While the performance of
American League relievers was historically bad last season, what about the
National League?
Ten Most Expensive N.L.
Relievers 2012
#
|
Player
|
$
|
Sal
|
+/-
|
CBS
|
LABR
|
TW
|
PK
|
2011
|
1
|
Craig
Kimbrel
|
$29
|
22
|
7
|
23
|
21
|
21
|
21
|
$26
|
2
|
Jonathan
Papelbon
|
$22
|
19
|
3
|
19
|
19
|
19
|
19
|
$20
|
3
|
John
Axford
|
$13
|
18
|
-6
|
18
|
19
|
18
|
17
|
$22
|
4
|
Joel
Hanrahan
|
$17
|
17
|
0
|
17
|
15
|
18
|
17
|
$20
|
5
|
Drew
Storen
|
$6
|
17
|
-11
|
19
|
19
|
12
|
7
|
$23
|
6
|
Heath
Bell
|
$5
|
17
|
-12
|
18
|
17
|
15
|
19
|
$19
|
7
|
Rafael
Betancourt
|
$14
|
16
|
-2
|
16
|
16
|
17
|
15
|
$11
|
8
|
J.J.
Putz
|
$15
|
16
|
-1
|
16
|
17
|
15
|
17
|
$21
|
9
|
Jason
Motte
|
$23
|
16
|
7
|
15
|
15
|
17
|
17
|
$14
|
10
|
Carlos
Marmol
|
$8
|
15
|
-7
|
18
|
12
|
15
|
16
|
$13
|
Average
|
$15
|
17
|
-2
|
18
|
17
|
17
|
17
|
$19
|
Unlike in the A.L., this is
much closer to what we expect from our reliever investments. Since 2009, the
expert market has shelled out between $16-18 for a $13-16 return. Thanks to
Kimbrel and Motte, instead of losing $3 per reliever like these relievers did
from 2009-2011, they only lost $2 per reliever last year.
What you want to do with
this information is entirely up to you.
Some owners look at the
perpetual losses that relievers put up and avoid paying money for big-ticket
closers. While I agree that your goal is profits and not losses, the reality is
that if you do this, you're almost definitely committing to dumping the
category.
Sixteen relievers in the
National League saved 19 games or more last year. Thirteen of those 16 cost $11
or more. Of the nine relievers that saved 30 or more, seven of them are in the
chart above. John Axford cost his owners six dollars last year...but he also
saved his owners 35 games as well.
Strategy #2 if you're not
spending big money on closers is to spend a moderate amount on the next tier.
Next Ten Most Expensive
(11-20) N.L. Relievers 2012
#
|
Player
|
$
|
Sal
|
+/-
|
CBS
|
LABR
|
TW
|
PK
|
2011
|
11
|
Huston
Street
|
$15
|
15
|
0
|
14
|
15
|
15
|
15
|
$11
|
12
|
Brian
Wilson
|
$0
|
14
|
-14
|
13
|
16
|
14
|
15
|
$14
|
13
|
Frank
Francisco
|
$9
|
14
|
-5
|
15
|
12
|
14
|
8
|
$8
|
14
|
Ryan
Madson
|
12
|
-12
|
19
|
16
|
$17
|
|||
15
|
Kenley
Jansen
|
$20
|
11
|
9
|
8
|
13
|
11
|
10
|
$10
|
16
|
Brett
Myers
|
$8
|
11
|
-3
|
10
|
9
|
13
|
11
|
$5
|
17
|
Javy
Guerra
|
$6
|
11
|
-5
|
11
|
11
|
10
|
8
|
$11
|
18
|
Jonny
Venters
|
$6
|
7
|
-1
|
7
|
6
|
7
|
5
|
$15
|
19
|
Sean
Marshall
|
$12
|
6
|
6
|
2
|
4
|
13
|
11
|
$13
|
20
|
Tyler
Clippard
|
$18
|
5
|
13
|
3
|
5
|
7
|
4
|
$16
|
Average
|
$9
|
10
|
-1
|
10
|
11
|
10
|
9
|
$12
|
This is a mixed bag. An
owner that spent a combined $16 on Jansen and Clippard came out smelling like a
rose, while an owner that spends a combined $25 on Wilson and Guerra surely was
an unhappy camper. Wilson and Madson are the poster children for why some
owners refuse to spend money on closers, but with Madson this was because of
the early auction dates for CBS and LABR. Madson was already off the table for
Tout Wars.
But if you're looking not
just for value but saves this group doesn't do quite as well as the previous
one. Clippard is the only 30+ save guy here, while only four others (Street,
Francisco, Jansen, and Myers) save 10 or more.
The earnings are better in
the next group, but this isn't where the saves are either.
Next Ten Most Expensive (21-30)
N.L. Relievers 2012
#
|
Player
|
$
|
Sal
|
+/-
|
CBS
|
LABR
|
TW
|
PK
|
2011
|
21
|
Aroldis
Chapman
|
$25
|
5
|
20
|
4
|
5
|
5
|
2
|
$5
|
22
|
Luke
Gregerson
|
$12
|
5
|
8
|
8
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
$4
|
23
|
Sergio
Romo
|
$15
|
4
|
11
|
2
|
6
|
3
|
4
|
$12
|
24
|
David
Hernandez
|
$11
|
3
|
8
|
1
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
$11
|
25
|
Francisco
Rodriguez
|
$8
|
3
|
5
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
$14
|
26
|
Kris
Medlen
|
$25
|
2
|
23
|
3
|
4
|
$1
|
||
27
|
Andrew
Cashner
|
$6
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
$2
|
|
28
|
Rex
Brothers
|
$9
|
2
|
7
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
$4
|
29
|
Fernando
Salas
|
$5
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
$19
|
30
|
Antonio
Bastardo
|
$6
|
2
|
5
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
$13
|
|
Average
|
$12
|
3
|
9
|
2
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
$8
|
Medlen's presence here
distorts this group somewhat. But he was in the Braves' pen to start the
season, so this is where he goes.
The rest of these pitchers
do what these types of pitchers have done for four years running: earn their
owners some serious profits given the moderate investment. From 2009-2012, this
bloc of pitchers has earned $7 or more while costing no more than $3.
If you're going to blow off
saves, I'm an advocate of spending $3 or less per pitcher. However, that
strategy would have probably resulted in dumping a category. Santiago Casilla,
Steve Cishek, and Wilton Lopez were the only relievers that saved 10 or more
games and cost less than $2.
I'm not an advocate for
overpaying for saves for the sake of buying saves. And you might get saves if
you don't spend $15 or more on a closer. Just keep in mind that the opposite is
true. You might not get a closer if you don't spend money on
saves. If you can live with this and can correctly allocate your money across
the other nine categories (in 5x5), then by all means feel free to pursue this
strategy to avoid losses.
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