Updated Top 20 Closers for 2009

Yesterday’s news for the Cubs and Mariners certainly has a major impact on the closer rankings I originally posted back in February (click here to view). Throw in injuries and the bottom half of the rankings are quite a bit different. 

Let’s take a look at how things stand at this point:

1. Jonathan Papelbon - Boston Red Sox
2. Mariano Rivera - New York Yankees
3. Joe Nathan - Minnesota Twins
4. Francisco Rodriguez - New York Mets
5. Brad Lidge - Philadelphia Phillies
6. Joakim Soria - Kansas City Royals
7. Bobby Jenks - Chicago White Sox
8. Kerry Wood - Cleveland Indians
9. Brian Fuentes - Los Angeles Angels
10. Jose Valverde - Houston Astros
11. Jonathan Broxton - Los Angeles Dodgers
12. Francisco Cordero - Cincinnati Reds
13. B.J. Ryan - Toronto Blue Jays
14. Matt Capps - Pittsburgh Pirates
15. Brian Wilson - San Francisco Giants
16. Frank Francisco - Texas Rangers
17. Heath Bell - San Diego Padres
18. Brandon Morrow - Seattle Mariners
19. Trevor Hoffman - Milwaukee Brewers
20. Chad Qualls - Arizona Diamondbacks

Notes:

• Opening the season in a set-up role, Carlos Marmol fell completely of the rankings. While it’s just a matter of time before he claims in the job (at least in my opinion), I can’t keep him on here at this point.
• While Brandon Morrow has a chance to open the season outside of being the closer, the only reason would be due to lack of work. It shouldn’t be long before he gets the job and he has the chance to be among the elite. He’s near the bottom, just due to early season questions, but he’s likely to climb quickly.
• Trevor Hoffman plummeted down the list thanks to his strained oblique. I know, some are not high on him given his age, but that is not my concern at all. If healthy, he wouldn’t have fallen at all, so keep that in mind if he only misses minimal time.
• Matt Lindstrom fell off the list completely due to his injury. There is a chance he’s ready for Opening Day, but who knows. The injury really just adds to the concerns about him, considering he did post a 1.45 WHIP last season. With 26 walks in 57.1 innings, there is a lot to be concerned about.
• With too many questions as to who is going to get the saves, both Joey Devine and Brad Ziegler still fell short of the list. Instead, it is the Diamondbacks’ Chad Qualls who steps in and takes the last spot. Qualls is a sleeper option having little experience closing games, but he posted tremendous numbers last season (2.83 ERA, 1.08 WHIP). He’s certainly worth grabbing late in your draft.
• I know there are concerns about Matt Capps, but I feel like I have more concerns about Brian Wilson and his 1.44 WHIP last season.  Both players pitch for teams that likely aren’t going to score a ton of runs, so both could be a good source of saves.

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