Week 21 Fantasy Baseball Closer Report

With the twenty-first week of the fantasy baseball season upon us, it’s pretty clear if you are set at the closer position or if you have a gaping hole at the bottom of your lineup.  The position is growing more and more important in fantasy baseball and is always worth taking a closer look at.  Each week of the season I will dissect the closer position by evaluating injuries, looking at position battles, and reviewing some future stars.  Below is the week 21 edition of my fantasy baseball closer report:

San Diego’s “Closer”

San Diego Padres’ closer, Dale Thayer, started off great last week, by flawlessly saving the team’s first game last week.  However, as the team struggled the rest of the week, Thayer remained inactive as the team lost the rest of the week.  This is the vital flaw of the San Diego closer role, as there are simply not enough wins to go around. Thayer will remain the closer with Houston Street still on the DL, but with the lack of save chances, Thayer remains a low-end option.

Flying Steady, Again:

Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles – After Johnson’s rough July, in which his ERA went from 1.26 to an unflattering 3.63, the O’s closer has really settled down.  Johnson has not allowed a run in eight consecutive appearances and is pitching strongly at the right time.  He will remain a top-end closer as the year closes out

Dominating in the Desert:

J. J. Putz, Arizona Diamondbacks – Putz has pitched very well in the hot desert months this summer.  Putz has only allowed 1 hit in the entire month of August and has yet to allow an earn run.  Putz has quietly racked up 24 saves on the year.  He has matured into a mid-level closer and will be a great second closing option heading into the fantasy baseball playoffs.