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Closers: Pecking Order
Closers: Pecking Order 6/27/08 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Paul Bourdett, Rotoexperts.com Staff Writer   
Friday, 27 June 2008

Living proof why you shouldn't break the bank for saves. 

Last Updated ( Thursday, 26 June 2008 )
 
Closers: Pecking Order 6/20/08 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Paul Bourdett, Rotoexperts.com Staff Writer   
Friday, 20 June 2008
Think closers aren’t that important? If you need a perfect example of how important they really are, look no further than the New York Mets
Last Updated ( Thursday, 19 June 2008 )
 
Closers: Pecking Order 6/13/08 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Paul Bourdett, Rotoexperts.com Staff Writer   
Friday, 13 June 2008

Like movie sequels, some closers around baseball aren't living up to expectations.

I saw the latest installment of Indiana Jones this past Sunday, and while it certainly isn't Oscar-worthy, it was refreshing to see a sequel that actually felt like part of the original series. I say refreshing because too many movie franchises have been brought back years later, only to fail because they didn't capitalize on what made the franchise successful in the first place.  You see, along with recognizable franchises or brands come expectations.  When those expectations aren't met, people stop paying attention to them.  Hence, no one complained when Speed 3: Auto Pilot was never made.

Similar to movie franchises gone bad, there are plenty of owners ready to jump ship on franchise closers who haven't looked anything like their old selves this season.  The key to deciding whether to stay patient or to cut ties with them is being able to discern why they've looked completely different.  Have they changed their mechanics?  Are they dealing with an injury or coming back from one?  Is it just bad luck?  In some cases it's justifiable to want to give up on a certain player, but it's also important to remember that some players, like movie sequels, actually step up and redeem themselves.

I’ll return next week with our regular format, but for now, let's take a look at four franchise closers around baseball and try to determine whether they're The Godfather: Part II or just The Next Karate Kid.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 19 June 2008 )
 
Closers: Pecking Order 6/6/08 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Paul Bourdett   
Friday, 06 June 2008

I spoke last week about change and how the savvy fantasy owner is the one who stays ahead of the curve.  Well, it's time for me to get ahead of that curve and change some things myself - starting with this week's format.  I think it's pretty clear at this point who's getting the job done and who isn't, who's hurt and who's not, who's playing above their head and who's underperforming.  So, let's forget about who I'm "On Board" with or who's "On the Ledge", at least for one week. 

It's almost mid-June and there are more than a few teams in baseball whose closer situations are still less than stable.  I'm sure many owners out there think they're set at closer and this matters little to them.  But remember, all it takes is one injury or even a trade (see below), to leave those same owners reevaluating where they stand.  It's prime time to start looking at the not-so-obvious candidates for saves over the balance of the season, so here's five teams and a dozen or so players you might want to pay attention to over the next few weeks. 

Last Updated ( Saturday, 07 June 2008 )
 
Closers: Pecking Order 5/30/08 PDF Print E-mail
Written by Paul Bourdett   
Friday, 30 May 2008

They say it’s not about where you come from, but where you’re going.  I couldn’t disagree more.  That’s like trying to find directions on Mapquest, only you don’t have a starting point.  Good luck with that.
  
With two months of the season officially in the books, it’s only right to take a look back to the beginning of the season to see how far we’ve come.  For starters, there are six closers that appeared in the first installment of this column, who aren't even candidates for saves as of today (Isringhausen, Accardo, Corpas, Gagne, Cordero).  There are those who got off to brutal starts who have since righted the ship (K-rod, Valverde, Wood, Street, Hoffman), some who've returned from injury to rejoin the elite (Putz, BJ Ryan), and others who have come out of nowhere to provide excellent value (Lyon, Rauch, Wilson).  Throw in the developments surrounding the Atlanta and Cleveland closer situations, and there's been no shortage of change through the first two months of 2008.  And that's not a negative thing.
 
Change is always good, as long as you remember that change is always changing and you, the fantasy owner, need to remain ahead of the curve.    And that's the beauty of this thing.  Two months from now, it's just as likely that some of the names above find themselves in different roles, and new names appear out of nowhere to play significant ones.  It's the owners who stay apprised of these situations, who will find themselves competing for that all important saves category (and hopefully, you're league) come September.

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Last Updated ( Thursday, 29 May 2008 )
 
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