Angels Replace K-Rod with Fuentes

The Angels shouldn't skip a beat in the Save department as they have apparently replaced record-breaking closer, Francisco Rodriguez, with Brian Fuentes. Fuentes gets a nice $3 million raise after making $5 million with the Rockies this past year.

Fuentes is what you want in a closer with the strong ability to miss bats. He struck out 82 batters in a little over 62 innings. Over his career, Fuentes has a 10.24 strikeouts per nine innings rate. This ability makes him a better fit than Trevor Hoffman and other closers on the market.

Fuentes drastically lowered his home run per nine innings this past year and walks about a batter every third inning. He has also shown consistency with 2007 his only shaky year in the past five. He briefly lost the closer's job in 2007 after blowing eight saves, but reclaimed it in time for the Rockies improbable post-season run that year.

His numbers should be even better away from Coors Field and this seems like an excellent value for both him (he is a California native) and his new team.