Why Are Closers So Valuable?

[great gretzky]

Simply saying that closers don't effect your ERA/WHIP as much because they pitch fewer innings is very misleading first of all.

One reason is that if you talk about them in aggregate, then they most certainly do have a telling effect on your ratios. Second of all, how many people start their pitchers for EVERY start? Two closers can most certainly equal the effect of one of your mid-level starters that you don't play all the time.

And if your closer stinks, then don't get me started. sometimes, a good closer is more of the "don't hurt" rather than "help" variety. But, bad closers can definitely hurt you.

Another problem is that basically, at any given time only 30 MLB players can provide that stat. When you consider that 10 of those options are truly awful, and another 5 are shaky, you have a problem. Guesstimating here.

In one of my leagues, there are 11 teams, 4 RP spots. So 44 total spots for relievers, and only half of them can be filled by closers. closers are very scarce in that league.

[northjersey78]

I always put high value on closers in my leagues, and for some reason everyone likes to mock me. I won last year and I am running away with the league again this year. We have a few people in our league who completely punt the save category and load up on starters to inflate the total wins, inning and K's.

I have 4 closers right now - Lidge, Hoffman, BJ Ryan and Huston Street. In a given week, they usually give me the equivalent of about 1 full game (9 innings). SO I always get 4 - 5 saves minimum, which is almost always enough to win that category. And these guys have high K ratio and give up few runs. SO it's like getting a complete game, 10 strikeout game from a starter.

Botto line - don't reach for closers, but get them while you can. Last year I drafted Rivera and during the season picked up Lidge and Nathan just before the got the closer jobs and they helped lead me to victory. This year I drafted BJ Ryan late and got Street off waivers. And I am comfortably in first place.