2007 Free Agent Market: Closers

I don't mean to snark, but a far cry from Brian Meadows, ehh Roto?

Not following...and no.

Baez may have been the most overrated closer going into last year. To go to the National League ans struggle after being in the American League for a while is mind boggling.

Borowski should be the next closer for a team like Kansas City. He's cheap AND good, which makes him a good bargain for them, and will make him avavilabe at next year's trade deadline for them to get more good young talent.

Dotel and Foulke are injury prone closers, and if I was a team expecting to make the playoffs in 2007 I would keep my distance from them.

Gagne fits in the same mold as Foulke and Dotel when it comes to injuries, however his stuff is WAY to good for a team not to take a chance on him. Beware of Boras though.

Mike Gonzalez has the making to be the next great closer in this league, but he first needs to get out of Pittsburgh and get himself on a contender. Brad Lidge desperately needs a change of scenery.

I'd like to see the Mets add Baez now that he'll only cost money. His poor year should lessen his suitors,though I suppose the price is always the key.
I'd sign Baez,Gagne,Guardado,& Dotel;Resign Mota,Bradford & El Duque for the bullpen;
Mulder for the rotation. Mulder,Guardado,Gagne,& Pedro would ALL be on the mend until Aug/Sept & shouldn't cause any #'s problems all year. They are ALL solid investments, & if not for the surgeries, it would be basically impossible for any one team to get them all. I think with NewYork's resources, paying a bit x-tra to lure a Gagne away from LA(where he said he'd take less to stay)would pay off. Same with "Everyday Eddie" Guardado. Creating a closer-trio of Wagner-Baez-Gagne with Sanchez, Mota, Guardado (& co.) leading up to them, & letting the Kids figure out how to hold the leads provided by the bats is the way to go. Wagner proved he can't do it everyday & do the playoffs in the same year, so a "Nasty Boyz" approach should be adopted with Baez & Gagne being added. Heilman,& Zambrano need to be dealt. Glavine's 15 wins aren't worth $14m, he should walk.
Mind you I don't believe the Mets will do this, & thus suffer the same ol' die with yer closer fate. I don't think LA will let Gagne walk, I don't understand why the Reds would do so with Guardado, or why Atl lets Baez go to the Mets.(If I were Philly I'd grab him)

And for all you nay sayers out there, the next incompetent old school habit to die will be the singular closer role-you just watch. Bi-stoppers & Tri-stoppers have done nothing but dominate(when they weren't scrubs); & if anyone whines about stat deflation, pitch better. Last I checked STAR closers only save 40gms out of 162. I'd work towards having the 1st team ever to have two 40sv closers & wager it has a carry over to the # of 20gm winners in the rotation. Let's see 3 30svs-that's 90gms right there. Of course it's not that simple but there's no "real" reason a team can't go 162-0 with a $200 m payroll in real life. Granted it may require several 23yr old salary min Miguel Cabreras, but that's just foresight & good trading. yeah right-gms 100-162 would be killer tight, every team would play like it's the World Series just to put that 1 loss up there. I think the last 62gms for a 100-0 team would prove harder to win, than the 1st 100gms.
p.s. Miguel'll be a Met before May.

I wonder how 9YrsLate is feeling about the Mets off-season now.....

How did Gange rape the Rangers? Oh yeah, it's the Rangers...