Closers are the most painfully necessary players in fantasy baseball. Every season, only 30 of them exist, which creates a market dynamic unlike any other position in the game. The chase begins on draft day and doesn’t end until the season comes to a close.

Injuries, ineffectiveness and committee situations are among the headaches that come with relievers, but there is an upside. Because closer positions are the most volatile in fantasy, there are constantly opportunities to improve throughout the season. Drafting well is important, sure, but hawking saves all season long might be even more crucial.

We’ve put together our preliminary closer rankings, which are, of course, prone to change at any time throughout the spring. As the regular season nears, we’ll shuffle the rankings and go a little deeper to include the ‘insurance policy’ for each closer on the list. Read more »

We will be rolling out plenty of 2010 fantasy baseball coverage in the coming days, weeks and months, but let’s start right here with player-by-player profiles of our rough top 100 preseason rankings. Stay tuned to the site for more player profiles, draft kit information, rankings, sleepers, busts, etc. as Spring Training approaches.

Joakim Soria, RP, Kansas City Royals
Overview: Rising young closer who has recorded back-to-back 30+ save seasons … pitches for one of baseball’s worst teams, but is effective to the point where his team’s futility doesn’t have much significance … is 72-for-78 in save opportunities the last two seasons while maintaining superior ratios.
2009 numbers: 3-2, 2.21 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 30 SVs, 69 Ks in 53.0 IP
Key splits and trends: Strikeout numbers rose dramatically last season, but so did his opponents’ batting average … averaged 8.82 Ks per 9 innings in 2008 and 11.72 Ks per 9 last year … missed time last season with a strained rotator cuff, but finished strong with a 14-inning scoreless streak.
Strengths: Consistency in his ability to close out games … doesn’t get handed many leads to protect, but closes the door virtually ever opportunity he gets … is comparable to Mariano Rivera in his combination of ERA, WHIP and strikeouts.
Weaknesses: Will never reach his full potential as a fantasy closer until the Royals can at least make a run at a .500 record … on a better team, would be a 50-save candidate; but for the Royals, 35 saves are more likely.
Bold prediction for 2010: The Royals have a more respectable year, and Soria stays healthy and reaches 40 saves.

1. Jonathan Broxton, LAD: Overtakes Papelbon as top closer with video game numbers (1.33 ERA, 0.67 WHIP) and bonus 5 wins
2. Jonathan Papelbon, BOS: Starting to figure things out, but already has more walks this season (11) than he did all of ‘08 (8)
3. Mariano Rivera, NYY: On pace for second-highest opponents’ batting average of career (.244), but using pristine control (28:1 K-to-BB ratio) to lock down saves
4. Francisco Rodriguez, NYM: Had 10 saves and a 0.00 ERA in 15 May appearances; is tied for 2nd in MLB with 14 saves
5. Joe Nathan, MIN: Better days are ahead for the Twins, which means more save chances for one of the game’s most reliable closers
6. Heath Bell, SD: Big-time surprise as MLB saves leader; if Padres keep overachieving, he blows past 40 saves
7. Trevor Hoffman, MIL: A dynamo since coming off the disabled list; has yet to allow an earned run in 16 appearances, already has 14 saves
8. Joakim Soria, KC: When healthy (shoulder), is baseball’s best young closer; returned from the DL in non-save situation Wednesday
9. Frank Francisco, TEX: A draft day gem; allowed his first run of the season Sunday, but still has 0.46 ERA and 12 straight save conversions
10. Francisco Cordero, CIN: Improved command has been a pleasant surprise; on pace for career-best efficiency (16.0 P/IP) and just 21 walks Read more »

Left-handed bats are a premium on any major league roster so it comes to no surprise that Chicago Cubs manager Lou Pinella is courting Kansas City Royals reserve outfielder Mark Teahen. This is the second time over the past month that the right fielder has been rumored to be dispatched to Wrigleyville. The recent arrival of Coco Crisp to the Royals has given them a surplus of outfielders and manager Trey Hillman is looking to exchange that outfield surplus for bullpen arms.

As reported by Dick Kaegel of MLB.com, the Cubs would send utility infielder Mike Fontenot and converted reliever Sean Marshall to the Royals for Teahen. The Royals are looking for middle infield help as well as a reliever to take the place of Ramon Ramirez, who was recently sent to the Boston Red Sox for Crisp. Read more »

Baseball is a wonderful thing in the month of September. Just ask any fantasy baseball manager who still has his bullpen intact, complete with a lights-out closer who can guarantee 2-3 saves per week. Other managers have been less fortunate as injuries and trades have impacted many MLB bullpens and forced fantasy owners to make patchwork adjustments.

The usual suspects continue to lead the way like Francisco Rodriguez, Brad Lidge, and Joe Nathan. Other players like Chris Perez, Matt Lindstrom and Jonathan Broxton have snuck their way onto the closer scene because of injuries and/or demotions. Read more »

What have you done for me lately? — the theme of the year forclosers of all kinds. Brief slumps by even the best relievers in baseball result in implosions that can torch a fantasy team’s ERA and WHIP numbers. And with only half the closers in baseball possessing any true sense of job security, a constant revolving door is making for tricky lineup decisions for the stretch run.

The 2008 crop of closers has been anchored at the top by a dominant group that has managed to stay healthy and effective. Joakim Soria has emerged as an elite option, while Philadelphia’s Brad Lidge has bounced back from a troublesome ‘07 season to put up dominant numbers for the pennant-chasing Phillies. Surprises Kerry Wood, Kevin Gregg and Salomon Torres have held steady in rounding out the top 10. Read more »

Closer carousels have been in motion virtually all season, making for a constant shuffle at the bottom of the closer heap. And as constant as the change has been at the bottom, the top has been even more dominant. From Angels’ record chaser Francisco Rodriguez at the top to Pirates fill-in John Grabow at the bottom, 2008 is a clear-cut case of the haves and have-nots.

K-Rod could stop pitching today and still possibly lead baseball in saves. And as the saves pile up, we’re starting to see his typical dominance in strikeouts, something that was missing from his early season run. The rest of the top six remains virtually intact, the only change being Philadelphia’s Brad Lidge slipping in favor of Minnesota’s Joe Nathan and Kansas City’s Joakim Soria. Read more »