Prepare for the 2010 fantasy baseball season with Athlon Sports’ Fantasy Kit, which concludes today with the relief pitchers.

Listen to the Daily Diamond Update crew dissect this year’s crop of relief pitchers.

Click here to download the Relief Pitchers’ fantasy page in .pdf format.

View Athlon's Mock Draft

Key:

A: Franchise Player: You need one to compete, two to win, three to dominate.
B: Career Year: Veteran with a strong possibility of delivering his best season.
C: Sleeper: Could be a great acquisition at a price or draft slot below his true value.
D: Roadblocked: Rank lowered because there is no current opportunity to play regularly.
E: Decliner: Expect moderately to significantly worse stats than in 2009.
F: Injury Risk: Has had a recent injury that could affect performance.
G: Investor’s Special: Top prospect whose immediate impact may be minimal.

2010 Relief Pitchers Projections:

Tier 1

1. JONATHAN BROXTON, Dodgers (A) -- For 20 pitches, there is no more dominant moundsman in the majors than Broxton. His first full-time stab at closing yielded 36 saves and 40 more strikeouts than base runners allowed. He’s slightly less valuable in 4x4 leagues, as his projected 100+ Ks are crucial added value in 5x5s. Plan B closer: George Sherrill.

2. JONATHAN PAPELBON, Red Sox (A) -- Pap’s 38 saves and 1.85 were vintage, but he three-folded his walks to finish with the highest WHIP (1.15) of his closing career. That’s more cause for curiosity than concern, as his combo of youth, tools and ’tude make him the safest AL door-slammer. Plan B closer: Daniel Bard.

3. MARIANO RIVERA, Yankees (A) -- The minor 2009 shoulder and groin irritants of the now-40-year-old Rivera may be a portent of Father’s Time wrath, but there was no intimation of dwindling efficiency. His 44 saves were his most since ’04; his ERA cheated 2.00 for the sixth time in seven years and his SO rate was the second-highest of his career. Plan B closer: Joba Chamberlain.

4. BRIAN WILSON, Giants (A) -- Wilson blows a few too many saves (13 the last two years), but he’s clearly coming into his own as an upper-echelon closer. His 2.74 ERA, three homers allowed, 3.07 SO/BB ratio and .223 opponents AVG all represented quantum improvements. Plan B closer: Jeremy Affeldt.

5. JOAKIM SORIA, Royals (A) -- A shoulder scare that limited him to eight pre-June outings aside, Soria was excellent again. Though his opponents AVG jumped from a ridiculous .169 to .219, his SOs/9 leapt from 8.8 to 11.7. The only active pitcher (50+ tries) with a higher career save percentage than Joakim’s 89.9 is -- surprise -- John Smoltz. Plan B closer: Kyle Farnsworth.

6. JOE NATHAN, Twins (A, F) -- After six unassailable seasons as the Twins’ guardian of the gates, there are two little asterisks next to Nathan’s name: his meltdown in Game 3 of the ALDS and bone spur surgery eight days later. Their impact may be more karmatic than anything, since nothing in his regular season set off any alarms. Plan B closer: Jon Rauch.

7. FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ, Mets (A) -- After a hot start, K-Rod’s Mets debut didn’t end well: seven blows and a 6.12 ERA from June 12 on. That’s Brad Lidge terrain. But while his 35 saves were 27 fewer than in his record-setting 2008, he also received 27 fewer opportunities. We’re not raising a red flag just yet, but the situation bears watching. Plan B closer: Sean Green.

Tier 2

8. ANDREW BAILEY, A’s -- Bailey feels like the real deal after delivering one of the top-5 seasons ever by a rookie closer. He opened June with two saves but finished with 26, not blowing one after the 16th; and no AL fireman was more difficult to hit (.167 AVG). The sole reservation is that he’s still a neophyte. Plan B closer: Brad Ziegler.

9. HEATH BELL, Padres -- Hah hah. The Mets could have had Bell for $8 mil cheaper than Rodriguez, but they traded him for Ben Johnson (?) and Jon Adkins (??) prior to the ’07 season. Heath posted seven more saves (42), and his ERA (2.71) was precisely one run lower. Plan B closer: Mike Adams.

