Ten Most Expensive A.L. Relievers 2008
| # | Player | $ | Sal | +/- | AP | SW | '07 |
| 1 | Jon Papelbon | $41 | $27 | +14 | $33 | $31 | $37 |
| 2 | J.J. Putz | $12 | $26 | -14 | $35 | $32 | $49 |
| 3 | Joe Nathan | $40 | $25 | +14 | $34 | $30 | $39 |
| 4 (tie) | Mariano Rivera | $48 | $24 | +24 | $32 | $28 | $28 |
| Francisco Rodriguez | $47 | $24 | +23 | $31 | $28 | $35 | |
| 6 | Bobby Jenks | $28 | $20 | +8 | $29 | $25 | $38 |
| 7 | Huston Street | $20 | $19 | +1 | $26 | $22 | $22 |
| 8 | Joakim Soria | $42 | $19 | +24 | $27 | $22 | $24 |
| 9 | Joba Chamberlain | $12 | $13 | -1 | $9 | $16 | $10 |
| 10 | Joe Borowski | $0 | $13 | -13 | $18 | $15 | $28 |
| Average | $29 | $21 | +8 | $27 | $25 | $31 |
The prices that determine the average salaries are all from 5x5 leagues, and the Patton predictions are all 4x4. The valuation differences are dramatic when strikeouts are added, as you can see here. So Patton wins the pricing battles on every pitcher except Chamberlain, and that shouldn't be a surprise.
What is surprising is how much Sports Weekly suggests spending on these 10 pitchers. They beat the market on every pitcher, and whip them by $4 per player. That's probably too much.
However, the impact of these pitchers - even in 5x5 - can't be discounted. Soria didn't turn a $23 profit in 5x5, but he damn sure turned a profit. Mariano and K-Rod definitely did, too. 5x5 probably cheats closers too much.
Regardless of what format you're playing, there's definitely something to be said for paying the big dogs their fair share.
Next Ten (11-20) Most Expensive A.L. Relievers 2008
| # | Player | $ | Sal | +/- | AP | SW | '07 |
| 11 (tie) | Todd Jones | $10 | $13 | -2 | $19 | $16 | $24 |
| C.J. Wilson | $10 | $13 | -3 | $11 | $16 | $15 | |
| 13 (tie) | Jeremy Accardo | $1 | $11 | -10 | $7 | $9 | $32 |
| Troy Percival | $19 | $11 | +8 | $15 | $13 | $11 | |
| 15 | George Sherrill | $19 | $11 | +8 | $8 | $10 | $10 |
| 16 | Rafael Betancourt | $1 | $8 | -7 | $8 | $8 | $26 |
| 17 | B.J. Ryan | $25 | $7 | +18 | $15 | $18 | -$1 |
| 18 | Joaquin Benoit | -$2 | $5 | -7 | $7 | $4 | $18 |
| 19 | Pat Neshek | $0 | $5 | -5 | $6 | $9 | $15 |
| 20 | Hideki Okajima | $10 | $4 | +6 | $5 | $4 | $17 |
| Average | $9 | $9 | +1 | $10 | $11 | $17 |
B.J. Ryan is the only closer here to earn more than $20 in 4x4. Percival and Sherrill come close, but in 5x5 their profit is going to be further eroded. In 5x5, you don't want to pay what Patton is suggesting to pay for Rivera and Nathan, but you still would have been better off with these guys than you would have been with Sherrill. Patton's advice, regardless of the format, seems the most sensible here. If Wilson slips in at $11, fine, but don't chase a guy who historically has profiled as a lefty specialist.
Just like in 2007, a few of the guys on this list aren't closers, but the best middle relievers from the year before. And, just like in 2007, the best non-closer relievers from the year before often don't pan out. Unlike 2007, though, it looks like you would have definitively been better off saving a few bucks and waiting for some cheaper options.
Next Ten (21-30) Most Expensive A.L. Relievers 2008
| # | Player | $ | Sal | +/- | AP | SW | '07 |
| 21 (tie) | Rafael Perez | $9 | $3 | +6 | $2 | $2 | $14 |
| Al Reyes | $1 | $3 | -2 | $3 | $3 | $19 | |
| 23 | Scot Shields | $12 | $3 | +9 | $5 | $4 | $8 |
| 24 (tie) | Justin Speier | -$2 | $2 | -4 | $1 | $2 | $9 |
| Dan Wheeler | $20 | $2 | +18 | $2 | $5 | ||
| 26 (tie) | Joey Devine | $18 | $2 | +16 | R2 | $1 | |
| Brandon Morrow | $14 | $2 | -7 | $1 | $1 | -$2 | |
| Jamie Walker | -$7 | $2 | -5 | $3 | $12 | ||
| 29 (tie) | Eddie Guardado | $7 | $2 | +6 | $6 | -$2 | |
| Matt Guerrier | -$2 | $2 | -3 | R3 | $2 | $15 | |
| Average | $7 | $2 | +5 | $2 | $1 | $8 |
Even this list isn't perfect; three of these pitchers put up negative earnings. But your goal when you're buying middle relievers is to grab guys like Devine and Wheeler. You're aware that you might wind up with someone putrid like Walker or Guerrier, but the same could have been said for Betancourt or Benoit in the last group. Spend $5 on a middle reliever and there's a little more pain involved. Spend $2 on someone who doesn't work out and your reaction will be more of a shrug than a scream.
Next Ten (31-40) Most Expensive A.L. Relievers 2008
| # | Player | $ | Sal | +/- | AP | SW | '07 |
| 31 | Fernando Rodney | $4 | $2 | +3 | $2 | $2 | $3 |
| 32 (tie) | Manny Delcarmen | $9 | $1 | +7 | $2 | $1 | $8 |
| Kazuo Fukumori | -$5 | $1 | -6 | $2 | |||
| 34 (tie) | Alan Embree | -$2 | $1 | -3 | $1 | $14 | |
| J.P. Howell | $18 | $1 | +17 | R3 | -$11 | ||
| Jensen Lewis | $8 | $1 | +7 | $2 | $1 | $4 | |
| Joel Zumaya | -$2 | $1 | -3 | $4 | $4 | ||
| 38 (tie) | Octavio Dotel | $7 | $1 | +7 | $2 | $1 | $9 |
| Jason Frasor | $0 | $1 | -1 | R3 | $4 | ||
| Masa Kobayashi | $5 | $1 | +5 | $1 | $1 | ||
| Average | $4 | $1 | +3 | $2 | $1 | $4 |
5x5 has a little something to do with the falloff in prices, but even in 4x4 leagues you're going to move into $1 territory pretty fast. For the second year in a row, the results are kind of similar with these dollar derby relievers. Howell is the only one here who is a big winner for his owners. Lewis and Rodney wound up closing for a while, but their ERA/WHIP (especially for Rodney) made this a Pyrrhic victory for their owners, especially if they were competing in ERA/WHIP.
This is the other big difference between 4x4 and 5x5. In 5x5, most of these relievers are purchased with the hope that they'll get saves. In 4x4, though, a guy like Howell can make a larger impact with his ERA/WHIP. If a reliever does harm in these categories, it can be just as damaging as if a starter does. The good news for us is that since we're only paying $1-2 for a lot of these pitchers, it's easier to bail at the first sign of trouble.
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