They say the only certainties in life are death and taxes, but those of us who play fantasy baseball know we can add one more to the list — drafting closers is a nightmare.
Whether you decide to invest heavily and draft the top tier or opt to bargain shop in the later rounds, rarely do you ever feel comfortable with your decision or the players you take. The volatility at the position is maddening.
To make matters worse, MLB managers have also grown tired of the inconsistencies we routinely see from closers and, as a result, refuse to commit to just one pitcher to get the job done in the ninth. These managers subscribe to the philosophy that baseball is a game of matchups and playing the percentages, so why not do the same when it comes time to close things out?
Unfortunately, with saves being a standard category in fantasy baseball, the closer-by-committee approach only compounds the nightmare the position already presented.
Leading up to Opening Day, the Diamondbacks, White Sox, Angels, Rangers and Cardinals had yet to name a closer. The Giants should probably be included as well, since everyone knew Mark Melancon would open the season on the disabled list and there were questions as to whether they would just go with Hunter Strickland or mix and match with him and southpaw Tony Watson. Either way, these last two weeks of drafts have been riddled with speculation and outright confusion.
The Diamondbacks ultimately named Brad Boxberger their closer, the Rangers tabbed Keone Kela, and the rumors of free agent Greg Holland signing with the Cardinals finally became a reality.
There was a collective sigh of relief, but unfortunately, as if to hammer home the point of volatility, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler turned the fantasy community upside down when he suddenly announced a switch to a committee the night before the season opened. Owners of Hector Neris ran to the waiver wire like George Costanza yelling fire and pushing his way through a children’s birthday party to escape.
Even as the season has begun, we’re dealing with a lot of potential unrest. Brad Brach, who was filling in for the injured Zach Britton, blew a save for the Orioles on Opening Day. Cam Bedrosian, one of the many relievers Mike Scioscia has to choose from, blew it for the Angels. Even Milwaukee’s Corey Knebel, considered a top-five closer entering the season, struggled in his season debut and almost cost the Brewers the game.
The season is just days old, and you already can hear managers tightening their leashes. Fantasy owners, you officially are put on notice. No one is safe, and chasing saves on the waiver wire is your new full-time job.
Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 4-6 p.m.
