Why Closers Shouldn't Win the MVP

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com

The closer in baseball has one job: Protect the lead. They work only when their team has a lead, so their job is dependent upon the position players. If the position players never gave their team the lead, they would have no need for a closer. So all the closer can possibly strive to do, is protect the great work done by position players. How can protecting something be considered more important than creating it?

Giving a closer the MVP is like saying a security guard at the Sistine Chapel is more important than Michelangelo, because the security guard protects the ceiling from being defaced.