Fantasy Baseball Rankings: The MLB's Top Closers for 2010

Here are my fantasy closer rankings for 2010.

Dennis Eckersley Division

These are your cream-of-the-crop, top closers headed into 2009. These guys are No. 1 closer material in any fantasy league.

1. Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers

As long as Broxton is not facing Matt Stairs on a nightly basis, he should be the No. 1 fantasy closer in 2010. What separates Broxton is his ability to make batters miss.

Broxton led all relievers in strikeouts with 114 and his K/9 has increased three years in a row. Pencil in Broxton for 35-plus saves and 100-plus Ks.

2. Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees

Someone should tell Rivera he will be 41 years old next November. Remarkably, with just one pitch, Rivera keeps moving along.

Until Rivera’s arm falls off, I am not going to bet against him. Look for another Riveraeque season from Mariano in 2010. That means 40-plus saves, an ERA under two, and a WHIP around one.

3. Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins

Nathan finished second in the major leagues in saves in 2009 with 47 (career high) and it’s quite possible Nathan could lead the majors in saves in 2010. I expect the Twins to be very good this year, and Nathan should benefit from the couple of extra wins the Twins are going to get.

Outside of Rivera, Nathan is the safest closer in the game. Nathan also had 11.3 K/9 in 2009, which was the highest of his career.

4. Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox

Papelbon had an odd year in 2009. Outside of Papelbon’s BB/9 (3.0), his peripherals were right in-line with his career averages. However, it seemed like Papelbon was always nibbling on the mound and constantly had runners on base.

As long as Papelbon continues to pitch for the Red Sox, he will have plenty of opportunities to close games. Expect around 35 saves and an ERA around 2.00 from “Paps” in 2010.

5. Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals

Soria had hurt in the middle of last season and didn’t have as many saves as we are accustomed to. The Royals’ closer did manage to net 30 saves and 11.7 Ks/9, which was a career high.

Barring any injury, Soria should return to the 40-save plateau in 2010.

Tom Henke Division

The next four are right under the great closers but will still put up solid numbers for you in 2009

6. Heath Bell, San Diego Padres

All Bell ever needed was a chance. Bell get his chance to close out games last year for the Padres, and boy did he ever take advantage of his opportunity.

Bell led the National League in saves with 42 and struck out an impressive 10.7 per nine innings last season. Due to a lack of offense the Padres will play a lot of close games in 2010, which works in Bell’s advantage. He could lead the league in saves again.

7. Francisco Rodriguez, New York Mets

After four consecutive seasons of netting 40-plus saves, Rodriguez fell a little short in 2009. That had more to do with “K-Rod” playing on the pathetic Mets than anything else.

While K-Rod will get his saves in 2010, his peripherals continue to decline, which hurts his value somewhat. His WHIP has increased four years in a row and his K/9 ratio has decreased four years in a row. Not a good trend to be on.

8. Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants

Wilson had a very under the radar season in 2009. Like Bell with the Padres, Wilson benefits from the Giants’ poor offense. He will have the opportunity to close plenty of games this season.

I look for Wilson to net between 35 and 40 saves with an ERA just under three.

9. Francisco Cordero, Cincinnati Reds

Can you believe that Cordero is entering his 12th season in the major leagues? Doesn’t seem like he has been around that long.

Nevertheless, after having a very poor 2008, Cordero had a nice bounce-back season in 2009. Cordero saved 39 out of 43 games last year and finished second in saves to Bell. The Reds closer should have another year with 35-plus saves in 2010.

Jeff Montgomery Division

The perfect No. 2 fantasy closer. These next five guys are perfect No. 2 closers.

10. Andrew Bailey, Oakland A’s

Bailey came out of nowhere to win the American Rookie of the Year award. He compiled 26 saves and a microscopic 1.84 ERA in 83.1 innings.

With Bailey inserted as the closer from day one, look for him to top 30 saves in 2010.

11. Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers

Valverde closed in Arizona, he closed in Houston, and now he will close in Detroit. There are two concerns with Valverde.

He is going from the NL to the AL, which is never a good thing and his K/9 has decreased four years in a row. Valverde will get his saves, but I expect him to have an ERA around 3.50.

12. Huston Street, Colorado Rockies

Street has had a weird odd-year/even-year thing going on. In odd years, he is fantastic, and in even years, he has been less than stellar.

