Manuel Corpas is looking forward to a full season as the closer.

Colorado Rockies
Rank: 13
Closer: Manny Corpas
Second in Line: Brian Fuentes
Confidence Level in Closer: 50%

Pitching from the mound with a relaxed, “I know I’m good so I’m not going to act like I care attitude,” with a huge wad of dip sticking out from his mouth, Manuel Corpas was a big reason the Rockies went on one of the best runs in American sports history last fall. To make it even better, he backed up the attitude with filthy stuff. In the playoffs, Corpas had an ERA of 0.87.

Corpas stepped in as closer following the struggles of Brian Fuentes. Despite only holding the role post All-Star break, Corpas had 19 saves with a 2.08 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. Being only 24, Corpas looks to improve upon those numbers in his first full season as a closer.

In addition, the Rockies have a real nice luxury. Their set up man is a three time All-Star. Despite losing the closer job to Corpas, Fuentes is still a good pitcher in his own right, with a career 3.53 ERA and 1.26 WHIP.

Rounding out the pen will be free agent addition Luis Vizcaíno. Vizcaíno was 8-2 with a 4.30 ERA for the Yankees in 2007 in 77 appearances. Vizcaíno had control issues, though, as he struck out 62 and walked 43. Control issues had not been a problem in the past, and he will need to correct those quickly if he is succeed in Coors Field.

Minnesota Twins
Rank: 12
Closer: Joe Nathan
Second in Line: Matt Guerrier and Pat Neshek
Confidence Level in Closer: 80%

Since coming over from San Francisco in 2004 in an ill-fated deal for catcher A.J. Pierzynski, Nathan has been one of the best closers in the game for the Twins. Over the past four years, he has averaged a 1.95 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP and a measly 40 saves. Look for Nathan to continue his dominance this year for the Twinkies. Playing in a tough division and losing Torii Hunter, the saves may be down a little, but his other stats should be just fine.

Matt Guerrier and Pat Neshek will make sure leads get to Joe safely. Guerrier is coming off his career best year in 2007, where he had a 2.35 ERA, a 1.045 WHIP with 14 holds. Neshek has been above average since coming to the majors. His 2007 numbers (2.94 ERA, 1.009 WHIP) were a little step down from his rookie year, but most players go through a sophomore slump, and those numbers are still solid.

Cleveland Indians
Rank: 11
Closer: Joe Borowski
Second in Line: Rafael Perez and Rafael Betancourt
Confidence Level in Closer: 15%

I do not know how it happened, as clearly logic and reason is just something that does not exist in the chaotic world of major league baseball, but somehow career journeyman Joe Borowski was second in the majors in saves last year with 45. To make it even weirder, his numbers were average to below average, as usual; his ERA was above 5.00, and his WHIP was nothing special at 1.431.

People reading this feature, if you take nothing else away from my rants and raves, save this: do not bet on Joe Borowski.

I know it will be tempting to draft him in the early rounds given his performance last year, but do not. It was a fluke, a one-in-a-million chance. Borowski won the lotto last year. Do not trust the man.

Thankfully, for the Indians, they have a pair of Rafael’s to step in when Joe inevitably does fall. Betancourt is 32 years old, coming off the best year of his career in 2007, where he posted a 1.47 ERA, .756 WHIP and 31 holds. As good as this Rafael is, the real prize is the other one, Perez.

In his first full-time year in the big leagues, he posted an ERA of 1.78 and a WHIP of 0.923 WHIP. I would put my money on him becoming the Indians closer by the All-Star break.

Filling out the remainder of Cleveland’s impressive pen are Aaron Fultz (1.32 WHIP, 2.92 ERA) and Jensen Lewis (1.22 WHIP, 10.43 K/9). Aside from the saves, Borowski had the worst numbers of anybody in their pen last year.