Francisco Rodriguez: Anaheim's Guardian Angel

Ah, the closing pitcher. In any baseball club, it is he who possesses the potential to be a sensation as a starter, but lacks the endurance or reliability to get the job done, that is bestowed this honor. It is he who is a man of ice, a man of steel, a man that keeps his emotions in the back of his mindset, in the abyss where no one would dare summon back, that is given the role to finish a game with less that a lead of three runs.

The best closers are those who are poorly skilled at blowing a save. The cream of the crop of relievers are those who fail at failing to keep a victory secure. Throughout this history of this great American pastime, many closing pitchers have received immortality, whether being enshrined in Cooperstown, winning a Cy Young, or being clutch when a World Series ring is on the line.

The list is a close-nit group of heroes, including, but not restricted to: Goose Gossage. Bruce Sutter. Dennis Eckersley. Rollie Fingers. Hoyt Wilhelm. Mariano Rivera. Eric Gagne. Mark Davis. Steve Bedrosian. Willie Hernandez. Sparky Lyle. John Wetteland. Huston Street. Gregg Olson. Joe Black. Butch Metzger. Steve How. Todd Worrell. Jim Konstanty. Willie Hernandez. Kazuhiro Sasaki. Trevor Hoffman. Troy Percival. Lee Smith. John Franco. Jeff Reardon. Rod Beck. Doug Jones. Bruce Sutter. Jeff Montgomery. Robb Nen. Tom Henke. Rick Aguilera. Todd Jones. Jose Mesa. Roberto Hernandez. And Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox.

On Saturday, September 13, 2008, the baseball gods that be can now add Francisco Rodriguez of Caracas, Venezuela, to this growing list of closing pitcher greats that have secured wins for their teams. A full-count strike-out of Raul Ibanez, the "Angel-killer" of the Seattle Mariners, gave K-Rod his 58th save, passing the current manager of Bristol's Rookie affiliate. As his raised his hands in gratitude to those gods who watched, from afar, thousands of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim fans rejoice as one sea of red, his teammates surrounded him and hoisted him to the sky.

The smoke from the fireworks that came were a salute to the old record that has stayed intact for nearly two decades, and a salute to the new one that stood in its place.

A closing pitcher can't make the save without a team effort. Every player who steps up to bat or goes on the mound is involved in the process. It starts with great pitching by the starters and relievers that hold after. It is fortified by timely hitting and fielding by the support cast. And with every pitch and every play, the run margin needs to be three runs or less.

When the Angels score the fifth run in the top of the 9th, the fans asked the players, "That's enough. Don't score any more." Those were the voices of fans who understood the rules, who knew the circumstances, and had their cameras ready in sheer anticipation. The signs were not lying, "Remember 9-13-08 as the date for 58!" and "Save us K-Rod" were the pleas on cardboard, raised for all the spectators to see.

And when Rodriguez came out of the bullpen, a loud roar could be heard. They could sense it coming. Two days ago, he tied Thigpen's record, a day removed from clinching the American League West Division.

With runners at second and third, and the full count on Ibanez, Rodriguez's changeup saw Raul swing in vain. History was made at the Big A as the Halo was lighted.

One day, a rising closer will break K-Rod's record, which could be well over 60 by the end of the regular season. The fans who were there to witness it may not see it be broken again, if ever. But no matter what happens from now on, Anaheim has met its own Guardian Angel, and he wears the number 57.