylor Buchholz, both capable closers, will be on the shelf recovering from injuries and off-season surgeries until at least the All Star Break. Casey Weathers, a college closer working his way up the farm system, won't be ready until 2011 or later. |
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LAD Broxton |
Sherrill Kuo Troncoso Belisario |
Broxton was on-again, off-again in 2009. Practically unhittable at Dodger Stadium, he was awful on the road, posting an ERA high enough to make him the absolute worst closer in baseball when away from his friendly fans. George Sherrill can do the job if necessary, but the real question is whether the Dodgers really need three veteran lefties (Sherrill, Kuo, Elbert) in their full-season bullpen. Moves to bring in a strong righthanded setup artist could be in the offing. |
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SD Bell |
Mujica Adams Russell |
Heath Bell might not seem like major league closer material, but he looked pretty damn fine in 2009. So good, in fact, that he's about to get arbitration-expensive, which means the ever-poor Padres could go looking for cheaper in-house options like Mike Adams or Adam Russell. |
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SF Wilson |
Affeldt Romo |
Wilson did a commendable (if high-ERA) job again in 2009, so he's a lock to keep his job again in 2010. Sergio Romo, who has often looked like the Giants' best pitcher, needs to find a consistent groove if he's going to be second-in-command. SF is likely to add some bullpen depth in the winter, but it'll be for setup and innings-eating purposes. |
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CHC Marmol |
Guzman Gregg (FA) Grabow (FA) Ryan |
Carlos Marmol has been given many opportunities to lock down the Cubs' closing job, but has failed to do it thanks to his come-and-go approach to command and control. With this rare development experiment still faltering, the Cubs are one of the teams most likely to bring in a veteran closer for 2010, pushing Marmol back to setup work, or off the chart completely to another team more able to develop him. |
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CIN Cordero |
Burton Masset Bray |
By signing Francisco Cordero last year, the Reds stabilized a bullpen that was once a wild ride of ever-changing players. With Cordero at the end, the other wannabe-closers in Cincinnati suddenly look like a solid bunch of setup guys: all capable, none standout-ish. But they're all young enough that a blossom could yet bloom. If that happens, look at Cordero to get moved for maximum value at mid-season. |
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HOU Valverde (FA) |
Lindstrom Lyon Sampson Brocail |
The acquisition of Matt Lindstrom from Florida this winter sent a strong signal that the Astros were prepared to move on without closer Jose Valverde, and when they backed him up with ex-Tiger Brandon Lyon, the deal was pretty much sealed. Lindstrom suffers from control problems and the occasional meltdown, but he's still throwing nothing but fire on the mound. |
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MLW Hoffman |
Villanueva Hawkins Coffey |
It's one more year for Trevor Hoffman, as he works to put his all-time saves record out of Mariano's reach. The arms behind the veteran Hoffman are talented, and feisty Carlos Villanueva filled in admirably for Hoffman more than once in 2009. |
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PIT Dotel |
Hanrahan Grabow Meek |
The arbitration-eligible Capps was shown the door in winter to make room for a new closer in Pittsburgh, and by the time Pittsburgh got around to signing one, Octavio Dotel was the best player available. Of course, since the team is nowhere close to competitive yet (despite an improved farm), it doesn't much matter who the Pirates trot out in 2010's ninth innings. Evan Meek remains the best of the home-grown options, should the Pirates ever decide to take rebuilding seriously. |
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STL Franklin |
Motte McClellan Kinney |
Chris Perez is out of the mix and toiling in Cleveland, but Ryan Franklin and Jason Motte are both back to fight over the closing job for 2010, with Franklin's incumbency guaranteeing the first opportunity. A capable stable of workhorses will return behind them. |
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ATL Wagner |
Saito Moylan Carlyle Chavez Medlan |
The Braves made a big splash early in the winter by signing elite relievers Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito to shore up their bullpen. Veteran Saito provides handy cover, too: While Wagner looked strong after returning from surgery in 2009, he still has to be considered one of the more fragile closers entering 2010. |
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FLA Nunez |
Meyer Sanches |
Leo Nunez took the job away from Matt Lindstrom late in 2009, but don't feel too bad if you didn't notice that: neither was very effective, and no job is very secure here. The Marlins will bring their customary collection of 99mph arms to spring training, and at least one or two should break onto the roster and into contention for the closing job, as usual. |
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NYM Rodriguez |
Parnell Igarashi |
His numbers don't look as good as they usually do, and a three year slide in his eponymous statistic has some observers worried, but K-Rod still got the job done in his first year as a Met, and there's no reason to think he won't have the job once again. The Mets will work to bolster the bullpen behind K-Rod, of course, but the way luck runs in Brooklyn, half of the bullpen will be on the DL by June anyway. |
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PHI Lidge |
Madson Baez Condrey Romero |
You dance with the one what brung you, and that means Brad Lidge will be back as the Phillies closer in good times and in bad. Brett Myers is probably a better choice, and Ryan Madson was acceptable as a substitute in 2010, while new Phil Danys Baez provides some backup closer experience for the NL Champs. |
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WAS Capps |
Storen Bruney Clippard Burnett Perez |
Mike MacDougal did an exemplary job closing for the Nationals at the end of 2009, though of course nobody really noticed that. Rather that retaining him for 2010, the Nats went out to sign ex-Pirate Matt Capps on a one-year deal that has 'holding measure' written all over it. The Nationals hope that Drew Storen, just picked up in the 2009, will be ready to close soon, but 2011 looks like his arrival time from here. |
Notes and Updates
Update: NYY
It looks like the Yankees might be more interested in winning than experimenting after all. According to the NY Post, the team has decided to deposit a grumbling Joba Chamberlain (who's always been best as a reliever) back into the bullpen while moving Phil Hughes (who was pretty effective in the 8th inning himself) back into the rotation. Again.
Update: TOR
Things just got more complicated in Toronto. The Jays have signed ex-Marlin closer Kevin Gregg to a one year contract with two option years that hinge on performance milestones, including games finished. Scott Downs and Jason Frasor might want to delay those Rosedale real estate purchases for another year.
Update: PIT
Octavio Dotel has signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He should immediately step into the closer's role, at least for 2010.
Update: DET
Jose Valverde has finally passed his physical (no slam-dunk, there) and will take over as the Detroit Tigers closer. The big righthander signed a two year contract with an option for a third year. This says as much about the value of a veteran pitcher as it does about the Tigers lack of faith in the fragile Joel Zumaya.
Update: LAA
The Angels have signed ex-Tiger Fernando Rodney to a two-year deal. The hardthrowing righthander will reinforce a somewhat depleted bullpen, while backing up closer Brian Fuentes.
Update: WAS
Drew Storen fans (both of you), you'll have to wait for 2011, as the Nationals have signed ex-Pirate Matt Capps to close for the team in 2010. Unless he flames out spectacularly, Capps should have the job all season.
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