Fantasy Baseball: A Look at All 30 Closers

ARIZONA: Chad Qualls

Don't ask and I won't tell.

ATLANTA: Billy Wagner

Does Wagner have anything left in the tank? If not, maybe he can start throwing right-handed again. 

BALTIMORE: Mike Gonzalez

Gonzalez hasn't been a full-time closer since his days in Pittsburgh. Going against those AL East lineups won't help.

BOSTON: Jonathan Papelbon

Papelbon is still an elite closer, even though the Red Sox have some guys that can do the job just as well. As long as he doesn't do that goofy jig dance again, I'm all good with that.

CHICAGO (NL): Carlos Marmol

Talk about feast or famine. Marmol might have the best stuff in the league but also makes Mitch Williams look like Greg Maddux.

CHICAGO (AL): Bobby Jenks

The White Sox have a lot of good arms in the pen and could go to one if Jenks falters enough, after being a tad shaky a year ago.

CINCINNATI: Francisco Cordero

Cordero has been closing for many years, so he knows how to get the job done. Definitely a top 10 closer.

CLEVELAND: Kerry Wood

Wood did a decent job for the Indians a year ago in a limited number of chances due to the team's struggles. Will Grady Sizemore's cam pics make him run for the hills though?

COLORADO: Huston Street

Street had a surprisingly good year in Colorado. He faltered some late but still seems to be the main guy ahead of Manny Corpas.

DETROIT: Jose Valverde

A late signing by the Tigers, Valverde twice led the NL in saves ('07 and '08) and always has good ERA and power numbers, which should be expected since every Tigers reliever seems to hit triple digits on the gun.

FLORIDA: Leo Nunez

Nunez stole the job from Matt Lindstrom last season and never looked back. What is it with essentially having a different closer every year down in Miami? Is the teal that bad?

HOUSTON: Matt Lindstrom

Lindstrom might start the year as the closer, but he will probably not finish there, thanks to Brandon Lyon.

KANSAS CITY: Joakim Soria

Soria has "GCOBTD," otherwise known as great closer on bad team disease. Great numbers. Few chances.

LOS ANGELES (AL): Brian Fuentes

Can he hold off Fernando Rodney? But more importantly, can he please change that delivery? Pretty please?

LOS ANGELES (NL): Jonathan Broxton

Probably the hardest throwing reliever in the league, sans Joel Zumaya. He should get a lot of chances on a good Dodgers team.

MILWAUKEE: Trevor Hoffman

This should be it for the game's all-time leading save artist. He doesn't get many K's anymore but he is still relatively successful.

MINNESOTA: Joe Nathan

As steady as they come even though for some reason, Nathan doesn't get mentioned as often as Mariano Rivera, Francisco Rodriguez, or even Papelbon.

NEW YORK (NL): Francisco Rodriguez

Rodriguez struggled at times in his first year with the Mets. Maybe it's time to ditch those beer goggles.

NEW YORK (AL): Mariano Rivera

Rivera is the best closer of all time and, despite his age, is still one of the best closers today on a team that will surely win around 100 games.



OAKLAND: Andrew Bailey

Reigning AL ROY enters as the team's closer after winning the job in the middle of last season, but are the A's going to win any games?

PHILADELPHIA: Brad Lidge

Lidge better get the job done because if he blows any games for the uber-competitive Roy Halladay, he might have to run for his life. If not, maybe we can all ride the Lidge roller coaster again.

PITTSBURGH: Octavio Dotel

The Pirates were the only team to offer Dotel a shot to close. Dotel didn't know whether to laugh because he got the gig, or cry because he can't name a single player on his own team.

ST. LOUIS: Ryan Franklin

Either that beard has to go, or he has to be the Franklin of the regular season and not the Franklin of the postseason.

SAN DIEGO: Heath Bell

Bell flourished in his first year as closer, and nothing suggests that he can't do it again unless that belly holds him down.

SAN FRANCISCO: Brian Wilson

After a shaky '08 campaign, Wilson was very solid in his first full season as closer and should get a lot of chances with the good but low-scoring Giants.

SEATTLE: David Aardsma

Aardsma seems to be the guy for the Mariners, who should contend for the AL West crown.

TAMPA BAY: Rafael Soriano

Soriano is a definite upgrade over the 23 closers the Rays used last season. He has never been a full-time closer for an entire year but has the stuff to get it done.

TEXAS: Frank Francisco

FF was as good as any closer in the league until he went down with the injury bug in the summer. Even though he came back later in the season, he was never fully healthy, and it showed.

TORONTO: Jason Frasor

Frasor will anchor a team whose five SPs make a combined $2.5 million. You do the math on how many chances he will get.

WASHINGTON: Matt Capps

So Capps goes from the Pirates to the Nats. Talk about the poor getting poorer.