Different Styles, Same Results: Three Tiers of MLB Closers
Todd Jones - SportingNews.com
Apr 16, 2010
For years, I've talked about Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, Billy Wagner, Joe Nathan and even Jonathan Papelbon, but let's analyze some other good closers and look at what makes them effective.
First up, the power arms. When these guys get beat, you tip your cap to the hitter. These closers can reach 98 mph (or higher):
Jonathan Broxton, Dodgers. He fits this category for his power fastball and power slider. Broxton could throw a strawberry through the side of a battleship.
Brian Wilson, Giants. He is more like a WWE wrestler than a closer because of his intimidating frame and gnarly tattoos. He has the power fastball and curveball to complement the look.
Next is the 94-mph-or-better crowd. They can't just unbutton their shirts and tell the hitter what's coming without suffering consequences, so they have to be more crafty. The aftermath of a blown save is tougher on these guys. Some examples:
Jose Valverde, Tigers. Valverde is fun to watch. He has great stuff: fastball, slider and splitter. Valverde is high-strung, which can aggravate opponents, but teammates love his fire and passion. Tigers manager Jim Leyland has broken in a few closers in his day; it will be fun to watch him transform Valverde into a polished, coldblooded, ninth-inning assassin.
Brad Lidge, Phillies. He has a good fastball but relies a lot on his slider, which can make him predictable. It's like he doesn't trust his fastball. The internal debate when you don't throw 98 or 99 anymore: Do I go in or out, hard or soft? If it gets hit off the wall, the media and fans will ask why I didn't throw the other pitch.
Francisco Cordero, Reds. He is a fierce competitor with a fastball in the mid-90s on good days and a great slider. Cordero never gives in, so if you're hitting and it's late in the count, look for one pitch or the other -- because you can't hit both.
Bobby Jenks, White Sox. He has a good fastball and a big hard curveball. Jenks' body is starting to give him problems, but he is rugged and competes. Making the situation even more interesting: Manager Ozzie Guillen isn't afraid to say something not politically correct when Jenks pitched poorly.
Next are the blue-collar closers, of which I'm a proud alum. They have to move the ball in and out/up and down, change speeds and have enough guts to throw a fastball when no hitter thinks they dare. Your 90-to-93-mph guys:
Heath Bell, Padres. He locates well with a good curveball and changeup. His biggest asset is his durability. A closer must be available each night; Bell is always ready and gets the job done most times.
Joakim Soria, Royals. I've been bitten by this guy. You know, I blow the save, he comes in and the game is over about seven pitches later. Soria is in and out and has the nerve of a thief. He just keeps baiting hitters and convincing them he won't throw his fastball ... and then it's fastball in and he is shaking hands. Game over.
Ryan Franklin, Cardinals. Franklin was a late bloomer but is effective nonetheless. He has a bad goatee but good movement. Franklin has the heart of a lion and the right skipper to get him through the rough spells that all closers experience. Matt Capps, Nationals. He will get plenty of rest playing for Washington, but he can get hot and nail down several saves in a row. The Nationals stole this guy; Capps is a good closer with good stuff.
Brian Fuentes, Angels. He led the majors in saves last season and is nasty, but Fuentes can get wild. His funky delivery is very deceptive and can make lefthanded hitters look like they've never hit before. But when he blows a save, it isn't pretty.
All of the guys I've mentioned get it done very differently. But from power fastballs to pinpoint location, these closers all know how to compete. They keep coming at you, no matter how bad their last outing was.
When the power pitchers blow saves, the writers give credit to the hitters. When the middle-of-the-road power guys blow saves, the writers question the pitch selection. When the not-so-power guys blow saves, the writers ask the skippers when they are going to make a change at closer.
Being a closer is cool when you get your job done and the team wins. But when things go badly, it is lonely and miserable. That is the separation point: Can you, the closer, handle it? And can your skipper handle it?
Todd Jones, a former major league closer, is a regular contributor to Sporting News.
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