Okay, so I’ve been digging into this whole “Major League Baseball closers” thing, and let me tell you, it’s been a ride. I wanted to see what the big deal was with these guys who come in at the end of the game to shut it down. So, I started by just watching some games, you know, casual like.
First thing I did was make a list of names that kept popping up. You got your Edwin Diaz, who apparently missed all of 2023 with a knee injury. That’s rough. Then there were these two guys, Emmanuel Clase and Ryan Helsley, who seem to be the kings of saves this year. Over 40 saves each! That’s wild.
I also stumbled upon some stuff about this legendary closer, Mariano Rivera. The guy’s a beast! 652 career saves? And a 0.70 ERA in the playoffs? Come on, that’s just insane. Five World Series championships too. It’s no wonder people call him the greatest of all time.
So, I started to make my own little list of these closers, and it looked something like this:
- Ryan Helsley (Cardinals) – Dude’s got 49 saves! A new record for the Cardinals.
- Emmanuel Clase (Guardians) – 47 saves for this guy. Leading the AL.
- Kyle Finnegan (Nationals)
- Robert Suarez (Padres)
Then I wanted to do some research about these players. I opened my computer and searched these names in my browser. After I got enough information about these closers, I closed the browser. To gain more first-hand experience, I turned on the TV and watched several baseball games. And I used my phone to take notes of these games.
I watched a bunch of games, trying to figure out what makes these closers so special. It’s not just about throwing hard, though that helps. It’s about the mentality, the pressure, the ability to stay cool when the game’s on the line. It’s pretty intense.
After all this, I finally felt like I had a decent grasp on this whole closer thing. It’s a unique role in baseball, and these guys are a different breed. I can see why there’s so much focus on them. I’m not an expert now, but I get it a bit more.