The Lunatic Fringe

In this mathematically-ruled age of baseball, few types of player evoke as much controversy as relievers.  Middle relievers are viewed as interchangeable, and players that can be found out of nowhere, nor who are reliable enough to be valued.  Middle relief prospects are not valued at all.  And closers?  Take all the above comments, and add ‘horribly overpaid’.

And yet, they are heavily paid, both middle relievers and closers.

Do baseball officials know something we don’t?  Or are they stuck to old ways of thinking?