The conclusion of the ADP rankings is nigh. I always wanted to say that and have it make sense. So the final draft trends from our good ole friends over at Mock Draft Central focus on the Relief Pitchers today. I love relief pitchers, they are the glue to any contending team's pitching staff and can control your peripherals very soundly. So take a peek or if you have longer read the whole piece. Enjoy, more after the colorful palette of charted goodness.
| Player | Pos | Team | ADP | Earliest | Latest | Draft % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (57) | Craig Kimbrel | RP | ATL | 58.84 | 31 | 88 | 100.0% |
| 2 (82) | Drew Storen | RP | WAS | 81.98 | 57 | 120 | 100.0% |
| 3 (88) | John Axford | RP | MIL | 90.30 | 61 | 125 | 100.0% |
| 4 (98) | Mariano Rivera | RP | NYY | 97.85 | 50 | 131 | 100.0% |
| 5 (102) | Jonathan Papelbon | RP | PHI | 102.77 | 65 | 143 | 100.0% |
| 6 (112) | Brian Wilson | RP | SF | 113.83 | 75 | 149 | 100.0% |
| 7 (119) | Jose Valverde | RP | DET | 122.02 | 84 | 159 | 100.0% |
| 8 (126) | Heath Bell | RP | MIA | 127.55 | 86 | 169 | 100.0% |
| 9 (128) | Joel Hanrahan | RP | PIT | 128.98 | 95 | 167 | 100.0% |
| 10 (133) | J.J. Putz | RP | ARI | 135.39 | 92 | 169 | 100.0% |
| 11 (140) | Ryan Madson | RP | CIN | 144.55 | 98 | 182 | 100.0% |
| 12 (156) | Neftali Feliz | RP | TEX | 156.75 | 104 | 207 | 100.0% |
| 13 (157) | Andrew Bailey | RP | BOS | 158.23 | 108 | 192 | 100.0% |
| 14 (158) | Jordan Walden | RP | ANA | 158.55 | 110 | 193 | 100.0% |
| 15 (162) | Carlos Marmol | RP | CHC | 165.33 | 119 | 202 | 100.0% |
| 16 (168) | Joakim Soria | RP | KC | 171.28 | 117 | 205 | 100.0% |
| 17 (169) | Sergio Santos | RP | TOR | 172.24 | 112 | -ND- | 99.6% |
| 18 (176) | Kenley Jansen | RP | LA | 176.60 | 100 | -ND- | 99.6% |
| 19 (183) | Brandon League | RP | SEA | 182.70 | 126 | -ND- | 98.1% |
| 20 (185) | Joe Nathan | RP | TEX | 184.83 | 111 | -ND- | 99.4% |
| 21 (187) | Jason Motte | RP | STL | 188.20 | 120 | -ND- | 97.5% |
| 22 (188) | Huston Street | RP | SD | 189.16 | 137 | -ND- | 97.1% |
| 23 (196) | Chris Perez | RP | CLE | 195.85 | 142 | -ND- | 96.1% |
| 24 (198) | Rafael Betancourt | RP | COL | 197.20 | 125 | -ND- | 97.5% |
| 25 (216) | Sergio Romo | RP | SF | 214.33 | 196 | -ND- | 6.3% |
| 26 (237) | Francisco Rodriguez | RP | MIL | 222.10 | 167 | -ND- | 87.5% |
| 27 (244) | Kyle Farnsworth | RP | TB | 222.78 | 163 | -ND- | 79.4% |
| 28 (245) | Brad Lidge | RP | WAS | 223.34 | 216 | -ND- | 2.5% |
| 29 (266) | Matt Thornton | RP | CHW | 228.11 | 189 | -ND- | 31.7% |
| 30 (273) | David Robertson | RP | NYY | 229.22 | 166 | -ND- | 34.1% |
| 31 (275) | Mark Melancon | RP | BOS | 230.05 | 184 | -ND- | 79.6% |
| 32 (278) | Francisco Cordero | RP | TOR | 230.34 | 190 | -ND- | 31.5% |
| 33 (279) | Jonny Venters | RP | ATL | 230.49 | 165 | -ND- | 42.1% |
| 34 (280) | Chris Sale | RP | CHW | 230.54 | 158 | -ND- | 72.7% |
| 35 (282) | Leo Nunez | RP | MIA | 230.58 | 223 | -ND- | 6.2% |
| 36 (297) | Mike Adams | RP | TEX | 231.76 | 187 | -ND- | 32.7% |
| 37 (303) | Tyler Clippard | RP | WAS | 232.54 | 121 | -ND- | 72.9% |
| 38 (313) | Jim Johnson | RP | BAL | 233.96 | 198 | -ND- | 46.2% |
| 39 (314) | Frank Francisco | RP | NYM | 234.05 | 190 | -ND- | 56.7% |
| 40 (316) | Fernando Salas | RP | STL | 234.22 | 174 | -ND- | 76.4% |
| 41 (317) | Javy Guerra | RP | LA | 234.28 | 173 | -ND- | 74.9% |
| 42 (318) | Aroldis Chapman | RP | CIN | 234.34 | 196 | -ND- | 36.6% |
| 43 (324) | Brandon Lyon | RP | HOU | 235.75 | 228 | -ND- | 11.9% |
| 44 (327) | Dan Bard | RP | BOS | 236.01 | 150 | -ND- | 52.5% |
| 45 (329) | Matt Capps | RP | MIN | 236.21 | 175 | -ND- | 56.5% |
| 46 (332) | Grant Balfour | RP | OAK | 236.56 | 193 | -ND- | 71.5% |
| 47 (333) | Addison Reed | RP | CHW | 236.60 | 177 | -ND- | 63.4% |
| 48 (340) | Greg Holland | RP | KC | 237.82 | 230 | -ND- | 6.6% |
| 49 (346) | Sean Marshall | RP | CIN | 239.12 | 213 | -ND- | 50.9% |
| 50 (357) | Koji Uehara | RP | TEX | 242.99 | 235 | -ND- | 2.9% |
