Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

A few days ago, I asked for help to double-check this season’s initial closers (full 2024 edition).

Here are the results, starting with the initial closers and their performance.

Read the rest of this entry »

Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

Every year I report on how many closers made it through the season and how Saves get distributed (2024 report). I just need help verifying the following list is correct before writing the final report next week. Thanks.

7:31	Jeff Zimmerman:

Read the rest of this entry »

The Relief Pitcher episode of the Beat the Shift Podcast – a baseball podcast for fantasy baseball players.

Guest: Greg Jewett

Strategy Section

• Closer Landscape
• Closer Strategy
  • Should you invest in an elite closer?
  • Is it viable to draft two top-10 closers?
• Would you rather?
• Breakout relievers

Closer Situations

• Free Agents
• American League
• National League

Injury Guru’s Trivia of the Week

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast (beat-the-shift): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

After a 2023 blip where some trends started reverse, everything Saves-wise is back to normal in 2024.  This past season is close to the results of 2021 and 2022 with no noticeable changes. The only item of note in all the tables is that only four closers were able to keep their jobs (with the same team) through the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Read the rest of this entry »

Every season, I try to determine how much closer turnover there is from the last drafts to the season’s end. For example, here is last season’s report.

I try to verify the beginning of the season section before every manager disappears for a much-needed break. Here are the values I think are right after consulting my Twitter followers. Could people spend a minute looking over the list and help verify the name on their favorite team(s)? Thanks. Read the rest of this entry »

The Relief Pitcher episode of the Beat the Shift Podcast – a baseball podcast for fantasy baseball players.

Guest: Doug Dennis

Strategy Section

• The value of rostering a closer handcuff
• The value of middle relievers who won’t close games
• Key Middle Relievers
  • Reed Garrett
  • Bryan Abreu
  • Yennier Cano
• Timing of when to pick up closer handcuffs off of the wire
• Looking at overall skills vs. recent performance
• How much FAAB to spend on new in-season closers?
• How to deal with closers potentially being traded mid-season?
• When to drop a struggling or demoted closer?
• Decisions are context dependent
• Closers on bad teams

The Doug Dennis Strategy

• Tout Wars expert league strategy

Injury Guru’s Trivia of the Week

Bullpen Situations

• Phillies
• Orioles
• Rays
• Twins
• Dodgers
• Nationals

Waiver Wire

Pitcher Preview

Injury Update

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast (beat-the-shift): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

3/10/24

The latest episode of “The Sleeper and the Bust” is live. Support the show by subscribing to our Patreon!!

Follow us on Twitter

• Jason Collette – Cohost
• @justinmasonfwfb – Host/Producer

PATREON

• Join our Patreon for live video feeds of each show
• Watch the video feed replay on YouTube

Notable Transactions/News/Rumors

• Noelvi Marte suspended 80 games
  • How does this affect the rest of the Reds

Closer Preview

• How are you approaching the position this season?
• Elite Tier
  • Devin Williams
  • Edwin Díaz
  • Josh Hader
  • Emmanuel Clase

• Second Tier
  • Jhoan Duran
  • Jordan Romano
  • Camilo Doval
  • Raisel Iglesias
  • David Bednar

• Third Tier
  • Alexis Díaz
  • Paul Sewald
  • Andres Munoz
  • Ryan Helsley
  • Pete Fairbanks

• Fourth Tier
  • Evan Phillips
  • Tanner Scott
  • Kenley Jansen
  • Clay Holmes
  • Craig Kimbrel
  • Adbert Alzolay

• Fifth Tier
  • Alex Lange
  • José Alvarado/Jeff Hoffman/Seranthony Domínguez/Orion Kerkering/Gregory Soto
  • Carlos Estévez/Robert Stephenson
  • Robert Suarez
  • Mason Miller/Lucas Erceg/Dany Jiménez
  • Hunter Harvey/Kyle Finnegan
  • James McArthur/Will Smith
  • John Brebbia/Prelander Berroa/Jordan Leasure/ Matt Shaw/Jesse Chavez/Dominic Leone
  • David Robertson/José Leclerc
  • Justin Lawrence/Tyler Kinley

—

As usual, don’t hesitate to tweet us or comment below with fantasy questions.

You can show your support to Fangraphs by becoming a member! With a standard $10 ad-free membership or yearlong $60 ad-free membership, you help maintain and improve our database of stats and graphs as well as our staff of 8 full-time employees and over 50 contributors while gaining access to dark & classic theme modes, RosterResource Excel exports, and the optional removal of photos on the homepage.

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or via the feed. Please rate & review the show in iTunes letting us know what you think!

Approximately 59 minutes of joyous analysis.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Relief Pitcher episode of the Beat the Shift Podcast – a baseball podcast for fantasy baseball players.

Guest: Greg Jewett

Strategy Section

• General closer player pool observations
• What price points should you purchase closers at?
  • General strategy
• Is purchasing closers through FAAB a good investment?
• What skills or information should you look at to speculate on closers in waiting?
• Stay away from closers on bad teams?
• When is it worthwhile to roster a closer handcuff?
• Should you worry that a closer will be traded mid-season (enough to affect a buying/rostering decision)?

Closer Situations

• Discussion of all 30 MLB team closer situations

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast (beat-the-shift): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

When analyzing closers and the Saves they produce, this season’s results were mixed. Some trends continued (e.g. lots of pitchers getting Saves) and some bucked recent trends (e.g. more keeping the role for the full season). To start with, here are the initial (i.e. drafted) closers and how long they kept their job. Read the rest of this entry »