CLOSER RANKINGS

We will update our rankings on a continual basis to reflect the current closer landscape. A closer whose name is red has been lowered in the rankings; a closer whose name is green denotes a player who has been moved up in the rankings or is the new favorite for saves for a given team. Stoppers that are waiting in the wings are listed in parentheses.

Tier 1-Exit Movers

Closers with elite stuff and a stranglehold on the job.
When they come in, fans move it to the exit.

1. Mariano Rivera, NYY  (Chamberlain)
2. Johnathon Broxton, LAD (Sherrill, Kuo, Troncoso)
3. Heath Bell, SD (Adams, Gregerson)
4. Johnathan Papelbon, BOS (Bard)

Tier 2-Face Savers

It isn’t pretty, but they get the job done. Can look like
Exit Movers one day and Adventure Rides the next.

1. Jose Valverde, DET (Zumaya, Perry)
2. Carlos Marmol, CHC (Marshall)
3. Rafael Soriano, TB (Benoit, Wheeler, Howell)
4. Joakim Soria, KC (Farnsworth)
5. Brian Wilson, SF (Affeldt, Romo, Runzler)
6. Billy Wagner, ATL (Saito)
7. Andrew Bailey, OAK (Wuertz, Ziegler)
8. Francisco Rodriguez, NYM (Feliciano)
9. Francisco Cordero, CIN (Masset)
10. Ryan Franklin, STL (Motte, Miller)
11. Jon Rauch, MIN (Guerrier)
12. Matt Lindstrom, HOU (Lyon)
13. Leo Nunez, FLA (Meyer)
14. Matt Capps, WAS (Storen, Clippard, Bruney)
15. Neftali Feliz, TEX (Francisco)
16. David Aardsma, SEA (League)
17. Octavio Dotel, PIT (Meek, Hanrahan)

Tier 3-Adventure Rides

The results are not attractive.

1. Kevin Gregg, TOR (Downs, Frasor)
2. Manny Corpas, COL (Street, Morales)
3. Brian Fuentes, LAA (Rodney, Jepsen)
4. Bobby Jenks, CWS (Thornton, Santos, Putz)
5. Jose Contreras, PHI (Lidge, Romero)
6. Chad Qualls, ARI (Heilman, Gutierrez)
7. Kerry Wood, CLE (C. Perez)
8. John Axford, MIL (Hoffman, Villanueva, Coffey, Hawkins)
9. Will Ohman, BAL (Gonzalez, Simon, Mata, Meredith, Johnson)