Street had 35 saves last year, which was one more than he had the two previous seasons combined. The Rockies should be good in 2010, so Street will get his saves, but I expect his ERA to rise a bit.

13. Rafael Soriano, Tampa Bay Rays

If Soriano can stay healthy in 2010, then he becomes the breakout closer in my mind in 2010. Soriano racked up 27 saves last year for the Braves and I certainly think he can improve on that with the Rays.

Playing in the AL East will hurt Soriano’s ERA a little bit, but I don’t see why Soriano can’t save 40 games for the Rays in 2010.

14. Billy Wagner, Atlanta Braves

Wagner replaces the above mentioned Soriano as the Braves’ closer. Wagner could be a No. 1 closer by the end of the year if he stays healthy, but that is a big if.

The Braves are putting a lot of faith in Wagners’ two month stretch last year with the Red Sox and New York Mets. Wagner will lose some save chances throughout the course of the year because I would imagine the Braves will be cautious with Wagner on back-to-back save nights.

The Best of the Rest

15. Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs

Will get his chance to close full-time in Chicago. I still think he is more of an eighth inning setup guy.

16. Trevor Hoffman, Milwaukee Brewers

The 42-year-old keeps plugging along. His 1.87 ERA last year was his lowest since 1998.

17. Ryan Franklin, St. Louis Cardinals

Franklin finished third in the NL in saves last year. Only thing holding him back from being a top-10 fantasy closer is his lack of strikeouts.

18. Brian Fuentes, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Despite leading baseball in saves last season with 48, Fuentes enters 2010 on shaky ground. He screws up early and Fernando Rodney will start getting saves in Anaheim.

Jenks has lost a lot of weight this winter

19. Bobby Jenks, Chicago White Sox

Jenks lost 30 pounds this offseason in an effort to save his job in Chicago. Like Fuentes, if Jenks struggles early he has someone breathing down his neck. In Jenks’ case, that person is Matt Thornton.

20. Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies

What a swing of seasons for Lidge. He was the best closer in the game in 2008 and the worst closer in the game in 2009. I say Lidge falls somewhere in between in 2010.

21. Kerry Wood, Cleveland Indians

Wood had a much better second half than first half in 2009. Perhaps that will carry over this year. He is a prime trade candidate in July.

22. Mike Gonzalez, Baltimore Orioles

Gonzalez goes from sharing saves in Atlanta to being the main man in Baltimore. The key for Gonzalez will be health.

23. Chad Qualls, Arizona Diamondbacks

Not a fan of Qualls. He is one of those “closer by default”-type guys.

24. David Aardsma, Seattle Mariners

I wrote about Aardsma the other day. I say he loses his job by July.

25. Frank Francisco, Texas Rangers

Saved 25 games last season, but it always seems like he is getting hurt.

26. Matt Capps, Washington Nationals

Capps goes from closing games in Pittsburgh to closing games in Washington—that’s a lot of losing in one’s career.

27. Octavio Dotel, Pittsburgh Pirates

Dotel starts the season as a closer for the first time since 2007. Consistency has always been a problem for Dotel, and I don’t expect that to change in Pittsburgh.

28. Brandon Lyon, Houston Astros

This won’t end well at all.

29. Leo Nunez, Florida Marlins

Nunez did manage to close 26 games last year with the Marlins. He walks way too many guys to be a really effective closer.

30. Kevin Gregg, Toronto Blue Jays

Gregg goes into 2010 as officially the worst closer in baseball, especially considering the club has not announced an official closer.

Waiting in the Wings

These are the guys who are slated to be eighth inning guys, but would have value if they became the closer for the respective teams.

Matt Thornton, Chicago White Sox

If Jenks struggles in Chicago, Thornton and his 10.8 Ks/9 will step in.

Neftali Feliz, Texas Rangers

If and when Francisco gets hurt, Feliz could be the next K-Rod in the AL West.

Ryan Madson, Philadelphia Phillies

Madson filled in for Lidge last year and could do so again if he struggles again.

Scott Downs, Toronto Blue Jays

Downs would be first in line for the Blue Jays when Gregg loses his closer’s job.

Fernando Rodney, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Angels signed Rodney for a reason. If Fuentes gets off to a slow start, then Rodney is in.

Next up will be the fantasy first baseman rankings.

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