| 51 (375) | Joel Peralta | RP | TB | 260.57 | 252 | -ND- | 4.0% |
| 52 (379) | Brian Fuentes | RP | OAK | 262.64 | 254 | -ND- | 3.9% |
| 53 (387) | Eric O'Flaherty | RP | ATL | 268.84 | 260 | -ND- | 1.4% |
| 54 (391) | Vinnie Pestano | RP | CLE | 269.87 | 261 | -ND- | 2.5% |
| 55 (400) | Fautino DeLosSantos | RP | OAK | 281.25 | 272 | -ND- | 0.7% |
| 56 (404) | Ryan Franklin | RP | FA | 282.28 | 273 | -ND- | 10.3% |
| 57 (412) | Kris Medlen | RP | ATL | 295.72 | 286 | -ND- | 0.5% |
| 58 (414) | Luke Gregerson | RP | SD | 297.79 | 288 | -ND- | 0.4% |
| 59 (421) | Tevor Bauer | RP | ARI | 302.96 | 293 | -ND- | 0.5% |
| 60 (432) | David Carpenter | RP | HOU | 318.47 | 308 | -ND- | 0.2% |
| 61 (436) | Rafael Soriano | RP | NYY | 328.81 | 318 | -ND- | 1.9% |
| 62 (438) | David Hernandez | RP | ARI | 329.85 | 319 | -ND- | 0.4% |
| 63 (439) | Juan Abreu | RP | HOU | 330.88 | 320 | -ND- | 0.5% |
| 64 (440) | Antonio Bastardo | RP | PHI | 331.91 | 321 | -ND- | 1.0% |
| 65 (454) | Joey Devine | RP | OAK | 352.59 | 341 | -ND- | 0.4% |
- Much like SP, relief pitching shouldn't be drafted too early. They help your numbers only so much, and by only contributing to maybe 3 catergories they should be drafted as such. Kimbrel is going way too high for anyone to be drafted in the 6th round. I get it, he is awesome and pitches like every game but would you rather have Kimbrel or Brandon Phillips, Strasburg or even Desmond Jennings (All being drafted in the vicinity of pick 58). Yea i thought so.
- I tend to resonate towards the same pattern I do when drafting SP. I like to take 2 closers back to back somewheres after rd 10 or there abouts. I have been coming up with Ryan Madson and Joel Hanrahan alot, with a sprinkle of Sergio Santos now and again. Once again I do this because then i'm done for like 8 rounds and can get the "sneaky" saves guys at the end.
- I also like to load up on elite RP and draft zero bench bats. Most will be there around round 18 in a non-holds league, sooner if. Guys i focus on are the elite of the elite, Mike Adams, Vinnie Pestano, Tyler Clippard etc.. Guys that will help out those crappy starts from your SP from time to time and still get you 8 K's a week.
- I like the value of closers on bad teams currently. Frank Francisco and Jim Johnson are definitely the closers and if you hear otherwise unsubscribe to those sites and come listen to me for free. Both are being drafted after the elite set-up guys, I repeat after the elite set-up guys.
- Everyday I read the Kenley Jansen-Javy Guerra saga. It's like that scene in "Coming to America", "Rocky Marciano, Rocky Marciano". "He whooped Joe Louis' ass". Then followed by expletives which in my good christian nature can't repeat. We all know Jansen can strikeout the world but he also has the tendency to walk them first. He reminds me alot of, and you can tell me I'm wrong, Armando Benitez. That's neither a compliment or and insult because 'Mando had some very useful fantasy years. While Guerra prolly has the job for the first 2 months, there is a greater chance he regains the spot after an epic meltdown by Jansen.
- This draft list really doesn't give any justice to the holds department, so take that into account and check out my previous post HOLDS. It's a decent read and will be constantly updated throughout the year
- My sleeper type guys are way too many to list. I am a gluten for RP, what can I say. Vinnie Pestano is and will almost certainly be on every redraft team of mine this year. Greg Holland is a future closer in waiting that doesn't get talked about enough outside of KC. David Carpenter is prolly the most useful Astro's reliever that I would want to take a chance on, if forced.
Closers are a fical beast. It's always good to have at least 2 by the end of the draft. There are always cheap "swing" saves to be had every year on the waiver wire. So be heady when it comes to saves and don't be afraid to speculate because you think long, you think wrong. Happy drafting. Questions, comments or gratuity are never refused.