Fantasy Baseball: Chin Music

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Closers rarely get respect in fantasy circles, but getting those last three outs in a game can be a very tough job.

Once day you're a hero and the next you're a goat.

That's the life of a closer in a nutshell.

But in fantasy, the save category is sometimes volatile due to closers falling on their face and getting put in a setup role. And then you have to hope you land the replacement closer via a waiver wire. If you can't, then you just might be sitting and watching as people continue to climb in that category while you're left wondering what to do.

LEAGUE OF HIS OWN

Can you believe what Angels' lefty closer Brian Fuentes is doing? Yes, he's leading all of baseball with 21 saves. Angels fan are say K-Rod who?

Fuentes may lead in saves, but his ERA (3.91) and WHIP (1.34) aren't exactly great. But those saves sure are saving teams in that category.

San Francisco closer Brian Wilson isn't a household name and was perhaps a mid-level closer during the draft, but he's right behind Fuentes with 20 saves, along with Mr. Nasty Francisco Rodriguez and San Diego's Heath Bell. 

Bell has been a nice surprise all season long with 1.44 ERA and 0.99 WHIP --that's top-of-the-line stats.

ONE-WAY STREET

How about a big hand for Huston Street (18 saves, 3.00 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) in Colorado. Mind you, Street was terrible las year with 18 saves and a 3.73 ERA, a far cry from his 37-save effort in 2006 with the A's, but he's doing a solid job again this year.

WHO IS THIS GUY?

Seattle's David Aardsma, do you know who he is yet? If not, you've been sleeping under a large boulder. He's got a grasp on that closers job with the Mariners, that's for sure. Fifteen saves and a 1.53 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, and he's still only owned in 76 percent of standard 5 x 5 Yahoo! leagues. Get him if you can. People still aren't respecting his talents.