After Mariano Rivera recently notched his 500th save and with the starting pitcher post, I started to think about who the best Closer in baseball is today. I think we can all agree all-time that Rivera is the best, with Trevor Hoffman ranking second. But let's look at what the best closers in the game have done so far this year:
Heath Bell and Brian Fuentes lead the MLB with 22 saves each. Joe Nathan, Fransisco Rodriguez and Brian Wilson are next with 21. Johnathan Papelbon and Mariano Rivera each have 20.
Heath Bell, Joe Nathan, K-Rod, Papelbon, Fransisco Cordero, Ryan Franklin, Revor Hoffman, David Aardsma all have over 15 saves with an ERA under 2.
Who is really having the best season though?
Enter Johnathan Broxton and his 2.15 ERA. 19/21 on save opportunities, he is 6-0 with an astounding 62 strikeouts in 37.2 IP. Allowing just 16 hits, he has walked 13 batters.
Those are some gaudy statistics, and yet Broxton doesn't seem to get as much publicity as some of the other closers. Perhaps that is because, like W/L record for starters, people still overrate save totals for closers. He can't give himself the opportunity to close out a game, he can only do so when he gets the chance.
Heath Bell has a 1.34 ERA, but with 20 hits, 14 BBs, 36 Ks in 33.2 IP, in no way has he been anything but more fortunate than Broxton (Petco Park anyone?)
Rivera, for all the talk of him not being what he once was, is actually turning in a fine season...despite a 2.76 ERA, he is 20/21 in save opportunities, allowing 28 hits in 32.2 IP, but putting up a ridiculous (even for him) 40/3 K/BB rate. His 5 home runs allowed, is likely a bit of a product of Yankee Stadium turning into Coors Field as well.
The other guy having a truly tremendous season is, of course, Joe Nathan. A 1.44 ERA, he has converted 21/23 save opps. In 31.1 IP, he has allowed 18 hits and just 6 walks to 39 Ks.
While we keep hearing about Heath Bell, Brian Fuentes, K-Rod and Papelbon, I dare say Rivera, Nathan and Broxton have been head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the closers in the Majors.
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Please, broxton's name is not next to Rivera or Nathan's. This is his first year closing?! Hell Eric Gagne lead the Dodgers as a closer and his career is over. Solid 4-5 years he put in. Nathan and Rivera, most notably Rivera, have done this year in and year out for over a decade. Let broxton get into a playoff game with the season on the line.
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