Closer Monkey

Year: 2017

  • Top Middle Relievers 2017 – Holds Edition

    Predicting hold candidates is difficult because hold opportunities are largely a function of team success. Teams that have late leads can generate multiple holds per game, and dominant LOOGYs can rack up holds in a hurry. Further complicating things is the growing trend for managers to (correctly!) use their best arms in the biggest spots…

  • Top 15 Middle Relievers for 2017

    Below is a ranking of our top 15 middle relievers, based on their likelihood to get saves this season — not necessarily their skill level. As an example, Pedro Strop is a very good reliever who’s unlikely to get any save chances, because he’s stuck behind Wade Davis and Hector Rondon. So although Strop is a much better pitcher than a number of…

  • 2017 Tiered Closer Rankings

    March 3, 2017 Here are the Monkey’s closer rankings for 2017. As always, we’ve got them divided into tiers for your drafting ease. Tier 1 1. Kenley Jansen 2. Aroldis Chapman 3. Zach Britton Analysis: Not much to say about these guys. For the sake of semantics, we have Jansen above Chapman mainly because the…

  • 2017 NL West Preview

    March 1, 2017 Arizona Diamondbacks — With swole shoulders and an ever-crooked hat, the Fernando Rodney Experience moves on to its fifth team since 2015. The 40-year-old Rodney was signed to a one-year deal, suggesting that the Diamondbacks hope to deal Rodney like the Padres did last June, turning the closer’s uber-fluky .210 BABIP and 1306(!!!) ERA+ into a…

  • 2017 NL Central Preview

    March 1, 2017 Chicago Cubs — The World Series champions replaced one All-Star closer with another, signing Wade Davis to replace Aroldis Chapman. Davis has been one of the best relievers in the league recently, and should see a lot of save chances for an excellent Cubs team. Hector Rondon will likely be the first option…