Keith Foulke

Foulke remains an enigma entering the 2006 season. His 2005 season was derailed by knee surgery, and he never found effectiveness after returning. The sore knee took some velocity off his fastball, making his signature changeup less effective. His role of closer is in doubt, but we'll be better able to assess his value during spring training.

Foulke returns as Boston's closer in 2005, but manager Terry Francona deploys him a bit differently than the typical closer. Foulke finished 15th in all of baseball with 32 saves -- behind the likes of Shawn Chacon and Jose Mesa. Feeling Foulke was his best pitcher, Francona often brought him into came into games with the score tied, with runners already on base or for multiple-inning work. His usage pattern increases the risk of blown saves, of which Foulke had seven in 2004, or no save at all in the case of games that were already tied. If you're looking for the 40-save stud, Foulke is not your man.

Foulke is coming off of an insanely good season, though pretty representative of what he was capable of pre-Jerry Manuel Scapegoat Era. He yields the occasional longball, though that's really nit-picking. He signed with Boston in the offseason and should remain an elite closer.

Forget the talk of Foulke being the next Derek Lowe. Oakland picked him up to be their closer, a job that the White Sox bizarrely decided he couldn't do anymore despite an 86% save conversion rate and 347 K's in 352 innings over the last four years. He's not a sure-fire lock -- his K rate has dropped three years running -- but he's more likely to duplicate Billy Koch's 2002 numbers than Koch himself is.