Who Will Be the National League Rolaids Relief Man of the Year in 2007?

The Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award is handed out to the best closer in each league. In my predictions for the American League winner I mentioned that it was a pretty loaded race. Francisco Rodriguez, Huston Street, Mariano Rivera, B.J. Ryan, Joe Nathan, J. J. Putz and many more. The National League isn't quite as competitive. If a few players in particular don't either rebound from a bad season or gain a closing role then the list of good National League closers could actually be quite sad.

Tom Gordon has a pretty good season as a reliever last season but I think the Phillies might drop to second in the division behind the Braves, that and the Phillies offense will score too many runs for Gordon to get a save opportunity a lot of nights. Chad Cordero is a good closer but the Nationals aren't going to win enough games for him to compete for the saves lead. Even the defending Champion St. Louis Cardinals could miss the playoffs this year and not give Jason Isringhausen enough save opportunities. Under the right circumstances there could be a few good closers though.

5. Brian Fuentes - Brian Fuentes is the first closer in Rockies history to save 30 games in two consecutive seasons. Fuentes got to 30 saves even though the Rockies have had losing seasons the last two years. This season the Rockies offense should be very explosive as Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe continue to improve. The offense should make the Rockies a contender in the West and the more games they win the more games Fuentes will save.

4. Trevor Hoffman - Trevor Hoffman is still going strong after becoming the all time leader and saves and leading the National League in saves last year. I think Hoffman will take a step back this year because he is getting older and the Padres aren't going to win the division again.

3. Mike Gonzalez - Mike Gonzalez is one of the guys I was alluding to in the introduction. Gonzalez can be a great addition to the National League's crop of closers but first he has to win the closer job away from Bob Wickman. I don't think he'll have any problem doing that and once he does the Braves could have one of the best closers in the National League. So far in his career Mike Gonzalez is perfect in save opportunities, 24 for 24.

2. Brad Lidge - Brad Lidge is another closer I alluded to in the opening. Brad Lidge was possibly the best closer in baseball until last year. The Astros finally got some offense to help out the pitching so if Brad Lidge can rebound from his bad season there is no reason he can't be the best closer in the National League.

1. Billy Wagner - As good as Billy Wagner has been in his career, last year was just his second 40 save season. Wagner finally has an offense that is going to win enough games for him to get plenty of opportunities. Wagner struggled in the middle of the season last year but he didn't blow a single save the last two months of the season and lowered his ERA to 2.24. I think he just needed some time to adjust to New York, now that he has he's the only closer in the National League you can definitely expect to compete with the American League closers.