SEÑOR SMOKE

There was a Mexican reliever for the Detroit Tigers in the early to mid 80's who threw very hard and called himself "Señor Smoke".  Aurelio Lopez had a few very good seasons with the Tigers and passed away in 1992 in an auto accident after his retirement in 1987.  Remembering Aurelio Lopez, we borrow the "Señor Smoke" moniker to typify the very hard closers we have in MLB today.

Aurelio Lopez  Original Señor Smoke    (cbssports.com)

They're supposed to get the last 3 outs of the game and seal the W.  These guys are usually the hardest throwers and rely on blazing fastballs. A few have little over average velocities but have mastered other pitches and have great deception to get valuable outs.  In close games, the last 3 outs of the game weigh like lead.  They need nerves of steel and great focus and execution to get the job done.  Closers live on the edge and are in a universe of their own where they need a quick memory turnover.  There is a big difference between pitching the 8th and 9th innings.

Starting pitchers with good stuff but with limited secondary pitches and repertoire are prime candidates for the bullpen and eventually the closer role.  The move from the rotation to the bullpen will add 2-3 mph to an already good fastball.

Delin Betances   Watch out Jose Altuve

We'll look at the top 10 relievers in MLB in 2014 according to Fangraphs' "Reliever WAR metrics".

NAME	IP	HR/9	ERA	K%	FB VE	WAR
Delin Betances	90.0	0.40	1.40	39.6	96.6	3.2
Wade Davis	72.0	0.00	1.00	39.1	95.7	3.1
Aroldis Chapman	54.0	0.17	2.00	52.5	100.3	2.7
Jake McGee	71.1	0.25	1.89	32.9	96.3	2.6
Sean Doolittle	62.2	0.72	2.73	37.7	94.0	2.4
Andrew Miller	62.1	0.43	2.02	42.6	93.9	2.3
Greg Holland	62.1	0.43	1.44	37.5	95.8	2.3
Craig Kimbrel	61.2	0.29	1.61	38.9	97.1	2.2
Steve Cishek	65.1	0.41	3.17	30.6	91.7	2.0
Kenley Jansen	65.1	0.69	2.76	37.7	93.7	2.0

Aroldis Chapman throwing the slider more

As we can see , the two best relievers in baseball are not closers but closers "in waiting".  Delin Betances of the Yankees and Wade Davis of the Royals are 8th inning guys who should soon become closers.  Betances was a starter in the Minor Leagues and Davis was a starter for Tampa Bay and KC.  Of the current closers, Aroldis Chapman leads in WAR despite pitching the fewest innings.  Betances and Davis get credit for pitching more innings and doing so effectively.  That puts them above Chapman in WAR.  The best closer is not the one with the most "saves" but the one with the best overall numbers as Fangraphs points out.  Aroldis Chapman was the best closer in MLB in 2014 despite not pitching in April. 

Aroldis Chapman  100 mph smoke

2014 saw Chapman with a much higher K/9 rate, allowing only 1 HR and a record shattering 100.3 mph on his average fastball.  His fastball usage declined to a career low 69%, his slider increased to a high of 24% with a budding change up 7% of the time.  At age 26, Chapman is at the top of his game and at the top of the "totem pole" as the ultimate "Señor Smoke".
Chapman's progression from 2011-2014:

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YEAR	IP	K/9	HR	ERA	WAR	FB V	FB%	SL%	CH%
2011	50.0	12.78	2	3.60	0.4	97.9	84	16	0.0
2012	71.2	15.32	4	1.51	3.3	97.7	88	12	0.0
2013	63.2	15.83	7	2.54	1.6	98.3	85	15	0.0
2014	54.0	17.67	1	2.00	2.7	100.3	69	24	7.0