In fantasy baseball, relief pitchers are a unique breed. They represent the only roster position that is solely responsible for an entire statistical category (wilds). If you don’t have one or two effective closers, you risk losing an entire category. For head-to-head leagues in particular, this can be a serious problem. There are those fantasy baseball owners who believe it’s important to get a quality close early and help solidify the Saves category. There are also those who believe that savings can be gleaned ‘on the cheap’ from the waiver cable throughout the season. Whichever approach you prefer to take, it’s worth taking a look at the top ten closing pitchers in fantasy baseball for 2012:
1) Craig Kimbrel (ATL)–
It may seem overly eager to rank a 23-year-old closer with only one full season in the majors as the best closer in fantasy baseball. Yet when that season includes 46 saves, a .178 BA against, a 1.04 WHIP, a 2.10 ERA and an astounding 14.84 K/9, it’s almost a no-brainer. It’s not impossible that Kimbrel ends up with twice as many strikeouts as the second-closest on this list.
two) John Axford (MIL)–
Don’t be scared by the acceptance of Francisco RodrÃguez’s arbitration with the Brewers. Axford is the man in the ninth inning in Milwaukee. He followed up a strong 2010 season with an even better effort in 2011 that included tying Kimbrel for the NL lead in Saves. Losing Braun by 50 games may mean closer scoring games and more opportunities for Axford. Everything’s fine.
3) Drew Storen (WAS)–
Washington’s starters may give Storen more opportunities in 2012 than he did last season. His talent isn’t overwhelming, but he strikes out nearly one inning and another 40-save season seems possible.
4) Jonathan Papelbon (PHI)–
Going from the Red Sox to the Phillies won’t have much of an impact on Papelbon’s overall stats. His ability to replicate his delivery is second only to Rivera in Major League Baseball. The 2.94 ERA he posted in 2011 is a bit unsettling (but almost a run better than 2010), but his 0.93 WHIP was outstanding and his K/9 hasn’t dipped below 10 since 2006.
5) Heather Bell (FLA)–
Much has been made of the drop in strikeout rate (down 3.71 from 2010), but his peripherals were in line with past performance. He’s a bit of a fly ball shooter (.81 G/F), so we’ll have to see how he plays the new ball park in Miami, but he’ll have brilliant infield defense behind him for any ground strikes. There is a drive in Miami to succeed in 2012 and Bell may prove to be a good fantasy pick.
6) Mariano Rivera (New York)–
The hardest trait to find when evaluating closing shooters is consistency. Rivera is the only member on this list that oozes consistency from every pore of his body. He is a human (not a robot) and as such he will see his abilities erode at some point. However, he shows no signs of slowing down after posting a sub-1.00 WHIP once again in 2011 (not to mention 44 saves).
7) Brian Wilson (SF)–
Injuries knocked Wilson off the top of most lists in 2011. He saw his K-rate drop and his walk rate rise. For now, we’ll chalk it up to injury. Watch him arrive at spring training. If he is healthy, catch him.
8) Joel Hanrahan (PIT)–
The Pirates closer saw his K/9 drop precipitously (4.92 less than in 2010). However, his dominance improved and he managed to save 40 games for a Pittsburgh team that managed just 72 wins all season. Of course, this was due to a lot of close games, but Hanrahan showed that he could get the job done in the ninth inning. If his strikeout rate improves even a little bit, his stock goes up.
9) JJ Putz (ARI)–
While he didn’t achieve the greatness he displayed in 2006-07, Putz came pretty close last season. With a WHIP under 1.00 and keeping hitters below .200, Putz proved he could close games once again (to the tune of 45, no less). Injuries always lurk in the shadows with Putz, so he watches carefully. However, it may be worth the risk.
10) Sergio Santos (TOR)–
Santos surprised many last year by taking on the ninth-inning role with the White Sox. He posted an impressive 13.07 K/9 while holding opposing hitters to a .181 average. He has been anointed closer on a team looking to compete in 2012. He should be an interesting fantasy pick.
when considered fantasy baseball relief pitchers for 2012, these launchers must be considered. Even though it’s the most inconsistent position in fantasy baseball, having the right closer on your roster can go a long way toward securing victory.
