Rating the Bullpens of Every MLB Contender

In football, there is a saying that goes, "Offense wins games, defense wins championships."

The same can be said for baseball, but taking the place of defense is pitching.  Going back to the early days of the game, the teams that walked away with a World Series championship were those that not only had a solid lineup, but absolutely amazing pitching staffs leading them to victory.

Take last year's World Series, for example.  The Texas Rangers homered and powered their way past the heavily favored New York Yankees in the ALCS to play in the World Series against the offensively challenged San Francisco Giants. 

However, despite shortcomings in terms of run support, the Giants sported an incredible pitching staff headlined by Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, with quirky closer Brian Wilson leading the bullpen.

In fact, the bullpen is more important than one may think, especially when the playoffs come around.  In a close game, a relief corps capable of shutting down hitters and working out of jams could prove to be quite valuable, despite a lack of big names featured.

The playoffs are just a month-and-a-half away, and there are tight races in some of the divisions as well as in both wild-card races.  Let's analyze the bullpens of all the contenders.

No. 10: San Francisco Giants

After defying all odds last season and taking home a World Series championship, the San Francisco Giants are contending once again.  Due to second-half struggles, the team sits 2.5 games behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West and five games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card race.

Still, it's no secret that the Giants have a solid bullpen.  Brian Wilson and his "Fear the Beard" mantra have carried the team through most close games this season, despite the bearded one himself struggling at times.

Besides Wilson, setup men Sergio Romo and Javier Lopez, not to mention the hard-throwing Ramon Ramirez, have been effective contributors down the stretch.

If the offense can pull it together and go on a winning streak to re-take first place or the wild card, then the Giants will surely have a shot at defending their title.

No. 9: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Angels have always been known for having solid pitching, and their bullpen isn't any exception.  Rookie Jordan Walden answered the bell earlier this year and has been lights out since taking Fernando Rodney's job as the closer.  To be exact, Walden has posted 26 saves to go with a 2.87 ERA.

Yet, behind Walden, the Angels' relief pitching is a question mark.  Rodney has been hit or miss all season, as have foreign imports Hisanori Takahashi and Rich Thompson. 

Thus, while this relief corps has been solid, it is just too inconsistent to count upon come playoff time.

No. 8: Arizona Diamondbacks

If I had to name the season's biggest surprise thus far, it would be the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Here is a team that finished dead last for the past two seasons and currently sits atop the NL West. 

Even more amazing, manager Kirk Gibson is essentially working with most of the core players he had last season in outfielders Justin Upton and Chris Young, as well as pitchers Ian Kennedy and Joe Saunders.

This season, however, J.J. Putz was brought in to be the closer and besides the team's starters doing an amazing job, the bridge to Putz has been a shocking surprise. 

David Hernandez has proven to be a reliable setup man who can also close games when needed, and Micah Owings has been solid as well as the recently acquired Brad Ziegler.

Arizona's bullpen is still young, so there's no telling how its inexperience will come into play once it's playoff time.  Yet, if the young arms' poise can carry over and these men can hold their own against playoff-tested lineups, then the Diamondbacks could easily go far.

No. 7: Detroit Tigers

Seemingly out of nowhere, and with much thanks to the collapses of all the other teams in the AL Central, the Detroit Tigers are in first place.  They have a solid lineup and a fine staff ace in Justin Verlander.

Their bullpen, however, is a horse of a different color.

For all of you readers who watch the YES Network regularly, broadcaster Michael Kay told an interesting story about Tigers closer Jose Valverde and his relationship with manager Jim Leyland.  Ever the wild one, Valverde is no stranger to inconsistency and finding himself in a jam. 

Thus, Kay mentioned that whenever Valverde enters a game, Leyland apparently always says this, "How many cigarettes are you going to cost me today?"

Yet, Valverde has been pretty incredible this season.  He leads the AL with 35 saves and has not blown one all season.  Simply put, he is cleaning house.

Still, behind Valverde, the Tigers' bullpen is hit or miss.  Joaquin Benoit has been largely disappointing after signing a long-term contract and guys like Phil Coke and Daniel Schlereth have been merely average.

The only consistent contributor besides Valverde is setup man and strikeout machine Al Albuquerque, though he is currently on the mend from a mild concussion.  If he can come back healthy, don't be surprised if Detroit ends up in the ALCS or beyond.

No. 6: Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers always have been and always will be a team that defines itself by power hitting.  Their home ballpark is considered one of the most hitter-friendly stadiums in all of baseball, and while their pitching staff has a bright future, they know that they can't ride on the back of Cliff Lee this season. 

Thus, a lockdown bullpen strategy has been set in place.

At the trade deadline, GM Jon Daniels traded for two key arms that will make the Rangers dangerous down the stretch.  He acquired Mike Adams from the San Diego Padres and Koji Uehara from the Baltimore Orioles. 

Both have been their same unstoppable selves since arriving in the Lonestar State and will provide a sturdy bridge to closer Neftali Feliz.

