Where do you rank Lidge amongst closers?

[great gretzky]

i don't think his status as a closer makes him a stud. I coveted him regardless. I think I would rather have him for the k's than some scrub closer. I wouldn't put him above gagne and those guys, but he is top ten. but if you need the k's, kinda hard to top.

[BigMusky]

obviously he is not good enough to handle the aura of Sammy. Solo shot in the 10th today.

[great gretzky]

i don't think judging folks on giving up a homer to sammy is the way to go -- an awful lot of people wouldn't be that good by that metric.

[Ender]

Gagne, Wagner, Rivera, Smoltz, Foulke, Guardado, Hoffman, Dotel, and Nathan

I'd put Kolb after Smoltz in this list as far as quality of closer, after Foulke as far as fantasy value.

Lidge's value is low, really low, until he proves he can handle the job.

[KolbSaves]

That wasn't in any order

[ajgnydc722]

Gagne, Wagner, Rivera, Smoltz, Foulke, Guardado, Hoffman, Dotel, and Nathan

I'd put Kolb after Smoltz in this list as far as quality of closer, after Foulke as far as fantasy value.

Lidge's value is low, really low, until he proves he can handle the job.

I don't see how Lidge's value is really low considering he was a dominant set-up man and is taking over for a very good team. He's pitched very well in save opps before so I can't see why his value would be "really low".

[thehat]

I'll agree that in real baseball, we'll have to wait to determine just where Lidge rates. But in the world of fantasy, it's getting to the party before everyone else that separates the winners from the wannabes. That's why I believe he immediately should be rated as upper echelon. This is particularly vital in keeper auction leagues, where he probably didn't cost too much prior to the season. He should be a primary target for an owner in one of these leagues.

[ajgnydc722]

I'll agree that in real baseball, we'll have to wait to determine just where Lidge rates. But in the world of fantasy, it's getting to the party before everyone else that separates the winners from the wannabes. That's why I believe he immediately should be rated as upper echelon. This is particularly vital in keeper auction leagues, where he probably didn't cost too much prior to the season. He should be a primary target for an owner in one of these leagues.

I agree.

[mikey]

Gagne, Wagner, Rivera, Smoltz, Foulke, Guardado, Hoffman, Dotel, and Nathan

I'd put Kolb after Smoltz in this list as far as quality of closer, after Foulke as far as fantasy value.

Lidge's value is low, really low, until he proves he can handle the job.

No Francisco Cordero? Maybe not elite, but he's been solid this year (and he makes me a lot less nervous than Nathan).

[SaintsOfTheDiamond]

I'll agree that in real baseball, we'll have to wait to determine just where Lidge rates. But in the world of fantasy, it's getting to the party before everyone else that separates the winners from the wannabes. That's why I believe he immediately should be rated as upper echelon. This is particularly vital in keeper auction leagues, where he probably didn't cost too much prior to the season. He should be a primary target for an owner in one of these leagues.

True, I guess I was thinking more from a real life perspective, but what good does that do.