Favorite Closer?

Question

Who is your favorite closer?

Answer 1

Right now it is K-Rod. The man is electric and completely lights out. My personal all time favorite was John Hiller...growing up a Tiger fan and knowing his story plus meeting him makes for a great all time feel good story.

Answer 2

Todd hey thx for the contact invite. To answer your question I would have to say that right now in the game of baseball my favorite closer would be Joe Nathan. I think the man is an absolute beast and if you look at statistics alone he's unreal. But in the whole scheme of things you have to realize this, the strength of the Minnesota Twins have been pitching, from the best pitcher in the game Johan Santana, to the newly found youngster Francisco Liriano, to Brade Radke and Kyle Lohse, but what would they be without a bullpen and great guy at the end of the game to come in and ensure they will receive the W? Well we might not speak of them as highly and may not give so much credit to a guy like Santana. Look at Roy Oswalt, he could easily be compared with Johan Santana (career numbers to season numbers, they are 1 in the same) but he doesnt get the same recognition and i think alot of it has to do with the downfall of a guy who had so much promise, Brad Lidge. Also the fact they have went from closer to closer like it was nothing (Wagner to Dotel to Lidge). So to me Joe Nathan is my favorite closer, and this is coming from an Astros fan so i know all about how much a closer can give you heartbreak and headaches.

Keep up the good work though, i dont think enough credit was given to you for the turnaround of the Detroit Tigers, and again you have done the same for a young pitching staff that Nathan has done for the Twins, you have helped Nate Robertson, Justin Verlander, and Jeremy Bonderman b/c some of the best young talented pitchers in the game.

Throw these numbers between Santana and Oswalt to help solidify my argument:

Santana is entering his 8th season while Oswalt is entering his 7th. Santana has 79 career W's while Oswalt has 99, also Oswalt has a career ERA of 3.02 to Santana's 3.21. If everyone remembers correctly Santana started off in the bullpen and only has been a full time starter for 4 seasons now (entering his 4th) and Oswalt has always been a full time SP, so for Santana to only be behind Oswalt by 20 victories despite being a starting pitcher (full time) for 3 less seasons is pretty incredible, especially given the fact that Oswalt has a career ERA under Santanas. Roy Oswalts highest ERA ever is just 3.49 (absolutely stunning) but if you ask anyone in baseball who the best pitchers are i think Santana is always thrown ahead of him, and i think alot of it has to do with the fact that Joe Nathan is there solidifying every victory for Santana while Oswalts great games get lost in translation (like his first start this season when he went 7 IP gave up just 1 run and when he left the game Houston was ahead but Lidge gives up the save and either Wheeler or Qualls gives up the game, Oswalt gets a no decision).

Answer 3

Right now Papelbon is my favorite, he just comes in to dominate the other team. It seems like he just has ice water running through his veins. A close second would be K-Rod because his slider is just ridiculous, i mean how can you hit something you can't see. And I know he isn't a closer yet, but Joel Zumaya is just going to be disgusting, 103 mph is just untouchable. He is just waiting for Todd Jones to make a mistake and I think that he is going to have a lot of success coming into the game and saving a game.

Answer 4

My All time favorite Closer is Mariano Rivera but my current favorite closer is Francisco Rodriguez.

Answer 5

Currently, my favorite closer is K-rod, because of his electric stuff, though I also enjoyed watching John Smoltz close for the Braves a few years ago, because he pretty much mowed everybody down, and he almost set the major league record for saves.

Historically, Bruce Sutter. Major League Baseball needs to find a better system for electing Hall of Fame players, because it is criminal that Sutter has not yet been put into the Hall of Fame.

Answer 6

Todd if your asking for my favourite now THERE ARE A COUPLE, as a resident of Toronto who has been a seasons ticket holder of the Blue Jays of course I have to say B.J. Ryan, one of Toronto's best ever acquisitions.He brings his A game to the park every time out.

I've got to stick with my hometown boy (I was born in Montreal) Eric Gagne, who before injuries in recent seasons was simply the most dominant reliever in the game,what a season he had on the way to winning the Cy Young Award with the Dodgers. 84 consecutive saves 'nuff said including 55 out of 55 during his great Cy Young award winning season of 2003.

A few years back I was a huge Eric Dibble fan when he was with Reds.

While I lived in Montreal Jeff 'The Terminator' Reardon was a favourite of mine another reliever who could close, unfortunately in recent years, reading news stories I was not thrilled to read about what he has gone through since his retirement, but nevertheless I hope he is well, as he evokes many a happy memory for me and he saved over 40 games in each league.(BACK TO BACK SEASONS)

The following is a list of some other all-time mentionables (as favourites)

Todd Jones (LOL..what did you expect me to say..what a season you had back in 2000)
Mariano Rivera
Tom Henke
Dennis Eckersley
Rollie Fingers
Lee Smith
Joe Nathan
(Knuckleballer) Hoyt Wilhelm
Bruce Sutter
John Hiller ( A fellow Canadian)
Claude Raymond (who spent several seasons with the Expos before retiring and moving into the broadcast booth as a color man)
Dan Quisenberry
Goose Gosage
Trevor Hoffman
Wilbur Wood (when he was a reliever..what a 'workhorse')
Sparky Lyle
Steve Bedrosian
Kent Tekulve (WHAT A SUBMARINE PITCH HE HAD)

Answer 7

Bobby Jenks of the White Sox. Everybody forgets about what he did in 2005 and even last season. He is a great closer and its pretty exciting to see the radar gun go up into the 100s.

Answer 8

For all time it would have to be Bruce Sutter. He fired the same one pitch all the time and nobody could hit it for years on end. He was a riot to watch because he made hitters look foolish. Also the beard and wild hair just added to the funniness.

For today it would have to be Rivera. It's amusing to watch great hitters take a homerun outta the park swing only to break their bat and dribble the ball 15 ft. on the ground to the pitcher for an easy out.

Answer 9

Mariano Rivera

Answer 10

As a Boston fan, you'd think it would be Papelbon, but I have to go with B.J. Ryan. I watched him in Baltimore before he moved to Toronto and he has always had smoke. He has good control and no fear. That is what it takes to be a great one (well, that and good health which is a concern at times).

If you meant favorite of all time I have to go with Eckersley. He basically was the prototype for the "closer" concept and hasn't been improved upon.

Answer 11

Bobby Jenks White Sox