"It's Closing Time"

For a hundred pennies, name that band? Go!

I have come to terms with many things in my life. Early in my baseball career, I realized that I would never play professionally after trying to hit my first curve ball. I have also come to grips with the fact that I am older (much older, in fact) than some of the players whom I'm starting to idolize in the Big Leagues. But, I digress…

I have made my peace with the fact that I will never again have a pitcher of Jonathan Papelbon's, Mariano Rivera's, Joe Nathan's or Francisco Rodriguez's calibre on my fantasy squad. Are they the best in the business? Yes. No doubt about it. But in this day and age of torn labrums and Tommy John surgeries, and where half of the league's current closers may be hurt or lose their jobs by May, why even risk it in the first 5 rounds? Papelbon, or any RP for that matter, is an arm injury away from leaving your team with massively dwindling Save, WHIP and ERA totals for a few weeks. Did anyone draft J.J. Putz last year in the fourth round and think to themselves, “I am set for saves?” Ouch.

OK, so we're still early in the draft and you are confronted with an impulse to take a closer. Ask yourself--would I rather have an RP and lose out on a top 50 offensive talent at that pick? Or would you rather go with offense, and try to find the next diamon in the rough, a la Matt Capps, Brian Wilson, George Sherrill, and Brandon Lyon? This year, I'll target save guys like Joey Devine, Heath Bell and any of the aforementioned hits from last season. And if you need a few more saves I would boldly predict that around 35 RPs will garner 10+ saves this season. Now if you are lazy and you know you won't be hawking the waiver wires for bargains, then by all means waste a 4th round pick on Mariano. I'll draft Carlos Quentin or someone of his ilk and make up the saves with my 19th and 21st round picks.

Oh, and the name of the band: SemiSonic. You may come see me for your bag of pennies.