It's been a rough year for closers so far. A lot of closers have gotten hurt, including the seemingly indestructible Mariano Rivera. A few others, such as Heath Bell, have struggled mightily.
Given the circumstances, now is as good a time as any to take stock of the closer role in Major League Baseball. It's a position that has been the subject of debates for some time now, with some people insisting that having a good closer is vital to a team's success and others insisting that closers are the most overrated and overvalued players in baseball.
This season's storylines support the latter notion. With so many closers hurt and/or struggling this season, what we're getting this season is a sneak peak at changes that can be made to the definition of the term "closer."
Here's a look at some reasons why the closer role is on the verge of an evolution.
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