Lack of experience as a closer did not hurt Kevin Gregg in 2007, and that experience will only help him in 2008.

Toronto Blue Jays
Rank: 7
Closer: B.J. Ryan
Second in Line: Jeremy Accardo
Confidence Level in Closer: 15%

In 2005 and 2006, B.J. Ryan was one of the best relievers in the game. He made the All-Star team both years, and, in 2006, his first year in Toronto, his numbers were dominant: 1.37 ERA, .857 WHIP, and 38 saves.

In 2007, however, he only appeared in five games before going down for the year with Tommy John surgery. The surgery is why my confidence level in his is so low. Pitchers typically take at least a year and a half to recover from these major operations.

The Blue Jays have expressed full confidence in Ryan’s ability to return this season, but we have serious reservations about that. Of course, we really will not know one way or another until Spring Training.

Thankfully, for Toronto, however, they have three other pitchers – Jeremy Accardo, Scott Downs, and Casey Jensen – in their pen that are quire good. All three had earned run averages that started with two in 2007. The best was Accardo who also had 30 saves filling in for Ryan. Even without B.J., this group still looks to be one of the best in the majors.

Seattle Mariners
Rank: 6
Closer: J.J. Putz
Second in Line: TBD
Confidence Level in Closer: 80%

Putz had a renaissance season at age 30 in 2007. The best of his career by far, he made the All-Star team for the first time, and posted a 1.38 ERA, a .0698 WHIP, and 40 saves. He was an average reliever for the Mariners until they decided to make him their closer in 2006 – I guess he is just one of those people who need to be the center of attention to shine.

Another 30 year old, whose 2007 season was the best of his life will be setting up for Putz – George Sherrill. His numbers were not quite as dominant as Putz’s, but that is like Caravaggio wasn’t quite the painter Michelangelo was … Sherrill was still pretty good. I would look for Sherrill’s 2008 numbers to fall off a bit from last summer’s 2.36 ERA and 0.985 WHIP, but not too far. Of course, as of this writing, we are still waiting to see if Sherrill is to be included in the proposed Érik Bédard trade. If he is, the setup role will be fought for in Spring Training.

Florida Marlins
Rank: 5
Closer: Kevin Gregg
Second in Line: Matt Lindstrom
Confidence Level in Closer: 40%

Despite having no experience in the role, the Marlins made Kevin Gregg their closer after acquiring him in the 2006 off-season from the Angels. Gregg responded quite well to the task, delivering a 3.54 ERA, 1.226 WHIP, and 32 saves.

While Gregg is solid, the reason the Marlins rank so highly is more because of the outstanding season Lee Gardner had in 2007. He came from literally nowhere: despite being 32, he only had played 12 games in the majors before last summer. Gardner’s year was crazy. The man kept on working and grinding in the minors past his 30th birthday. He appeared briefly in 2002 and 2005 for Tampa Bay, but never longer than a week or so. He did well, twice saving 30 games in Triple-A, but he had to feel his major league dreams were close to dead. However, in 2007 he finally got a chance to be a big leaguer for a full year.

He responded with a 1.94 ERA and a 1.211 WHIP. Heading into the 2008 year, he does not have to worry about finding a place to sleep on the team bus. He will be flying chartered jets around the country.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Rank: 4
Closer: Takashi Saito
Second in Line: Jonathan Broxton
Confidence Level in Closer: 65%

Since coming across the pond in 2006, Saito has been one of the best Japanese exports since the Pokémon cartoons. Saito posted an excellent 2.07 ERA and 0.906 WHIP in 2006, and in 2007, he somehow managed to lower those to 1.40 and 0.715, making his first All-Star team in the process. Saito will be 38 this summer, but I expect to him to have at least one more summer that is dominant for the Dodgers. His numbers may not be quite as good as last year, but they should at least be at his 2006 levels.

In the unlikely event Saito’s talent slips as he gets closer to his 40’s, young Jonathan Broxton is more than ready to step into his shoes. Taken in the second round of the 2002 draft, Broxton has been dominant since coming up to the Majors full time in 2006. As a rookie, he had a 2.59 ERA and 1.231 WHIP. Despite appearing in more games last summer, Broxton did not succumb to the sophomore slump, as his numbers – an ERA of 2.85 ERA, a WHIP of 1.146 WHIP, and 10.87 K/9 – would indicate. Teaming with Saito, the pair forms one of the best setup/closer combos in all of baseball.