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Thursday, July 26, 2007

Closers breakdown

Posted by Derek Carty at 9:27pm


Honestly guys, I'm completely lost for an idea for today. I'm going to post a list of the essential numbers for all closers (as well as temporary closers) for you to peruse. I talked about how trading for an elite closer might be a good idea right now (even though it might not have been early on), so hopefully this will help you target some good ones and avoid certain others.

LAST FIRST IP ERA LIPS ERA WHIP DIPS WHIP K/9 BB/9 K/BB xGB% LOB% BABIP HR/FB LD% LIPS ERA - ERA DIPS WHIP - WHIP
Cordero Francisco 42.0 2.79 2.50 1.10 1.07 12.21 3.00 4.07 39.58 73.99 0.326 2.56 18.18 -0.29 -0.03
Wagner Billy 44.3 1.42 2.61 0.86 0.97 11.37 2.44 4.67 33.66 95.81 0.227 8.33 17.65 1.19 0.11
Saito Takashi 40.7 1.55 2.73 0.74 0.93 10.62 1.33 8.00 44.68 94.70 0.215 10.81 10.31 1.18 0.19
Papelbon Jonathan 36.7 1.72 2.74 0.87 0.98 13.01 2.70 4.82 30.77 90.91 0.240 7.32 15.38 1.02 0.11
Putz J.J. 47.0 0.96 2.91 0.60 0.85 9.38 1.34 7.00 42.72 102.46 0.168 9.52 13.08 1.95 0.25
Street Huston 20.0 2.70 2.95 0.95 1.10 9.45 3.15 3.00 34.69 73.86 0.229 4.17 12.00 0.25 0.15
Rivera Mariano 41.7 3.02 3.01 1.03 1.01 8.86 1.08 8.20 50.86 76.56 0.310 8.33 14.41 -0.01 -0.02
Nathan Joe 45.0 2.00 3.05 1.11 1.09 9.80 2.00 4.90 42.50 82.30 0.333 2.44 26.45 1.05 -0.02
Rodriguez Francisco 43.7 2.68 3.06 1.19 1.19 12.16 3.92 3.11 47.00 79.68 0.323 5.88 16.83 0.38 0.00
Valverde Jose 40.0 2.48 3.08 1.08 1.18 10.35 3.60 2.88 34.00 86.29 0.240 8.51 18.00 0.60 0.10
Lidge Brad 41.7 1.94 3.10 1.20 1.20 12.31 4.10 3.00 41.24 90.16 0.301 7.50 15.15 1.16 0.00
Myers Brett 36.0 5.50 3.12 1.44 1.28 12.75 4.25 3.00 42.05 69.51 0.349 18.18 20.88 -2.38 -0.16
Jenks Robert 43.3 3.53 3.35 1.08 1.13 8.10 2.49 3.25 48.28 67.87 0.295 5.41 18.33 -0.18 0.05
Dempster Ryan 36.7 3.19 3.46 1.04 1.20 8.35 3.44 2.43 49.46 68.31 0.250 3.57 21.88 0.27 0.16
Borowski Joe 39.7 4.99 3.51 1.41 1.24 7.94 2.04 3.89 33.60 66.29 0.364 5.26 20.31 -1.48 -0.17
Fuentes Brian 37.7 4.06 3.55 1.17 1.19 7.41 2.63 2.82 35.14 79.33 0.260 12.24 21.62 -0.51 0.02
Reyes Al 36.0 4.75 3.65 1.06 1.19 10.00 3.25 3.08 22.83 68.49 0.212 12.73 16.13 -1.10 0.13
Corpas Manuel 49.0 2.39 3.72 1.10 1.22 7.71 2.76 2.80 56.72 83.01 0.273 8.82 15.33 1.33 0.12
Isringhausen Jason 41.3 1.52 3.73 0.94 1.19 8.06 3.05 2.64 46.79 89.01 0.215 5.13 13.76 2.21 0.25
Howry Bob 49.3 4.20 3.93 1.30 1.22 7.48 2.19 3.42 34.64 72.41 0.320 7.25 20.65 -0.27 -0.08
Hoffman Trevor 36.0 1.75 3.94 0.75 1.11 6.00 1.75 3.43 31.68 78.13 0.186 1.82 9.52 2.19 0.36
Capps Matthew 53.3 2.19 4.00 1.01 1.16 6.41 1.86 3.45 29.75 81.18 0.265 2.41 16.67 1.81 0.15
Dotel Octavio 22.0 3.27 4.01 1.45 1.36 11.05 4.09 2.70 44.07 84.34 0.351 8.70 13.33 0.74 -0.09
Gregg Kevin 56.7 3.02 4.01 1.16 1.29 8.74 4.13 2.12 28.77 81.25 0.246 6.10 12.08 0.99 0.13
Ray Chris 42.7 4.43 4.02 1.24 1.31 9.28 3.80 2.44 43.86 70.83 0.275 11.63 17.39 -0.41 0.07
Weathers David 52.3 3.10 4.03 1.07 1.20 6.88 2.58 2.67 34.42 72.95 0.262 2.94 22.29 0.93 0.13
Accardo Jeremy 41.3 2.61 4.21 1.23 1.35 8.93 3.92 2.28 50.00 80.91 0.277 5.88 21.74 1.60 0.12
Hennessey Brad 43.0 3.14 4.25 1.16 1.26 5.86 2.09 2.80 48.12 79.74 0.275 8.89 14.81 1.11 0.10
Gagne Eric 33.3 2.16 4.32 1.02 1.23 7.83 2.97 2.64 42.86 83.85 0.236 5.88 20.88 2.16 0.21
Wickman Bob 35.3 4.33 4.43 1.53 1.50 7.39 3.82 1.93 42.24 74.80 0.316 6.82 18.64 0.10 -0.03
Jones Todd 42.3 4.89 4.47 1.51 1.49 4.89 3.40 1.44 46.21 65.50 0.322 2.17 23.49 -0.42 -0.02
Cordero Chad 50.0 2.70 4.56 1.32 1.36 6.66 3.42 1.95 39.74 88.54 0.283 9.68 17.53 1.86 0.04
Embree Alan 43.3 3.74 4.57 1.32 1.34 6.85 2.70 2.54 33.33 71.96 0.318 3.39 25.00 0.83 0.02


