Billy Koch

Jerry Manuel messed with another closer's head in 2003, but unlike Keith Foulke the year before Koch fully deserved the demotion. His numbers sagged across the board, and his career year in Oakland is looking like one more example of Rick Peterson's magic; a revival for Koch might just depend on a reunion with Peterson.

Koch finally had the year everyone has been waiting for, striking out a batter an inning, allowing much less than a hit an inning and generally being The Man in the bullpen. Unfortunately the career year might end up being a career peak. The extra workload (he set a new high for innings by almost 25) caused him to sag badly down the stretch, and he allowed runs in his final three regular season appearances and fell apart against the Twins in Game Five of the ALDS. If closers are overrated, closers coming off career years are doubly so, and Koch almost certainly won't be worth what you'll have to pay for him in 2003.

Koch finally had the year everyone has been waiting for, striking out a batter an inning, allowing much less than a hit an inning and generally being The Man in the bullpen. Unfortunately the career year might end up being a career peak. The extra workload (he set a new high for innings by almost 25) caused him to sag badly down the stretch, and he allowed runs in his final three regular season appearances and fell apart against the Twins in Game Five of the ALDS. If closers are overrated, closers coming off career years are doubly so, and Koch almost certainly won't be worth what you'll have to pay for him in 2003.