10. FRANCISCO CORDERO, Reds -- It’s Cirque du Soleil when Cordero comes into a game, but he gets the job done. He’s fifth in saves (225) since 2004, but 50 pitchers (400+ IP) have put men on base at a lower rate. If you own him, read the boxscore, but best not watch the game. Plan B closer: Nick Masset.

11. TREVOR HOFFMAN, Brewers -- After Hoffman turned 40 and lurched through a pair of shaky seasons, most pundits were penning his obit. Then last year he goes unscored upon until mid-June and wraps things up with 37 saves — exactly his full-season average since 1994. Plan B closer: LaTroy Hawkins.

12. JOSE VALVERDE, Tigers -- He’s a two-time NL saves leader coming off his lowest full season ERA (2.33), but Valverde hadn’t found a job as of mid-January. If he inks with a team prepared to hand over their ninth innings to him, he can be repositioned to Tier 1; if not, Tier 3.

13. DAVID AARDSMA, Mariners -- Opportunity converged with ability for Aardsma in 2009, as he saved 38 contests after Seattle decided Brandon Morrow was a lost cause. “Daxos” (all the M’s relievers have Spartan names) led the Majors in “tough” saves -- i.e., those earned either with the tying run in scoring position or by protecting a one-run lead for at least an inning. Plan B closer: Mark Lowe.

14. RAFAEL SORIANO, Rays (B, F) -- Soriano’s statistical credentials from 2009 in Atlanta include a .153 foes AVG with runners on base and the majors’ second-best (min. 75 IP) SOs-per-9 rate (12.13 to Broxton’s 13.50). Caveats include a 1–6 record, a 5.28 ERA (five homers) in his last 29 innings and a lengthy medical rap sheet. Plan B closer: J.P. Howell.

15. CARLOS MARMOL, Cubs (B) -- Marmol’s brutal control will always threaten both his role as a closer and Lou Piniella’s mental health, but he’s every bit as overpowering as Broxton. While setting a Cubs record for most BBs per nine (7.91, 70+ IP), he allowed just a .170 batting average and two home runs. Plan B closer: Angel Guzman.

16. Brian Fuentes, Angels (E)
17. Huston Street, Rockies
18. Billy Wagner, Braves (F)
19. Kerry Wood, Indians
20. Mike Gonzalez, Orioles
21. Ryan Franklin, Cardinals (E)
22. Chad Qualls, D-backs
23. Bobby Jenks, White Sox (E)
24. Brad Lidge, Phillies (F)

Tier 3

25. Frank Francisco, Rangers (F)
26. Leo Nunez, Marlins (B)
27. Matt Capps, Nationals
28. Joel Zumaya, Tigers (F)
29. Scott Downs, Blue Jays
30. Joel Hanrahan, Pirates
31. Brandon Lyon, Astros

Tier 4

32. Ryan Madson, Phillies (C)
33. Jason Frasor, Blue Jays
34. Matt Thornton, White Sox (C)
35. Mike MacDougal, Marlins (E)
36. Ryan Perry, Tigers (C, G)
37. Matt Lindstrom, Astros (F)
38. C.J. Wilson, Rangers (C)
39. Fernando Rodney, Angels (E)
40. J.P. Howell, Rays (E)
41. Juan Gutierrez, D-Backs (C, G)
42. Chris Perez, Indians (C, D, G)
43. Joba Chamberlain, Yankees
44. Daniel Bard, Red Sox (D, G)

Tier 5

45. George Sherrill, Dodgers
46. Mark Lowe, Mariners (G)
47. Kevin Jepsen, Angels (D, G)
48. J.J. Putz, White Sox (F)
49. Evan Meek, Pirates (C)
50. Mike Adams, Padres (E)

Listen to the Daily Diamond Update crew dissect this year’s crop of relief pitchers.

Click here to download the Relief Pitchers’ fantasy page in .pdf format.

View Athlon's Mock Draft

These rankings appear in the 2010 Athlon Sports Baseball magazine. Click here to order your copy now.