Wow. Eric Gagne seems to be playing way above his head. Given the trade rumors (although with Akinori Otsuka now a Tommy John candidate a trade is less certain), his prior health issues and the lack of save opportunities the Rangers give him, he would not be a good guy to target.

I could substitute Jason Isringhausen's name for Eric Gagne's and the rest of the statement would hold true (except for the Otsuka part, of course). St. Louis is last in the league in save opportunities created. Izzy is not a good guy to target.

I really wish the Padres would let Heath Bell close. Of course, their loyalties lie with Trevor Hoffman, but Bell would be a beast of a fantasy player if he were racking up saves. If he were on this list, he'd appear between Mariano Rivera and Joe Nathan.

You wouldn't have to see this list to realize that guys like J.J. Putz, Joe Nathan and Billy Wagner had talent. If you've been looking for a top closer, most of the guys at the top of this list are probably guys you've already been trying to get.

I'll be back tomorrow with the American League Waiver Wire.


Derek Carty, 23, has also been published by NBC's Rotoworld, Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports, and USA Today. This season, he'll be contributing to FanDuel and will be linking to all of his work at DerekCarty.com. In his three years competing in expert leagues, he has won 2 titles with 4 top three finishes, including a LABR NL title in 2009, making him the youngest person to ever win a major expert league title. Derek is a proud graduate of the MLB Scouting Bureau's Scout Development Program and is a firm believer in the importance of combining stats and scouting. He welcomes questions via e-mail, Facebook, or Twitter.



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