If this bullpen can pull out all the stops down the stretch, it's near-certain that the Rangers will be back in the World Series.

No. 5: Milwaukee Brewers

After a slow start, the Milwaukee Brewers now have a seven game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central.  When it comes to their bullpen, there is only one thing that needs to be said: two closers.

While John Axford handles most of the ninth inning duties, the Brewers have an equally qualified man working the eighth.  Not too long ago, they traded for former New York Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez.  As their setup man, he has been phenomenal.

More importantly, the bridge to those two men has been great as well.  The 38-year-old veteran LaTroy Hawkins has posted a 1.17 ERA and is as dominant as ever and Takashi Saito has done his part.

Simply put, the Brewers have multiple options in their bullpen, each a solid contributor.  That is a rare commodity in baseball and if effective, is a deadly weapon.

No. 4: Boston Red Sox

When people think of the Boston Red Sox bullpen, all thoughts immediately go to Jonathan Papelbon.  Entering his sixth season as the team's closer, Papelbon has posted 28 saves with a 3.02 ERA in 2011, his contract year.

Yet, there is so much more to Boston's bullpen than Papelbon.  So many people forget about hard-throwing setup man Daniel Bard, the heir to the closer's spot if Papelbon leaves for another team.  At the same time, long-man Alfredo Aceves has been a clutch performer either out of the 'pen or in the rotation.

Also, let's not forget about Matt Albers.  After three fairly average seasons in Baltimore, Albers came to Boston and has been phenomenal.  His 2.84 ERA has been welcome in the middle innings as the bridge to the closer is built.

I don't know about you readers, but this is a bullpen that just screams "tight postseason battle."  The Sox, despite my hated for them, have a great squad in the 'pen.  If they could go toe to toe with a certain team in October, I'd be beyond satisfied.

No. 3: Philadelphia Phillies

For the first time in quite a while, Brad Lidge is not the closer for the Philadelphia Phillies.  After missing a good chunk of the first half with an injury, Lidge has been delegated to a setup role, and Ryan Madson is taking care of the ninth-inning duties.

This move appears to have worked, seeing as how the Phillies own baseball's best record.  Madson has saved 22 games and has a 2.16 ERA.

The biggest surprise, however, comes in the form of setup man Antonio Bastardo.  The 25-year-old has pitched his way to a 1.41 ERA and might have some closing opportunities in his future.

People can say what they want about the Phillies being unstoppable because of their killer starting rotation, but let's be honest folks.  Good starting pitching means nothing without a bullpen to back it up. 

In Philadelphia, the bullpen might be close to stealing the rotation's thunder.

No. 2: Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves bullpen is headlined by two youngsters, and both are simply amazing.  Lefty Johnny Venters has worked the eighth inning all season to a tune of a 1.16 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 69.2 innings.  While he has been effective, the real glory belongs to another man.

Rookie Craig Kimbrel burst on the scene as a late season call-up in 2010.  He only appeared in 21 games and threw 20.2 innings but in that time, struck out 40 hitters while posting an ERA of 0.44. 

The NL Rookie of the Year candidate has continued his dominance into 2011, leading his league with 36 saves an an 1.81 ERA. 

He brings back memories of former Braves closer Billy Wagner in the fact that he is not a very tall pitcher at 5'11" yet manages to throw exceptionally hard.  He has struck out 94 batters in 59.2 innings this season.

The Braves are currently tops in the NL Wild Card race, and at this point, it's theirs to lose.  With their phenomenal young pitching and equally dominant bullpen, they could easily get back to the World Series.

No. 1: New York Yankees

After missing out on Cliff Lee this past offseason, Yankees GM Brian Cashman went out and signed former Tampa Bay Rays closer Rafael Soriano to a three-year deal to be a setup man.  Cashman said that the idea was to employ a "lockdown bullpen."

The Yankees currently have a slim lead over the Boston Red Sox in the AL East and all season long, the bullpen has been just that.  A complete lockdown.

Soriano has been great since his return from the DL after a shaky start and unknowns like Cory Wade and Luis Ayala have more than answered the bell in terms of building a bridge to the ninth inning.

David Robertson is easily among the best eighth-inning men in all of baseball and call me crazy, but he could be a closer in the making.  His 1.29 ERA speaks for itself and even more amazing, this man has struck out 73 hitters in just 48.2 innings!

Yet, all the glory does not belong to Robertson or the other bullpen staff.  The real glory belongs to the team's closer, "Mr Automatic," Mariano Rivera.  At age 41, he still pitches with the speed and accuracy of a pitcher who's 21.

This season, Rivera has saved 32 games while posting a 2.30 ERA.  He is the leader of that bullpen and with 591 career saves plus another year left on his deal, he will enter the Hall of Fame as the all-time saves leader.

Simply put, this bullpen has what it takes to win a World Series.  Given the experience of the entire team, I can see it happening.