2K22 Closer Thread

[Gregg]

All things Closer related are welcome.

I play in two 5x5 only leagues (1 AL and 1 NL). I do not believe in punting saves as I have not seen this very effective in winning the championships. How about you?

I have also joined two 4x4 only leagues (AL and NL). Saves and speed are more important.

If you do buy or keep a closer what is the max you are comfortable with?

[GwynnInTheHall]

I'm using Zola's NCIS strategy--In pretty much every league.

[Bene Futuis]

I'm using Zola's NCIS strategy--In pretty much every league.

I don't trust those Navy guys to pick my closers whatsoever.

[Gregg]

I'm using Zola's NCIS strategy--In pretty much every league.

I know Todd was a fan of NCIS reruns in 2015. but I do not know what the NCIS strategy is?

Care to enlighten?

[GwynnInTheHall]

I know Todd was a fan of NCIS reruns in 2015. but I do not know what the NCIS strategy is?

Care to enlighten?

No Closer Is Safe

[Pauly]

You will have a hard time winning and wont be able to compete for the overall if you dont hit on at least 2 closers in an NFBC league. Im not saying they need to be a top 5 closer, but for example, people who took Melancon last year tended to do really well.

In that range at this early juncture, Melancon himself looks pretty solid again. Super hard to judge this early, but I am keeping an eye on Bender, Bednar, Knebel and Barlow (KC).

[GwynnInTheHall]

You will have a hard time winning and wont be able to compete for the overall if you dont hit on at least 2 closers in an NFBC league. Im not saying they need to be a top 5 closer, but for example, people who took Melancon last year tended to do really well.

In that range at this early juncture, Melancon himself looks pretty solid again. Super hard to judge this early, but I am keeping an eye on Bender, Bednar, Knebel and Barlow (KC).

Well NFBC is a completely different animal, so of course you'd TRY to draft closers or speculate late on handcuffs, potential saves. Still spending a top 6 round pick on a closer will probably cause you more grief than pleasure.

[chancellor]

Well NFBC is a completely different animal, so of course you'd TRY to draft closers or speculate late on handcuffs, potential saves. Still spending a top 6 round pick on a closer will probably cause you more grief than pleasure.

So early picks on closers will end up like most of my college girlfriends. That's a helpful analogy.

[Pauly]

Re: NFBC - I am not saying you have to take the top closer off the board, but you do have to trust a little and not get caught up in the scrap market for both of your primary closers in my opinion. A sixth rounder on a "stable" closer seems perfectly reasonable to me.

But guys like Hader who get all those Ks to go along with a stable spot are pretty much worth it wherever you take them within reason...sort of like the best catcher thing.

[Big Tymer]

I’ve done 2 NFBC Draft and Holds already and Closers are going incredibly high. Like 2nd round is where it starts with Hendriks and Hader with someone like Clase in the 4th. I’ve ended up with Soto and Floro as my closers on both teams thus far (drafting each in the 11-13 round range). Do I love it? No but the entire pool is risky and to me there is too much value you’re giving up chasing them. When I finished 4th in the overall 2 years ago I ended the year with just 1 closer so while you want 2 and should aim for 2 it’s more important you get your ratio and counting stats.

Maybe I’m too high on Soto but he at least has already been recently called the closer by his manager entering 2022 and the stuff is nasty. Can he hold the job? Who knows but at least he’s starting with it.

[Pauly]

I’ve done 2 NFBC Draft and Holds already and Closers are going incredibly high. Like 2nd round is where it starts with Hendriks ans Hader with someone like Clase in the 4th. I’ve ended up with Soto and Floro as my closers on both teams thus far (drafting each in the 11-13 round range). Do I love it? No but the entire pool is risky and to me there is too much value you’re giving up chasing them. When I finished 4th in the overall 2 years ago I ended the year with just 1 closer so while you want 2 and should aim for 2 it’s more important you get your ratio and counting stats.

Maybe I’m too high on Soto but he at least has already been recently called the closer by his manager entering 2022 and the stuff is nasty. Can he hold the job? Who knows but at least he’s starting with it.

I dont think Floro is the closer fyi. Get Bender to cya if you can

[onejayhawk]

I have two studs--Hendrix and Hader--and a too cheap to drop Joe Barlow.

I just hope I can get something decent for him.

J

[Bene Futuis]

NFBC is a little different because you burn through ~20-25 pitchers in a season and can't farm the waiver wire for pickups. I've come around recently to a hybrid Pauly/Big Tymer model where I'll try to get one of the later "sure thing" guys, around the 5th-8th round depending (I guess that's about, what, $8-15 in auction dollars?). Then I'll farm a couple big arm types in the later rounds to supplement. I'm looking at the RP lists this year and while it looks really sketchy even at the top, I'm just not comfortable spending big for the top guys. There are a good ~five guys in the middle rounds / middle $ that I'd be comfortable with as my closer1.

[GwynnInTheHall]

NFBC is a little different because you burn through ~20-25 pitchers in a season and can't farm the waiver wire for pickups. I've come around recently to a hybrid Pauly/Big Tymer model where I'll try to get one of the later "sure thing" guys, around the 5th-8th round depending (I guess that's about, what, $8-15 in auction dollars?). Then I'll farm a couple big arm types in the later rounds to supplement. I'm looking at the RP lists this year and while it looks really sketchy even at the top, I'm just not comfortable spending big for the top guys. There are a good ~five guys in the middle rounds / middle $ that I'd be comfortable with as my closer1.

but how many sure thing guys are there?

I finished a solid 3rd in our RJ NFBC league. I finished with 4 points in saves, but that not what scuttled my chances. A myriad of injuries to my top players and a failure to back up catching resulting in 1/2 a catcher in a 2 Catcher league for most of the season doomed me.

I disagree with the assertion you need to draft a closer any higher than 10th round. Hell, the Padres don't and won't know who's closing until 3 days prior to the season. In any Faab league or trade league--spending 20+ or drafting high on closers is not my preferred strategy, in NFBC you'll get some value out of drafting the 3rd, 4th guys in any pen in the final 4 rounds.

Using this I finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd x2 and 4th out of my 6 leagues--the 6th being a dump and rebuild. Maybe I've been burnt too many times, but you won't see me spending any capital on a closer with today's BP usage.

In Zola's this year's league I didn't draft a RP until 20-21 going with Loaisiga and Floro. I added Karinchak and Trevor May in the 27th and 29th PLUS they have Faab, which I plan to farm enough saves to stay mid pack.

Again, I am NOT on the get a closer early/big money train. Not with analytics the way they are.

[Big Tymer]

I dont think Floro is the closer fyi. Get Bender to cya if you can

Maybe I like Floro too much but Bender is top of my queue (24/25 picks as I had #1) so do plan to handcuff if he’s still there.

UPDATE: Handcuff complete as grabbed Bender at pick 360 (so right at ADP).